Bring your appetite
Taste the state at a multi-event food festival in San Antonio this weekend
Houston Chef Tony Luhrman plates up samples at a past Tasting Texas event.
It's the best time of year for local foodies, as Culinaria's Tasting Texas Wine + Food Festival returns for one weekend only, from October 26-29.
As described, this four-day event introduces attendees to flavors from around Texas, but it's not just a line of food vendors offering samples. Events will include live music, panels, and beverage samples.
Kicking off on Thursday night, the festival encompasses an assortment of coursed dinners from noted local chefs like Four Brothers' Andres Farias and James Beard Award semifinalist Nicola Blaque.
Several of the coursed dinners have already sold out (sorry Stixs and Stones fans), but there's still plenty to do for the remainder of the weekend. Here are our top picks that still have tickets left:
Southern Hospitality
Friday's main event will be held at the Pearl from 7-9 pm for general admission attendees. Every dish from participating chefs will be served reception style, so wining, dining, and mingling are encouraged. (And yes, there will be cocktails.)
Some of the chefs joining in are Dashi's Kristina Zhao, Brasserie Mon Chou Chou's Laurent Rea, Ladino's Berty Richter, Meadow's PJ Edwards, and more.
The Grand Tasting
When you think of Tasting Texas, the Grand Tasting is likely what comes to mind. Held on Saturday from 1-4 pm at the Maverick Plaza in La Villita, the Grand Tasting gives guests free rein to try samples of tantalizing foods by participating chefs onsite, in addition to wine, beer, and cocktail samples. There are also educational seminars held throughout the day if you need to take a break from tasting and sharpen your culinary knowledge.
If you're still up for more after the Grand Tasting, the next event can be your destination.
Sippin’ Sunday Brunch and Burgers, Bourbon and Beers
Hope you saved some of your appetite for Sunday, because there's two events — Meadow's Sippin' Sunday Brunch and Burgers, and Bourbon and Beer — that'll satiate your soul and keep you full for at least a week.
The brunch, featuring Southern or "soul" food and music, runs from 10 am to 1 pm at Meadow Neighborhood Eatery and Bar. Guests will return to the Maverick Plaza from 1-4 pm for the Burgers, Bourbon and Beer event, which of course serves up those three delicacies. Like the Grand Tasting on Saturday, there will also be educational seminars and product vendors onsite as well, so it's not all about eating!
Find more information on participating chefs, the full list of the weekend's activities, and tickets at culinaria.org.
