(Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Food Network SoBe Wine & Food Festival)
If you enjoy all things culinary, there is a week-long food & wine festival coming to Fort Lauderdale.
One of my favorite things is going to different festivals. I've been lucky to have the opportunity to cover a few different ones from east coast to the west coast, but one I'll be attending for the first time this year is the Visit Lauderdale Food & Wine Festival. It is a massive event celebrating its 5th anniversary and in a big way, as the festival spans 7 days, January 8-14, 2024.
The Fort Lauderdale food festival features headline chefs, names you know from Food Network.
This year, the headline chefs include MasterChef judge Aarón Sánchez, Chef Jason Smith, Chef Nancy Fuller and former Big Brother contestant Chef Nicole Layog. In addition the celebrity chefs, there are many signature events taking place throughout the week including a mixologist showdown, an Asian street food & music experience and a poolside BBQ battle. The biggest event is The Grand Tasting taking place at Las Olas Oceanside Park on Saturday, January 13 featuring unlimited food & drinks, cooking demonstrations, live music and more.
There are many different classes and seminars at the festival as well.
There will also be different classes and seminars featuring a variety of cooking styles taking place during the week covering a wide range of topics. From Tropical Farmhouse Cooking, a chicken nugget & wine pairing, Floribbean Tapas and Vegan Pizza Making just to name a few. Classes on differnt libations ranging from wine, how to make a good Old Fashioned and Tiki cocktails too.
For tickets and more information on the Visit Lauderdale Food & Wine Festival coming to Fort Lauderdale this January, click here
2 Florida Restaurants Made Southern Living Magazine’s List Of Best In The South
When it comes to good eatin', it's not hard in the south to find something great and 2 Florida restaurants have made Southern Living Magazine's list of Best New Restaurants in the South for 2023.
We're so lucky here in Fort Myers, Naples and Cape Coral that there are so many great restaurants. It seems, especially after the hurricane, that there are new restaurants popping up constantly. Whether it's restaurants that were on the islands that relocated or closures with new spots replacing them. You could probably go to a new restaurant that's opened every week at this point. I love all the options. And that's just here in Southwest Florida. Around the state the list of new restaurants is endless.
While Florida is a big state, there's more to the south than just the Sunshine State. Picture eating po boy's in New Orleans, hot chicken in Nashville, biscuits and gravy in Mississippi or some Georgia peach pie..mmm now I'm hungry.
Southern Living Magazine put together a list of the best new restaurants in the south and 2 Florida restaurants made the top 5.
When you think of what makes a good restaurant, of course the food better be good. But it goes beyond that. It could just be that it has a great atmosphere or amazing waterfront views. Maybe the service is impeccable. We all have our favorites and if you're like me you're always on the hunt for new spots to enjoy. The two restaurants in Florida that made Southern Living Magazine's list are two places I have yet to try, so I'm excited. Zitz Sum in Coral Gables came in at #4 and Willa's in Tampa came in at #5. The others on the list would be great to remember if you're traveling. For the full list, click here. Below are the Top 5.
Southern Living Magazine's Top 5 Best New Restaurants in the South:
1. Pizza Grace- Birmingham, AL
The menu at Pizza Grace is simple. But to be at the top of this list, it must really be THAT good. Sign me up for the MAGIC CITY WHITE PIE made with ricotta, garlic, provolone, Magic City Mushrooms, local gold potatoes and herbs.
2. Conifer- Bentonville, AR
Conifer is a farm-to-table, gluten-free restaurant that uses regional ingredients in dishes as much as possible. Some menu items that caught my eye include al pastor cauliflower and fried squash with pimento cheese.
3. Bardea Steak- Wilmington, DE
Bardea Steak is known for offering rare cuts of meat all sourced from small farms. Diners can pick their steak by breed , cut and size. For non-beef eaters other things on the menu include tiger prawn cocktails, turducken croquettes and guinea hen.
4. Zitz Sum- Coral Gables, FL
Zitz Sum sounds very interesting as chef Pablo Zitzmann's love of Japanese and Italian flavors come together. The menu changes frequently, but popular items include the spicy Har Gow (shrimp dumplings with Calabrian chili oil, lime, and Thai basil) and the Wonton in Brodo (chicken-and-foie gras-filled dumplings swimming in a mushroom-Parmesan broth).
5. Willa's- Tampa, FL
Willa's is located in Tampa's North Hyde Park neighborhood offering contemporary comfort food. Two dishes I NEED to try are the fries topped with pork belly and Mornay sauce and the Seared Branzino.
