Fresh Food Ideas at Thursday's 'Taste of the Town'

If you’re tired of settling on the same, old places when venturing out to eat, Thursday night’s “Taste of the Town” may be exactly what you need.

Sited at for its eighth annual event, the Reisterstown-Owings Mills-Glyndon Chamber of Commerce wants members of the community to sample a wide range of food from over 20 different local vendors.

“You live in a community and go up and down the same strips to and from work every day, and you might pass by a place, but if you’re not familiar with it, you might never get a chance to sample the food there,” said Brian Ditto, the chamber's executive director.

“This kind of resets in everyone’s mind exactly what the breadth and depth of availabilities and options out there are, and maybe encourages people to take a chance and try something new.”

A large portion of proceeds from the event go directly toward the Community Crisis Center in Reisterstown, which works to support folks who are less fortunate in the community, and may be hungry or facing eviction or turnoff notices for utilities.

The event also features a silent auction with over 80 items ranging from sports memorabilia, to artwork and jewelry, to restaurant gift certificates.

By scheduling the event in October, organizers are hoping to generate business for the restaurants and catering companies with the holiday (and holiday party) season rapidly approaching.

For $35 in advance or $40 at the door, attendees can dine on a variety of cuisine such as Italian pasta dishes, buffalo wings, Jewish deli and even wine and beer.

About 250 people are expected Thursday, Ditto said.

Lisa Honick, who along with her partner Barbara Collurafici, owns in Owings Mills, is offering up her restaurant’s cream of crab and caramelized French onion soups, as well as their “girls Euro Salad.”

Having attended Taste of the Town for the past four years, she appreciates the opportunity to connect with the community and recommends the event for any business owner looking to get their name out there.

“It draws people to our shop. People that don’t know about us or have heard of us but don’t know where we are located,” Honick said. “If you come to something like this, you’re right here in the community, you meet all the Chamber and Rotary people.

"It’s just good networking. It’s downsized enough that you can actually talk to people.”  

The event runs from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the at 12039 Reisterstown Road. People are encouraged to check out the chamber’s website or call 410-702-7074 for more information. Reisterstown Patch Editor Marc Shapiro will be a celebrity judge at the event.