Tacos And Tequila Return For Second Annual Top Taco New Orleans
Top Taco will return to New Orleans after an incredibly successful inaugural event in 2017. The taco and tequila spectacular, which will be held on Thursday, March 15 from 7 to 10 p.m., is expanding to a bigger and better location in downtown's Woldenberg Park. "The first Top Taco Festival exceeded our expectations...so we are moving to a bigger space, but will still have the Mississippi River as our fabulous backdrop," says festival director, Shane Finkelstein. Proceeds from the festival will once again benefit One Heart NOLA, a charitable organization that raises funds and awareness for New Orleans' foster children.
Top Taco New Orleans will showcase a wide array of original taco concepts from over 50 of the city's most notable restaurants and pair them with unique, handcrafted tequila cocktails. Confirmed restaurants for the event include some of last year's top picks like Velvet Cactus, Del Fuego, and Blue Oak BBQ along with several new additions including Sac-A-Lait, Atchafalaya, and El Pavo Real. Each restaurant will be paired with one of over 40 spirits, some of which include Blue Nectar, Don Julio, and Patron. Chefs and mixologists will compete in four categories: Top Creative Taco, Top Traditional Taco, Top Creative Cocktail, and Top Traditional Margarita.
Throughout the evening, guests will be entertained by live music provided by Muevello and Afro-Cuban jazz band Otra. Following the event, all ticket holders are invited to attend the Official Top Taco After Party, which will begin at 10 p.m. at Masquerade inside of Harrah's Casino.
For tickets and a full list of participating restaurants and spirits, visit the web site. General admission tickets are $55 per person and include unlimited grand taco and cocktail tasting, tequila tastings, and four people's choice voting chips. To beat the crowds and gain early entry, upgrade to a First Tasting ticket for $75. For a full VIP experience, including early entry plus access to the Paddlewheeler Creole Queen, which will feature signature tacos from ten of the city's best chefs, private tequila tastings, exclusive live entertainment and open bar, opt for a VIP ticket for $110. Perhaps the winner will be crowned the best of the state next year.