Restaurants in four Columbus suburbs will come together for fall events designed to give central Ohio diners a taste of what's available in their own backyards or worth a drive beyond them.
Taste of Bexley, Taste of Dublin, Hilliard's Taste of the Town and Delaware's Fall Flavor Stroll will showcase their communities' best bites and sips, often in a singular setting. They're designed as fundraisers for local chambers of commerce or charitable causes, networking events for businesspeople and prime marketing opportunities for restaurants and bars.
Best of all, though, they're a dream for dining aficionados who want to try a bunch of new places in one night.
"We promote it as a great date night, too," said Jennifer Amorose, chief operating officer
for the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, which expects more than 25 local restaurants at Taste of Dublin on Sept. 29. "Foodies love Dublin. We have amazing restaurants here."
In Hilliard, Taste of the Town organizers said their annual event reflects the momentum of a local dining scene that has added a food hall, an outdoor beer garden and other new restaurants to the Old Hilliard area.
"We want people to leave the event with a list of new places they want to try and a renewed appreciation for the restaurants that call Hilliard home," said Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Courtney Smyser.
In addition to the fall "taste of" events listed below, communities such as Gahanna, Powell and Westerville already have hosted their 2026 restaurant samplings.
Taste of Dublin is Sept. 29
Dublin's most famous food business, Wendy's, will host this year's local "taste of" event, and the list of participating restaurants so far has topped 20. They include The Refectory, even though it's 5 miles away, and more local eateries such as MTM Tavern | Steakhouse, Bridge's End Brewing Co., The Pearl, recently opened Takumi Sushiand Beirut Bitez, and newly relocated Bristol Republic.
The Dublin Chamber of Commerce has used money raised by Taste of Dublin to fund scholarships for Dublin City Schools graduates and to support local nonprofits such as the Dublin Food Pantry and the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. The event is scheduled for 5:30 to 8 p.m. Sept. 29 at the Wendy's Co. headquarters, 1 Dave Thomas Blvd. Tickets, with fees included, are $79. For $125, admission includes entry to a wine bar and taproom. They're available through dublinchamber.org.
Taste of Bexley is Oct. 11
In 2025, the annual fundraiser for the Bexley Area Chamber of Commerce featured bites from more than 30 local restaurants and beverages from 10 bars and breweries. Among them: Katalina's Tres, ZenCha Cafe & Tea, Khaab Indian Kitchen & Bar, Newfangled Kitchen and The Lion.
This year's event, called a celebration of "everything that makes Bexley unique," is scheduled for 5 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 11 at Capital University's Capital Center Field House, 2360 E. Mound St. Tickets, available through bexleyareachamber.org, are $50 (extra for drinks) or $15 for children and Capital students.
Hilliard Taste of the Town is Oct. 14
Signature dishes from local restaurants include everything from bagels to beef. Participants in 2025 included Smoked Lick Barbecue, Bears Bagels, Teas Your Spirits, Old Bag of Nails, Rusty Bucket, The Olive Tree, The Cheesecake Girl and Hot Mess.
The Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce event is scheduled from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Oct. 14 at The Makoy, 5462 Center St. in Hilliard. Tickets are $40, which includes two drink tickets, and can be purchased throughhilliardchamber.org.
Delaware's Fall Flavor Stroll is Oct. 24
Main Street Delaware, the city's volunteer-run economic development agency, has added a new event to its calendar this fall to boost downtown businesses. The Fall Flavor Stroll will showcase seasonal tastes and treats – our guess is pumpkin spice will figure prominently – in the format of its First Fridays events and other communities' regular hops and walks.
It's planned for 2 to 7 p.m. Oct. 24. Sponsors said tickets will be available at mainstreetdelaware.com but haven't shared pricing information yet.
Follow Dispatch dining reporter Bob Vitale on Instagram at @dispatchdining. You can reach him directly at rvitale@dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Get a taste of Bexley, Hilliard, Dublin and Delaware at fall events
