Highlights From The 36th Taste Of Cincinnati Slideshow

To kick off Taste of Cincinnati weekend, local non-profit Go Vibrant hosted their second annual Soap Box Derby-style veggie races. Contestants (members of local television, radio, and print media) were to create cars made from 11 different vegetables, using an eggplant as the body. Pictured here are the winners, Bridget and Fin from local radio station 96 Rock.

Any native Cincinnatian will tell you they grew up on Busken's smiley face cookies, so naturally they're a staple at Taste of Cincinnati.

Cincinnati reuben specialists, Izzy's, were on hand serving their potato pancake, plus the reuben, a corned beef sandwich, and rice pudding.

Celebrating 60 years in business this year, LaRosa's is king of pizza in Cincinnati. Buddy LaRosa opened the first shop in 1954, then under the name Papa Gino's and the pizza was a hit instantly. After a few years he changed the name to LaRosa's and began opening shops all over the city, and can now be found in Cincinnati, northern Kentucky, and Indiana.

Longtime brewers Christian Moerlein have recently opened the lager house along the Ohio River, adjacent to Great American Ballpark.

Taste Experience offered a variety of high end options from restaurants such as Orchids at Palm Court, Local 127, Ruth's Chris, and Prime 47. The vendors rotated every three hours so it was worth going back to try something new every once in awhile.

Local dessert perveyors, Cupcake Crazy, were serving cake pops Cincinnati-style, shaped like a flying pig.

Cincinnati is a hotspot for Indian restaurants. So of course, there was some on hand at Taste of Cincinnati. The Cincinnati chapter of the American Culinary Federation had a booth set up inside the Taste Experience where they served this chickpea curry, as well as bourbon bacon caramel popcorn.

Critically acclaimed restaurant Orchids at Palm Court spent some time in Taste Experience serving this coconut yuzu sherbert with vanilla roasted pineapple created by pastry chef Megan Ketover.

Owner of Frieda's, Armin Hack, was raised in Dusseldorf and lived above his great-grandfather's pastry shop. He brought his knowledge to the United States and opened Frieda's in Cincinnati. At Taste of Cincinnati, they offered a German apple bar and sachertorte.

Cincinnati food trucks gathered on Broadway to served a variety of sweet and savory options to attendees.

Panino sources all their products locally and uses a truck powered on vegetable oil.

Pictured here is Panino owner, Nino Loreto, with his grandfather who used to sell fruits and vegetables out of a bus. Don't worry, Nino's cigar is candy.

Panino served these duck confit crostinis, with brie and greens.