Taste of the Beaches Returns To Help Florida’s Hurricane-Impacted Local Businesses

Along Pinellas County's shoreline, forty eateries will dish up samples during the Taste of the Beaches festival from Oct. 6-12. The event makes its comeback after storms forced its cancellation last year.

With $10 tickets, guests can taste dishes at each stop on the week-long food tour, organized by the Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce. A portion of sales will support Big Brothers Big Sisters.

The event marks a fresh start after Hurricanes Helene and Milton battered Florida's west coast. While fifty spots had planned to join last year's festival, the storms struck first. The damage shut some places for good, while others spent long months fixing up.

"We've gotten through the storms … and here we are still surviving," said Kim Hautmann, according to FOX 13 News. At her St. Pete Beach spot, Chill Restaurant & Bar, Hurricane Helene pushed two feet of water inside.

The 2025 gathering aims to boost sales during the slow fall months. Many spots report weak summer earnings, hit by both fix-up costs and fewer visitors to the area.

"I've talked to a lot of the local business owners, especially the restaurants, and we think that's because a lot of the places are closed on the beach. Some people aren't coming here for vacation because of that," said Karen Powell per Tampa Bay 28. Her shop, Tiki Bagel on St. Pete Beach, opened just three weeks before Helene hit, forcing a two-month shutdown.

Fresh faces see this as their chance to meet the locals. Brittany Feizulov, who runs Curious Soul Bakery and Coffee Shop on Treasure Island, puts it simply: "I really wanted to get into Taste of the Beaches just to again meet a lot of those local residents who may not have found me otherwise."

At Sea Dog Brewing Co., General Manager Kyle Witkoski kept his message clear: "It's all about giving back to the community and being involved."

Want to join in? Grab tickets and check out the full list of spots at tampabaybeaches.com/taste. The food fest runs through Sunday, Oct. 12, with stops across Pinellas County's beach towns.