Tickets on Sale for New Taste of Italy Event in New Orleans

Food Influencer Carla Pesono's Taste of Italy Will Unveil World's Largest Antipasti Board

NEW ORLEANS (press release) — Today at 10 a.m., tickets went on sale for a new Italian food-and-drink event, Carla Pesono’s Taste of Italy, coming to New Orleans in October. Organizers share that the event, presented by The Italian Barrel, is expected to become Louisiana’s largest Italian food-and-drink event.

The Taste of Italy event will feature over a dozen restaurants, drinks, live entertainment and a world-record-breaking antipasti board, all benefiting the Italian American St. Joseph Society, which helps preserve and celebrate New Orleans’ rich Italian and Sicilian heritage through education, tradition and community outreach.

“As someone who grew up in a proud Italian family in upstate New York, this event is incredibly personal to me,” said Pesono. “Italian and Sicilian culture is deeply woven into the fabric of New Orleans, and I believe it deserves to be celebrated even more. Taste of Italy is about honoring those traditions, bringing people together through authentic food and drink and shining a spotlight on the heritage that has shaped this city for generations.”

World’s Largest Antipasti Board

One of the main highlights of the evening will be the unveiling of the World’s Largest Antipasti Board, weighing nearly 200lbs. Presented by Dorignac’s Food Center,  the board was built by acclaimed Italian sculptor and King Cake Baby mascot creator Jonathan Bertuccelli.

The current world record was established in 2016 by ASK Italian in London with a 10-meter (more than 32-foot) antipasti board featuring 16 kilograms of cured meats, 13 kilograms of cheese and 13 kilograms of vegetables, stretching the length of the restaurant.

Carla Pesono’s Taste of Italy plans to unveil an even larger display.

Taste of Italy Tickets

• General Admission: $100 (7 – 10 p.m.)
  • Includes unlimited food and beverage tastings.
• VIP Admission: $150 (6 – 10 p.m.)
  • Includes one-hour early entry, unlimited food and beverage tastings and first access to the World’s Largest Antipasti Board

Tickets are available for purchase online now.

Other Taste of Italy Highlights

Guests will enjoy unlimited tastings from local Italian restaurants while sipping Italian wines, Spritzes, Negronis, beer and Limoncello throughout the evening.

Participating Restaurants

• Italian Barrel
• Fausto’s
• Tana
• Procida
• Venezia
• Rizzuto’s
• Pulcinella!
• Saint John
• Gattuso’s
• Pascal’s Manale
• Charbroiled Oysters by Chef Micah Martello featuring Prestige Oysters
• Desserts by Angelo Brocato and Bae’s Bakery

More Than Great Food

• Italian wines by Ruffino
• Spritzes
• Negronis
• Limoncello by Mid City Pizza
• Live entertainment
• Custom hand-rolled cigars by Casa Molina Cigar
• Sponsor activations
• Photo opportunities
• Additional experiences throughout the evening

Event Details

• Date: Thursday, October 8, 2026
• VIP Early Entry: 6 p.m.
• General Admission: 7 – 10 p.m.
• Location: Fulton Street between Lafayette and Poydras streets, adjacent to Caesars New Orleans