The Los Angeles Wine & Food Festival returns for its second year with three sessions over the weekend of Friday, November 7 – Sunday, November 9. Friday and Saturday will feature Grand Tasting events while Sunday will conclude with The Final Bite: Peroni’s Italian Affair, an Italian-themed celebration hosted by Peroni, the official beer partner of The Los Angeles Wine & Food Festival.
The 2025 Los Angeles Wine & Food Festival will bring together a star-studded lineup of notable chefs from across the nation and Southern California including culinary icons and rising stars shaping the future of LA dining. Each of the three sessions will feature over thirty chefs presenting their signature bites along with beverage selections from top regional and
award-winning wineries, and craft cocktails from top mixologists at walk-around tastings that will also include other immersive pop-ups and brand installations. Live entertainment will include top DJ sets will round out the experience.
Featured chef personalities include Stephanie Izard, Gabe Bertaccini, Antonia Lofaso, Giorgio Rapicavoli, Brooke Williamson, and brother duo Michael and Bryan Voltaggio. appearances from Ludo Lefebvre of Petit Trois, Michael Symon of Lola, Claudette Zepeda of Leu Leu, Rashida Holmes of Bridgetown Roti, Avner Levi of CENTO Pasta and Raw Bar, and Jazz Singsanong of Jitlada. AWFF is produced by a21, the team behind some of the country’s top culinary festivals.
This year’s event will be co-hosted by Tastemade, known for its leading food and lifestyle brand engaging audiences on major social and streaming platforms.
The Los Angeles Wine & Food Festival is proud to support Event Zero Inc., a non-profit organization to help make the festival more sustainable.
Guests can choose between General or VIP admission. VIP pass holders enjoy early entry one hour before general admission and access to exclusive lounges offering exclusive bites and cocktails. A special weekend pass maximises savings by offers access to all three days.
For tickets and more information, visit https://www.lawineandfood.com/.
Los Angeles magazine will host its 19th annual The Food Event at the iconic Calamigos Ranch on Sunday November 16th, 12:00 – 3pm.
The much-anticipated epicurean extravaganza will feature samples from some of the city’s finest restaurants, along with premier wines, spirits and cocktail tastings, craft beer, live music, and more.
At the Fiesta guests 21+ can sip on Tito’s Handmade Vodka cocktails while savoring Tito’s Tacos’ award-winning cuisine. The celebration will also feature five hours of live entertainment headlined by world-class mariachi group, Mariachi Sol De Mexico de Jose Hernandez, folklórico dancers, and a traditional piñata station.
A formal program will feature remarks from Brian Herlihy, Field Sales Director at Tito’s Handmade Vodka; Lynne Davidson, Co-Owner of Tito’s Tacos; Wirt Morton, Co-Owner of Tito’s Tacos; and Jim Clarke, Board Chair at Culver City Arts Foundation.
Two ticket options are available: The Responsible Partygoer ticket for $35 includes general admission, three Tito’s Tacos food items, and three refreshing Tito’s Handmade Vodka specialty cocktails. The Non-Alcohol Partygoer ticket for $20 includes general admission, three Tito’s Tacos food items, and a soft drink.
An annual tradition since 2018, 100% of the event’s gross proceeds benefit the Culver City Arts Foundation supplementing several programs including Creative arts and performing arts grants, Culver City Arts Projecting Possibilities Program (a program that enables local artists to display their art at the Helms Design Center), and Culver City Arts Book Festival. Over the past seven years, Tito’s Fiesta Mexicana has raised over $113,000, with $23,000 in 2024 alone.
Founded in 1959 by Benjamin Davidson and now run by his granddaughter Lynne Davidson, Tito’s Tacos is an iconic Mexican fast-casual restaurant in Los Angeles. Known for its “folded” hard shell tacos and burritos loved by celebrities, locals, and visitors alike, Tito’s menu features classic Mexican fare – crispy beef tacos, tamales, burritos, enchiladas, tostadas and guacamole, and more. The award-winning cuisine is made from scratch using original recipes and served to thousands of loyal fans daily, often by employees who have been with Tito’s for decades.
Mexico City’s celebrated modern Mexican dining concept, La Popular is making its much anticipated debut in the heart of Hollywood at the newly reimagined Ovation Hollywood, formerly Hollywood & Highland.
Executive Chef Arevalo unveils a menu that celebrates traditional Mexican dishes with bold, inventive tweaks.
Starters range from the Ahi Tuna tostadas with chipotle aioli and crisped leeks to the seafood ceviche brightened with citrus and serrano.
The Soups & Salads section features a richly layered tortilla soup with fried ancho chiles and chicharron, and Corn Off The Cob Salad dressed in Tajín-lime vinaigrette.
Taco Plates features classics like carnitas and ribeye along with the more inventive creamy chipotle shrimp taco with refried beans and rice.
Enchiladas too upgrade tradition in smoky short rib Colorado, the Queso, the Suizas shrimp and pulled hicken.
Mexican staples in Platos Especiales include braised quesabirria with consommé, a hearty burrito with birria, carnitas, or chicken, the Asada with chimichurri butter, and the chicken mole Poblano with sesame and spice.
Sides recall the street culture with street corn, Tajín fries, and golden fried plantains.
A special Kids Menu features favorites like chicken or steak tacos, a gooey cheese quesadilla, a hearty chicken bowl with rice and beans, and a classic kids burrito with flour tortilla, rice, beans, and cheese that help make La Popular a family outing.
Dulces favorites include warm Churros dipped in rich chocolate and silky cajeta sauce, and flan topped with vanilla ice cream and caramel. There’s also a decadent Turtle Pie with peanut butter, chocolate, caramel, and candied pecans.
The beverage portfolio emphasizes single-origin tequilas and mezcals, barrel-to-glass sourcing of agave spirits in all their diversity. The equila & Mezcal collection spans Blancos, Reposados, Añejos, Cristalinos, Rosas, and rare Single-Origin Mezcals from Espadín to Tobalá and Arroqueño.
There’s a curated wine list and a craft-forward beer selection that integrates both Mexican and local producers. Inventive cocktailslist complement both the menu and evolving guest preferences that incorporates a sophisticated non-alcoholic craft selection.
La Popular will officially open on Monday, September 22nd, 2025, Sunday through Thursday from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm, and Friday and Saturday from 11:00 am to 12:00 midnight.
The 2025 – 2026 season of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance with the Music Center kicks off with Five-time Tony® Award-nominated director and choreographer Camille A. Brown’s West Coast premiere of I AM at the Ahmanson Theatre for three performances only: 7:30pm on evenings of Friday 9/12, and Saturday 9/13, and a Sunday 2pm matinee on 9/14. The company is known for blending visceral movement into stories and inviting socio-political dialogue about race, culture, and identity.
Drawing inspiration from a narrative within HBO’s Lovecraft Country and the pulse of the film Drumline, the work features original live music, interweaving of African diasporic dance ranging from Modern, Hip hop, African, Ballet, and Tap to tell stories that connect history with contemporary culture. Strongly character-based, it expresses each topic by building from little movie-like moments that blend theater, poetry, visual art, and music of all genres into powerful storytelling and celebration of cultural identity, joy and resilience.
Founded in 2006, the CBDC company has performed at major national and international venues, including The Joyce Theater, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Lincoln Center Out of Doors, American Dance Festival, New York City Center’s Fall for Dance Festival, Celebrate Brooklyn. In 2014, CABD received the Bessie Award for Outstanding Production for “Mr. TOL E. RAncE.”
The Music Center’s 2025/2026 Dance Season is Dedicated to the Memory of Glorya Kaufman.
For more information and tickets, please visit https://www.musiccenter.org/
The upcoming second annual Manhattan Beach Food & Wine Festival, the two-night strolling culinary extravaganza will feature an Opening Night Celebration on Friday, September 12th, 2025, and a Grand Tasting on Saturday, September 13th, 2025.
Both evenings will feature an all-star lineup of 23 of the best chefs and restaurants, wineries, premier spirits, handcrafted cocktails, craft breweries, non-alcoholic beverages, and live entertainment.
Chef talent lineup announced to date includes a lineup of 46 top chefs, with more expected to be announced soon. They include:
Event Host Chef Neal Fraser: Redbird, Vibiana– Downtown Los Angeles, CA
The festival will be held at Manhattan Village in a 40,000-square-foot outdoor space located at the end of the Veterans Parkway Greenbelt Path, a beautiful landscaped trail that runs through Manhattan Beach to Hermosa Beach. Manhattan Village will offer complimentary parking, allowing guests an easy walk to the event,. Guests are also encouraged to use Lyft rideshare services.
Manhattan Beach Food & Wine will benefit the Culinary Careers Program (C•CAP). Long co-chaired by chef Marcus Samuelsson, C•CAP is a workforce development nonprofit that provides underserved teens pathways to pursue careers in the restaurant and hospitality industry. Annually, C•CAP provides culinary, job and life skills in 186 schools across the United States.
Festival tickets are on sale now, with regular admission from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm, and a Delta VIP Early Entry Pass from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
The 2nd Annual Manhattan Beach Food & Wine, a two-night strolling culinary extravaganza will feature an opening night celebration on Friday, September 12th, 2025, and Grand Tasting on Saturday, September 13th 2025 with an all-star lineup of 40 top chefs.
With the dates approaching soon, event organizers hosted a preview event at the Westridge Hotel in Manhattan Beach on August 21, 6pm. Restaurants participating in the food festival showed up to share the excitement and provide a sneak peak into the upcoming extravaganza of tastes and indulgences.
During the formal presentation the organizers mused on how the event got started. Shelby Russell stood in a nearby parking lot and conceived of this event. Sherry yard recalled how she traveled to food events all over the world and wondered, why not here? “I live right down the street and I could walk here.”
The rest, as they say, is history. Already in its second year, the event is set to feature twice as many chefs and beverage participants.
The 2nd Annual Manhattan Beach Food & Wine is a 21+ event. Event tickets are now on sale, with Regular Admission 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm each evening, as well as a Delta VIP Early Entry Pass from 6:00 pm on.
Guests are encouraged to utilize Lyft rideshare services as the event serves alcoholic beverages. Walking to the event is encouraged, with complimentary parking also available at Manhattan Village.
The menu at recently opened Descanso restaurant draws inspiration from the Michoacan region of Mexico, where owner Rob Arellano who grew up in the area. Michoacán’s cuisine is heavily influenced by the region’s abundant resources, such as avocados, which grow year-round in the area; it is also deeply rooted in its indigenous and colonial history, with a strong emphasis on traditional ingredients like corn, beans, and chilies. The restaurant’s menu draws inspiration from traditional family recipes and the vibrant flavors of the region reinterpreted through contemporary technique and premium ingredients.
The restaurant’s beverage program too uses popular street drinks of jamaica, horchata, local botanicals like aloe and agave and cacao blended with regional spirits like tequila and mezcal.
Tuesday, August 19 the restaurant celebrated the rich culinary and beverage heritage of Michoacán with a multi-course dinner. Owner Rob Arellano, Chef Sergio Lopez and bar manager Justin Ybarra were on hand to field and address questions.
The evening kicked off with passed appetizers. There was guacamole with sharp on lime and chiles, and a home made house salsa with smoky with roasted tomatoes and chiles served with tortilla chips and chicharrones. There was also popular street food of bowls of spicy tangy corn kernels.
The first course of the sit down dinner was a ceviche of tropical local sea bass with mango, jicama, Fresno chiles, cucumber, red onion, lime with a mango habanero sauce and micro cilantro. Ceviche with lemon / lime is more common in LA, Arellano pointed out that the mango sauce is not that unusual for the region.
The ceviche paired well with a refreshing Ya No Vuela of Kettle One vodka, fresh kiwi, St Germain apricot liqueur, lemon and rosemary.
The second course featured the Relleno: a roasted Anaheim chili with tatuma squash, corn, sweet peppers, tres quesos, salsa verde, onion, Cotija cheese and micro cilantro on a blue corn tortilla.
The relleno too was different in that it was not the drenched in flour before frying. That omission definitely raised the chili profile.
The relleno was paired with a refreshing cucumber y Sal: El Tesoro Blanco tequila, Chareau Aloe liqueur, Cucumber, cilantro, lime and black sea salt.
The third course was a hearty short rib estofado of braised short rib, guajillo Pinto bean Jus, avocado, spring onion, micro cilantro, radish, serrano pepper, baby carrots and blue corn tortilla.
It was paired with a full bodied Brazo Dulce: Banhez Espadin / Barril mezcal with fruity notes of blackberries, raspberries, Orgeat, honey, lime and mint.
The final course was dessert of Tres Leches de coco: white cake soaked in a sweet coconut milk, fresh whipped cream, toasted coconut flakes and strawberries.
It was paired with an espresso martini of Herradura Ultra, house horchata, cacao Blanc, banana, and espresso cold brew. It was the perfect closing drink.
Guests got to take home a jar of the popular house salsa as souvenirs of the evening.
