The San Diego Wine + Food Festival in San Diego, CA
Tastebuds sang with perfect bite after perfect bite of deconstructed beef wellington and albacore sashimi. Guests milling across San Diego’s illustrious Embarcadero Marina Park sipped to their heart’s content, enjoying hundreds of wines, craft beers and cocktails mixed on site. Others still sipped a heartwarming butternut squash soup, because despite it reaching nearly 80 degrees in Mid-November, you simply can’t pass up that depth of flavor. And iconic views of Downtown San Diego and a sun-soaked harbor in one glimpse, sharing the moment with those privileged enough to take their private yachts out for a day in the water and being jealous of you for being a part of the festivity, called for everyone to step back and appreciate that the magic of food festivals has returned.
Indeed, the San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival couldn’t have asked for a more perfect weekend to host the city’s epic return to ultimate culinary indulgence. A packed weekend of exclusive dinners, cross-border escapades and chef-led cooking demos culminated in a grand tasting that featured dozens of acclaimed eateries, wineries, breweries and distilleries along the San Diego marina.
After two years of anticipation, the weekend lived up to its tagline. Attendees certainly “arrived at awesome.”
Among the highlights of the 17th annual San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival was the Brandt Beef Experience, which featured dishes from acclaimed local eateries such as Ranch 45’s award-winning burger and braised short rib with saffron risotto mixed in a Parmesan wheel. With a DJ, brewery and cocktail bar serving mojitos and AMF’s, the setup evolved into what can only be dubbed Brandt Beef Day Club, turning this food festival into a bumping mid-afternoon party.
Sunday’s encore to the grand tasting came in the form of Taco TKO, a local favorite that brought a dozen local taco purveyors to Point Loma’s Liberty Station in a delicious battle for the weekend’s best taco. From slow-cooked brisket to skirt steak, Korean bulgogi to filet mignon, and mahi-mahi to vegan ‘fysh,’ Mexican fusion flexed its muscles to wow the crowd. Margaritas, Palomas and Mexican lager took center stage on the drink side, with plenty of additional craft beer and cocktails to round things out.
With 2022 already on the horizon, this is certainly a festival to put on your list for next year. To stay in the know, visit the San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival at SanDiegoWineClassic.com
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