Taste of Ellicottville
Taste of Ellicottville
Loosen up those belt buckles and sample all that the Village has to offer
Ellicottville is an area of Western New York known for so many things. The extravagant vacation homes of a rare collection of celebrities, the famed ski slopes, the plethora of unique shops and restaurants, the spas, the hiking, biking, and all-around outdoor adventure … the list goes on and on. This weekend, the downtown village will shift its focus to the tasteful flavors of its restaurants.
There are 19 participating restaurants in this year’s Taste of Ellicottville, all very eager to please. The Taste is a big deal, make no mistake. With the late 2019-present COVID pandemic, the fate of this almost ancient local tradition was uncertain, just as many other events within the past two odd years.
However, the show must go on. Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Brian McFadden informs us that the 2021 Taste of Ellicottville is following all CDC guidelines regarding COVID-19. Just as New Yorkers get their slices and take a bite out of the Big Apple, residents as well as tourists of Ellicottville alike get to have a taste of Ellicottville. The streets and sidewalks of the downtown village will be lined with booths manned by staff from their respective restaurants, fully prepared to offer samples of new menu items and rally in potential customers.
Nick Pitillo, owner of Villaggio, says that the 2021 Taste event is about “returning to a semblance of new normal.”
“We all started to take our festivals for granted until we didn’t have them,” he said.
Agreeing wholeheartedly, it is often said that we do not fully appreciate or know what we have until we’ve lost it. The previous two years have been unforgiving; perhaps now is the time that we’ll see things come up our way. Here’s a sneak peek at what Villaggio and a few others have to offer in terms of this year’s event.
“I think we are lucky to have a wonderful culinary scene in town,” Pitillo said. “All of the chefs work hard to have unique items. But our meatballs, risotto bites and porchetta speak for themselves.”
Villaggio is stacked, but so is the friendly competition. This year we’ll also see Madigan’s serving up their famous Guinness Mac & Cheese; Balloons with a plant-based meatball slider; and EBC is preparing a chicken pita packed with a slew of wholesome ingredients.
The Tee Bar is another one of the many participating restaurants from previous years. On behalf of the establishment, co-owner Kimberly Reading exclaims, “We’re looking forward to seeing lots of hungry people! We have a delicious selection of ice cream items for the weekend, including ice cream tacos, chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches and creamy root beer floats!”
These are just a select few restaurants out of the 19 total who will be participating. In the words of Mr. McFadden, “This is one of the largest Taste events in Western New York!” An entire smorgasbord of unique foods awaits the consumer this weekend!
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in Ellicottville this weekend, do your fair share of sampling. From Villaggio to EBC to The Tee Bar and all the others.
“The main goal is, was and should always be to reconnect with old friends and make new ones,” concluded Pitillo. “Having our team out there engaging with guests is how we’ve always tried to build our business; we’re ready.”
View the map and menu below:
