Los Angeles Wine & Food Festival is Here

Published on February 21, 2024

Coinciding with Frieze LA 2024, the inaugural Los Angeles Wine & Food Festival (LAWFF) is taking place March 1–3 in Santa Monica, near the base of the iconic Santa Monica Pier.

This brand-new addition to Los Angeles’ culinary landscape is presented by IMG (the company behind Taste of London and Frieze) and will see dozens of outstanding chefs come together to celebrate the city’s vibrant food, arts, and cultural scenes.

The three-day festival boasts an impressive line-up of 90 participating chefs, including 16 headliners. As an attendee you will enjoy unlimited tastings from more than 30 of these chefs per day, including exclusive dishes and unlimited beverage samples from over fifty wine, beer, and spirits brands, plus art collaborations and DJ sets.

Because the LAWFF tent will take up much of the Lot 1 North carpark, parking may be limited — so plan your visit to the festival or Pier accordingly. Public transport or rideshare options are recommended. If you drive, consider parking in other Santa Monica beach lots that are close to the Pier. For more parking tips and information, click here.

LA Wine & Food Festival Talent

The  festival’s headlining chefs include Justin Pichetrungsi of Anajak Thai, BBQ master Adam Perry Lang, chef and author Alvin Cailan, Food Network star Duff Goldman, award-winning Mexican-American chef Claudette Zepeda, and Stephanie Izard of Girl & the Goat. Each will contribute their unique culinary perspective on LA’s food and culture.

Freshly added participating restaurants include award-winning Neapolitan pizza restaurant Pizzana from master pizzaiolo Daniele Uditi; widely acclaimed Thai restaurant Jitlada; Holbox (recently ranked #5 on the LA Times 101 Best Restaurants list); Chef Sathia Sun of new Italian hotspot Donna’s; Bridgetown Roti, the famed Caribbean pop-up from chef Rashida Holmes; and Chinese-Peruvian restaurant Chifa from Humberto Leon, founder of Opening Ceremony fashion brand.

You can also enjoy culinary delights from Bé Ù viet-street food; beloved Koreatown smashburger spot Love Hour; Santa Monica seafood restaurants Crudo e Nudo and Isla; Michelin-starred Camphor; Xuntos tapas bar; elevated French bistro Pasjoli; Guerilla Tacos, and more. See here for more LAWFF headliners and a full list of participating restaurants.

LA Wine & Food Festival is particularly committed to showcasing the talents of female-owned restaurants in LA. For this reason they have partnered with Regarding Her (RE:Her), the non-profit organization working to accelerate the growth of women entrepreneurs and leaders in the food and beverage industry.

Additionally, the festival supports The Artist Plate Project, a Coalition for the Homeless initiative that partners with world-renowned artists to raise funds for food, crisis services, and housing. Fifty limited-edition plates will be on display and available for attendees to purchase at the festival.

Santa Monica Stars at LAWFF

Among the Santa Monica-based luminaries featured at the festival are Thomas Lim (Elephante), Govind Armstrong (The Lobster), and Kim Prince (Hotville Chicken).

Thomas Lim began his culinary journey in Australia, working in his uncle’s Chinese restaurant. He now oversees the menus at popular establishments in Los Angeles, New York, and Las Vegas, including the Italian-inspired Élephante located at 1332 2nd Street, Santa Monica.

Govind Armstrong starred in Bravo TV’s show Top Chef Masters. He brings depth and breadth of experience to his restaurant The Lobster, which received a “Michelin Plate” in the 2019 Michelin Guide California. The Lobster is located at 1602 Ocean Avenue Santa Monica – with great views of the Santa Monica Pier.

Kim Prince, a third-generation restaurateur, made her mark with Prince’s Hot Chicken in Nashville. She then launched Hotville Chicken in Santa Monica, which was named Best New Restaurant by Los Angeles Magazine in 2020. Hotville Chicken is located at 4859 Crenshaw Boulevard.

Attending the LA Wine & Food Festival

Tickets are now on sale, starting at $225 per day for an all-inclusive food and beverage experience.

Ticket options include:

• Standard Daily Pricing (starting February 1st)
  • General Admission: $225/day
  • VIP (including 1-hour early access to the festival, access to the VIP lounge, exclusive bites and beverages and a dedicated entrance to bypass the General Admission line): $325/day
• Weekend Passes (available starting February 2nd)
  • General Admission: $525
  • VIP: $825

For tickets and more pricing information click here. Additional programming and events will be announced in coming weeks, and more information can be found at lawineandfood.com or @lawinefoodfest on Instagram.

Age limit: All LAWFF events are 21 and older. A Valid ID is required for admission at all festival events. Please leave the kids at home for this one!

Where is the LA Wine & Food Festival Located?

1550 Pacific Coast Highway, Lot 1-North next to Santa Monica Pier

When is the LA Wine & Food Festival?

March 1–3, 2024 (7:30 pm–10 pm on Friday and Saturday; 12:30pm–3pm on Sunday)

Parking

If space is available, you can pay to park directly on the Pier. Short-term parking is available at 1640 Appian Way and is open from sunrise to sunset. Some of the best places to park are the City-owned lots, The closest one to the Pier is located on the corner of 2nd and Colorado (just one block away from the Pier).