Taste of South Park
Where: Area of 30th and Fern streets
When: September 15, 12–4 p.m.
South Park is one of San Diego’s bright spots of urbanity, with creative businesses and restaurants thriving. This event is a good way to walk it and get way more food than you probably should. They’re limiting tickets to 400 people, so get on it. Restaurants, bars, and brewers include Buona Forchetta, Café Madeleine, Captain Kirk’s Coffee, Communal Coffee, Del Sur Mexican Cantina, Eclipse Chocolate Bar & Bistro, Enoteca Buona Forchetta, Grant’s Marketplace, Hamiltons Tavern, Kindred, La Taquería Vegiee, Mariscos Nine Seas, Mazara Trattoria, Seven Seas Roasting Co., Sombrero Mexican Food, South Park Brewing & Tacos La Mezcla, Station Tavern, The Big Kitchen Café, The Daily Scoop and The Rose Wine Bar.
Cost: $35 ($40 day of)
Seany’s Chef Fest
Where: Luce Court at Liberty Station, 2641 Truxtun Road
When: September 23, 12 p.m.
The Seany Foundation is named in honor of San Diegan Sean Lewis Robins, who battled a rare cancer for six years before passing in 2006. This event is to raise money for their annual Camp Reach for the Sky, where kids with cancer (and their siblings) spend days outdoors just doing normal kid things. They’re hosting a culinary competition, including chefs from Luce Bar & Kitchen, Pamplemousse, Jsix, Hotel Republic, Casanova Fish Tacos, The University Club, Supernatural Sandwiches, Evolution Hospitality, Chefs West, Frost Me Gourmet, Catalina Offshore, and cocktails from Christian Siglin of Fernside Cocktails.
Cost: $49
Valle Food & Wine Festival
Where: Finca Altozano, Carretera Tecate–Ensenada km. 83, Ejido Francisco Zarco, Valle de Guadalupe, 22750 Ensenadaâ
When: October 6, 4 p.m. to Midnight
If you’ve been in San Diego for over a year and haven’t made the short drive across the border to Baja’s wine region, you’re failing San Diegese. An hour and a half south of the border, Valle de Guadalupe is where 90 percent of Mexico’s wines are grown (you can read our cover story about it here). October is harvest time, which is a month full of parties on the dust-swept farmland. The biggest is this one, held on the grape-side ranch restaurant owned by chef Javier Plascencia. This all-night party brings everyone to the table, from Rick Bayless, Nancy Silverton, Dominique Crenn, Jonathan Waxman, Drew Deckman, plus San Diego stars like Jason McLeod, Trey Foshee, Jason Knibb, and Brian Malarkey. Twenty-five Baja winemakers, craft brewers, musicians, and artists will be on hand.
Cost: $115
Best Food & Drink Events in September and October
Valle Food & Wine Festival | Photo: Edgar Lima
