Our Story

Taste began in 1991 when East Aurora icon Yvonne Evilsizor opened a small neighborhood coffee shop built around exceptional coffee, genuine hospitality, and bringing people together.

As more guests discovered Taste, the menu naturally grew. What began as a coffee shop evolved into a destination for breakfast, lunch, handcrafted beverages, desserts, and countless conversations with family and friends.

In the late 1990s, Taste moved just down the street into its current home—an addition to the historic Griggs & Ball Grain Mill. It was the perfect place to continue growing while remaining in the heart of East Aurora.

What began as one woman's dream to create a welcoming neighborhood coffee shop laid the foundation for everything Taste is today.

After nearly three decades of welcoming guests to Taste, founder Yvonne Evilsizor and her husband made the decision to retire and move closer to their family.

In March 2019, we were honored that they entrusted us with the opportunity to continue Taste's story.

From the very beginning, Our goal wasn't to reinvent Taste—it was to preserve everything guests already loved while thoughtfully building on the incredible foundation Yvonne created.. We wanted longtime guests to feel at home while introducing new ideas that would help Taste continue to grow for years to come.

A few months after purchasing the restaurant, we completed a modest refresh of the dining room, brightening the space while preserving the warm, welcoming atmosphere guests had come to love.

We celebrated our first anniversary as the new owners of Taste in March 2020. Just a few weeks later, like restaurants across the country, we were forced to close our doors as the COVID-19 pandemic changed daily life for everyone. It wasn't the start to our second year that anyone could have imagined.

Six weeks later though, we were proud to be among the first local restaurants to reopen. While the world looked very different, one thing hadn't changed—people still needed a place that felt familiar.

Whether it was a morning coffee, breakfast with family, or simply seeing a friendly face again, we were grateful to provide our community with a small sense of normalcy during an uncertain time.

Looking back, those months reinforced something we've believed ever since becoming part of Taste. It's never been just about the food or the coffee. It's about creating a place where people feel welcome, reconnect with friends, celebrate life's moments, and find a little comfort in their day.

Taste has called the historic Griggs & Ball building home since the late 1990s, but the story of this remarkable landmark began generations earlier.

The original Griggs & Ball Grain Mill was an important part of East Aurora's history, serving generations of farmers, homeowners, and local businesses. While the portion of the building that now houses Taste was added later, the original grain mill still stands today and remains one of the village's most recognizable historic landmarks.

As you walk through the restaurant, you're surrounded by pieces of that history. The exposed brick wall behind our back bar was once the exterior of the original mill, and the historic Griggs & Ball sign still hangs inside as a reminder of the building's past.

We're proud to be just one chapter in the long history of this remarkable place and honored to continue welcoming our community through its doors.

When we began planning our 2025 expansion and remodel, we wanted to create something that reflected both the history of the building and our own chapter in its story.

The centerpiece became the front of our service counter, handcrafted from vintage wooden shipping crates collected from throughout Western New York and beyond. Many once belonged to Buffalo-area businesses, each carrying its own unique history.

One crate is especially meaningful to us. After my grandfather passed away, we discovered it in his garage—a small reminder of his career as a bricklayer and our family's past. Today, it has found a new home as part of the counter at Taste.

Before a single crate was installed, my father carefully disassembled each one by hand, preserving every weathered board so it could be used again. Together, we fitted and installed each piece ourselves, transforming pieces of history into one of the restaurant's most recognizable features.

To us, the counter is more than reclaimed wood. It represents our family, craftsmanship, and the belief that the best things are built with care.

Some traditions are simply worth keeping.

Since the early days of Taste, every guest has received the name of a famous person or fictional character instead of an order number. When your meal is ready, don't be surprised to hear:

"Jon Snow, your order is ready!"

or

"Audrey Hepburn!"

called across the dining room.

It's a tradition started by our founder, Yvonne Evilsizor, that we've proudly continued for more than 30 years. It sparks conversations, brings smiles to first-time visitors, and has become one of the little things that makes a visit to Taste memorable.

During the holidays, even the name cards get into the spirit with festive characters and celebrities. It's just one more way we hope to make every visit a little more fun.

While much has changed since Taste first opened its doors in the early 1990s, our mission remains remarkably simple.

To serve exceptional coffee, delicious food, and create a place where friends gather, families connect, and everyone feels welcome.

Our 2025 expansion and remodel gave us the opportunity to invest in Taste's future while honoring the history that makes it so special. From preserving elements of the historic Griggs & Ball building to handcrafting features that tell our own family's story, every decision was made with care and respect for the generations who came before us.

Whether you're joining us for your morning coffee, breakfast with friends, lunch, dessert, or simply to hear your famous name called across the dining room, we're grateful to be part of your day.

Whether you're a longtime guest or planning your first visit, we're grateful you've taken the time to learn our story. Thank you for being part of it. We look forward to welcoming you to Taste—and to becoming part of your story, too.