It was a hefty billing to live up to when Thrillist named the local Del Mar Wine & Food Festival one of the “Best Food Festivals” in the country in just its third year. The five-day celebration delivered on the hype, gathering more than 11,000 attendees, hundreds of Southern California’s top restaurants, dozens of the top winemakers and distillers from Napa Valley to Valle de Guadalupe, and across the world, and some of the biggest top lifestyle brands.
Celebrity chefs, Food Network stars, pro athletes, and local icons made this the festival’s most star-studded year yet in support of local causes. In its first three years, the event has raised $105,000 for Feeding San Diego and other nonprofits, underscoring its mission to shine a national spotlight on local culture and support it.
Festivities kicked off with the Opening Night Party at Monarch Ocean Pub, hosted by San Diego FC and Food Network judge Troy Johnson. The rooftop bash paired coastal vibes with live DJs, bold bites, and toasts from SDFC co-owner Tom Penn and head coach of the first-place expansion team, Mike Varas. The night honored the OGs and classic restaurants of the city’s food scene: Dobson’s Bar & Restaurant, Hodad’s, Jake’s Del Mar, Ponce’s, San Diego Chicken Pie Shop and Bali Hai, with drinks by AleSmith, Dios Azul, Hendrick’s Gin, Lalo Tequila, and more. Local food media SDFoodies were invited to be correspondents for the night to capture it all. A perfect send-off to summer.
Thursday featured two standout dinners at classic San Diego resorts. At the Fairmont Grand Del Mar, soccer legend Alex Morgan hosted the Game Changers Dinner. San Diego Magazine CEO Claire Johnson emceed the event, celebrating women reshaping the culinary world, with dishes from Catherine McCord, Claudia Sandoval, Michelle Mathelin, Zuliya Khawaja, Izzy Bausier, and Karen Krasne. At the historic Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, wine icon David Ramey led an intimate dinner combining Sonoma and Napa vintages with decadent courses from acclaimed chefs Marc Murphy (Chopped, Iron Chef America, Guy’s Grocery Games), Jackson Kalb (Top Chef), and Jason McLeod (Beat Bobby Flay, and a Michelin-starred San Diego chef).
Friday brought in the unique other half of the festival—showcasing the pro athletes who serve as icons for Southern California’s famed active lifestyle. NFL great Drew Brees hosted the Celebrity Pickleball Tournament at Barnes Tennis Center with Jet Tila, Catherine McCord, The Grill Dads, Richard Blais (star of Next Level Chef, who anchors San Diego restaurants Ember & Rye and California English), Glenn Howerton from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (and co-owner of Four Walls Whiskey), former MLB players Brett Tomko and Travis Lee, BMX star Andy Buckworth, Bachelor Nation’s Aaron Clancy. City Girl Gone Mom Dani Lucia Schaffer served as on-camera storyteller for the night.
Later that evening, the Kosta Browne Wine Dinner at Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa brought together Michelin-star chef Drew Deckman (Deckman’s en El Mogor, 31ThirtyOne), Carolina Verdugo and Miguel Bahena (Madre in Ensenada), James Beard semifinalist Mawa McQueen, and Estancia exec chef Katie Weber to benefit Feeding San Diego. Welcome cocktail was created by Emerald Spear, a tequila brand founded by San Diego-based SEALs.
Across town in Puesto Mission Valley’s private dining room, Tequila Ocho tapped Baja’s Michelin-star chef Javier Plascencia (owner of Animalon and Finca Altozano, plus the guy Anthony Bourdain called to show him around Baja on No Reservations) to collaborate on a dinner with Raul Casillas, who’d worked at two Michelin star restaurants before recently joining Puesto to head up their culinary program. Their dinner showcased Baja coastal cuisine, with long-steeped cocktails from Puesto’s Beard-nominated beverage director, Beau DuBois.
Saturday’s CluckFest After Party was a fried-chicken frenzy hosted by celebrity chef Michael Voltaggio and players from San Diego Wave FC. MasterChef winner Kelsey Murphy and The Grill Dads (Grillin’ Time Cocktails) joined some of the city’s top chefs and restaurants, including Grand Del Mar exec chef Bryn McArthur, Travis Swikard (Callie), Emily Brubaker (Omni La Costa and winner of Yes, Chef with Martha Stewart and Jose Andres), John Sloan (Juniper & Ivy/Crack Shack), Nic Webber and Jacob Jordan (24 Suns), Danny and Dante Romero (Lion’s Share), Spencer and Lia Hunter (Lia’s Lumpia), Bryan Zeto (Shawarma Guys), Kevin Fisher (Rotisserie Affair), Corbin O’Reilly (Tap Truck/Corbin’s Q), and Tajima Ramen.
Drinks were poured by Daou, Magna Carta Cellars (Napa), Santa Barbara Winery, Temecula Wines, Volatus Winery (Paso Robles), Peroni and Blue Moon, plus craft cocktails by Above Board and Fierce & Kind.
The weekend wrapped with the two-day Grand Tasting, which transformed Del Mar—a massive, sprawling food festival on the weirdly perfect pro-soccer grass at Surf Sports Park. Over 100 of the city’s favorite restaurants—from Michelins to moms and pops—showed off what they’re good at alongside some of the world’s top winemakers, distillers, lifestyle brands, and pro athletes. Star chefs and celebrities cooked and poured and entertained alongside them, including Guy Fieri (bringing his trademark energy to the VIP tent), Jet Tila, Michael Voltaggio, Brian Malarkey, Kelsey Murphy, Lauren Lawless, the Grill Dads, Beau MacMillan, Brian Malarkey, Carlos Anthony, and legendary San Diego pro surfer, Rob Machado.
Dance parties popped up at themed zones like Taco Alley, Cohntry Fest (a hootenanny mini-festival from the Cohn Restaurant Group), the Locally Made Zone, the Brandt Beef Experience, and the Big Queer Food Festival (started by Food Network producers to lift up LGBTQ voices in the culinary world). An annual Culinary Competition was held at the Grand Tasting, with dozens of the city’s top restaurants submitting their best dishes to the judges.
This year’s winners:
- Saturday Grand Tasting
- First Place: Glass Box
- Second Place: Lia’s Lumpia
- Third Place (tie): A+M Catering and Jolie
- Sunday Grand Tasting
- First Place: Ranch 45
- Second Place: Ciccia Osteria
- Third Place: Warung RieRie
It was a big hype to live up to, but 2025 Del Mar Wine + Food Festival proved once again why it’s one of the hottest tickets in town. The festival just announced its dates for 2026—Sept. 30 through Oct. 4.
For a brief window of time, tickets are $100 off.
Photo Credits: Norman Arroyo, Jorge Aguilar, Camila Badaro, Leo Cabal, Sydney Ellis, Matt Furman, Gabe Gomez, Angela Garzon, Arlene Ibarra, Julia Kapros, Olivia Lillia, Cole Novak, Robert Reyes, Deanna Sandoval, Betsy Sirgo, Peter Vegos, Kristen Vincent, Tiffany Verduzco
(Disclaimer: San Diego Magazine is a minority partner in Del Mar Wine & Food Festival, so we’re a minority-part biased—but we urge you to ask around, it is a very special, massive thing for the city.)
