This was our first time visiting this annual event, thanks to Yelp, a sponsor. This combination food festival and local business showcase has been around in one form or another since 1970. Most recently, it has been held in the infield of Santa Anita Park, the Arboretum, and since last year, the Paddock area of Santa Anita Park, which is the entry plaza to the racetrack. The Paddock area expands nearly the entire length of the Park's bleachers, with all the vendors set up in tents throughout the area. There were VIP and general admission tickets; VIP's were for tables of 10. The VIP's gained one hour early admittance plus access to a shaded area with tables, its own bar and restrooms. Regular folk made do with scattered standing tables, permanent Paddock benches and the racetrack's huge restrooms. Beyond the restrooms, you could get a peak at the racetrack and infield, with the beautiful mountains beyond. Note there is minimal shade; a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen are advised. Everyone gets a swag bag, whose most valuable item was a plastic plate for holding all the food you'd soon eat. I was surprised how many hotels are in the area; all had booths, some with food. The Hilton Doubletree had their signature cookies! The food vendors had a larger presence, with representation from Arcadia as well as neighbouring cities. A huge variety of cuisines were offered, as well as many wine and alcoholic beverage vendors. Many restaurant vendors offered their own beverages as well. The event is for those over 21 for this reason (ID's are checked and you are given a wristband). We discovered many new local places to try; Girasol and Little Provence Cafe come to mind. And our old faves, The Derby and Cabrera's were there, with The Derby offering their classic prime rib with horseradish cream and their bread pudding. The Arcadia High School drum corps ushered us in. There was live music inside, as well as a DJ and dance floor. Overall an enjoyable and gluttonous afternoon, worth repeating annually. read more

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Taste of Arcadia is back! Had 2 events since 2020 and it's bigger than ever inside Santa Anita racetrack area. Tickets were $85 and VIP I think was $110 (excluding early bird discounts). Large selection of restaurants like Marugame (yes Honolulu franchise), Outback, Max's, Fogo De Chao, Domenicos and Cabrera's were my favs. Lots of alcohol from tequila, gin, rum, beer and wine (Daou was my fav). Lots of hotels like a Hilton and Marriott was there. Deserts Nothing Bundt was my fav. Portions overall plus selections were great. I'm super impressed and grateful for the chamber and vendors running this fabulousness event. Parking was free and plentiful too. Bring a hat and sunscreen bc it's outdoors. See you next year. read more

Taste of Arcadia - Local Flavor Near Me - Arcadia, California

Ticket Price: $85 bucks The Venue is gorgeous, but I would have personally appreciated a more intimate setting. The Sun was blaring and bright. The best view was of the racing horses. Notable highlights: 1. Moffets is under new ownership. 2. Twohey's served up some delicious salad and pasta 3. Domenico's was popping so the Vehicle Vendor Lucid had more foot traffic 4. Dulce Vida came with the tequila 5. The Derby gave out Ribs and Mac & Cheese 6. My favorite Swag came from Rusnak - which was on the outskirts of the event and really no foot traffic 7. Dave and Busters showed out! 8. Serv Pro 9. Longo Toyota Room for improvement: 1. Map of the vendors. Maybe it was on the QR Code. 2. Indoors at the Race Track. I am sure there exists a lovely conference space. AC please. 3. Maybe only have half of the venue utilized because with everything so spread out and attendance not as high as it once was, it would have been better to have an intimate setting. For the price, I would have preferred more Food Vendors, especially Asian food because Arcadia is known for Asian Food. In addition, the whole experience wasn't as premium with vendors scattered all throughout. A lot of the Elderly individuals didn't want to walk the entire event. read more

I enjoyed this event. I was really full by the end of it. Lots of drinks and lots of food, friendly vibes they had different kinds of music playing as well. The only thing I would say is that certain parts of the event had the sun blazing on you. I definitely would go to this event again. They have out a swag bag with merch and had lots of things to win and raffle. Everything was unlimited so if you liked a dish you can get another. This would be a perfect date. read more

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Great way to explore different businesses in the area as well as surrounding areas. I was actually happy to see some restaurants participating from Duarte, Pasadena, and Monrovia as well as the ones from Arcadia. read more

Omg I had so much fun. Food was great! Drinks were tasty! All the booths had great raffles and giveaways. The bathrooms were near the raceway so we got to take a peek at the track. Everyone was so nice and I had a great time. Parking was easy. Everything was clean and organized. The dj was spinning a variety of hits. Even though it was hot, the shade felt great and the margaritas and brookies made everything ok. Would highly recommend!!! read more

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Taste of Arcadia is a great event to sample and be acquainted with local business. The event located at the Los Angels Arboretum where peacocks can be seen wondering around. Located near the entrance of the Arboretum is the $10 parking, when unable to find parking there drive a little further down and park at Westfield Santa Anita where bus shuttles will drive you to the entrance of the event Will Call in tables and ticket check in. After passing the gate and the welcome banner you are disturbed a while glass and bag with your food tray inside. This was my first event where they distributed a food tray which is convenient. The event had many samples to try from food vendors and local businesses. Many were delicious and lots of alcohol to try in between. Great event to sample food and try new things. read more

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Amazinggggg is all i got to say about the Taste of Arcadia event. I have never seen so many happy and fun people enjoying themselves and taking the time to strike up conversations at. If you haven't been you must go and check this very entertaining event. It is located at the Arcadia Arboretum, which is very close to the Westfield Santa Anita mall in the city of Arcadia. This event literally is a bunch of interesting stores, restaurants, hotels, breweries and much more that are in the city of Arcadia. Even the police department is here! It's pretty cool and everyone is super friendly. The food are bite sizes so you can try everything that you want. It just up to you to find what you like and possibly wait just a few minutes. It isn't too bad!! The price of the ticket is $55.00 dollars but you get a goody bag filled with discounts and also a wine glass for free! Plus all the food that you try inside and the drinks are also free with your entrance ticket! Well worth it and wouldn't mind doing this every year. It honestly makes me miss living in the city! I want to come back all the time for sure. A wonderful night and seriously a great way to mingle around. Guest do have to be over 21 years of age. read more

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Thanks Yelp for the complimentary tickets to the event. After having a baby just a few weeks prior, receiving the opportunity to get out of the house with husband was a breath of fresh air (literally since the event took place in the arboretum). Plenty of local vendors offering their best dish. My husband and I got in around 6:15 and completed our loop by 7. Some vendors did run out of food by then. But we left beyond stuffed and satisfied. Totally worth the $55 if you drink and have friends/family you want to stay out with to catch up/mingle. No kids. No tickets purchasing at the door. Shuttle every 5-10 mins from Arcadia mall parking lot or pay $10 for event parking. read more

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Taste of Arcadia is a celebration of the local restaurants, businesses, and people who make this city one of the finest in the US. The evening features dozens of vendor tents, with food, drinks, and various services offered to visitors. With live music and a festival atmosphere, it is indeed a special night. The event gets more crowded as the evening progresses, and lines form at each tent, particularly those offering adult beverage tastings and food samples. While you're standing in line, however, you are likely to see someone you know from the community, or have plenty of time to smile, introduce yourself, and make new friends. Set against the backdrop of the Los Angeles Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, the strolling peacocks, the tea lights in the trees, the fountains, and the exotic plants add to the prestige. If you live in or near Arcadia, this is something you should definitely check out. read more

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Wow! Thanks Margaret P. for hosting this event and getting Yelpers involved. I was at the Taste of Anaheim last year and have to say, the food and venue were I little better at the Taste of Arcadia. More places to visit, sit, mingle, dance, drink, drink and drink other than the lines coming in, the event was a huge success and a great showcase of local businesses. Some stood out more than others, but I'll let my pics do the talking. Until next year. Cheers ! @yelpsgv read more

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What an incredible event! The food was good and fresh. I enjoyed being able to get a taste of the various food establishments, which were a lot. My favorite was the grilled salmon at one of the Mexican food booth. It was perfectly seasoned and grilled...yummy! As for desserts, there were a variety of options to choose from. Unfortunately, many I saw had chocolate as an ingredient (which I am allergic to) so I had to pass. However, this is great for the chocolate lovers!!! As for the best part (according to my husband): the alcohol. There were a ton of options available (i.e., wine, beer, and cocktails), and these options were really good and generous. It was a bit funny to see my husband use the wine glasses (that the event gave us when we entered as well as plates) to try out the variety of craft beers. Overall, we had a great time. We truly enjoyed our night of good food and great drinks at a gorgeous location. Thank you, Yelp, for the tickets!!! read more

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Taste of Arcadia was beyond expectation! I received complementary tickets from Yelp Elite Squad, or else I would never have know about this fun event. Parking is available for $10 at the lot but we also noticed people were being shuttled in from afar. I guess if you really wanted to, you could walk half a mile from the nearby residential neighborhood to save a few $$. Tons of food venues. I was pleasantly surprised just how much food was available. Everything from tacos to wings to desserts. We would skip a few booth when the lines got too line and circle back. Accompanied by peacocks, Taste of Arcadia is a reminder just how beautiful this area is. The mountainous backdrop was majestic. The booths were staffed by friendly local folks. The music was rocking. The people were friendly. Taste of Arcadia is a great way to enjoy a nice evening of everything local in Arcadia! read more

Taste of Arcadia - Short rib burger - Local Flavor Near Me - Arcadia, California

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I had the opportunity to attend the Taste of Arcadia this year because of Yelp! I was a lucky winner for the Elite squad raffle and very thankful for it -- I don't go out much at night because of the boss baby! :) Hubby and I got a special date night to explore the different booths and and sample the local businesses offerings. I was impressed how organized the event was. Getting to the event was seamless. We saw signs on the way (passing by the mall) that there was parking and a shuttle. We were at the arboretum within a few minutes (it seemed like the shuttle came often). If you like beer, wine, or tequila, this really is the perfect event for you! There was probably 50/50 booze and food booths. The lines for tastings/drinks weren't very long either. The non-tasting booths were fun, and there were fun give aways! Some of the highlights I enjoyed were Sriracha, Sugarfina, and a photo booth! The DJ (Dance Syndicate) was pretty awesome too. For such a large event, the music. setup was ample and there was even a dance floor and big kid games! It was in a section with more of the alcohol booths, also very appropriate! Thanks Yelp & Taste is Arcadia for the opportunity to experience this event. read more

Thanks for the complimentary tickets Yelp SGV! Taste of Arcadia was my very first "Taste" event and it was absolutely amazing! I was completely overwhelmed by the number of food and beverage vendors right as I stepped foot into the Arboretum. The event was incredibly organized. Parking was available for free at Santa Anita Mall across the street, and a shuttle bus came every 5 minutes to shuttle you to the Arboretum. Once you arrive, they give you a neat goody bag with samples, coupons, and a tray to carry all your food and beverage on. I barely made one round and I was already pretty full! North Woods Inn, Benihana, and Red Lobster were some notable restaurants that had a good sampling of their menu, but I also enjoyed learning more about local restaurants such as Bella Sera Trattoria. They had an amazing sampling of their dessert menu that left me wanting more! I've since added them to my Yelp bookmarks for my next foodie outing in Monrovia. Although, the $50 admission seems a bit high, I have to admit that the amount of food and beverage you get to sample is definitely worth the price. My recommendations are to show up early for first dibs on the samples and show up hungry! read more

I received free tickets from Yelp, so, to say the least, for the price, it's definitely worth 5 stars, but when looking online at full priced ticket ($50 - I overheard some got theirs for cheaper through a coupon), I thought it was a little expensive for what you get. Overall, the event is well organized. They have a lot of paid and volunteer staff helping manage the crowds. Also, they have paid parking for $10 next to the event, but many seemed to park at the Westfield shopping mall for free. The shuttle takes around 5 minutes once you get on, but we had to wait another 5-10 minutes to load, which isn't that bad overall. Also, the event wasn't overly crowded, which is nice. They have a VIP section with more vendors and early access, but I'm going to assume you had to pay extra to get in that area. Anyway, it was a fun and chill event, but if you paid full-price, it didn't seem like they had a whole lot of food vendors, but they did have a decent amount of alcohol vendors. If you drink a lot, this might be a great event for you. Overall, I liked it, it was well organized, and I enjoyed my time there, but felt the price was a little steep for what you get. read more

Once again I have to emphasize how great this event is and how much I encourage the public to participate despite it being during the week. The number of both food and alcohol vendors is astonishing and you will not leave hungry or thirsty. In fact you may leave drunk if you don't watch it as there is a ton of beer and wine readily available. We tried a ton of food and were impressed by the quality and selection. Plus there was live music and cool vendors. I even won a free facial at a med spa! Well worth the price and the $10 parking. read more

Taste of Arcadia is the best way to try out all the local spots within one spot! You got music playing in the background, food vendors everywhere, local business promoting themselves offering discounts and peacocks just walking everywhere! So far, I have gone 3 years in a row and each year, and I feel like it gets better and better. It def a good way to spend a weeknight with family, friends or significant other. Upon entering you get a tote bag filled with promotional items and a plate. After getting your stuff, you would walk pass a red carpet area where you can take pics in front of their backdrop. Optional, of course. So food - pretty much most of the restaurant you see in the Arcadia, Monrovia, Pasadena even other 626 areas will be here to promote. Most of them serve their most popular items, which is awesome! Recommend to always buy your tickets in advance, pre sale tickets are always better. Prices does go up at the door. Also, always show up early to make sure you get a good parking space and to get the chance to check out everything first. Always pop into business vendor booths to check out what's new and available, there is always promo available for you to take advantage of. I look forward to next year's taste! read more

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This was such a fun event and we would definitely do it again! We thought the cup holder trays were a genius idea and they really made the night go by smoother. There was a variety of food to satisfy everyone and they had both beer and wine available at different booths. We didn't have VIP but the VIP space was nice - they had a private seating area around the fountain. However, they had plenty of seating around the grounds for general admission ticket holders. Props to the DJ, live performers, and the lawn games! Great event and can't wait to experience it again. read more

This was my first time attending Taste of Arcadia. It was entertaining, informative and well organized. You can park for free at Westfield Santa Anita mall and take the free shuttle over to the Arboretum (or a brisk 10min walk) or pay $10 to park at the Arboretum where the event is held. Check in at the booth for your tickets. Then head in and pick up your swag bag. In it is a sturdy reusable plate for tasting food samples and a wine glass. There were 3 sections with each having about 25-30 booths an each with a live performer (DJ, band). I loved how the sections allowed people to spread out so that it didn't seem super crowded. There was plenty of tables to rest and chat. Also plenty of easy to find trash and recycle bins. I do wish there were less plastic cups and plates used. There were plenty of food and drink samples. there were a large variety of food: chicken mole on fresh hand made tortillas, dickey's bbq, red lobster shrimp cocktail, sugarfina candy and more. Drinks were beer, wine, tequila and plenty of water. There were diverse businesses represented: wing hop fung, dave busters, aaa & state farm agent, dentist & doctor offices, restaurants, retirement communities and more. A great snapshot of the city. The event was outside so bring a light jacket and comfortable shoes to walk on the lawn and dance the night away to the band. Thanks Margaret P for the tix! read more

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Have attended this event the past 4 years and it gets better every year! I already can't wait for next year! In addition to the 40 or 50 booths of food and libations ( my favorite bite was the chicken mole from Cabrera's Mexican Cuisine ) there was a great DJ and dancing on one part, a jazz band in another section, and a steel drummer when you first come in. Such great atmosphere at the La County Arboretum along with all the fun people and great food. Highly recommend this event! read more

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Can't wait to attend, with a future chef!! My grandson. Mari Food is great neen before I'm city so wonderful

Late review, but taste of arcadia was great! The food, drinks, music, and all over atmosphere was perfect. I arrived when it started and there were plenty of food and drinks all around. Parking was plenty. If you don't find it at the arboretum then there's parking across at the mall. They have buses that will bring you there and back. I would bring a jacket because it got a little chilly as the evening went on. Definitely look at the weather beforehand. This event is well worth it :) read more

First timer to this event! Definitely an amazing evening spent tasting amazing flavors from all around. From wineries, to spirits, to Italian.. to Mexican food.. to deserts! Great and lively environment. Busy but not overly-packed. Had a great time sampling such great bites while enjoying the atmosphere and the very nice Arboretum background. read more

Love taste of Arcadia! The reason I did not give 5 stars is because they had a horrible line to get in and seemed to be having trouble moving a simple line. read more

Thanks Katie B. for bringing my attention to this awesome event! I didn't think to review it until I started craving some AU 79 boba. I arrived around 4:30PM and there were already 30+ people ahead of me. Soon after I stepped in line, maybe another 100 people showed up within 20 minutes. Like some reviewers already mentioned, there were a lot of elderly folks here. Maybe they are all retired and had time to stand in line? Wait, so what's my excuse? I get out of work at 4PM! WOO HOO! I met a nice person in line and ended up sitting with her for the majority of the night. Her husband later joined us at the most awesome table at the event. The moment I walked through the gates, I was handed a AAA tote bag with my reusable plate. It was a really neat looking thing that holds my drink, utensils, and it even had a thumb hole to help my grip. I made my way through a number of tents as the vendors generously piled on the food and drinks. I was so amazed at the choices. After my first round, I quickly sat down in a shady spot right by the band. Turns out I sat at the same table as one of the band members' wife along with a few other Taste of Arcadia veterans. :) It was nice talking to these people and it definitely made my time there more enjoyable. I was alone, but didn't feel lonely at all! As for the food, I was STUFFED! What I didn't like though was that there were a lot of chain restaurants like D&B, CPK, etc. repping the event. I would have liked to try more mom and pop restaurants or cafes. Maybe next year? Anyway, there was hardly a line at any of the tents even though there were a lot of atendees. I did notice that some booths ran out of food early on like this one dessert place, but others kept serving up the food until at least 7:30PM/8PM. AMAZING! I was in HEAVEN! Also, there were these really hot dancers who came out around 8PM and got the crowd going. I didn't join in, but still had fun watching them show off their moves on the dance floor. Parking was free and since I got there early, I didn't have to take a shuttle from across the street. So basically, GET THERE EARLY if you want to score a nice table, good parking spot, and get first dibs on all the food. read more

SO MUCH GOOD FOOD. This was fun. We kidnapped our friend and brought her here for her birthday and she loved it. I loved the handy plate they give you. It has holes for your utensils and a hole for your cup/wine. I would come again but earlier. Only thing I didn't like is that the vendors started running out of food 2 hrs after the event started? I wish the Chamber of Arcadia said something about this on the website. When the event starts at 5:30 and they start running out of food when you get there at 7...it kinda sucks, especially when you paid just as much money ($45 btw!) as everybody else, but you're not retired like everybody else and you expected the event to run from 5:30 to 9, as the website stated. Also, there were too many desserts and not enough savory foods. Maybe plan it out with vendors what they're bringing? read more

This amazing event is undoubtedly the best foodie event of the year held in the San Gabriel Valley. I have attended many times and participated as a vendor as well. This is an event you want to make plans to attend. read more

Very good! Great service and excellent people. Would definitely come back but unfortunately they're a little too far from me but whenever I'm in the area I will go no doubt. :) read more

Thank you Katie B for your invite!!!! I had the most amazing time! The place! The band! The food! Magical! People dancing under the stars on a Monday..... Ahhhh! Can't beat it! I missed sweet and savory... I dont think they were there... What a shame!!! It would have been great promoting! Dave and busters pasta rocked!!! The retirement community chefs!! Are you kidding me? I Want to move into one of those! Coming back next year for sure! read more

Taste of Arcadia - Retirement home chef :0) yum! Best dessert of the night! - Local Flavor Near Me - Arcadia, California

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It was my first time to this event. I had As wonderful time. There was a bunch of food vendors, lots of free gifts, free drinks including red and white wines, water, and coconut water. Live band and dancing as well. I got to try a lot of different food and my favorite food was from Nikki C from Arcadia. The taco was so delicious. Make sure you dress and wear comfortable. There will be a lot of standing around. I made a mistake of wearing heels. I will definitely come back next year! I got my tickets from Livingsocial 2 tickets for $79. Tickets at the door was $60. read more

Very nice event with lots of food. Yes it can be a little pricey but hey this is good food. Come early yes food will run out. But this year 2015 was better. read more

This was my first year at Taste of Arcadia and it was great! I had read from previous reviewers to get there early so we were there when it opened - there was already a line but it moved forward quickly. The food was amazing, especially Nikki C's. There were so many options, food and booze, that we hit maybe half the booths and got so full that we had to just sit and take a breather. By the time our stomachs felt ready to take on a few more tastes, some of the booths had started to run out of food. I would say I was disappointed but I'm honestly not sure I could have eaten any of it even if it had been available. We left beyond stuffed and more than satisfied. We have already discussed plans to return next year with people who we know would enjoy it as well. Loved it!! read more

Wow.. I was given tickets and grabbed my Mom and brother and we went and had a blast! The band that played was good, the 'tastes' were flowing as were the drink 'tastes'. Lets see there was definitely all the major food groups, including my favorites alcohol and desserts. We even had coffee from Coffee Bean to go with our cupcakes. My favorite would be the ceviche from Nicki C's and the Grand Marnier chocolate dipped strawberries from Gables (cooking school ??). The sangria was also the bomb from the stand that was next to Nicki C's. I cant remember since I had it after my martini taste. We had such a blast, my Mom bought tickets to go to Taste of Sierra Madre (where she works). Hopefully it is comparable to Arcadia's, probably WONT BE better though! read more