(Photos provided by Tampa Bay Wine & Food Festival)
From April 7–11, 2026, the fourth annual Tampa Bay Wine & Food Festival drew thousands of guests across its five-day duration, showcasing culinary prowess from more than 60 restaurants and top chefs, all culminating in Saturday’s main event: the Grand Tasting at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park.
The festivities began on April 7 with Experience St. Pete presented by OpenTable, featuring a series of collaborative multi-course dinners with chefs from Birch & Vine at The Birchwood, Mei, Kōsen, Pulpo Kitchen & Lounge and Il Ritorno. Guests also celebrated 100 years of The Vinoy at Elliott Aster with a centennial dinner by Chef Lee Wolen.
The following day shifted to the Tampa side of the bay with Experience Tampa, featuring one-night-only pairing dinners at Meat Market; the Epicurean Hotel in collaboration with Chef Rob Reinsmith of WildChild; American Social; Ash, in partnership with Seminole Hard Rock Tampa and Timpano, where Chef Nelly Buleje hosted a Miami Meets Tampa evening alongside James Beard-nominated chefs, Chef Jose Mendin of Pubbelly and Chef Cesar Zapata of Phuc Yea, presented by Hendrick’s Gin. The evening concluded with a Chefs After Dark afterparty at Meat Market.
Thursday evening welcomed the inaugural Rock the Range, hosted by Robert Irvine with celebrity chef Beau MacMillan and Seminole Hard Rock culinary director Chef Matthew Zappoli. The event featured onstage cooking challenges and a dessert experience from The Cake Girl.
Friday morning began with Breaking Bread with Heroes at American Social. Hosted in partnership with the Robert Irvine Foundation and presented by Publix and the Larson Family Foundation, veterans, active-duty military members and first responders were honored with a chef-prepared breakfast.
Later that night, the ultimate cook-off — the Chef Showdown — took over Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, featuring 20 chefs competing in 10 head-to-head battles. Guests sampled and voted for their favorites, while winners were determined by a panel of judges, which included Tampa Magazine’s own Shawna Wiggs.
“The Tampa Bay Wine & Food Festival continues to raise the bar every single year. It’s one of my favorite events to judge because you get to experience so much creativity and passion in one place. The food is always incredible, the atmosphere is electric and the culinary competition is truly the highlight. Every year, the chefs somehow top themselves, and it’s exciting to see Tampa Bay’s food scene continue to evolve and shine on such a big stage,” says Wiggs, the group publisher of the lifestyle magazine.
The event also featured live cooking demonstrations on the Publix Culinary Showcase Kitchen stage and the Milagro Tequila Bartender Showdown, where Trinity Shapiro of Seminole Hard Rock Tampa was crowned the inaugural winner.
Chef Showdown winners included Chef Ahmad Alaraj of The Shawarma King (Battle Mediterranean), Chef Tyson Grant of Parkshore Grill (Battle Steakhouse), Chef Dion Jumapao of Olivia Modern Italian (Battle Mystery Box), Chef David Lazer Benstock of Il Ritorno (Battle Pasta), Chef Bryan Jacobs of The Liberty Smokehouse (Battle Smokehouse), Chef Nelly Buleje of Timpano (Battle Surf and Turf), David Reyes of Hail Mary and Uno Mas Taqueria (Battle Seafood), Chef Diego Gonzalez of Seminole Hard Rock Tampa (Battle Truffle), Chef Jay Narvaez of Cru Cellars (Battle Burger) and Chef Christopher Yadid Garcia of Tacos Las Californias (Battle Taco).
The festival came to a close on Saturday, April 11, with the Grand Tasting, presented by GOYA Foods, brought to you by Breakthru Beverage Florida and hosted by Publix. Attendees were treated to live entertainment, culinary demos, cocktail and wine pavilions and more than 40 new and returning restaurants. The Best of the Fest Bite of the Day contest, presented by First Horizon, also made a return, with Ocho Trece’s crispy oxtail croquette taking the honor.
If you missed the epic five-day event this year, don’t worry—the festival will return in 2027, from April 6–10. For more information, visit tampabaywff.com and follow @tampabaywff on Instagram and Facebook.
Check out our Best Restaurants List. Looking to advertise with us? Click here.
