Findlay Market Sweet & Savory Stroll!
- Feb 16, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: Mar 4, 2025
My sister, sister-in-law and I went to the Findlay Market Sweet & Savory Stroll this weekend. Let me tell ya all about it!
I always keep my eye out for when Findlay Market has a food tasting event. The participating merchants always provide the BEST samples and everything is always a decent sample size too! This is the 2nd one I have been to, the 1st being the Fall Food Fest (which was awesome). Both times I bought my tickets ahead of time, and they have such a convenient system: buy the tickets online (8 for $20 or 18 for $40), show up and give them your name at the check-in booth, and you get a map and your physical tickets! This time around they also had fun Valentine's beads on the check-in tables (I got a heart shaped one!)
The events typically run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and I 105% recommend going right when it starts to avoid a BIG crowd rush. In my opinion it gets more stressful / less fun when it gets super crowded on the inside, plus there are big lines you will have to wait in if you wait to go until later (while lines are great for business, just make sure you have plenty of time to spend there if you do go later). At the Fall Food Fest, we hopped around and did not really go in location order when sampling, but this time we decided to kind of go down and follow the path, and then end with the outdoor merchants on Elm St.
First, we started at Bouchard's Pasta to get their Spaghetti & Meatball sample. You can tell their pasta is homemade by the texture and taste - there is just a different element to it! The sauce and meatball were perfectly flavorful, and there was also a piece of bread to scoop up the remaining sauce! The other sample option was Tiramisu, but this was just calling our name.
Our 2nd stop was at Makers Bakers Co. to get the "That's Amore" Sandwich, which was prosciutto, mozzarella, and balsamic on house made Focaccia. Wow. It was so good! They were offering either this sandwich sample or a Bourbon Caramel Banana Pudding scoop, it was a hard decision. As we were ordering, they had a fresh tray of their Garlic Blossoms come out of the oven and they looked delectable!
For our 3rd sample we got the Blueberry and Sweet Cheese Pierogi from Babushka Pierogi. I was expecting this to be fully sweet, like a dessert almost. To our surprise, it was a great mix of sweet and savory! The blueberry and cheese went together perfectly and the sour cream dollop on top also complimented it greatly. The pierogi dough here always tastes so good, and almost has a salty/crisp crust on the edges. I still think about the one I tried at the Fall Fest - it was a Sweet Potato Pierogi! While we were here I saw on the menu that they have a Goetta pierogi...I need to come back and try it!
Next, we went to Harmony Plant Fare - an NYC inspired ALL VEGAN deli. As someone who isn't vegan/vegetarian, I enjoy trying those types of food just to try something new and be able to compare / vouch for the similarities and differences in non vegan/veg foods! You really aren't able to tell this is vegan, I feel like sometimes vegan foods get a bad rap, and Harmony Plant Fare is here to put it all to shame. This was a French Onion Grilled Cheese- it was so good / savory / cheesy. I would definitely get this again!
Our 5th stop had us venture outside into the snowy streets to get the Cocoa Smoothie topped/ w Strawberries from Banasun Smoothie Bar. My all time favorite combination has to be chocolate and strawberries - I feel that many can relate to sharing that love. This was a great sample!!
After Banasun we went to visit the outdoor merchants - Dat's OLE School Cookin (Stop #6) and Madeira Bakery (Stop #7). I got the Shrimp & Grits, and Carolyn and Julia wanted to get the Honey-Glazed Bacon Croissant from Madeira Bakery, but they sold out! Luckily they replaced the options and they both got a chocolate croissant (not pictured). At the end we actually circled back to Dat's OLE School Cookin for Carolyn to get the Vegan Bourbon Peach Cobbler. They had 3 options for the event- the Shrimp & Grits, Peach Cobbler, and also a Gluten Free Cajun Shrimp Scampi. As I am writing this I am regretting not trying the scampi too...
For our 8th stop, Carolyn really wanted to try The Rhined's sample which was Gorgonzola Ice Cream Cones topped with Chocolate. I did not try this- but she said it was really good! I think you have to be a very big gorgonzola / blue cheese fan to get this (which she is). I'd like to come back to The Rhined and try one of their cheese plates and wine that I saw on the menu. She said they have a cool outdoor seating area in the summer - definitely adding it to my list of places to visit.
Stop #9 was Eckerlin Meats where we got the Beef Bourguinon. It always smells so good inside of here! This sample was a perfect taster to get us warm with the snow and wind that was going on outside. The beef was so tender and flavorful, and the mushrooms, carrots, and little pearl onions were so good. I remember trying their chili in the fall and I was obsessed!
After Eckerlins we stopped by Eliza Jane's Bakeshop where they were offering a Mini Chocolate Strawberry Tartlet and/or a Mini Raspberry Lemon Tartlet. The Raspberry Lemon one was delicious- a perfect lemon taste with the best balance of sweet and tart, perfect tartlet crust, and nothing is better than a raspberry lemon combo! Julia and Carolyn said the chocolate one was really good and rich & creamy!
For our final stop, Stop #11, we went to the OTR Bagel Bar, where they offered an Everything Bagel w/ Plain Cream Cheese or a Fruity Pebbles Bagel w/ Strawberry Cream Cheese. Julia and I got the everything bagel and it was great! Urbana Cafe was not a part of the Sweet & Savory Stroll, but I will always pay for a cold brew from them when I am at Findlay Market because they're great!
Well, thanks for tuning in and reading all about our Findlay Market Sweet & Savory Stroll excursion. I am already anticipating the next food tasting event, I highly recommend going if you have not been to one!
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