Taste of Carmel Combines Delectable Food & Beverage With A Cause Worth Celebrating

The Taste of Carmel put its best foot forward for all of Carmel in a spectacle held at the Ritz Charles. The 13th iteration of this annual charity event raises funds to support Orchard Park Elementary School.

This grand gala features 40 plus local restaurants, breweries and wineries showcasing their culinary creations and lovable libations. The range of vendors displaying their edible acumen was diverse and varied from brewpubs to fine dining to pizza parlors and gourmet markets.

Beer was abundant as five local breweries provided beer tastings including Thr3e Wise Men, Upland, Sun King, Bier Brewery and Danny Boy.

The Taste of Carmel experience was a dazzling display of food and drink that can only be described as a veritable culinary onslaught.

I started at the Bier Brewery table selecting their Metro IPA. This 5% American sessional had nice pine and a solid balance of hops.

Directly next to Bier was the Pint Room grilling up their signature Cajun Burger. This Cajun spiced gem had Pepper Jack, Old Bay Mayo, House made Pico and shaved Tasso Ham that nicely complemented my Metro IPA.

The dizzying array of options seemed to be everywhere you turned. Next came piping hot pizza, juicy meatballs, sushi, and a golden, 6% Three Wisemen Rocky Ripple Pale Ale to wash down Scotty’s spicy 7 Tidals Buffalo dip.

There was no end in sight. High end bourbon, BBQ Brisket, seared Tuna, and Chocolate dipped pretzel sticks. 

At Upland Brewery I picked their Champagne Velvet to have with their Pork Taco. The 5.5% subtly sweet classic Pilsner paired well with their sensational smoky slow roasted Fischer Farm pork taco garnished with a Sriracha Honey glaze and homemade kimchi.

And the frenetic feeding frenzy continued. Scallops, a spin on the classic Bangers and Mash, and the ever popular Yats.

At this point I was stopped in my tracks by Rascia’s Creative Cakes table. This gorgeous stand,  made to house Rascia’s mini cupcakes, was incredible and completely edible including the bottle.

In the midst of all this eating and merriment, there is a carnival feel to the evening as the silent auction and raffles of donations from 150 businesses continued throughout the night. 

One of the most surprising aspects of the Taste of Carmel is the value. For a mere $25 entry fee, you gain unlimited access for three hours to all of the quality food and beverage you could possibly consume. 

Best of all, you can feel good about yourself as you wine and dine your way through the celebration helping a wonderful local charity for children. 100% of the proceeds directly benefit the students at Orchard Park Elementary School. 

The event was a smashing success with the proceeds exceeding $25,000 and over 1,000 guests in attendance.