All In Good Taste!

Every summer, the local chamber of commerce gives the chance to sample some of the best of Dayton's cuisine, and this year, it promises to be bigger than ever.

Known simply as The Taste, this year's iteration August 30 will bring in the most it has seen in its 25 years, said Ann Lisa Rucker, president of the Kettering-Moraine-Oakwood Chamber of Commerce.

"Our event differs from most in that for the price of a ticket a person can enjoy "tastes” from all of the participants.” Rucker said. "This is a great promotional event for local caters and restaurants to showcase some of their finer fare, and to encourage attendees to sample items they may not have tried on a menu.”

The first Taste, 25 years ago only had 12 restaurants, and in 2001 when it moved to the Fraze it had grown to 28. This month, though, an unprecedented 40 local restaurants will be on hand to sample out their cuisine.

"The event has continued to grow each year” Rucker said.

As a fundraiser, the profits from The Taste go to chamber programs that support local businesses, Rucker said. It has gained major sponsorships from P&R Communications, Dayton Power & Light, and Kettering Health Network.

Local businesses also donate gift baskets – some with as much as $1,000 in gifts – for drawings and silent auctions.

But the thing that attracts me the most by far is the sheer selection of restaurants attending. It's a proverbial who's who of Dayton dining, and a sampling of all of these restaurants would otherwise cost hundreds of dollars.

Tickets, which are $25, can be purchased at the chamber office, the Fraze box office or on etix.com. They're $25 in advance, $30 day-of, and $10 for children under ten.

This year's participants include:

• 10 Wilmington Place
• Ashley's Pastries
• Atrium Grille & Deli
• Belmont Catering
• Bellyfire Catering
• Brio
• Butter Cafe
• Christopher's Restaurant
• City Barbeque
• Coldwater Café
• Elsa's On the Border
• Figlio Itlalian Bistro and Bar
• Fleming's Prime Steakhouse
• Fresco
• Fricker's
• Kohler Catering
• MCL Restaurant & Bakery
• Sweet P's Handcrafted Ice Pops
• Sweet Dots Bakery
• Taqueria Mixteca
• That Crepe Place
• The Rusty Bucket Corner Tavern
• Trader Joe's
• Young's Jersey Dairy
• and more!  For a complete list, please visit our website below: