Some of us plan our trips around food, and special food events and festivals are worth doing so. These festivals allow you the opportunity to meet chefs from other parts of the country or enjoy dishes that are only available at the event.
Planning the next two months? Here are six events around Southern California worth checking out for food & wine lovers.
James Beard Winners Food & Wine Festival
James Beard Winners Food & Wine Festival
(Rancho Bernardo Inn)
This food festival is 54 hours of culinary excellence. Taking place at Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego, the weekend-long festival is packaged along with three nights of accommodations at this award-winning resort. From April 30-May 3, guests will have the opportunity to attend knife skills workshops and cocktail demonstrations, Of course, there will be meals prepared by past James Beard Award winners, including Chef Matt Vawter (Breckenridge, CO), Chef Lord Maynard (Los Angeles, CA), Top Chef Casey Thompson, and more. Wines, of course, will be flowing.
Masters of Taste
Masters of Taste at The Rose Bowl
(Courtesy of Masters of Taste)
Taking place on the iconic field of The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, Masters of Taste is an annual food festival that benefits Union Station Homeless Services. There will be over 100 restaurants, bars, wineries and more participating in this walk-around tasting, including Agnes, Paradise Dynasty, BOA Steakhouse and more. Having attended this event myself many times in the past, I can confirm this is one of the best annual food events in the L.A. area. The event will take place from 3-7 p.m. on April 19, 2026. General admission is $199 per person while VIP admission costs $225.
Santa Barbara Culinary Experience
Grand Tasting at SBCE
(Silas Fallstich)
The Santa Barbara Culinary Experience is a week-long event celebrating the best of Santa Barbara Country. From May 11-17, 2026, there will be dozens of food events taking place all over Central Coast. Most events will be held in Santa Barbara, but there are tours and events in Los Olivos, Goleta, and beyond. Think hands-on fish cutting demo, kimchi making class, and farm tours. There will be special dinners, and the signature Grand Wine Tasting event will be held on May 16. Tickets for each event are sold separately. There are tons going on, so check out the calendar of events.
Greater Palm Springs Restaurant Week
Restaurant Weeks are a great way to check out new restaurants, and this year, Greater Palm Springs will host theirs for ten days from May 29 – June 7, 2026. As the name suggests, this restaurant week encompasses restaurants from the Greater Palm Springs area, including Rancho Mirage, Desert Hot Springs, Indian Wells, etc. Participating restaurants will offer prix-fixe lunches starting from $15 and dinners starting from $29. Some of the area’s best restaurants are participating, such as Johannes, Workshop Kitchen & Bar, and more.
Tiki Social
Starting from Memorial Day to Labor Day this year, select Omni Hotels & Resorts are transforming their bars into a tropical escape. Tiki Social was first created last year in collaboration with Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, a renowned tiki historian and author, and it’s making a return. Think tiki cocktails and an island-inspired food menu (it doesn’t hurt that at many of the hotels, Tiki Social will be set up poolside). In Southern California, participating locations will include Omni Rancho Las Palmas (Rancho Mirage), Omni San Diego Hotel, and Omni La Costa (Carlsbad).
EEEEEATSCON
The Infatuation’s EEEEEATSCON returns to Los Angeles on May 16-17, held at The Barker Hangar in Santa Monica. What guests look forward to at this festival are the special collaboration dishes that will only be available at the festival. This year’s lineup includes Morihiro, Tacos Los Cholos x Cowy Burger collab, and Bistro Na’s, among others.
General admission tickets are $25 but it doesn’t include the cost of food. You can purchase the food you want to try inside the festival separately. Chase Sapphire Reserve and Preferred cardmembers get a one-hour early entry.
Dining and Cooking