On a Saturday afternoon in late May, Gulfstream Park is trading its usual race-day setup for something with a little more olive oil. The historic Hallandale Beach racetrack is hosting Taste at the Track: Martinis, Paninis & Linguini on May 23, an unlimited Italian tasting event staged inside the Flamingo Room as live thoroughbreds run below.

Gulfstream Park has operated as a thoroughbred racing venue since 1939, and over the decades it has expanded well beyond the track itself. The facility now houses a casino, a shopping mall, and various restaurants and nightclubs, part of a broader push by ownership to position the property as a full-day entertainment destination rather than a racing-only venue. The Flamingo Room sits on the third floor of the main building, with a direct sightline to the dirt oval below. WikipediaTwinSpires

Gulfstream Park's Flamingo Room Sets the Stage for an Afternoon of Italian Food and Live Racing

The May 23 event runs from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. for general admission ticket holders, with VIP guests getting access an hour earlier at noon. According to Gulfstream Park, VIP ticketing also includes priority seating. Both tiers cover unlimited food and drink tastings throughout the afternoon. General admission is priced at $60; VIP tickets run $85. The event is restricted to guests 21 and older.

On the food and drink side, Gulfstream Park describes the lineup as Italian-inspired dishes paired with martinis, wines, and handcrafted cocktails. The format puts everything in one room with the racetrack visible throughout, which is the defining characteristic of the Taste at the Track series. The concept keeps guests at the table rather than shuttling between the clubhouse and the track.

The Taste at the Track Format Combines Trackside Access with Themed Culinary Programming

Taste at the Track is a recurring event format at Gulfstream Park that pairs themed food and drink programming with live race afternoons. The Italian-themed edition on May 23 follows the same structure: a ticketed room, an open tasting format, and races running concurrently below. It's a format that works well for guests who want more than a standard race-day experience but aren't committed to spending a full afternoon at the windows.

For South Florida, the timing is worth noting. Gulfstream Park's championship meet typically runs December through April, per Wikipedia's documentation of the track's race calendar. A late-May date puts this event in the park's shoulder season, when the property leans more heavily on its entertainment and dining programming to drive weekend traffic.

Tickets for Taste at the Track: Martinis, Paninis & Linguini are available through Gulfstream Park's official website. The venue is located at 901 S Federal Highway in Hallandale Beach.