11th Annual Salsa Showdown
October 22, 2022
2:00pm-6:00pm
Cahaba Brewing Company
4500 5th Ave S Building C, Birmingham, AL 35222
$20 in advance, $25 at the event • Kids 5 and under are free!
Beer, Football, and all the chips and dip you can eat with the purchase of one ticket!
Help us choose the winners in the best salsa, best queso, best guac, and best specialty dip categories. This year there will salsa dancing and cooking demos. We will have the biggest college football games across 8 screens, a tailgate taproom, and DJ Rod playing tunes on the patio!
Past participating restaurants and salsa companies include:
- Dos Amigo’s Salsa Company
- Groovy’s Salsa
- Rojo Birmingham
- Taco Morro Loco
- Tony Tejas Salsa
- The Yard Birmingham
- La Paz
and more!
5:00 pm – Hot Pepper Eating Contest – Head to the pepper stage to compete yourself or watch your most daring friends embarrass themselves in our hot pepper eating contest. It’s hot y’all. The hot pepper survivor wins a limited-edition Salsa Showdown shirt.
Don’t have the guts to take on the hot pepper challenge? We will be onsite selling the limited edition shirts along with a variety of Sidewalk merch.
Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the Educational and Outreach programs for the Sidewalk Film Center + Cinema.
Tickets will go on Sale August 22nd
Jury
Best Salsa
1st: La Paz
2nd: Little Donkey (Salsa rojo)
3rd: Little Donkey (Salsa arbol)
Best Queso
1st: Spoon + Ladle
2nd: La Paz
3rd: Rojo
Best Guacamole
1st: El Zun Zun
2nd: Spoon + Ladle
3rd: Taco Mama
Best Specialty Dip
1st: Little Donkey
2nd: Simi’s Salsa
3rd: Moss Rock Tacos and Tequila
Audience
Best Salsa
1st: Dos Amigos Salsa
2nd: Rojo
3rd: Moss Rock Tacos and Tequila
Best Guacamole
1st: El Zun Zun
2nd: Spoon + Ladle
3rd: Taco Mama
Best Queso
1st: Rojo
2nd: Spoon + Ladle
3rd: La Paz
Best Specialty Dip
1st: Moss Rock Tacos + Tequila
2nd: Tostadas
3rd: Spoon + Ladle
Hosted at Cahaba Brewing Co.
Presented by Spire
Jury
Best Salsa: Tony’s Tejas Salsa
Best Queso: Tony’s Tejas Salsa
Best Guacamole: Spoon & Ladle Soup Co.
Best Specialty Dip: Tarez Kitchen
Audience Choice
Best Salsa: Tarez Kitchen
Best Queso: La Paz Restaurant & Catering
Best Guacamole: Spoon & Ladle Soup Co.
Best Specialty Dip: Whole Foods Market
2018 photo album here! Special thanks to Joseph deSciose and Jacob DelaRosa for capturing the day.
Hosted at Cahaba Brewing Co.
Presented by Spire
Jury
Best Salsa: Tarez Kitchen
Best Queso: La Paz Restaurant & Catering
Best Guacamole: Babalu Tapas & Tacos
Best Specialty Dip: Tarez Kitchen
Audience Choice
Best Salsa: After Midnight Salsa Co.
Best Queso: La Paz Restaurant & Catering
Best Guacamole: Babalu Tapas & Tacos
Best Specialty Dip: Tarez Kitchen
Hosted at Cahaba Brewing Co.
Presented by Alagasco
View event photos from Joseph De Sciose and Karen Downs here!
Jury
Best Salsa: Rojo Birmingham
Best Queso: La Paz Restaurant & Catering
Best Guacamole: Babalu Tapas & Tacos
Best Specialty Dip: Rojo Birmingham (Mango Habanero Salsa)
Audience Choice
Best Salsa: After Midnight Salsa Co.
Best Queso: La Paz Restaurant & Catering
Best Guacamole: Babalu Tapas & Tacos
Best Specialty Dip: After Midnight Salsa Co.
Hot Pepper Eating Contest Winner:
James Williams
Hosted at Avondale Brewing Co.
Presented by Alagasco
View 2016 Photo Album here! Special thanks to Amanda Myers.
Jury
Best Salsa: After Midnight Salsa Co.
Best Queso: La Paz Restaurant & Catering
Best Guacamole: Babalu Tapas & Tacos
Best Specialty Dip: La Paz Restaurant & Catering
Audience Choice
Best Salsa: After Midnight Salsa Co.
Best Queso: La Paz Restaurant & Catering
Best Guacamole: Babalu Tapas & Tacos
Best Specialty Dip: Whole Foods Market Mountain Brook
Hosted at Avondale Brewing Co.
2015 Photo Album here! Special thanks to Darrell Nance.
Jury
Best Salsa (tie): Chuy’s and La Paz Restaurant & Catering
Best Queso: Tin Roof Birmingham
Best Guacamole: Tin Roof Birmingham
Best Specialty Dip: Rojo Birmingham
Audience Choice:
Best Salsa: La Bamba Grill
Best Queso: La Paz Restaurant & Catering
Best Guacamole: Rojo Birmingham
Best Specialty: Lime Fresh Mexican Grill
Hot Pepper Eating Contest Winners:
Bill Hancock
Christopher Johnson
Tim Scherer
Kendra Risse
Hosted at Avondale Brewing Co.
Jury
Best Salsa: Tin Roof Birmingham
Best Queso: Little Donkey
Best Guacamole: Sol Y Luna
Best Specialty Dip: Lime Fresh Mexican Grill
Audience Choice
Best Salsa: Sol Y Luna
Best Queso: La Paz Restaurant & Catering
Best Guacamole: Sol Y Luna
Best Specialty Dip: Lime Fresh Mexican Grill
Hosted at Avondale Brewing Co.
Presented by Alagasco
Jury
Best Salsa: Chili’s Grill & Bar
Best Queso: La Paz Restaurant & Catering
Best Guacamole: Taco Mama
Best Specialty Dip: Little Donkey
Audience Choice
Best Salsa: El Barrio Restaurante
Best Queso: Little Donkey
Best Guacamole: Taco Mama
Best Specialty Dip Category 1: El Barrio Restaurante
Best Specialty Dip Category 2: Lime Fresh Mexican Grill
Hot Pepper Eating Contest Winner:
Bill H. (second year in a row- pictured)
Hosted at The Market at Pepper Place
Presented by Alagasco
Jury
Best Salsa: Chuy’s
Best Queso: Chuy’s
Best Guacamole: Chuy’s
Best Specialty Dip: Rojo Birmingham
Audience Choice
Best Salsa: Chuy’s
Best Queso: La Paz Restaurant & Catering
Best Guacamole: Chuy’s
Best Specialty Dip: Chuy’s
Hot Pepper Eating Contest Winner:
Bill H.
