
Photo by Jon Anderson
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Several hundred people came to the 2021 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021.
Tickets went on sale today for the 2022 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens.
This year’s Taste of Hoover is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 6, from 5 to 8 p.m. and has at least 35 food and beverage establishments scheduled to participate, including at least 28 restaurants and caterers and seven beverage providers, said Tynette Lynch, the CEO of Aldridge Gardens and director of tourism and hospitality for the city.
“We have picked up a few new establishments this year, and we’re excited about that,” Lynch said.
New participants this year include Brock’s Gap Brewing Co., FAB Fruit, Steak ‘n Shake, The Joyful Food Co., Teriyaki Madness and Twin Peaks.
For $50, guests at the event can sample food and drinks from each of the vendors present while listening to music and strolling through the gardens. There’s a $5 discount for members of Aldridge Gardens, and children 12 and younger get in free.
This year, music will be provided by Brendan Young, a Nashville recording artist from the Birmingham area whose native genre is country music. His sound is a balance between old and new country, with influences ranging from older artists such as George Strait and Waylon Jennings to newer artists such as Josh Turner and Chris Young.
Getting restaurants to participate in the event has gotten easier since it began in 2012 because Taste of Hoover has become an established event in town, Lynch said. People enjoy being able to spend a casual night out socializing in the gardens, eating and drinking, she said.
One change this year is the addition of more “designer lighting” because some people said some areas were a little too dark last year, Lynch said. The event is a bit more spread out than in its early years and has additional seating in areas such as the shade garden.
Tickets will be limited to about 350 people to make sure there is enough food for everyone, Lynch said. The event frequently is a sellout.
Last year’s Taste of Hoover raised about $18,000 for Aldridge Gardens, but the main purpose of the event is not to raise money but to showcase the city’s food and beverage providers, Lynch said.
Here is the complete list of food and beverage providers scheduled to participate as of Aug. 29:
- Big Whiskey’s American Restaurant & Bar
- Brock’s Gap Brewing Co.
- Buffalo Wild Wings
- CakEffect
- Carrabba’s Italian Grill
- Chattanooga Whiskey
- Chicken Salad Chick
- Coca-Cola United
- Dread River Distillery
- Edible Arrangements
- Emily’s Heirloom Pound Cakes
- FAB Fruit
- GRK Street
- International Wines
- Jefferson State Community College Culinary Institute
- Jimmy John’s
- Lemonade Junkeez
- Merk’s Tavern & Kitchen
- Newk’s Eatery
- R&S Food Services/Yellow Bicycle Catering
- Rock N Roll Sushi
- Santos Coffee
- Savoie Catering
- Saw’s BBQ
- Steak ‘n Shake
- Super Chix
- Taziki’s Mediterranean Café
- Teriyaki Madness
- The Casual Pint at The Grove
- The Happy Catering Co.
- The Joyful Food Co.
- The Whole Scoop
- Tre Luna Catering
- Twin Peaks
- Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux
Reservations can be made at aldridgegardens.com.