The 11th annual Taste of the Upper West Side — a two-night foodie fest that highlights local restaurants — will preview a whopping five new eateries this spring.
The May shindig will honor top Michelin-starred chef John Fraser, who made his name with Dovetail as well as The Nix, Narcissa and The Loyal; and restaurateur Jacob “Pickles” Hadigeorgis, of Jacob’s Pickles and Maison Pickle.
The new restaurants include Lucky Pickle Dumpling Co., from Hadjigeorgis, which is slated to open in May at 513 Amsterdam Ave. The other newbies are slated to open in June: Make My Cake, from owner Aliyyah Baylor, at 805 Columbus Ave., as Side Dish previously reported; Joe Ragonese’s Elea, at 213 W. 85th St.; and Twin Palms, from Chef Ryan Turner, at 200 W. 84th St.
Nobody Told Me, from Nick Pfannerstill, is slated to open in July at 951 Amsterdam Ave.
“We have had an explosion of new restaurants on the Upper West Side,” said Don Evans, chairman of the event.
Eighty restaurants are participating, and the events will also feature wine tastings — all to benefit the nonprofit Columbus Avenue Business Improvement District, which raises funds for groups like Wellness in the Schools and Citymeals on Wheels.
The first event, Summer in the City, honoring Hadjigeorgis, will be held on May 18 and feature music from top celebrity DJ Phresh.
Other participating restaurants include Zen Taco, Via, Bodrum, AG Kitchen and FishTag. The cost in advance is $115 per person and two for $195, or $135 a ticket at the door.
The second event, Best of the West, honoring Fraser, will be held on May 19. Tickets for the VIP reception are $235. This year bars and mixologists participating include the Manhattan Cricket Club, and Prohibition, with tastings from Dovetail, The Leopard at des Artistes, the Milling Room, Red Farm, Rosa Mexicano and Crave Fishbar. There will be live music with Joe Battaglia & The New York Big Band. The cost is $145 per person or two tickets for $260; $175 a ticket at the door.
Both events will be under the grand tent at O’Shea Complex Schoolyard, at Columbus Avenue between West 76th and 77th Streets.