Taste of Chicago announces its 2012 restaurant lineup

Some familiar faces will be missing from Taste of Chicago this year, as the annual food and entertainment festival downsizes in the face of declining revenues.

Taste in 2012 will be five days shorter (five days, down from 10 in previous years) and considerably smaller. Thursday, the city released the names of this year's restaurants; there will be 37 full-time participants this year, down from 57 a year ago. Which means 20 restaurants that had participated in the 2011 Taste won’t be around this summer.

Guey Lon, which had been in every Taste of Chicago since the event was created in 1980, won't be in Grant Park this summer. Vermilion, which has been a Taste participant for four straight years, also will be gone. Others missing in action are Adobo Grill, Harry Caray’s and Polka Sausage and Deli.

Several restaurant owners say they dropped out voluntarily.

“A lot of people lost money last year, us included,” said Guey Lon owner Jean Lee. “We’re a small restaurant; we have to at least break even to do (Taste). This year, with only five days, it’s very iffy; if it rains one day, you’ve had it. I wish the restaurants this year good luck and good weather.”

Rohini Dey, owner of Vermilion and its sister property, At Vermilion in New York, said she dropped out for workload reasons.

“Putting together a staff for Taste is not a small thing,” she said. “Between here and New York, I’m strapped.”

Of the 37 remaining participants, all but one have been at Taste before. The sole newcomer is Pazzo’s, a Loop restaurant that will be serving chicken vesuvio sandwiches and tiramisu at Taste.

Eli’s Cheesecake, the only remaining restaurant to have participated in every Taste of Chicago, will be back. So will Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria, which has been at every Taste of Chicago but the very first one.

In addition, 15 first-time participants will be at Taste for one day each. These so-called Pop-Up restaurants, including Arun’s and West Town Tavern, are by definition joining Taste for the first time. There will be three Pop-Up booths at Taste each day.

Taste of Chicago will run July 11-15 in Grant Park.

The lineup:

Abbey Pub

Bacino’s

Billy Goat Tavern & Grill

BJ’s Market & Bakery

Bobak Sausage Company

Carbon Live Fire Mexican Grill

Churro Factory

Connie’s Pizza