芝加哥美食节（Taste of Chicago），号称世界上“最大的美食节”，每年盛夏在芝加哥的湖畔举行。美食节前后持续十天，有来自世界各地的游客络绎不绝地来到芝加哥湖畔的格兰特公园品尝丰盛的美食。

芝加哥美食节开始于1980年。在美国独立日的那一天，一组餐饮业主为庆祝芝加哥的饮食文化，在有着“壮丽大道”之称的密歇根大道上组织了一场别开生面的美食秀。这次活动取得了空前的成功，从此开启了一年一度的包括美食、音乐、还有家庭娱乐活动的芝加哥美食节。 美食节通常在美国国庆日前一周拉开帷幕，每年都吸引几百万不同国籍、种族，当然还有不同胃口的美食爱好者前来大快朵颐。

2014年的芝加哥美食节在格兰特公园举行，活动时间是7月9-13日。入场免费。

The Taste of Chicago 2014 runs July 9-13 in Grant Park. Entrance is free.

Food and drink tickets are sold in strips of 12 for $8.50. Ticket sales end at 8:30 p.m. each night. The festival is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Officials encourage people to take public transportation; several street closures are in effect during the festival. Click here for a list of what is and isn’t allowed and here for a map.

Five-Day & Pop-Up Restaurants, Food Trucks

The usual favorites, like Billy Goat Inn, Eli’s Cheesecake, and Robinson’s No.1 Ribs, are all set-up for a full run at the five-day food frenzy. There are some new additions, too, including Lawrence’s’ Fisheries, M Burger and The Savoy. Full List of 5-day restaurants

However, some restaurants are only popping in- and up- at the Taste for a couple of days at a time. New additions there include Sol de Mexico, Kamehachi and Mama Mia. Full List of Pop-Up Restaurants.

Other vendors prefer to truck in to the Taste. Food trucks are set up in two locations- Butler Field (during concerts) and South Columbus near Balbo. Full List of Food Trucks

Fine Dining

Interested in a unique dining experience? Some of Chicago’s best chefs invite you to dine with them. But hurry to reserve a spot. Tickets are selling out! Chefs: Matthias Merges, A10, Yusho and Billy Sunday; Erling Wu-Bower and Amanda Rockman of Nico Osteria; Paul Virant, Vie and Perennial Virant; and Andrew Zimmerman, Sepia; and Art Smith, TABLE fifty-two and LYFE Kitchen.

Tickets for Pure Leaf Celebrity Chef du Jour
Music Line-Up

Taste of Chicago is a little bit country, a little bit rock-and-roll. Throw in the blues, some singer songwriters and there’s a whole lot of Chicago. Concerts are held throughout the festival at two stages – Petrillo Music Shell and Bud Light Stage.

While the concerts are all free, those wanting to secure a good spot at the Petrillo Music Shell have the option to buy seats. Headliners include Emmylou Harris and Parker Millsap on Friday, and Jeff Tweedy and Lucinda Williams on Saturday.