If you’re reading this publication, there’s a good chance you’re well aware of the festival scene in Ellicottville, NY. As the summer days begin to dwindle, and our thoughts slowly begin to lean towards fall and winter (you can’t fight it), we still need to remember the next big event on tap: the Taste of Ellicottville, which will hit the streets and sidewalks Aug. 10-11 from noon-4pm each day. I kicked around town recently to see what’s in store this year.
My first stop was at the Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce, where I caught up with Executive Director Brian McFadden, who revealed his excitement yet again for this long-standing tradition, noting that “aside from the Taste of Buffalo, you really can’t get an experience like this upstate … over 20 restaurants putting their best (slip resistant) foot forward, truly touching on all types of food and drink.”
If you’re interested in food sampling, you’ll need to purchase tickets for $1 each from the Chamber table set up in the center of town during the festival, and then you can begin your culinary adventure throughout the village. (Breathe easy … you won’t break the bank. Items range between $1-$4).
THE FLAVORS
There’s no easy way to cover just how much food there is to take down at this festival. With so many well-established restaurants in Ellicottville and so many long-time staples in the mix, it’s hard to know where to begin.
Wings? Madigan’s offers their popular ‘Grace’s House Sauce’ (I don’t know what it is ... it’s just good!), while Balloons holds tough with their own variety. There seems to be a divide amongst the locals about who has the best, so you’ll have to try them both to decide!
If you’re looking for something a bit more worldly, take a stab at the Mediterranean offerings from Kabob’s, which often include gyros and scaled down versions of their namesake. I also caught up with Jim Carls of Dina’s Restaurant, who mentioned they’d be doing calamari, their homemade mac n’ cheese (amazing!) as well as their usual array of desserts - perfect for wrapping up your Taste experience. The Ellicottville Brewing Company will be showcasing all new items (to compliment their all new facility!) and on top of that, they’ll also be hosting a special dinner Saturday evening, dubbed, “Lobster Bake & Beer.” This event will be full of fresh summer flavors, including fresh Maine lobster, New England clam chowder, Belgian mussels, and of course the proper craft beer to compliment each of these flavors. (Get your tickets online at www.ellicottvillebrewing.com.)
The restaurants outside of town aren’t scared to get in the mix either, as you’ll be able to find The Birdwalk presenting their wonderful array of comfort foods (can you say pizza?) as well as a great offering from John Harvard’s Brew House at Holiday Valley. Resort Chef Dave Seitz wasn’t very revealing with their plan, but promised that his team from Holiday Valley would be “celebrating summer” with some fun foods, and even hinting that there would be an interactive part to their offerings. (You’ll have to search out their station during The Taste to see what exactly they’ve got up their sleeve!)
With the majority of the perennial participants now under your belt, I’d also encourage you to stop down and check out Katy’s Café. Newlyweds Katy and Victor Arena are participating in their third Taste this year, and they “couldn’t be more excited … the reception we’ve gotten since opening our doors has been overwhelming, and we’re looking forward to showing people what we’ve got!” And what she’s got is pretty cool - a blue mushroom soup (which has been so popular at recent Tastes that it has actually won awards from the event), an Asian chicken noodle dish, and a tribute to Elvis himself, a King Sundae, which has a variety of toppings you’re going to love!
Another newcomer participating in the Taste this year is Bike & Bean, the freshest establishment in town owned and operated by locals Dennis Baldwin and Rachel Northrup. This dynamic duo will be serving up delicious burritos, fresh smoothies, chips, and guacamole to customers, and as a frequent customer I can tell you, you won’t want to miss out on their offerings!
So there you have it - a literary whirlwind tour of the Taste of Ellicottville. Although a few restaurants weren’t mentioned in great detail (The Gin Mill, The Barn, Tip's Up, Silver Fox Steakhouse, Coffee Culture, Subway) … it just gives you all the more incentive to get out, grab your friends (and elastic waistbands) and get down to this delicious festival. For more information, click over to www.ellicottvilleny.com, where you can find a full directory and map of participating vendors and restaurants. Happy Eating!
