Champagne and shopping, blues and barbecue, and linguini and line dancing combine for some of the unique pairings happening this week. Also on the list are two cookbook signings, one celebrity bottle signing, a worldwide food competition, and one of the most opulent (read “expensive”) wine dinners of the year.

Tuesday, November 7

Antinori Wine Dinner at Carrabba’s Italian Grill
Four-course wine pairing dinner will star Stag’s Leap cab, a fan-favorite from Napa Valley. Dinner includes scallops with spinach and gorgonzola salad, pasta sostanza, sirloin with charred onion butter, and caramel apple cheesecake. The $65 price, plus tax and gratuity, includes wines with each course. Start time is 6:30 pm at all locations, including Dallas, Plano, and Hurst.

Whiskey Cake Barrel Select Dinner
Plano outlet of the Southern-inspired destination will share its best barrel select pours during this four-course pairing dinner. There’ll be both cocktails and neat pours matched with fall-focused dishes like turkey sliders with charred carrot slaw, date-braised short rib, and whipped feta crostini with pickled cranberries and fried tarragon. Seats are $115 per person, plus tax and gratuity, and dinner begins at 7 pm.

Wednesday, November 8

Yellowstone Star Ryan Bingham Bottle Signing Event
Yellellowstone star and singer-songwriter will host a meet-and-greet and bottle-signing event at Spec’s Dallas, 9500 N Central Expwy., from 6-8 pm, to sign bottles of his recently launched signature bourbon, Bingham’s Bourbon. Photo opportunities available but purchase is required on site to participate.

Thursday, November 9

World Food Championships
The 11th annual cooking competition returns to Fair Park Thursday-Sunday, featuring more than 1,500 chefs and home cooks from around the world battling for a piece of the $300,000 prize purse. New this year is Sam’s Club Bite Club (fee is $100 and guests get to judge – limited availability), a live fire competition, cocktail competition, World Food Hall with dishes for purchase, and BBQ Ranch, a ranch-style block party with grills galore. Daily general admission is $25 or $40 for a weekend pass. November 9-12, 11 am-7 pm.

Lockwood Distilling Dinner at Bourbon & Banter
Local Lockwood Distilling will be featured during this autumnal-inspired dinner pairing dinner that will stick to your ribs. Think Wagyu Denver steak and bourbon maple-glazed acorn squash, grilled chicken with butter poached heirloom carrots, and bourbon pecan tarts. The dinner is $85, plus tax and gratuity, and begins at 7 pm at Bourbon & Banter inside The Statler hotel.

Friday, November 10

Gaja Wine Dinner at Monarch
It's a night of culinary opulence, with a four-course dinner featuring wines from Gaja, located in the Piedmont region of Italy, ranging from prosecco and chardonnay to Barolo, Barbaresco, and Brunello. Two wines will be paired with each course, which include Texas Wagyu tartare & Hamachi crudo, Calabrian prawns, dry-aged prime tomahawk with black truffle potatoes & wood oven mushrooms, goat cheesecake with poached pears and star anise ice cream, and an amuse of Osetra caviar. Dinner is a steep $600 per person, plus tax and gratuity, and begins at 6 pm.

All You Can Eataly: Fall for Dallas
Italian market inside Northpark Center will host an exclusive tasting event with more than 50 Italian wines, bites from local restaurants (even outside Eataly like Loro and Asian Mint), and visit more 30 food stations of Eataly favorites. Tickets are $125 or $195 VIP for early entry at 6 pm and premium chef tastings. There’ll also be live country music, line dancing, an indoor game lounge, and custom hats by Flea Style available for purchase. The event will run from 7–10 pm.

Plant Forward Cookbook Signing with Chef Richard Blais
Husband-and-wife duo and authors Richard and Jazmin Blais will visit the Half Price Books flagship store to sign copies of their new cookbook, Plant Forward. Folks may recognize Richard as the co-star of Next Level Chef and winner of Bravo’s Top Chef All Stars. The book delivers 100 bold recipes that cast veggies in a starring role on the plate. Tickets are $37.96 total and include a signed copy of the book. The event begins at 7 pm.

Saturday, November 11

Champagne Stroll in Highland Park
The only thing better than holiday shopping in Highland Park is holiday shopping in Highland Park with champagne in hand. This event will provide for just that, with the bubbly brought to you by Coupes champagne bar. Visit from 11 am–2 pm and enjoy food tastings and special offers from participating shops along with live music, photo ops, a permanent jewelry pop-up, and plenty of holiday “cheers.”

Blues, Bandits, & BBQ
The 14th annual festival combines barbecue and blues in the hometown of one of the most iconic bluesmen in music history: Stevie Ray Vaughan. Patrons can likely expect lots of cover songs along with cold beer and hot ‘cue. The $35 ticket ($10 for kids) includes a plate of barbecue from neighborhood pitmasters competing to be the BBQ champs. The event will take place from 12–5 pm.

2023 Dallas Brew Festival
Taking place throughout Old City Park, the event will feature more than 60 breweries and 200 beers, along with food trucks, 80s and 90s cover bands, and lawn games. Tickets start at $50 for general admission at 2 pm, or $90 for VIP admission at noon with access to limited release brews. The event will run until 5 pm.

Sunday, November 12

Katie Parla x Sassetta: Book Signing & Aperitivo Hour
New York Times best-selling author and Emmy-nominated TV host will visit Sassetta at The Joule to celebrate the launch of her latest cookbook, Food of the Italian Islands. The $60 plus tax ticket includes a signed copy of the book along with light bites including gatto di patate, pasta alla norma, suckling pig, and a cocktail. The event begins at 3 pm. Bonus: The Joule valet parking will be free.