Last week I waxed on about the fifth annual Harlem EatUp! festival (@HarlemEatUp), taking place May 13-19, 2019, benefiting Citymeals on Wheels, Harlem Park to Park, Historic Harlem Parks and the Harlem EatUp! Foundation. It will be another year celebrating the breadth of the Harlem food-scape, art, culture and the people who make it all happen.
I went on about all of the great Dine In dinners happening and most recently we confirmed Bravo’s Top Chef contestant, James Beard Award Foundation award finalist, new author and executive chef of Washington, D.C.’s Kith/Kin, chef Kwame Onwuachi. He has been paired with Harlem mixologist and restaurateur Karl Williams and the team at Solomon & Kuff Rum Hall for a night exploring foods from Nigeria to Jamaica to Louisiana with rum cocktails. Only a word beyond “perfect” can describe
the evening.
And the dun-dah-dah of the Harlem EatUp! festival, The Harlem Stroll, taking place on Saturday and Sunday, May 18-19, is chock-a-block with both new and old participants from all parts of Harlem and Upper Manhattan. The Stroll includes the Marketplace, the Main Stage and the Grand Tasting.
The Marketplace continues to be free admission and invites guests to pay-as-you-go to eat foods and buy products from local restaurants and makers, some supported by Harlem Business Alliance, Harlem Park to Park, East Harlem’s Union Settlement and Uptown Grand Central. There is a $25 H5 Marketplace package you can purchase (a $30 value, sold onsite only) so you and friends can sample a little of everything.
Step into the Marketplace’s wine and beer garden to whet your whistle before walking over to the Main Stage for live culinary demos, performances, music and dancing. There will be giveaways, samples and of course the Kid Zone activities and much more.
And, for those who know, the Grand Tasting is lining up to continue its legacy of eating, drinking, hanging out and dancing. For just $85 (discounted tickets are on sale NOW), you will get access to unlimited tastings from more than 20 food makers plus wine, beer and spirits. Pace yourself…or not, you are guaranteed to get your money’s worth and fill for the day. The dance party is your gift with purchase.
Some of the new participants in the Grand Tasting are Bar 314 (from the owners of babbalucci), Greedy Pot (new Jamaica restaurant on 7th Avenue), Teranga (chef Pierre Thiam’s new restaurant in the Africa Center on 5th Avenue), La Chula (from East Harlem) and Maison Harlem. There will also be wines from African-American vintners, Mouton Noir Winery and Vision Cellars, spirits from Hendricks, Bulleit Bourbon, Ya Ve Tequilla, beers from Manhattan Beer and more.
Again, visit www.harlemeatup.com now to get those discounted tickets for the Grand Tasting and the Dine In dinners. They are going fast!
Happy eating and thanks for reading!
Kysha Harris is a food writer and editor, culinary producer, consultant and owner of SCHOP!, a personalized food service in NYC for over 15 years. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram, @SCHOPgirl, on Facebook, /SCHOPnyc, and her blog, www.talkingSCHOP.wordpress.com. Questions? Comments? Requests? Feedback? Invitations! Email AmNewsFOOD at AmNewsFOOD@SCHOPnyc.com. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @NYAmNewsFOOD and tag us with #SoAmNewsFOOD with your food finds!