Would you believe the hottest ticket in town is a Saturday afternoon trolley ride?
More specifically, it’s the Sixth Annual Trolley Tour Taste of Yarmouth – a gastronomical adventure carrying 200 riders on a four-hour mobile feast that covers more than a dozen Yarmouth restaurants. Like tapas on wheels, diners stop at destinations along the circuit to sample such mouthwatering treats as Cajun macaroni and cheese, pulled pork cups, clam chowder, fried Brussels sprouts, pizza, chili, and chocolate-covered strawberries.
Last year’s Trolley Tour sold out in about two weeks, leaving more than 100 disappointed diners on the waiting list, said Jenn Werner, Marketing, Communications and Events Director for the Yarmouth Chamber of Commerce. This year’s tour is set for Nov. 9, but to avoid getting stuck on the waiting list, order your tickets right away! They go on sale at 9 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 1.
What to expect
Once you’ve scored your tickets, here’s what you can look forward to on this year’s Trolley Tour Taste of Yarmouth.
Starting at noon, Trolley Tour noshers will gather at Riverway Lobster House in South Yarmouth to check in and pick up color-coded lanyards. The colors correspond to one of six trolleys that will leave the Riverway, beginning at 1 p.m. for destinations along Route 28. At each stop, the participating restaurants will serve up their best appetizer-sized dishes. The drive from one restaurant to the next varies depending on proximity, but all of the stops are in Yarmouth, so trolley-time is typically just a few minutes or less. Each trolley offloads its riders, then fills up with a new group of passengers before continuing to the next destination. And on and on it goes … For the next four hours!
Once riders get off of the trolley for their first dining destination, they are free to board any of the six trolleys and stop at any of the participating restaurants. That allows for leisurely lingering, without the worry of missing a key stop. There’s no food or drinks on the trolleys, and there’s no requirement to make a meal at every stop. But with four hours to accomplish the task, that goal is certainly within reach.
At the time of writing this blog, there were 20 restaurants and food providers signed up for the event, but Werner says the list is likely to grow in the coming weeks. For the latest information, check the Trolley Tour Taste of Yarmouth page at the Yarmouth Chamber of Commerce website.
Meanwhile, here are the businesses that have already committed to this year’s event: Aiden’s Table (Aiden by Best Western at Cape Point), Ann and Frans Kitchen, Bagels and Beyond, Bashful Tarte Bakery, Beef Jerky Outlet, Candy Co., Edible Arrangements, Engelwood Baking Co., Exit 6.5 Cafe, Great Island Bakery, JoMama’s NY Bagels and Coffeehouse, Red Face Jack’s, Rope’s End, Route 28 Diner, Scapiccios Italian Bakery, Sea Dog Brew Pub, The Loft at the Cove Resort, The Riverway Lobster House, Toly’s Pizza, and Y’alls Wicked Kitchen.
Winding down after filling up
Question: What do you do after four hours of riding and dining and socializing? Answer: More of the same. When the restaurant tour ends at 5 p.m., the trolleys take riders back to the Riverway Lobster House for dessert. Yes, dessert – along with coffee, live entertainment, more socializing, and raffle prizes from 5-7 p.m.
The Trolley Tour Taste of Yarmouth has grown in popularity since it began six years ago, Werner said, when the Yarmouth Chamber reached out to the Town of Harwich, which ran a similar event. Today, the annual tour has its own reputation and brand, and it is so successful that Werner said other communities have reached out to YCC for advice in starting their own “Taste of the Town” events.
The Trolley Tour Taste of Yarmouth is run by the Yarmouth Chamber of Commerce and sponsored in part by the Town of Yarmouth’s Tourism Revenue Preservation Fund. Thank you to our sponsors: The Steamship Authority and CCB Media.
Key facts about the 2019 Trolley Tour
When: The Trolley Tour Taste of Yarmouth is Saturday, Nov. 9, from 1-5 p.m., with registration beginning at noon, and a dessert reception from 5-7 p.m.
Where: The Trolley Tour Taste of Yarmouth begins at The Riverway Lobster House on Route 28 in South Yarmouth, with registration at noon. The tour ends back at the Riverway Lobster House with a dessert reception, entertainment and raffle prizes.
Parking: Parking for the event is at the Riverway Lobster House, 1338 Route 28, South Yarmouth, and nearby Ambassador Inn and Suites, 1314 Main Street (Route 28), South Yarmouth.
Price: Tickets are $60 per person and available beginning at 9 a.m. on Oct. 1. Register online at https://business.yarmouthcapecod.com/events/details/trolley-tour-taste-of-yarmouth-11-09-2019-9400 or call the Yarmouth Chamber at 508-778-1008 to reserve tickets.
Andy Tomolonis is a nonfiction author, travel writer, and multimedia freelance journalist.