Tickets On Sale For Taste Of The Upper West Side's 13th Year

UPPER WEST SIDE, MANHATTAN — Tickets are officially on sale for the neighborhood's popular food and drink festival, Taste of the Upper West Side, which will return in May for its 13th year.

Tickets for the annual event launched last week on the Taste of Upper West Side website for the two-day festival, which is put on by the Columbus Avenue Business Improvement District.

Not unlike years past, the weekend festival will include more than 80 chefs and a sampling of the neighborhood's best food, wine, craft beer and spirits.

It will kick off on Friday, May 15 with the "Grillin' In The City" event and include the annual "Best of the West" event on Saturday, May 16.

Proceeds from ticket sales to the two events will go to the Columbus Avenue BID to help fund neighborhood projects, organizers said.

Those who buy their tickets early can get a special discount, according to the West Side Rag, a media sponsor of the event. Through March 16, tickets be offered at 15 percent off for general admission and 20 percent off for VIP admission by using the promo code EARLYBIRD.

Here's what else you should know about the festival:

Grillin' In The City

When: 7 to 10 p.m. on Friday, May 15

Where: Under the "Grand Tent" at Columbus Avenue between West 76th and 77th streets

How: $99 per ticket, here.

What: Grillin’ in the City kicks off our annual two-night food event with highly anticipated debuts of restaurants and bars, along with longtime local favorites, including 16 popular restaurants grilling up favorite menu items.

Among the restaurants making their TasteUWS debuts will be popular East Village Korean fried chicken spot, Boka, as well as Ren & Pekarna, both set to open on the UWS in Spring/Summer 2020. Several of the neighborhood’s most popular bars and lounges, including Tiki Chick, Nobody Told Me and Prohibition, will also be introducing signature TasteUWS cocktails.As always, there will be the ultimate confectioners’ corner, along with unlimited wine, spirits and music, centered around innovative seasonal fare.

Best of the West

When: 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, May 16 with a VIP reception from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Where: Under the grand tent

How: $215 per ticket for VIP access, $135 per ticket for general admission, both available here.

What:

• VIP: An exclusive, hour-long preview of the event, the "Best of the West VIP Reception presented by 21 West End" provides an opportunity for participating guests to mingle one-on-one with celebrity chefs and restaurateurs. With limited attendance, special seating area, early entree to the evening’s food, spirit, wine, and beer presentations, and direct access to the chefs before the main event, the Best of the West VIP Reception presented by 21 West End is a memorable experience in a relaxed setting for an entire hour prior to general admission.
• Best of The West: Elevated cuisine is the focus of Best of the West presented by Park West Village Apartments hosted by NBC’s “local foodie” Lauren Scala. Celebrated Upper West Side dining destinations will be joined by TasteUWS favorites, The Milling Room, Cafe Luxembourg, Crave Fishbar, RedFarm and more! This year’s "Best of the West presented by Park West Village Apartments" will be honoring the powerful and successful woman restaurant owners of the Upper West Side. Live music by acclaimed group Project Orange will complete the stage and heighten the ambiance of the Upper West Side’s most anticipated event of the year.