The Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival is back and it officially starts on Wednesday, August 22, with several dinner events taking place in various Los Angeles restaurants. The larger festival type events begin on Thursday night August 23, and run through Sunday August 27 2018. 
Be aware there are two separate festival locations…the Grand and 1st Street location downtown, and the Lexus Grand Tasting happens on both Saturday and Sunday at the Barker Hanger in Santa Monica. The Lunch series continues at addtitional restaurants across LA. This is a fabulous event and I have been attending for several years now. Throw your diet out the window. Don’t eat for two days before coming…cause you gotta save up some room for all this exquisite cuisine.
On Thursday, August 24, 2018, the festival portion of the event kicks off with Ultimate Bites of LA. Join LA’s native culinary stars – Chef Antonia Lofaso and Chef Alvin Cailan for an evening of food, fun, wine, spirits and much more. 8/23/18, 7:00 – 10:00pm; DOWNTOWN: Grand Avenue & 1st Street; General Admission (7:00pm entry): $175.00; VIP Admission (6:30pm entry): $225.00;
Then on Friday, August 24, Heat on the Street takes place also downtown. Savor the Friday Fiesta on Grand Ave with Chefs Aaron Sanchez, Robert Irvine, Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken. All four chefs will be in attendance. Twenty Chefs from LA and across the country who specialize in bringing all the nuanced flavors of Latin cuisines to the plate will be serving up the ceviche, tacos, carne asada, nopalitos and more. An abundance of the perfectly paired cervezas, tequila and wines will be on hand to wash it all down with as well. 8/24/18, 7:00pm – 10:00pm; DOWNTOWN: Grand Avenue & 1st Street; General Admission (7:00pm entry): $150.00; VIP Admission (6:30pm entry) $195.00;
Lexus Grand Tasting (happening on both Saturday and Sunday during the day) is the most spectacular opportunity to enjoy over 200 wines from some of the world’s most prestigious wineries. 25 Celebrity Chefs will showcase their culinary skills and provide delicious and decadent tasting samples of their cuisine. VIP offers early entry (30 minutes before General Admission). 8/25/18 AND 8/26/18, 12:00 – 3:00pm; SANTA MONICA: Barker Hangar; General Admission (12:00pm entry): $175.00; VIP Admission (11:30am entry): $225.00;
Mark Mollica, chef and owner of La Vecchia
Saturday LIVE on Grand Ave with Curtis Stone and Tiffani Thiessen with Special Guest DJ Questlove will take place in the evening on Grand Ave. Successful Chef, restaurateur, cookbook author and television personality Chef Curtis Stone and Tiffani Thiessen, star of Saved by the Bell, Beverly Hills 90210 and The Cooking Channel’s Dinner at Tiffani’s join forces to co-host an evening food and carefully curated music spun by none other than DJ Questlove himself. Star Chefs, Stellar Wines, Tasty Craft Beers, Fun Cocktails, Music and more! 8/25/18, 7:00-10:00pm; DOWNTOWN: Grand Avenue & 1st Street; General Admission (7:00pm entry): $195.00; VIP Admission (6:30pm entry): $250.00;
Visit the website to PURCHASE TICKETS and to check for updates and details on full programming of events, chefs, wineries, sommeliers, mixologists, and culinary talent participating at this year’s Los Angeles Food & Wine festival.
What: Los Angeles Food and Wine Festival
Where: Two locations (check website) Grand and 1st (Downtown) AND Barker Hangar in Santa Monica
When: Festival runs Thursday, August 23 – Sunday, August 26, 2015
2022 UPDATE: Unfortunately for all of us the LAFW event is no longer taking place and the website has been shut down. See Destinations Section for a full list of food festivals or CLICK HERE for a direct link to the best LA annual Food Events.Visit the Stories Section; under Dining Drinking – the Events Page to read reviews of these food events or CLICK HERE for the direct link.
