Most of us who’ve called Los Angeles home for any length of time have gone to the iconic Rose Bowl stadium at some point. Whether for a sporting event, concert, marathon, parade, or even a flea market, Angelenos have been making their way to the Grande Dame of Pasadena for over a century- chaotic parking and traffic jams be damned.

While most Rose Bowl visits tend to end with hot dog heartburns, beer hangovers, or both, the few thousand guests who attended the 8th annual Masters of Taste food event on Sunday, April 19, experienced something far more refined than typical stadium fare.

For the $199 price of admission, attendees could sample the wares of over 100 of LA’s top food and beverage vendors. The fest is all-you-can-eat, and for those 21 & over, that includes alcohol as well. And most amazingly for LA – parking was free. The main festival hours were from 4-7 pm, with VIP ($225) ticket holders allowed a head start from 3-4 pm. VIP’s also had access to several separate lounge areas with extra seating and vendors.

Not only does Masters of Taste promote LA’s incredible and eclectic food scene, it most importantly supports a worthy cause – 100% of net proceeds from Masters of Taste benefit Union Station Homeless Services, a leading nonprofit serving people experiencing homelessness in Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley.

Last year’s festival was canceled due to the devastating fires in the area, so this year was a long-awaited comeback, and spirits were high. As a first-timer at Masters of Taste, I was impressed with not only the number and variety of vendors, but the high quality of offerings.

This wasn’t just a bunch of different taco and burger trucks, this was a mix of some of LA’s hottest newer spots and well-known establishments. Not only could I revisit old favorites like Roku Sushi, Mercado, Boa Steakhouse and Harold and Belle’s, I could try out some new-to-me places like Poppy+Rose, Uchi, Descanso, and so many more.

I took a world food tour without leaving the Rose Bowl turf: I had Mexican, Japanese, Thai, Italian, Middle Eastern, and good ol’ American comfort food. Whether you’re a carnivore or vegetarian, there was something for everyone.

Most impressive was the long tent hosted by cheesemonger Vanessa Tilaka Kale and chef Thomas Kale of Pasadena’s Agnes Restaurant and Cheesery. It featured two buffet-style tables stretched a good ten yards (lets use yards-it is a football field after all) chock full of fine cheeses, fruits, nuts, fondue fountains, and a sausage pimento mac n’ cheese that was so rich it felt like one serving could feed a family of four. Yet, I still rallied to eat every delicious bite. I’m brave that way.

With a satisfied belly and my designated driver in tow, I was free to get my drink on: “Would you like to sample our bourbons?” Well why not – I’m here after all. “Wine?” Naturally. “Craft beer?” Of course. “Sake?” Arigato. In my younger days, I might have kept the party going and taste-tested the various tequilas, gins, vodkas, and mixed drinks on offer. Nowadays, wisdom and experience have taught me my limits. I sought out dessert instead.

For those with a sweet tooth, Masters of Taste has got you covered. On a quick sugar-seeking stroll I came across Nothing Bundt Cakes, Perla’s Ice Cream, Delight Pastry, and so many more. I was particularly intrigued by a dish called the Original Fried Softserve Pie from Magpie’s Softserve (three LA locations.) I couldn’t leave without trying it. I’m glad I did – it was a winner.

With that last sweet morsel, we headed back to the car and into surprisingly tolerable (for LA) Sunday traffic, where, as predicted, I fell into a blissful food coma nap and woke up as we pulled into our driveway.

Thank goodness for designated drivers.

Learn more at MastersofTasteLA.com.

Writer Mike Siegel is a comedian and host of the Travel Tales Podcast.