33rd Annual ‘Taste of Alpharetta’ Served up Flavors, Live Music, and Local Eats for Food Lovers

On Thursday, May 8, Downtown Alpharetta was transformed into a food lover’s paradise as thousands of attendees gathered for the 33rd Annual Taste of Alpharetta. With 69 of the area’s top restaurants offering their tastiest creations, and over 25,000 food lovers in attendance, the event delivered an unforgettable evening filled with flavor, fun, and community pride.

Families and foodies alike explored the expansive festival footprint in Downtown Alpharetta, which included four stages of live music, an engaging Kids Zone presented by Georgia United Credit Union, and a wide array of delicious bites and sips from Alpharetta’s vibrant culinary scene. Locally Grown, presented by Jonathan R. Brockman P.C., featured hands-on exhibits from 11 local organizations that helped attendees explore how our food system works.

One of the evening’s highlights was the 2025 Culinary Competition presented by Mise en Place Cooking Studio. In a high-stakes blind tasting, a diverse panel of judges—including chefs, food critics, local influencers, community leaders, and three fan-selected judges—evaluated entries based on presentation, innovation, and taste.

The 2025 Culinary Competition Winners are:

• Best Appetizer: 
• • WINNER: Foundation Social Eatery’s Crisp Spanish Octopus
• • 1st Runner Up: CURRY UP NOW’s Papdi Chaat
• • 2nd Runner Up: Kona Grill’s Ribeye Meatballs
• Best Entrée: 
• • WINNER: Jang Su Jang Korean BBQ LA Kalbi
• • 1st Runner Up: The Ginger Room’s Dr. Karl’s Shepherd’s Pie
• • 2nd Runner Up: CURRY UP NOW’s Tikka Masala
• Best Dessert: 
• • WINNER: Foundation Social Eatery’s Tropical Mousse
• • 1st Runner Up: Beto’s Tacos Tres Leches
• • 2nd Runner Up: Mashawi Mediterranean’s Dubai Chocolate

Festival-goers also had the chance to cast their votes in the People’s Choice Awards, recognizing their favorite restaurants in a variety of categories. This year’s fan-selected winners include:

• Best Overall Restaurant: City BBQ
• The Rookie Award (for restaurants under 2 years old): Beto’s Tacos
• Tried & True (for restaurants 2+ years old): City BBQ
• Best Vegetarian Dish: JINYA Ramen Bar
• Best Street Food: Beto’s Tacos

Continuing its sustainability mission, Taste of Alpharetta partnered with Second Helpings Atlanta to recover surplus food from the event. Through this collaboration, participating restaurants donated over 190 pounds of food, which was distributed to local non-profits serving food-insecure families across Metro Atlanta. Contributing restaurants include:

• Boarding Pass Coffee
• Brimstone Restaurant & Tavern
• Cattle Shed Wine & Steak Bar
• City BBQ
• Fogon and Lions Alpharetta
• Ippolito’s – Alpharetta
• La Abuela
• Mashawi Mediterranean
• Minnie Olivia Pizzeria
• Nonnina’s Pizzeria & Cucina
• Persian Basket Kitchen & Bar
• Sankranti Restaurant
• Southern Pocket

Planning is already underway for the 34th Annual Taste of Alpharetta, set to return on May 14, 2026 – promising even more tastes, tunes, and family fun.

Taste of Alpharetta is produced by the City of Alpharetta in partnership with the

Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau. Taste of Alpharetta’s 2025 Premier sponsor is Angela Krause Lincoln. Additional key sponsors for this year’s event include: VyStar Credit Union, Dave & Buster’s, Georgia United Credit Union, Mise en Place Cooking Studio, Jonathan R. Brockman P.C., DutchCrafters, Harry Norman Realtors, North Georgia Replacement Windows, Chloe Wine Group, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, and Casamigos Tequila.

For more festival details, visit the event’s official website (www.tasteofalpharettaga.com) or follow us on social media (@TasteofAlpharetta).

About the City of Alpharetta  

Whether you’re new to Alpharetta or a lifelong resident, there’s so much to discover in this beautiful and vibrant Southern city. Alpharetta truly has it all. A unique blend of excellent schools, incredible job opportunities, great shopping, cultural events, and abundant green space. It’s no wonder Alpharetta is one of the hottest markets in both commercial and residential real estate. Through all its progress, the city has kept its down-to-earth character, which may be why people who live here usually stay here, and why there’s always something new and exciting happening. Welcome to Alpharetta. Explore the excitement that this amazing city has to offer at www.alpharetta.ga.us.  

About the Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau 

The Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau is the official destination marketing organization for Alpharetta, Georgia — a vibrant city recently recognized as one of The South’s Best Cities on the Rise 2024 by Southern Living Magazine. Adding to the acclaim, The Local Palate readers ranked Alpharetta among the Top 3 Culinary Towns in the South for 2024. Discover more and book your stay for an unforgettable getaway at AwesomeAlpharetta.com.