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Welcome to flavor town: a guide to Austin Food & Wine Festival 2024

Austin Food & Wine Festival is coming up and we’re ready to dig in. Let us help you maximize your time at this annual celebration of eats.

October 18, 2024 • 
Laura Figi
An aerial view of the Austin skyline featuring modern high-rise buildings and the iconic Frost Bank Tower. In the foreground, the Austin Food and Wine Festival is taking place, with large white tents set up on a grassy area near the river. Attendees are scattered across the festival grounds, and the Congress Avenue Bridge is visible, connecting the event site to downtown. The setting is bright and sunny, with the river and surrounding trees adding natural elements to the urban scene.

Great eats and beautiful views await at the upcoming Austin Food & Wine Festival.

Photo by Ismael Quintanilla III for Austin Food & Wine Festival

We hope you’re hungry. Everybody eats when they attend the Austin Food & Wine Festival, and it’s shaping up to be delicious.

Now in its 12th year, the festival will showcase 70+ restaurants, dozens of local chefs, a host of wine and spirits vendors, tasting sessions, demos, and “Meet the Maker” events.

The fun begins on Friday, Nov. 1 and runs through Sunday, Nov. 3 at Auditorium Shores. VIP and resale tickets are still available, starting at $195 for a day pass, $275 for a weekend pass, and $750 for a VIP pass. Let’s dig in.

A live cooking demonstration at the Austin Food and Wine Festival. A chef, dressed in a pink apron, stands enthusiastically behind a kitchen counter on stage, surrounded by cooking equipment and fresh ingredients. The audience, seated in white chairs, watches closely, with some people taking photos or raising their hands in excitement. The setup includes a modern kitchen backdrop with appliances, under a large white tent with lighting equipment overhead. The atmosphere is lively, with people engaging in the culinary presentation.

Take cooking demos from the pros, meet professional chefs + food lovers, and watch food cooked over live fire in front of your eyes at the festival.

Photo by Dusana Risovic for Austin Food & Wine Festival

Know before you go

  • Bags need to be clear or have only one pocket — all bags will be searched before entry.
  • Reusable water containers are encouraged but must be empty upon arrival.
  • Ride share is encouraged (pickup and drop-off will be located at 950 W. Riverside Dr.) but parking is available at the RiverSouth Garage and One Texas Center Garage.
  • The festival is 21+, so don’t bring anyone underage.
  • Tasting and Meet the Maker sessions fill up quickly, so make sure to get in line early.
  • Pro tip: make the day’s schedule your home screen so you don’t miss any sessions.

Need information about ADA and accessibility before you head over? Check here.

Locals eats to try

If there’s a restaurant you have yet to try in Austin, now’s the time to give them a taste. Here’s a few Austin restaurants we’re planning on visiting.

  • Ezov | Chef Berty Richter | Mediterranean
  • Honey Moon Spirit Lounge | Chef Raúl Castillo | American
  • Mexta | Chefs Jonatan Gómez Luna Torres + Mikel Alonso | Mexican
  • Ramen Del Barrio | Chef Chris Krinsky | Mexican-Japanese
  • Uchi | Chef Tyson Cole | Japanese
  • Vespaio | Chef Ryan Samson | Italian
  • Wu Chow | Chef Ji Peng Chen | Chinese
  • Yamas | Chef Hristos Nikolakos | Greek

Click here to view a full list of restaurants participating from around the US.

The schedule for the 2024 Austin Food & Wine Festival showcases culinary events across three days: Friday, November 1: "Made In Texas" event at Long Center from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. Saturday, November 2: Activities begin at 1:30 PM in four main areas: Demo Tent, Tasting Sessions, Meet the Maker, and Fire Pit. Chefs like Amanda Turner, Claudette Zepeda, Antonia Lofaso, and Tim Love will present at the Demo Tent. Fire Pit will feature chefs such as Jason Dady, Jess Kuykendall, Geronimo Lopez, and Nicola Blaque from 1:00 to 5:00 PM. Tasting sessions include "Hearts and Crafts: The Pisco Flowering Makers’ Mark" and other engaging topics. Sunday, November 3: Doors open at 1 PM, with events in the same four main areas. Featured chefs include Edgar Rico, Kevin Gillespie, Ashleigh Shanti, and Courtney Storer in the Demo Tent. The Fire Pit will host Levi Goode, Ali Clem, Michelle Wallace, and Jo Chan. Tasting Sessions cover diverse topics, such as "Tennessee Whiskey & Wesley's World of Cheese." The schedule is subject to change, with more details available on the festival's website.

Mark your calendars for a weekend of eating.

Graphics via Austin Food & Wine Festival

Must-see sessions

Learn how to make delicious dishes from eight chefs at the Demo Tent sessions. These three come from Austin:

Fire Pit sessions offer festival-goers a chance to try meats hot off the flame + cooked by chefs from San Antonio and around the US. Here’s who hails from Austin:

Aside from the local lineup, attendees will also be able to catch Courtney Storer — aka the Culinary producer from “The Bear” — at the Demo Tent at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Anthony Giglio of Food & Wine Magazine during a Meet the Maker events at 2:15 p.m. on Saturday, and “Top Chef” alum Michelle Wallace at the fire pit on Sunday.
Not able to make this fest? Check out our guide to every other festival happening this year.