Taste of Alpharetta Brings Savory Treats To Downtown

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Residents are reminded to bring their appetites — and wallets — to Thursday’s Taste of Alpharetta where scores of eateries will be on hand to offer something for everyone to relish.

The 25th annual event will be held from 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday, May 7 throughout downtown Alpharetta.

While thousands of residents look forward to this event, it could cause some minor traffic headaches for motorists who rely on the central business district’s streets to get to and from work and home.

The city will close a few of these roads between 5 a.m. Thursday, May 7 and 5 a.m. Friday, May 7. Alpharetta is also reminding residents that any vehicle left on the street after 5 a.m. May 7 will be towed at the owner’s expense.

MILTON AVENUE

• Milton Avenue from S.R. 9 to Milton Center (located just west of Roswell Street) - Will be completely closed.
• Milton Avenue from Wills Road to Milton Center - Residence only and event parking only will be permitted.

OLD ROSWELL STREET

• Old Roswell Street - will be completely closed.

OLD CANTON STREET

• Old Canton Street - will be completely closed.

ROSWELL STREET (road closure beginning at 7:30 a.m.)

• Roswell Street from Old Milton Parkway to Milton Avenue - will be completely closed

CANTON STREET (road closure beginning at 7:30 a.m.)

• Canton Street from School Drive to Milton Avenue - will be completely closed.
• Canton Street from Mayfield Road to School Drive - Residence only and event parking only will be permitted.

Roughly 50,000 people are expected to attend the festival, which will be held along Milton Avenue, Roswell Street, Old Roswell Street, Canton Street and Old Canton Street in downtown Alpharetta.

In addition to the great food, patrons will enjoy a culinary competition, live music, family-friendly Fun Zone Areas and more. This event, which includes free admission, invites patrons to purchase food and activity tickets, such as purchasing 10 tickets for $5.

Tickets are redeemed at participating restaurant booths for a wide selection of tastes that will range from $.50 to $3. per sample or can also be used in the event’s family-friendly Fun Zones for a variety of activities ranging from pony rides and rock climbing walls, to inflatable’s, balloon art and henna tattoos.

This year’s participating restaurants include Alpha Soda, Andretti Grill, Another Broken Egg, Atlantic Seafood Company, Benihana, Bite Bistro & Bar, Boneheads Grill, Burger Fi, Ceviche, Chicken Salad Chick, Crust Pasta & Pizzaria, Cuzi Fresh Cafe, DaVinci’s Donuts, Domino’s Pizza, Dos Margaritas, El Don Bar & Grill, Firefly Kitchen and Bar, Goldbergs Fine Foods, Hop Alley Brew Pub, House of Hummus, Jilly’s Cupcakery, Kona Grill, La Casa Italian Grill, Madras Chettinaad, Mama’s Pizza, McAlister’s Deli, Melting Pot, Miller’s Ale House, Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails, Noche Johns Creek, Nothing Bundt Cakes Alpharetta, Olde Blind Dog Irish Pub, Publix Aprons Cooking Schools, Rising Roll Gourmet, Robeks Juice, Romano’s Macaroni Grill, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Sage Woodfire Tavern, Sally’s Gluten Free Bakery, Seven Seas Mediterranean, Smallcakes of Alpharetta, Smokejack BBQ, Smoothie King, South Main Kitchen, Spice Afro Caribbean Cuisine, Spice Brick Oven Kitchen Tapas Bar, Taziki’s, The Fresh Market, The Melting Pot, Tin Roof Kitchen, Tower Burger, Twisted Taco, Village Tavern and Wildflour.

Local chefs will once again compete in the Taste of Alpharetta Culinary Competition in a variety of categories, including Best Appetizer/Salad, Best Fast Casual Entree, Best Fine Dining Entrée, Best Dessert and Best Presentation.

Select Chefs will also appear on the Culinary Competition Stage from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. to give cooking demonstrations and presenting their competition dish.

Event patrons are encouraged to stop by the Culinary Competition tent to pick up their People’s Choice Award ballot and vote for their favorite restaurant. The restaurant receiving the most votes will win the event’s highly coveted People’s Choice Award. People’s Choice Award ballots will be available at the culinary competition tent through 7 p.m.

The Taste of Alpharetta Culinary Competition Awards will be presented at 8:30 p.m. on the Main Music Stage for the top chefs in each category and the People’s Choice Award.

Along with free admission, the event will also offer free shuttles and parking for festival goers:

• Park and Walk (no shuttle service): new Alpharetta City Hall Parking Deck (2 Park Plaza off South Main Street) and Milton Center (86 School Drive at Independence High School/old Milton High School).
• Park and Shuttle: Wills Park Equestrian Center (on Wills Road), Wills Park at Wacky World (on Old Milton Parkway to the right of the Alpharetta City Pool).

Photo credit: Taste of Alpharetta’s Facebook page