One of the most delicious weekends of the year in Texas - the Austin Food & Wine Festival - is returning for its landmark 15th anniversary event in fall 2026. The festival will be held November 6-8 at Austin's Auditorium Shores and will feature an all-star chef lineup.
If hungry travelers don't have their tickets yet, it's time to secure them now. Here are all the delicious tidbits to know about this year's festival.
The main event at the Austin Food & Wine Festival is the main tasting, where rows upon rows of food and wine booths line up to show off dishes by some of Austin's most popular chefs and restaurants, whether they're long established or up-and-coming. A barbecue pit adds another dimension, with smoke pouring out into the field while pitmasters placidly work the meats, veggies, and sometimes even extra treats like cheese.
Along the edges of the festival, booths representing spirits mix up cocktails, a merch tent sells cookbooks and other goodies, and two tents bring live demos and guided tastings. All these are available to anyone who attends the festival, and there are still more events that guests can add on for an extra price outside of festival hours.
Events to add-on include:
- Friday, November 6: The Made In Texas dinner at the Long Center Terrace from 7-9:30 pm. It is currently waitlisted. This is another tasting that's all about Texas ingredients and cuisine. Participating chefs are: visiting celebrity chefs Esther Choi (Mokbar), Kevin Lee (MAHT), and Andrew Zimmern (Passport Hospitality), plus Central Texas chefs Damon Cook (Uchi/Hai Hospitality); Amir Hajimaleki (Roya); Ian Lanphear (Isidore); Sarah McIntosh (épicerie); Alexa Mejia (Emmer & Rye); Alan Dale Nelson (Best Quality Daughter); Augusta Passow (Barley Swine/Odd Duck); Amanda Turner; and Brendan Yancy & Drew Ahumada (Austin Oyster Co.).
- Saturday, November 7: A hands-on grilling workshop with Austin chef and festival partner Tim Love at Auditorium Shores right before the festival from 11 am to 12:30 pm. Attendees will partner up to share a charcoal grill.
Chef Tim Love will take part in the 2026 Austin Food & Wine Festival. Courtesy photo
Restaurants participating in the main tasting, or "Chef Showcase," include:
- 2020 Market
- Alteño
- Barbacana
- Bill’s Oyster
- Butternubs
- Casa Bianca
- Cousin Louie
- Cruzteca
- Eberly
- Eldorado Café
- Ēma
- Ensenada ATX
- Épicerie
- Ezov
- Geraldine's
- Honey Moon Spirit Lounge
- Intero
- JABS
- Juliet Italian Kitchen
- Kalimotxo
- Loro
- Lutie's
- Mum Foods
- Parkside
- Poeta
- Poke Poke
- Serenade
- Siti
- Skipjack Oyster
- Summer on Music Lane at Hotel Magdalena
- The Cavalier
- The Corndog Co.
- The Peached Tortilla
- Tare
- Verbena
- Yamas
- Yellow Ranger
- Food & Wine magazine editor and sommelier Anthony Giglio
- More to be announced
Chefs giving demos:
- Esther Choi (Mokbar and Iron Chef Finalist - Season 1)
- Richard Blais (Trail Blais and Top Chef Winner - Season 8)
- Kevin Lee (MAHT and 2025 James Beard Award Semifinalist)
- Andrew Zimmern (Passport Hospitality and four-time James Beard Award Winner)
- Ali Clem (la Barbecue)
- Chelsea Fadda (Pecan Square Cafe)
- Enma Lopez (Austin Beer Works)
Tickets are available at austinfoodandwinefestival.com. Passes can be purchased for the whole weekend (starting at $280) or single days (starting at $200), but note that some passes are already sold out.
Attendees must be at least 21 years old. VIP passes that include access to Friday's Made in Texas dinner are available. A portion of proceeds benefit the Texas Food & Wine Alliance, for culinary grants and industry education.
A rendering of the Grand Central Atrium. Courtesy of Carnival 