There’s something satisfying about recognizing a favorite restaurant on a festival lineup. You might know it from a birthday dinner, a casual afternoon in Carlsbad Village, or a reservation you’ve been meaning to make. Seeing it alongside kitchens from elsewhere offers a chance to appreciate the food scene close to home — and discover what’s happening beyond it.
When San Diego Food + Wine returns November 1–8, North County will have a presence across its restaurant and chef lineups. From Encinitas to Oceanside and inland to Rancho Bernardo, the participating names reflect the range of dining that makes our corner of the county worth exploring.
IMAGES COURTESY SDFW
Familiar Kitchens, a Different Setting
The festival’s Grand Weekend brings its two signature tasting events to Embarcadero Marina Park North: the Grand Tasting Presented by Southwest Airlines on Saturday, November 7, and Grand Fiesta Presented by Southwest Airlines on Sunday, November 8.
Saturday’s published restaurant roster includes Blank Slate, the Encinitas dining and gathering space from Aron and Pam Schwartz; Nick & G’s, in Rancho Santa Fe Village; and The Cork & Craft, in Rancho Bernardo. Omni La Costa also joins the Saturday lineup under the Carlsbad resort’s name.
Park 101, the open-air gathering spot in Carlsbad Village, appears on both days. On Sunday, NÓMADA joins the Grand Fiesta restaurant lineup, bringing another Carlsbad connection through chef Alex Carballo’s regional Mexican cooking.
Together, these places offer a local starting point for a much wider tasting experience — including San Diego favorites Juniper & Ivy, Kingfisher, Barbusa, and Mister A’s.
THE GRAND TASTING
The Chefs Behind the Plates
North County’s presence extends to the festival’s participating chefs.
Eric Bost, whose restaurants include Carlsbad’s Jeune et Jolie and Lilo, and Aidan Owens, associated with Herb & Wood and Encinitas’s Herb & Sea, are both confirmed for this year. Festival attendees will also encounter Roberto Alcocer, whose Valle restaurant connects Oceanside with his work in Baja — as well as Tommy Ramirez of Oceanside’s Dija Mara, Aron Schwartz of Blank Slate, Bryan Garcia of The Cork & Craft, Emily Brubaker of Omni La Costa, and Alex Carballo of NÓMADA.
ICONS + LEGENDS
Ahead of The Big Weekend
Some of the festival’s most intriguing gatherings happen before Grand Weekend, with dinners that offer a more intimate way to experience SDFW — and a reason to keep an evening open closer to home.
On November 1, the Día de Muertos Gala at Fairmont Grand Del Mar brings together chefs including Javier Plascencia, Roberto Alcocer, and Drew Deckman for an evening benefiting Fundación Tijuana Sin Hambre.
In Encinitas, November 4 brings Passion + Favorites: An Unconventional Dinner by “The Chefkateers” to Blank Slate. Chefs Suzette Gresham of San Francisco’s Acquerello, Bernard Guillas, and Aron Schwartz will celebrate 20 years of friendship through a shared love of eccentric cooking. It’s a particularly compelling opportunity to experience visiting culinary talent in an intimate local setting.
Then, on November 5, the Legacy of the Land Dinner Honoring Chino Farm presented by Napa Valley Vintners at Fairmont Grand Del Mar honors the 80th anniversary of Chino Farm in Rancho Santa Fe. Chefs including Tara Monsod, Matt Vawter, and Aron Schwartz will gather to celebrate a farm whose story is deeply rooted in our part of the county.
For anyone drawn to a dinner-table experience, these evenings offer another way into the festival: time to settle in, follow a menu, and appreciate the people and relationships behind the food.
Join San Diego Food + Wine Festival
Part of the pleasure of San Diego Food + Wine is following your curiosity: a bite from a restaurant you’ve been meaning to visit, a wine you haven’t tried, a different perspective on a familiar ingredient. With San Diego Bay as the backdrop, the festival brings together the kitchens, people, and traditions that make this region — and its connections across the border — so interesting to explore.
Come with a few favorites in mind, but leave room for the unexpected. The afternoon might introduce you to your next dinner reservation, a bottle worth seeking out, or a chef whose cooking you’ll want to get to know better. The tastings last a weekend; the discoveries can shape where you eat and drink long afterward.
THE GRAND FIESTA
San Diego Food + Wine Festival runs November 1–8, 2026. Grand Tasting Presented by Southwest Airlines takes place Saturday, November 7, and Grand Fiesta Presented by Southwest Airlines takes place Sunday, November 8, at Embarcadero Marina Park North. Explore the festival and its schedule.
