'Taste of the Town' Offers Update to Classic
A showcase of craft and culinary excellence
For the first time since 2019- the year before the pandemic- the Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce is staging a live event showcasing the best restaurants and chefs in the Hilliard area under one roof.
Taste of the Town is to be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18 at The Makoy, 5462 Center St.
Event admission is $35 which includes tastings and two beverage tickets.
Sample tastes will be available from participating restaurants and The Makoy will have a cash bar.
It is recommended patrons purchase tickets in advance on line at https://www.hilliardchamber.org/ but tickets will be viable at the door unless all 150 tickets sell out in advance.
The Hilliard History
The Chamber hosted “burger week” and other similar events during the past couple of years, encouraging and promoting people to frequent certain kinds of restaurants at different opportunities throughout the year, but not since 2019- when the event was known as the Taste of Hilliard & Business Expo- has the traditional event been presented with multiple restaurants at the same venue.
In the event’s original format, non-restaurants were included, thus the “business expo” addition to its branding, but this return outing will be food only, Smyser said.
Also new this year is an age limit- you must be at least 21 years old to attend.
Former Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Libby Gierach founded the annual event more than 20 years ago.
It is being resurrected by her daughter, Courtney Smyser, who earlier this year was named by the Chamber’s Board of Directors to succeed Gierach as the Chamber’s president and CEO.
The presenting sponsors are Credit Union of Ohio, The Makoy, and Security Plus Insurance of Hilliard.
A look inside…
Fourteen area restaurants are participating but several are places where the public cannot order entrees.
Among the participants is the Norwich Springs Health Campus, a senior citizen community.
Patrons of Taste of the Town can sample the culinary delights of the master chef who prepares meals for residents there but cannot dine at the facility.
The Makoy itself, which cater weddings and other events, will also showcase its menu but is not open to the public.
Participating restaurants include Grandad’s Pizza & Pub, Texas Roadhouse, Old Bag of Nails, Local Cantina, Flyers Pizza & Subs, Rusty Bucket Restaurant & Tavern, and Bears Bagels.
“This event will showcase some of the best restaurants we have (and) we hope to grow it in future years,” Smyser said.