Naperville diners have a new way to explore local cuisine with the first-ever Taste of Naperville. This event runs from October 9 to October 18, featuring special offers from over two dozen restaurants. These deals include signature dishes priced as low as $5.
Participating eateries range from popular downtown spots like Empire Burgers + Brew and Bangkok Village to others located in south Naperville, such as Bar Louie and Kabab King Grill. Monica Conners, President of the Naperville Development Partnership, highlighted the alignment of this event with current economic conditions, emphasizing the demand for affordable activities due to rising gas prices.
The idea initially was to host a large outdoor festival similar to Taste of Chicago. However, it was deemed too ambitious for a first event. Conners explained that hosting a festival involves significant investments, and this smaller-scale version serves as a prelude to Restaurant Week.
Taste of Naperville introduces opportunities for businesses that do not typically engage in Restaurant Week, such as ice cream shops that find the standard prix fixe model unsuitable. This new format allows them to participate differently.
Tapville Social, located at 216 S. Washington St., is one of the participants. Malachi Aviles, the general manager, sees the event as an excellent chance for brand exposure and community engagement. Tapville offers eight different bites starting at $5, featuring items like beer cheese fries and honey-butter chicken sliders. Aviles aims to attract more customers who may not yet know about Tapville’s unique self-pour concept, even after eight years in operation.
Bar Louie hopes to increase its customer base by 15 to 20% through Taste of Naperville. General Manager Ashley Rambo noted the beneficial impact of the lifted happy hour ban, expressing excitement over the promotional opportunity. The restaurant offers three $10 deals, including bruschetta, cheese quesadillas, and Bavarian pretzels with garlic butter glaze. Additionally, a $15 chicken nachos deal is available. Rambo appreciates the chance to participate in community activities in Naperville.
For a complete list of participating restaurants, visit dinenaperville.com/taste-of-naperville.
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