Twelve downtown Wheaton restaurants will battle it out at the 18th Annual Wheaton Chili Cookoff on Saturday, Oct. 3, and the Downtown Wheaton Association has now released every competitor's featured recipe.
The lineup grew by one since the association's early September announcement, which listed 11 restaurants. The full 12-restaurant roster, published by Patch, covers ground well beyond the traditional bowl of red:
- Altiro Latin Fusion — Altiro Signature Chili
- Bien Trucha — Braised Beef Cheek & Black Bean Chili
- Billy Bricks — Chili Wonka & the Hot Honey Factory
- Front Street Kitchen — Classic Short Rib Chili
- Gia Mia — Italian Stallion Chili
- Grange House — recipe not yet announced
- Hale Street Cantina — Cantina Chili
- Ivy Restaurant — Brisket Chili
- Luong Loi Restaurant — Papaya Salad Chili
- Moveable Feast + Co. — Gluten-free Verde Chicken Chili
- QCurrys Indian Kitchen — Chicken Fire Chili
- The Burger Social — Korean-Mexican Fusion Chili
The range is wide. Names like Chili Wonka & the Hot Honey Factory and Papaya Salad Chili signal that competitors are leaning into creative territory. Moveable Feast + Co. offers a gluten-free option for attendees with dietary restrictions, and QCurrys Indian Kitchen brings Indian-spiced heat with its Chicken Fire Chili.
One competitor arrives under a new name. Front Street Kitchen, formerly Dough and the Backyard, rebranded in August, pivoting from a pizza-focused menu to modern American cuisine. The restaurant's owners said in an Aug. 10 announcement that they wanted to build something more flexible and lasting for downtown Wheaton. The cookoff will be the restaurant's first appearance under its new identity, entering with a Classic Short Rib Chili that fits the rebrand's emphasis on hearty American dishes.
The cookoff runs from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. in downtown Wheaton. General admission is $20 per person and includes unlimited chili tastings. Friends of Downtown Wheaton members pay $15. A Chili 4-Pack bundles four general admission tickets for $60.
Kevin Janus and the Wheaton Dad Band provide live music throughout the afternoon.
Tickets and more information is available at the Downtown Wheaton Association's website, visitdowntownwheaton.org.
