The 27th annual Taste of Peoria was held on Wednesday, August 13, 2008 at Festival Park on the Peoria riverfront.

But Who Won?
The first place winner for Best Entree was Haddad's with their gyros. Second place winner was Pottstown Meat and Deli with their
Black Forest Pork Chop, and the third place winner was Thanh Linh Vietnamese Restaurant with their chicken skewers.

Best Casual Entree winners were: First Place - Gracie's for their mini BBQ beef brisket. Second Place - Hick'ry Stick with their hickory smoked pulled pork, and they also grabbed third place with their hickory pulled beef brisket.

Best Appetizer - Gracie's took First Place with their pig wings. Thanh Linh Vietnamese Restaurant took second place with their egg rolls, and Third Place - Old Chicago for their hickory smoked pork rib tips.

Best dessert - Uncle Bob's Homemade Ice Cream stole the show with their chocolate raspberry truffle ice cream. Second Place winner was
Gracie's with their Chocolate skoog pie, and the third place winner was Uncle Bob's Homemade Ice Cream with their butter pecan ice cream. Carnegie's 501 also earned the Best of Show award. Congratulations to everyone!

These local restaurants participated:
1. Hick'ry Stick - Hickory Smoked Ribs, and Rib Tips, pulled beef brisket, & Hickory Smoked Pulled Pork.
2. Jane's Ice Box - Cookies n Cream Molli Coolz and Mint Molli Coolz.
3. Baker's Square - Country Apple Pie & French Silk Pie
4. Bennigan's / Holiday Inn City Centre - Guiness Chicken & Chocolate Decadence Cake.
5. Carlos O'Kelly's Mexican Cafe - Mrgarita Fajitas & Sopapillas.
6. Willy's Tamales - Homemade Tamale & Pork Chop
7. Culver's of East Peoria - Turtle Sundae and BBQ Sandwich
8. Kelleher's Irish Pub & Eatery - Chicken Hot Pot & Black & Tan Float made with Guiness Ice Cream
9. Gracie's - Chocolate Scoog Pie, Baklava, BBQ Beef Brisket, & Pig Wings w/ choice of sauce
10. Pottstown Meat & Deli - Black Forest Pork Chops & Wild Caught Salmon Burgers
11. Smoothie King - Strawberry X-treme Smoothie
12. Hickory River Smokehouse - Pulled Pork Sandwich, Polish Sausage, Chopped Beef Brisket Sandwich, Hickory Smoked Baby Back Ribs
13. Carnegie's 501 - Meatloaf Sliders & Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
14. Thanh Linh Vietnamese Restaurant - Chicken Skewers, Spicy Chicken Lemon Grass, Crab Meat Rangoon & Egg Roll
15. TGI Friday's - Fried Green Beans
16. Old Chicago - Pepperoni Rolls & 6 Cheese Pizza
17. Shang Hai Express - Egg Roll & Sesame Chicken
18. Haddad's Restaurant - Gyro & Cabbage Rolls
19. Johnny's Italian Steakhouse - Drunken Steak Skewer & Cannoli
20. Peking Restaurant - Beef Shish Kabob & Fried Rice
21. Uncle Bob's Homemade Ice Cream - Chocolate Raspberry Truffle or Butter Pecan Ice Cream
22. CiCi's Pizza - RBrownies & Single Topping Pizza
23. Papa Murphy's Pizza - Pepperoni Pizza & Gourmet Chicken Garlic Pizza
24. McAlister's Deli - Iced Tea & Club
25. Tequila's Mexican Bar & Grill - Chicken Taquitos, Flan, Beef Chimichangas, and Chicken Chimichangas
26. Panda House - Crab Rangoon & Sweet Sour Chicken