A Foodie’s Field Day -Taste of Highlands
Taste of Highlands Map - The Seafarer, Highlands, NJ.
The Taste of Highlands is an annual townwide event hosted by the Highlands Business Partnership that attracts people from all over New Jersey! It is great exposure for the town and small businesses there, plus it is a ton of fun. Yesterday, I spent my afternoon trekking through the great town of Highlands, tasting food and drinks from some of the best restaurants in the area. You start the day at Huddy Park, where you pick up your event wristband and map. The map lists participating restaurants and businesses with a spot to be stamped when visiting that respective business. The other side has an actual detailed map of the town with each spot’s location highlighted, so you know where to go! Think of it as a super user-friendly treasure map that points you in the direction of delicious food and cocktails. Cue ‘Heaven is a Place on Earth,’ thank you.
Some of the spots from the Taste: Bahr’s Landing, Fresh Bistro, and Chilangos in Highlands, NJ.
The event was well run and organized, the biggest ‘hiccup’ being that everyone and their mother showed up to be registered for the event at once. Next year I plan to get there at 11:45 to try and beat the 12-12:30 rush and avoid the line. But everything else was smooth sailing! Each restaurant had something different and unique to share throughout the day. Everyone had a smile on their face, and it was fun making friends along the way who you kept bumping into. Hey, you again! There were 19 businesses to visit, stretching from One Willow to Bahrs Landing. Tickets were $45, and the Taste ran from 12 to 5. If you made it to all 19 stops and had your map stamped, you were entered to win a $200 gift card at the end! The $45 ticket is very reasonable for the food and cocktails you are served throughout the day, and the event’s novelty is worth it in itself.
Full transparency, it felt like 90 degrees yesterday, and your girl was hot and sweaty. After three hours of walking in the Jersey summer heat (hello humidity) and chowing down on different food every 20 minutes, I was feeling it. I only made it to 16 out of the 19 spots. Shameful, I know. Unfortunately, I did not make it to Off the Hook, One Willow, and Sandbox at Seastreak as they were on the opposite end, and my dogs were barking. Just kidding, I’m not that out of shape! It was honestly just a combination of heat and tons of eating that stopped me from continuing. But I have eaten at Off the Hook, One Willow, and Sandbox, which are fabulous spots I would recommend to anyone.
Shown Above: Pork Ragu from Fresh Bistro, Pulled Pork Sandwich from Seafarer/Local Smoke, Roasted Clams from Franny’s Pizzeria, and Tacos Al Pastor from Chilangos.
I won’t go into detail about each place we visited, but I will mention my favorites of the day! Our first stop was Franny’s Pizzeria which has such a fun, lighthearted vibe. They served grilled clams (which were excellent) and an orecchiette pasta salad that set the day off on the right foot. Chilangos gave out tacos al pastor, which was a total knockout! The spicy, smokey pork and sweet pineapple topped with diced white onion made for a fantastic taco. Another favorite of mine was the pork ragu and penne from Fresh Bistro. The pork was so tender, and I loved their red sauce - I am making a reservation there for dinner after trying that; I need more! Their chef was so excited to meet everyone and have people trying their food, which made me smile. My final favorite of the day was the pulled pork sandwich from Seafarer (Local Smoke BBQ), which was perfectly dressed with tangy bbq sauce. Barbecue sauce has been my condiment of choice my entire life, and I am a harsh critic of it. Local Smoke has some of the best around.
I am already looking forward to next year’s Taste of Highlands. I highly recommend you get tickets to this lively foodie event! I met many enthusiastic small business owners and learned more about the incredible options right here in Highlands, NJ. It was a memorable day!
Stay tuned for the upcoming Taste of Atlantic Highlands on Sunday, September 25th! Tickets will go on sale soon, and you won’t want to miss it!