Austin Food & Wine Festival Celebrates the Big Flavors of Texas

Fiona Chandra

Chefs and food lovers will descend upon Texas in April for the Austin Food + Wine Festival. Back for its sixth year, the festival celebrates the diverse culinary gems of Austin, the great state of Texas and beyond.

Throughout the two days of the Grand Taste events, there will be notable chefs present to hold cooking and grilling demonstrations and hold tasting sessions. Watch Ming Tsai, Ludo Lefebvre, Jonathan Waxman, and Graham Elliott show off their craft on Saturday. Return for Hugh Acheson and Aaron Sanchez on Sunday. The Meet the Maker series allows you to learn more about what you’re drinking with a guided wine or spirit tasting. This includes a Charles Krug wine tasting and a Wild Turkey bourbon tasting on Saturday, along with Beaujolais wines and Hendrick’s gin on Sunday.

In addition to the main festival, there will be additional events in the evenings. On Thursday, enjoy a pre-festival dinner with Feast Under the Stars at Auditorium Shores. The evening will consist of a five-course, locally sourced meal prepared by five chefs. Each course will also be paired with wines and cocktails.

The festival officially kicks off on Friday. Taste the food from prominent Texan chefs at the Lone Star Nights at Fair Market. The night’s lineup includes Wayne Mueller from Louie Mueller’s BBQ, Paul Qui from Qui, Steve McHugh from Cured and more.

Rock Your Taco on Saturday night pits national celebrity chefs with a taco competition. Among the competing chefs are Georgia’s Hugh Acheson, L.A.’s Ludo Lefebvre (Trois Mec), New York’s Christina Tosi (Momofuku Milk Bar) and more.

The Weekender ticket ($250) gets you into the festival on both days, while the all-inclusive package ($625) gives you access to the evening events. The All-In ticket also includes access to the Hands-On Grilling with Tim Love, which lets guests join Chef Tim Love in skewering and grilling their own dish on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets to the pre-festival event Feast Under the Stars are $250 each.

If you’re splurging, grab one of the fourteen stylish rooms at Hotel Saint Cecilia, which comes complete with a sexy lounge and patio and pool. In the historic Rainey Street district is Kimpton’s Hotel Van Zandt, a hip hotel featuring Kimpton’s signature social hour. The hotel also offers a wellness program with bike tours, paddle boarding, kayaking, and guided running at nearby Lady Bird Lake. The design-focused Kimber Modern marries modern aesthetics with a Zen-like ambiance. Enjoy the complimentary breakfast on the roof deck courtyard.

Austin Food + Wine Festival takes place April 28-30. Purchase tickets here.