One of Miami’s most exciting weeks of the year is officially upon us—no, we’re not talking about Art Basel. As the city’s signature culinary event, South Beach Wine and Food Festival beckons star chefs, hospitality mavens and foodies by the thousands to partake in a bevy of parties centered around everyone’s actual favorite art: the edible kind.
Aside from the main tent on the sands of South Beach, SOBEWFF hosts dozens of buzzy brunches and lunches, walk-around tastings, intimate dinners and late-night parties. Similar to Art Basel, this long-running festival also inspires plenty of satellite and one-off events, many of them from Miami’s own culinary stars. Below, find our picks for the most exciting Miami foodie events going down during SOBEWFF 2023.
Wednesday, February 22
Arlo Wynwood Rooftop Pop-up with Bars Hanky Panky & Florería Atlántico
Bar Lab Beverage Director Christine Wiseman welcomes friends Ismael "Pollo" Martinez Vera of Hanky Panky (Mexico; #13 of World’s 50 Best Bars) and Tato Giovannoni of Floreria Atlantico (Argentina; #18 of World’s 50 Best Bars) for a night of collab cocktails, breezy rooftop views and sounds by Andres Franco at the Arlo Wynwood. 8pm; free with RSVP
The Gibson Room x Drinking Pig BBQ
Chef Michael Beltran from Ariete and Chef Raheem Sealey from the Drinking Pig BBQ are putting their heads together for a second collaboration dinner of 2023. The six-course, barbecue-inspired tasting menu features dishes like steamed local fish, curry oxtail, lamb shank and rum date cake for dessert. Tickets $110
Phuc Yea x Humans Who Feed Us Charity Dinner
Phuc Yea Chef/Co-owner Cesar Zapata and partner Aniece Meinhold will host a special dinner experience/fundraiser for The Humans Who Feed Us, a national project of Justice for Migrant Women that focuses on humanizing workers across the food supply chain. Local culinary talent participating in the all-inclusive event includes Cleophus Heddington from Zak The Baker, Diego Oka from La Mar by Gaston Acurio, Jose Mendin from Casa Isola and Jon Ngygen from Tran An. 7pm; tickets start at $165
Thursday, February 23
MaryGold’s Pernod Menu by Brad Kilgore & Christine Wiseman at Arlo Wynwood
The new restaurant from Chef Brad Kilgore and Bar Lab hosts a private dinner at the Florida-inspired brasserie, showcasing an approachable but refined tasting menu along with Pernod Ricard cocktail pairings curated by Bar Lab’s beverage director, Christine Wiseman. Reservations are limited and are available by calling 786-522-6601.
Higher Ground Pop-Up Bar Double Chicken Please at Arlo Wynwood
Higher Ground's Thursday pop-up ups the ante with New York’s Double Chicken Please, #6 of the World's 50 Best Bars. Perched over Wynwood, expect to enjoy special cocktail creations by Double Chicken bartenders GN Chan, Tsimafei Maroz and Guoxin Zhou, plus chilled-out rooftop sounds by Love Tempo. 8pm; free with RSVP
Ariete x Bresca
Chef Michael Beltran hosts Chef Ryan Ratino of Bresca, the acclaimed contemporary Parisian bistro from D.C. This one-off collab dinner is intimate, with just 40 covers for the night. Contact the restaurant directly for full details and reservations.
The Miami Beach EDITION x Salt & Straw Pop Up
All week long, the EDITION will host beloved ice cream purveyors Salt & Straw for a pop-up in the grassy outdoor lounge, dubbed the Sand Box. Here, you’ll get to partake in beach games and try out free samples of the hotel’s exclusive custom flavor, Black Tea, paying homage to the global brand’s signature scent. 10am–1pm; free with RSVP
Friday, February 24
Cup of Joe at Understory
In case you missed it, Joe Jonas and his wife, actress Sophie Turner, recently became Miami residents and have been bopping all around town at some of our favorite spots. This Friday, the affable JoBro is throwing a party at local gem Understory, a Little River spot recently taken over by the cocktail geniuses at Jaguar Sun. Stop by to enjoy a DJ set by Joe himself, and friends, plus plenty of cocktails, natural wines and curated bites. 7pm, $15 at the door
Ping Pong & Pizzas: A Family Affair
Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten returns for his sixth-annual Ping Pong & Pizzas, a friendly, late-night fete featuring a vast Italian spread of the Market at EDITION's favorites, specialty cocktails and a chance to take on the master himself in a round of ping pong. 10pm, tickets $85
Saturday, February 25
Little River Flea
This magical pop-up flea market fills up the garden at Understory with tons of treasures from local small and sustainable shops. Under the shade of lush trees and flowering foliage, you'll find vintage, vinyl, books, plants, art, home decor, handmade jewelry, candles and more, plus cookies from Dough House Cookies and crispy, juicy bites from Chikin Boi. The folks at Jaguar Sun recently curated the cocktail menu here and, as usual, resident DJ The Jams contributes a funky, chilled-out soundtrack, with guest tunes provided by DJ Kumi. 11am; free
Chug's Diner x Little Goat Diner
Here’s a star-studded dinner you won’t want to miss, served up casually at Chug’s Diner in Coconut Grove. James Beard Award-winning Chef Stephanie Izard of Chicago’s Little Goat teams up with Chef Michael Beltran for a collab meal featuring comforting yet elevated family-style dishes like pulpeta meatloaf made with duck confit and the red belly with mandarin pancakes and pickled sides (a Duck Duck Goat staple). Multiple seatings; tickets $115
Sunday, February 26
Our Sunday Table: Brunch with The Grey and Friends hosted by Mashama Bailey + Rosie’s: The Backyard
Chef Akino West of Rosie’s: The Backyard stars at this sprawling Loews Miami Beach brunch event hosted and curated by the two-time James Beard Award winner Mashama Bailey. Also on deck are notable chefs like Valerie Chang Cumpa (Itamae), Paula DaSilva (Burlock Coast) and Kyle Jacovino (Vittoria Pizzeria Napoletana), among others, covering a range of cultures, flavors and cooking styles while delivering their quintessentially American perspectives on traditional Sunday brunch. 11:30am; tickets $195
Sunday BBQ at Broken Shaker
Broken Shaker wraps its festival weekend with the annual Sunday BBQ. Chef Jimmy Lebron will be grilling alongside L.A’s Trap Kitchen, while the Broken Shaker team is being joined by award-winning bartender Maxwell Britten behind the bar. Hang out poolside to tunes by Jarobi White of A Tribe Called Quest. 5pm; free
Better with Friends at Baby Jane
In collaboration with Poplife, Miami’s roving natural wine party Grape Crush launches its first Better With Friends series at Baby Jane, the laidback neighborhood lounge in Brickell. Expect a selection of curated natty juice from Grape Crush, food by House of Chang and music by the Love Tempo and Lagrimos de Oro. 7pm; free with RSVP