ALTAMONT – The village’s own Mio Vino Wine Bar and Bistro is hosting a Farm to Table Expo at Orsini Park on Sept. 14, where visitors can meet local purveyors and enjoy free barbecue.

“It started as a ‘thank you’ to the community, so we’re doing a complimentary barbecue from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.,” said Mio Vino co-owner Tim Turano.

The free expo features local vendors, like the Altamont Winery and Fin Your Fishmonger, and runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The expo is sponsored by Mio Vino and Farm Fresh to Market, a website that connects local fresh food vendors and customers.

“Vendors will be selling their wares, as well as informing the public about what they do and what they have to offer,” said Mio Vino representative Don Reisinger, of D2 Media Consultants, Inc.

The expo will feature 15 different vendors, who plan to offer samples of their local products like vegetables, cheeses, and wines, Turano said.

“Part of the reason for the expo is to thank our purveyors,” he said. “We use local farms whenever we can – syrup from up the hill, local vegetables.”

Honest Weight, a longtime health food store in Albany which recently expanded, will join local vendors Schoharie Valley Farms, Mountain Winds Farm, Bread and Honey Bakery, The Barn, Farm Share Studio, and Gatherers Granola.

“Everything we do is under the roof,” Turano said about the Mio Vino regular menu. “We have one freezer for the gelato, which we make in-house. We have great food. The menu changes seasonally in summer and in fall.”

Turano noted that Mio Vino has been chosen to have the best chef, the best soup, and the best gluten-free dessert in the capital district in regional customer polls.

Turano, himself, creates specialty, handmade cocktails, like a Mio Mint Julep. The julep includes muddled mint, ginger-infused cognac, and a mint float, Turano said. Another specialty is a basil-mandarin martini.

“I do all the wine list, and the specialty martinis, and collaborate on the menu,” he said. He and co-owner Michael Giorgio hired Chef Brian Griffin.

The bistro has offered two other types of dinners beyond a barbecue, Turano said. Previously, Mio Vino has hosted a wine dinner, with food and wines paired appropriately, and a beer dinner, with the same motif. In October, Turano said, Mio Vino will hold a spirits dinner, also.

At the expo, the barbecue menu will focus on burgers, bratwurst, and both mild and hot Italian sausages, he said.

Turano has plans to open two other restaurants in the near future, he said. The Barbecue Bank is under development, he said, and would be housed in the old KeyBank building on Delaware Avenue in Albany. More traditional barbecue, like brisket, ribs, and pork sandwiches would fill out the menu, he said.

Mel’s Burgers, Fries, and Pies may open in a new building at Madison and Lark streets in downtown Albany, Turano said. The building is currently under construction.

Even with the possible expansion, Mio Vino will stay in Altamont, Turano said.

“It’s a good spot,” he said.