There are definitely vendors you can count on at Taste of Chicago—like Eli's Cheesecake and Billy Goat Tavern—but there's always a good amount of new ones that regulars to Taste of Chicago want to try out. We tried all of the "taste portions" from the new vendors, food trucks and pop-up shops, which ranged from three–five tickets each (from $2.50–$3.50). Here's a tip: Bring a bottle of water (or two), because they're going for a whopping seven tickets (for anyone doing the math, that's nearly $5). Stay hydrated, Chicago. This is our ranking of the new dishes from worst to best.
If it's your first time out to Taste of Chicago, a lot of the vendors haven't changed their menus, and we've been ranking them since 2010. Here are our food reviews from 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2010.
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Bakeries are out in full force this year at Taste of Chicago. This caramel cupcake is cloyingly sweet, very rich and buttery with hints of citrus. We're doubtful we could take more than a few bites, especially since it's drenched in caramel sauce.
This salty seaweed salad isn't much to look at, but it was one of the only new green options available. What it lacks in beauty, it makes up for by being a refreshing and relatively healthy option.
Da Lobsta churns out vinegar coleslaw that's great and crunchy. It's light and hits the spot to balance out some of the festival’s heavier tastes.
This inside out cake comes in a variety of flavors, but we're a fan of the triple chocolate, which is rich and buttery. It looks adorable and comes in a small container, but if it were any bigger, it may have been a bit too indulgent.
This oft-Instagrammed doughnut from Firecakes hits the spot, being nice and flaky with just the right amount of vanilla.
These cookies are better than almost famous—they're buttery, sweet and pretty damn adorable. It’s worth visiting BRGRBELLY just to get your hands on these.
These bites are crunchy and accompanied by a spicy sauce, which somehow balances the lobster and pasta. You'll be tempted to get a full order after trying this taste.
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