Anticipation is building for the 2026 edition of the award-winning and nationally acclaimed San Diego Food + Wine Festival, in large part for the programming focused on Mexico’s culinary landscape.
This year’s 22nd SDFWF takes place Nov. 1 to 8, with special events leading up to the Grand Weekend (Nov. 6 to 8) at downtown San Diego’s signature waterfront event space Embarcadero Marina Park North.
More than 80 chefs and traditional cooks from Mexico will participate in a variety of events, including the Grand Fiesta (Nov. 8), the Grand Tasting (Nov. 7), the Icons & Legends party (Nov. 6) and a Baja Culinary Expedition on Nov. 5.
AS A SAN DIEGO FOOD + WINE FESTIVAL media sponsor, The San Diego Sun has free tickets to award to readers. This week, we’re giving away pairs of tickets to the Grand Fiesta. To be eligible to win tickets, first, subscribe to The Sun’s free, weekly newsletter. Then, go to The Sun’s Instagram page and post about why you want to win tickets. FYI: We’ll notice if you tag friends and encourage them to sign up for the newsletter, and post, too. ☀️
“The San Diego Food + Wine Festival has always been more than a celebration – it’s a statement about who we are as a region,” SDFWF co-founder Michelle Metter said. “This year we’re taking that further than ever.”
The Baja Culinary Expedition is back in the lineup for an immersive journey through Mexico’s Valle de Guadalupe. The trip will connect guests with some of the region’s leading chefs, winemakers and food destinations. This all-day experience includes private wine tastings, Michelin-recognized dining and a multi-course dinner by acclaimed Baja chef Diego Hernández-Baquedano.
Also on Nov. 5, Chef Javier Plascencia will headline the Romesco Mexiterranean Bistro 20 Year Anniversary Dinner. The dinner will bring together special guest chefs for a one-night celebration of the restaurant’s two decades and the culinary connection between Baja California and San Diego.
The festival’s Saturday Grand Tasting is the event that started it all and will include new culinary districts to provide live-fire cooking, chef demonstrations, artisan shopping, wine pavilions and more. The “South of the Border” culinary district will include the people, places and craftsmanship that defines Baja and Mexico.
During the Sunday Grand Fiesta, Mexico’s culinary culture will take center stage, adding another layer to the festival’s showcase of the region’s food, wine and hospitality.
This year’s Grand Fiesta will double in size from last year and be held for the first time in Embarcacero Marina Park North (the same waterfront location as the Grand Tasting). In addition to the food and wine, look for Baja spirits, live music and an even bigger cross-border culinary lineup. SDSun
