A Taste of Dr. Phillips event highlights Restaurant Row

If you’re looking for a glimpse of some of Restaurant Row’s best offerings, one Dr. Phillips event has you covered.

The Rotary Club of Dr. Phillips will host its 13th annual A Taste of Dr. Phillips Sunday, Nov. 10, at Dellagio Orlando — giving food and wine enthusiasts an array of offerings from more than 20 different restaurants to sample.

Attendees also can enjoy live music, wine tents, a beer tent and a silent auction.

Joe Mahoney, Rotary Club of Dr. Phillips member and A Taste of Dr. Phillips chair, said the event is the club’s largest fundraiser of the year. All the money from the event goes right back into the Dr. Phillips community, given by the Rotary Club of Dr. Phillips in the form of donations, scholarships and sponsorships. The club has supported Dr. P. Phillips Hospital, the Dr. Phillips YMCA, the Southwest Branch Library, Dr. Phillips High School students and younger elementary and middle school students, among many other individuals, organizations and causes.

Mahoney said over the years, the event has been a perfect marriage of giving back to the community while showcasing Restaurant Row.

“We felt that from the beginning, (the event) was a perfect way (to raise money),” Mahoney said. “At the time we started, there was nothing like that happening in the area, especially showcasing those restaurants.

“With there being so many restaurants, it’s hard to pick which ones to take and which ones not to take,” he said. “The larger restaurants always set aside some funding to give back to the community and to help raise money. They all enjoy being a part of the process. Over the last seven or eight years, we’ve had a wait list with new restaurants opening all the time.”

The Rotary Club of Dr. Phillips recently celebrated its 40th anniversary. It originally stemmed from the Rotary Club of Windermere. With about 100 members, it’s one of the larger clubs in Central Florida, Mahoney said.

Seeing the Rotary Club of Dr. Phillips give back to the community and making it all possible through the taste event is special, Mahoney said.

“We do a lot of good things for our community, but we have a great time doing it,” he said. “I’d like everybody to come out and have a good time with us and help us to raise money for the community. It’s going to be a beautiful day, and we’re going to have a good time.”