NYC: Tonight's Taste Of The Nation Has A Better Culinary Lineup Than Ever

Food festivals and events are a dime a dozen these days, but there's always been something different about the annual Taste of the Nation celebration, taking place tonight in New York City. The yearly nosh fest features over 40 of the city's top restaurants and bars serving up all-you-can-eat menu items and drinks for a great cause. All proceeds from the event benefit No Kid Hungry's work to end childhood hunger in America.

Taste of the Nation 2017 will be led by Honorary Chair Danny Meyer (Union Square Hospitality Group) along with Culinary Co-Chairs Anita Lo (Annisa) and Bryce Schuman (Betony). The host committee includes chefs Eli Sussman (Samesa), Chris Jaeckle (Uma Temakeria), William Elliot (Maison Premiere and Sauvage), Jack Logue (Betony), Flynn McGarry (Eureka) and Oskar Kostecki (Union Square Wines).

Special bites for the event include dishes from a number of newer and yet-to-open establishments, such the re-located Union Square Café, Ataboy, Lalito, Samesa, Pig Bleecker, Daily Provisions, Massoni, Sugarcane Raw Bar and more. A few of the bars on hand to serve cocktails include The Dead Rabbit, Dante and Cienfuegos. A full list of participants serving up food and drink items — as well as information about tickets, which are still available — can be found on the event's official website.

Think the $250 general admission ticket price is steep? Well, think about how much you shelled out for the last set-course menu at the latest downtown or Brooklyn hot spot. That's about what you'd spend at such a restaurant per-person, and here, you get to sample a crazy array of dishes and beverages from the likes of A-list restaurants, all while interacting with chefs and industry insiders and contributing to a worthy cause. This is, without a doubt, one of the year's premier food and drink events. Taste of the Nation is also introducing new special culinary programming, such as The Candy Carnival featuring a colorful selection of local, handmade candies.

Date: Monday, April 24, 2017

Location: 180 Maiden Street, New York, NY 10038

Time: 7 p.m. for GA; 6 p.m. for VIP

Admission: $250 for general admission; $400 for VIP