Every year South Florida transform into a foodie paradise, when SOBEWFF rolls into town. With over 90 events happening during the festival, we know it’s hard to narrow it down and choose the perfect ones to attend. So much food (and wine), so little time. So, we’ve taken a look at the full line up and whittled it down to our 20 favorite events! From intimate dinners to massive tastings – cocktail parties to wine celebrations, there’s something for everyone.
Check out Yelp’s Guide To SOBEWFF 2017.
Seaside Eats hosted by Anne Burrell
Wed, Feb 22 7:00 PM
Kick off the Taste Fort Lauderdale Series in pumped-up style with the signature energy of Anne Burrell! Host of Food Network’s Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition, Burrell is bringing her amped up flair to jump start the Festival weekend at the historic Bonnet House Museum & Gardens. Featuring bites from more than 15 Broward restaurants!
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Barilla’s Italian Bites on the Beach sponsored by HCP Media and the Miami Herald Media Company
Thu, Feb 23 7:00 PM
Leading ladies Valerie Bertinelli and Alex Guarnaschelli, are joining forces to host more than 30 of the nation’s greatest chefs serving up dishes originating from various regions of Italy as guests enjoy a live musical performance by soft-rock hit makers Little River Band, presented by Magic City Casino. Whether you prefer a traditional spaghetti and meatballs or a cooler antipasto-style pasta salad or a savory perciatelli and chicken, this is a celebration not to be missed.
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Heart of New Orleans: Dinner hosted by Nina Compton, David Kinch, Donald Link & Julia Doyne
Thu, Feb 23 7:00 PM
The best of the Bayou is coming to the tropics! The spirited cuisine of one of America’s most buzzed about culinary destinations is coming South for one very special collaboration between celebrated chefs Nina Compton, Donald Link and David Kinch. Kinch is bringing with him The Bywater’s own Executive Chef David Morgan to help execute this jazzed up feast, while James Beard Award-winning chef and Louisiana native Link and NOLA newcomer Compton adds their spiced up style to this mix.
Thu, Feb 23 7:00 PM
Dynamic and James Beard Award-winning chef, and this year’s SOBEWFF® Tribute Dinner Honoree, ThinkFoodGroup owner José Andrés returns to host a 10 of South Florida’s best chefs at the boutique luxury SLS Hotel. Andrés will put his unique mark on a classic paella, while participating chefs will present their tantalizing tapas dishes to transport you to the streets of Sevilla without leaving the beach. Wine and libations will complement this Spanish-inspired soirée.
Burnt Ends: A Kosher BBQ Dinner hosted by Alon Shaya
Thu, Feb 23 7:00 PM
Alon Shaya, whose namesake Shaya in New Orleans is the reigning Best New Restaurant in the U.S. bestowed by the James Beard Foundation, is gathering up a group of hand-picked friends from across the country to host the Festival’s second Kosher event in its history. Shaya and a handful of fellow chefs will offer up their most creative barbecue creations at this Kosher walk-around tasting, which will also feature South Florida favorite Zak the Baker.
Thu, Feb 23 10:00 PM
Popular celebrity chef and television personality, as well as the culinary vision behind several restaurants including his own Mestizo, Aarón Sánchez returns to host his very own SOBEWFF® taqueria. Variations using lechon, carne, pollo, and more will leave your taste buds satiated during this late night soirée bringing to life Mexico’s most iconic dish. Muy bueno!
DRINK Fort Lauderdale: Cocktail Time Machine Experience
Fri, Feb 24 10:00 PM
SOBEWFF® is bringing its signature late-night flair to Broward County’s favorite FATVillage neighborhood, Fort Lauderdale’s famed art district. Ever wondered what a speakeasy was like during prohibition? How about the martinis Sinatra used to drink? Or the Sex on the Beach cocktail that took the 80’s by storm? Get ready to be whisked away on the Cocktail Time Machine! Visit the 1920’s through the present as you drink your way through generations of cocktail recipes by way of secret entrances, flair bartending, old warehouses that used to house rum running boats and bars themed to fit different decades of cocktail brilliance.
The Art of Tiki: A Cocktail Showdown
Fri, Feb 24 10:00 PM
Surf’s up for this one as restaurateur, author, and popular Food Network star Robert Irvine hosts an evening of Polynesian flare with Tiki-inspired cocktails from across the country. Once again, guests will enjoy an artful display of libations at the hip and trendy Surfcomber boutique hotel. Some of the best bartenders and highly regarded Tiki joints across the country have been invited, to face-off and compete to be crowned Tiki-King or Tiki-Queen. Tiki is more than a drink, it’s a subculture enjoying a resurgence in popularity with bartenders across America and we’re bringing it back to the beach — to South Beach!
Fri, Feb 24 7:30 PM
The Festival’s beloved Burger BashⓇ gets a fresh new look this year, joining forces with Heineken Light! After celebrating its 10th birthday last year, the queen of burgers is back to keep the juicy creations coming at the Heineken Light Burger Bash presented by Schweid & Sons hosted by Rachael Ray. Who’s burger reigns supreme? The choice is yours as you cast your vote for the Heineken Light People’s Choice Award!
An esteemed panel of judges, including Ayesha Curry, Emilio Estefan, Jill Martin and Adam Richman, will decide who will receive this year’s Schweid & Sons Very Best Burger Award.
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Fontainebleau Miami Beach presents Wine Spectator’s Best of the Best
Fri, Feb 24 7:30 PM
To create the best event during the best weekend of the year, they’ve rounded up 60 of the nation’s top chefs to showcase their most gourmet samplings to pair with over 100 wines rated 90 points or higher on Wine Spectator’s scale. The Fontainebleau Miami Beach sets the perfect stage with its own blend of Golden Era glamour and modern luxury to host this grand walk-around affair. From aperitif to dessert, your glass is decadently decanted and your plate is full of first-rate cuisine.
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Badia Spices’ Fun and Fit as a Family
Sat Feb 25 and Sun, Feb 26 10:00 AM
Join your favorite chefs and culinary personalities for two fun-filled days of food, fitness and learning at Badia Spices’ Fun and Fit as a Family featuring the Goya Foods Kidz Kitchen at Jungle Island. This family-friendly event at the Festival allows parents and kids to learn the basics of a healthy lifestyle with Food Network personalities and renowned chefs. Kids will have the chance to explore the food garden and play sports on the beach while visiting with the animals of Jungle Island.
Sign up here to win a family pack of tickets to this event!
Goya Foods’ Grand Tasting Village
Sat Feb 25 and Sun, Feb 26 12:00 PM
The Goya Foods’ Grand Tasting Village featuring Mastercard Grand Tasting Tents & KitchenAid Culinary Demonstrations will continue to refresh and tantalize your tastebuds with offerings from more than 50 restaurants and an array of wines and libations from Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits. Fans will continue to enjoy more places to relax and absorb this grand experience — whether it’s with a cocktail under the shade or your hips swaying to beat of live music and/or DJs throughout the day. For the fifth year, attendees will be able to vote for their favorite dishes and decide which restaurant will win the Miami New Times’ “Best Bite on the Beach” award.
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Sat, Feb 25 7:00 PM
Two of the nation’s most identifiable vegan chefs join forces at the newly opened Plant Food + Wine at The Sacred Space Miami. For those consciously-minded diners looking to taste some of the best in the business, this dinner blends Chloe Coscarelli, winning television competitor and founder of New York City’s popular by CHLOE, and FOOD & WINE Best New Chef and culinary educator Matthew Kenney. Kenney’s Miami restaurant and education center will serve as the evening’s clean-eating platform, as diners enjoy perfectly paired dishes with specially-selected wines.
BACARDÍ On The Beach with Beats by Rev Run & DJ Ruckus
Sat, Feb 25 9:00 PM
Miami is known for it’s parties and this year SOBEWFF® has the biggest party on the beach! Enjoy an unforgettable night of beats, bites and your favorite cocktails at the BACARDÍ Beach Party. Rev Run and DJ Ruckus will lay down some serious beats that will get you on your feet under our signature white tents on the sand. Plus, grab delicious late-night bites prepared by some of Miami’s hottest chefs.
Sat, Feb 25 10:00 PM
Go ahead, try to eat just one! There are some classic, Cuban dishes whose popularity transcends culture and geography, then there are those that haven’t quite “crossed over” — enter the Cuban croqueta! Join superchef Jean-Georges Vongerichten as he hosts this croqueta celebration. Local food authority Burger Beast will help curate an elite group of local chefs who will dish out their tastiest variations of the croqueta while you spend the night dancing, savoring and sipping on Champagne Henriot.
Sat, Feb 25 10:00 PM
It’s all fun and games with Food Network rock star Guy Fieri! Food Fight is part Jeopardy, part Family Feud for the culinary world – a star-studded, interactive, late-night live trivia game hosted by Fieri himself. You’ll get the chance to sip and savor specially curated bar bites from the South of Fifth neighborhood throughout the evening at one of its most iconic locations for locals and tourists-alike, Monty’s Sunset on South Beach. Watch your favorite Food Network & Cooking Channel stars team up to go head-to-head in a trivia battle featuring Pressure Cooker Challenges and surprises that will keep everyone on their feet.
Decadent Dessert Party presented by Grey Goose
Sat, Feb 25 10:00 PM
We once again welcome television personality and Charm City Cakes innovator Duff Goldman to SOBEWFF®! He’ll host a select group of some of the nation’s top pastry chefs and dessert artists for this decadent soirée at the National. Indulge in your greatest sweet and frosty fantasies as you enjoy carefully crafted libations to accompany this late-night craving.
Brunch hosted by José Andrés and Michael Schwartz
Sun, Feb 26 11:00 AM
Savor brunch poolside at the brand new SLS Brickell under the spell of two of the most coveted names in culinary, José Andrés and South Florida’s own Michael Schwartz. Andrés, this year’s Tribute Dinner honoree, is recognized worldwide for his energetic passion for telling cultural stories through food.
Southern Kitchen Brunch hosted by Trisha Yearwood
Sun, Feb 26 11:30 AM
New York Times bestselling cookbook author and host of the EmmyⓇ Award-winning Food Network series Trisha’s Southern Kitchen, Trisha Yearwood is sharing some of her favorites recipes and gathering up a flock of Southern-style chefs as we add a splash of Grammy Award-winning country to the Festival’s rock ‘n roll line up. Expect nothing less than the perfect tune to set the scene for this down-home soirée, as this iconic vocal talent of her 12th studio album, PrizeFighter, released by Sony Music Nashville, joins us once again. Shine your flip flops and tip your sun hat for this buffet-style brunch at our elegant host hotel Loews Miami Beach.
Goya Foods’ Swine & Wine presented by The National Pork Board
Sun, Feb 26 5:30 PM
Reigning Goya Foods’ People’s Choice Award-winner for best whole roasted pig Cindy Hutson returns to the Biltmore, Coral Gables as she rounds up some of her fellow colleagues to take this swine-centric affair to a whole new level. The roasted, mouth-watering meat being served straight from each chef’s own caja china will be accompanied by savory side dishes and desserts created by the Biltmore Hotel. These savory samplings will be accompanied by special sips from the Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits of Florida portfolio and up-beat tunes to cap off this celebration of swine!
BONUS EVENT: Wine Spectator Trade Day
Fri February 21 1:00 PM
Wine Spectator Trade Day presented by Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits at the Goya Foods’ Grand Tasting Village offers insiders the opportunity to learn about new trends and products in the beverage industry. This invitation-only event offers a sneak peek of the grandest of tastings set on the gleaming sands of South Beach. Invited guests will sample rare vintages, unique spirits and select pours.
This event is INVITE ONLY. A few lucky Yelpers can snag tickets via this giveaway!
For the full lineup of events head to SOBEWFF’s website here.
For even more ticket giveaways check out Yelp Talk.
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*All photos courtesy of SOBEWFF.
