Long-time Hendersonville residents can remember the days when dining out in the city was limited to eating at local fast food or “meat and three” establishments. Folks seeking upscale dining and/or celebrating special occasions had to travel to Rivergate or downtown Nashville to grab a special meal or to have a glass of wine.
Fortunately, those days are in the past.
These days, Hendersonville has a thriving restaurant community that offers an amazing array of dining styles and cuisines. Every week, thousands of local diners frequent these establishments to grab some of the Midstate’s finest food and drinks. Homestyle breakfasts, gourmet burgers, handcrafted pizzas, juicy steaks and sizzling seafood. If you want it, the City by the Lake has it.
For over two decades, local restaurants have been celebrated annually at one of the city’s most popular events – the Taste of Hendersonville. Produced by the Hendersonville Area Chamber of Commerce, Taste provides an opportunity for diners to sample new food and drink selections from eateries across the city while enjoying a festive evening with their fellow foodies.
This year’s Taste was held at the Streets of Indian Lake on Thursday night, Sept. 28. Over 80 restaurants and vendors were on hand to showcase some of their delectable wares and to thank patrons for their continuing support.
Along with outstanding cuisine, Taste also offered a variety of entertainment, including live music by Sequoia South and an optional VIP experience. Younger diners also had several fun activities to enjoy, including bounce houses, games and balloon animals.
As always, the highlight of Taste was the opportunity for diners to vote for their favorite restaurants, foods and drinks in the “Best Of” competition. Guests could cast their votes in several different categories, including best appetizer, best entrée and best dessert. In addition, all entrants were also evaluated by a team of celebrity judges whose votes were counted along with those of the diners. This year’s judging team included Channel 5 meteorologist Lelan Statom, News 4 anchor Holly Thompson and singer/songwriter Morgan Myles.
After all of the votes were tallied, the winners of the 2023 Taste of Hendersonville were announced by the Hendersonville Chamber.
· Best of Taste– Safari’s Brick Oven & Grille
· People’s Choice – Sanders Ferry Pizza
· Best Booth Display – Wildflour Cake Pop Shoppe
· Best Entrée – Meat Sweats BBQ
· Best Appetizer – Myers’ Front Porch
· Best Side Dish – The Rudder at Anchor High Marina
· Best Kids Cuisine – Pizza Ranch
· Best Dessert – Lili Bellas Cakes and Coffee
· Best Beverage - Edit
