2024 Taste of Ellicottville

Two days. Twenty restaurants. Close to one hundred different food and drink items. Get ready to indulge in a merry mix of holiday cheer and culinary delights as the highly anticipated Taste of Ellicottville returns this year with a special twist: "Christmas in August." Produced by the Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce and set for Saturday and Sunday, August 10-11th, downtown Ellicottville will transform into a festive feast from noon-4:00pm each day.

This year’s Taste promises to blend the warmth of the holiday season with the vibrant energy of summer. Participating restaurants have been busy preparing their booths in festive decor. Taste awards will be judged on a number of platforms including The Best of Taste, Healthy Choice, Kids Choice, and Sweetest Sweet. This year, the Taste committee has added a special category: Best Buffalo-Inspired Dish, judged by none other than Madeline Hall (Buffalo Food Slut) and Drew Cerza (The Wing King).

We’ve got the “scoop” on this year’s menu. We’ve got the experience, too! Our team knows these restaurants inside and out and we’re happy to share a few of our “must-try” favorites! Find the restaurant vendor map and full menu in this week’s issue and at ellicottvilleny.com. Tickets and map/menu printouts can be purchased at the event. Tickets will run $1 each, with food items ranging from $1-$6 max.

FOR STARTERS: Take our advice… start out with something light and healthy; with so many options to indulge in throughout the day, it’ll set the stage for a guilt-free experience.

Arugula & Burrata Salad - Dina’s at The Mont - Go green with this good-for-you dish that’s full of flavor, topped with blackberries, candied pecans, cucumber, tomato and honey balsamic dressing.
Edna’s Hummus - Edna’s at the Tamarack Club - An old favorite reinvented! This house-made hummus is complemented with pickled onion, bell pepper, radish, cucumber, marinated olives, toasted sesame seeds, and olive oil, served in a mini martini glass with pita points.
Asian Tuna - Silver Fox Steakhouse - If you’re gluten-free, stop by the Fox tent. Owner and head chef, Michael Nickolson, and his team will be dishing up fresh Tuna encrusted with wasabi and sesame seeds, and finished off with a spicy sesame sauce.
RocketCup Iced Coffee - Ellicottville Bake Shop - RocketCup is all the rave, and you can find it at the Bake Shop booth! Fuel up for the day with a little caffeine. It comes with your choice of a holiday-themed flavor shot.

SIGNATURE DISHES: If you’re a frequent guest of Ellicottville’s dining establishments, you may already know about these popular plates. They’re hard to steer away from; you might even want to go back for seconds!

Risotto Bites - Villaggio - These one-of-a-kind favorites are crispy on the outside and stuffed full of Romano cheese, creamy risotto rice, and spicy Italian sausage on the inside. Dip them in the accompanying spicy rose sauce.
Blue Mushroom Soup - Katy’s Cafe - It’s not available on the regular menu, so when a pot of Katy’s Blue Mushroom Soup makes its way onto the counter as a special, you better hurry because it never lasts long! As its name implies, this cream-based soup is flavored with a hearty load of mushrooms and mixed with a good share of bacon, too! Get to the Katy’s table early to claim your bowl.
Madigan’s Wings - Madigan’s - Their sweet and spicy marinade has been a staple here in Ellicottville since the beginning of time (Madigan’s time, that is). The family business has kept its wing recipe original to its name all these years. We promise you won’t taste this wing flavor anywhere else.
All the Pizza! - Monroe St. Brick & Brew - Ellicottville’s brick oven-baked pizza connoisseurs are dishing out their most popular pie flavors, including cheese, pepperoni, garlic white, and Buffalo chicken, which is always available on their regular menu.

THE NEWCOMERS: Taste Weekend opens up the doors for restaurants looking to try something new and get public feedback, or for one restaurant in particular, literally opening up their doors as the newest eatery in town.

Tapas Plate with Dips - Ellicottville Bake Shop - A fresh face in town, the Bake Shop is quickly becoming a popular pick with all of their fresh baked everything! Their first experience at the Taste will dish up their signature baguette bread made into crostini and served with three different dips: Spinach/Feta, Garlic/White Bean, and Roasted Red Pepper.
Cranberry Dijon Mortadella Sliders - Steelbound Brewery and Distillery - Brioche, cranberry dijon, fresh mozzarella, and friend mortadella. Steelbound continues to evolve their menu. We haven’t had the pleasure of enjoying this mash-up, but we know it’s going to be good!
Birra Mac & Cheese - EBC Tap + Bottle & Taqueria - You know them for their al pastor tacos and rice bowls, but have you visited them since they’ve added mac & cheese to their menu? Full of flavor and satisfyingly filling!
Lobster & Shrimp Roll - Cupcaked - The multiple winner of the Taste’s Sweetest Sweet has recently added lunch options to their menu. So now you can treat yourself to salad, sandwich, and dessert with each visit.

SPEAKING OF DESSERT: Don’t feel bad… this is what Taste weekend is all about! It’s okay indulge; just promise yourself a nice long walk on Monday. It’s all about balance, right?

Root Beer Float - The Tee Bar - The classic ice cream parlor drink/dessert with all the bubbles. (Tip: It’s pretty big… big enough to share with a friend!)
Fried Ice Cream - Hidalgo Mexican Grill - The only authentic Mexican ice cream you’ll find here in Ellicottville. (Tip: Also big enough to share with a friend, but no judgement here if you choose not to.)
PB Banana Cheesecake - Cupcaked - Don’t worry, they still specialize in the sweet treats, and this spin on cheesecake is a dream!
Rice Pudding - Watson’s Candies - The Taste festival is the ONLY time you’ll have the chance to try Watson’s famous Rice Pudding here in Ellicottville. Once a year. That’s it. That’s all. So make sure you take advantage. They usually run out, so this may be a good exception to have dessert before dinner.
Holiday Brownie - Ellicottville Bake Shop - We just can’t get enough of this place! Baked in-house, from scratch, and decorated with holiday charm.
Watermelon Mojito Mocktail - The Banquet Cocktail Lounge - Pair any dessert with this fresh summertime thirst-quencher. The Banq will be pouring Blueberry Lemonade as well.

BUFFALO-INSPIRED: Last but not least, let’s make the rounds and hit on some menu items entering into the new category for this year.

Ricotta Stuffed Gnocchi - The Banq Cocktail Lounge - Gnocchi gone Buffalo with a good smothering of Buffalo Sauce and blue cheese dressing.
Chiavetta’s Chicken - EBC Tap + Bottle & Taqueria - It’s not just any Chiavetta’s. The Taqueria is adding Caribbean Jerk to give this Buffalo-born flavor a new twist.
Buffalo Bills Shortcake - Ellicottville Bake Shop - (Can you tell we’re big fans?) We haven’t tasted this one yet, but it’s already getting our vote! Homemade biscuits with blueberry and strawberry compote and fresh whipped topping.
Buffalo Calamari - Villaggio - It doesn’t matter what Villaggio whips up… you know it’s going to be good!

As you saunter the streets taking in all the aromas of Ellicottville, don’t forget to stop into all the unique shops for a little something to take home. If you’re into live music, you’ll find it around every corner. Whatever you do, pace yourself! With so much to choose from, you’ll want to make the experience last. Good luck, and may your stomach handle everything you fill it with!

2024 Taste of Ellicottville

Taste Test

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