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KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) By 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Main Street was already humming.
Hundreds of people streamed through downtown for the sixth annual Taste of Keene, forming long lines at token booths before fanning out toward more than 30 food vendors offering everything from seafood stew and Korean bao buns to mac and cheese, barbecue and decadent desserts.
The crowds were impossible to miss. So were the aromas.
I arrived right as the festival opened, joining one of two long token lines stretching along Main Street. The wait looked intimidating but moved quickly. Armed with 25 tokens — a $50 investment that felt ambitious at the time — I set out on a mission to taste as much of the festival as possible.
Four hours later, every token was gone.
The day began hot and humid, but by midday clouds rolled in and a steady breeze settled over downtown, creating ideal conditions for an afternoon of wandering between booths, sampling dishes and taking in the sights and sounds of the city’s largest food festival.
One of the most noticeable changes from previous years was how efficiently everything flowed. Taste of Keene, hosted by the Keene Young Professionals Network, can sometimes feel overwhelming because of the sheer number of choices. This year, despite the crowds, lines moved briskly and the event felt easier to navigate.
The festival’s revised footprint — adjusted earlier this year because organizers expected downtown construction to begin before the event — may have helped. Railroad Square served as an entertainment hub with live music, seating areas and ArtWalk demonstrations, while food vendors stretched along Main Street from the flagpole toward Eagle Court.
The result was a festival that felt busy without feeling crowded.
And then there was the food.
By the end of the afternoon, I had sampled a dozen dishes and desserts. Some were good. Several were memorable.
Among the standout offerings was Buba Street Noodle and Bar’s Korean chicken bao, perhaps the most complete bite of the day. The soft, pillowy steamed bun cradled a perfectly fried piece of chicken coated in a sweet, tangy glaze. The contrast between the tender bun and the crispy chicken created a combination that disappeared far too quickly.
Charcoal Charlie’s barbecue sundae was another favorite and perhaps the festival’s most playful presentation. Served in a bowl like an ice cream sundae, it layered baked beans on the bottom, topped them with pulled pork, slaw and a pickle garnish. It could have been a gimmick. Instead, it was one of the most satisfying dishes of the day, with each layer adding texture and flavor.
The Monadnock Food Co-op offered two dishes that paired surprisingly well together. Its gochujang mac and cheese featured perfectly cooked pasta coated in a creamy sauce with just enough heat to keep things interesting, while the sesame cucumber salad provided a refreshing counterpoint. After several richer dishes, the cool cucumbers felt like a reset button.
Thai Garden once again proved why it has become one of downtown’s most dependable restaurants. Its vegetable pad Thai was packed with tofu and scallions, and the noodles had the ideal texture — tender without becoming soft. A crispy spring roll served alongside completed the dish. Regular customers know a full restaurant order comes with several of them, but even a single sample offered a reminder of why the appetizer remains a favorite.
The Stage showcased a coastal seafood stew that delivered restaurant-quality comfort in tasting-portion form. Tender seafood floated in a tangy broth accompanied by a slice of garlic bread that was nearly mandatory for soaking up every last drop.
Not every memorable item was savory.
The Stage’s spumoni cake bite packed pistachio flavor into a surprisingly balanced dessert. Chocolate cake, frosting and chopped pistachios combined for a rich but restrained finish.
My final token ultimately went to Keene on Cookies for a fudgy Oreo brownie topped with frosting. Dense, chewy and deeply chocolatey, it was exactly the sort of sweet ending a festival like this deserves. After spending the afternoon carefully rationing tokens, it felt fitting that the last one disappeared on dessert.
One of the biggest additions this year wasn’t food at all.
For the first time, alcoholic beverages were available throughout the festival footprint rather than being confined to a separate designated area. I started the day with a rum punch from Copper Cannon Distillery, a tropical cocktail that paired surprisingly well with the wide range of flavors that followed. Beverage vendors were scattered throughout downtown, making it easier than ever for attendees to sample local breweries, wineries and distilleries alongside the food.
Between bites, visitors could also enjoy the opening weekend of Keene ArtWalk. Railroad Square featured demonstrations, artists and live music performances throughout the afternoon, creating an atmosphere that felt more like a citywide celebration than a food festival alone.
That combination has become part of Taste of Keene’s appeal. The event isn’t simply about eating. It’s about experiencing downtown.
Over the course of several hours, thousands of people wandered Main Street, catching up with friends, discovering new restaurants and revisiting old favorites. Local business owners chatted with customers while musicians performed at Railroad Square. Families pushed strollers between booths. Visitors debated where to spend their next two or three tokens.
And while organizers joked beforehand that pork appeared to be this year’s unofficial theme, the festival’s real theme seemed to be abundance.
There was more food than anyone could reasonably sample in a single afternoon. More choices than most people could fit on a plate. More reasons to linger than to leave.
By 3:30 p.m., when the festival came to a close, my tokens were gone, my appetite was thoroughly satisfied and my list of restaurants to revisit had grown considerably.
For a few hours on a cloudy June afternoon, downtown Keene became exactly what every great food festival aspires to be: a place where discovery is just one bite away.