Taste of the Lakes 2026 Photo Gallery: Big Flavor for a Great Cause

What a night.

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Taste of the Lakes 2026 at the beautiful Exchange Building at Northern Pacific Center was everything you want a Lakes Area event to be. Great people, an amazing cause, incredible food, plenty to sip on, and a room full of people showing up to support the Brainerd Family YMCA. By the end of the night, there were a lot of full stomachs and more than a few food comas.

Held on Thursday, March 19, this 21+ event brought the community together for an unforgettable evening of beverage tastings, food tastings, raffles, a live auction, and plenty of voting for the People’s Choice Awards. Beverage tasting kicked off at 5:30 PM, and food tasting followed at 7:00 PM as guests made their way around the room sampling some of the best bites in the area.

This event is one of those must-attend nights on the calendar. It gives people a chance to experience outstanding local restaurants all in one place while helping support the Brainerd Family YMCA and the programs that continue to strengthen this community. Proceeds from the event help support youth sports and enrichment programs, affordable child care and after-school care, mentorship opportunities, and health and wellness programs for all ages.

Huge hats off to everyone who helped make this event happen. A special shoutout to Meteorologist John Zeigler of KARE 11 for doing a fantastic job as emcee, and to auctioneer Logan Veo, afternoon host of The Power Loon, for helping make the night even more memorable. Nights like this are what the Lakes Area is all about.

And the restaurant lineup absolutely brought it.

Participating restaurants included Anchor North, Block North Brew Pub, Breezy Point Resort, Dunmire’s, Grand Casino Mille Lacs, Grand View Lodge, Irma’s Kitchen at Cragun’s, The Local 218, Madden’s on Gull, Main Street Ale House, Maucieri’s Italian Bistro, The Treasury of Pine River, Baxter’s Bar and Grill at The Lodge, B*Merri, Ernie’s on Gull, Notch 8, Passport Restaurant, The Lonesome Pine, and The U.G.L.Y. Cheesecake Company.

From the first bite to the last, there was no shortage of standout dishes.

The winner for Best Starter ended in a tie between Maucieri’s Italian Bistro with its Bolognese Polenta Bites and Grand View Lodge with its Tuna Tartar in a Mini Waffle Cone. Best Entree went to The Local 218 for its Surf and Turf featuring Filet Mignon, Butter-Poached Lobster, Truffle Mash, Asparagus Tip, and Lobster Sauce. Best Dessert went to Madden’s on Gull for its Mini Strawberry and Pistachio Pavlova. And when the votes were counted, The Local 218 took home the overall People’s Choice win.

The event also featured beer and wine tastings, raffles, and a live auction to close out the night, all of which added to the energy and excitement. It was a full evening of great flavors, great people, and a great reason to come together.

If you have never been to Taste of the Lakes, make sure you change that. This is one of those events that reminds you just how special this area really is. Great food, great people, and a great cause all under one roof.

Keep a lookout for next year’s event. This one deserves a spot on your calendar. 2026 Photo Gallery