15 Reasons the 2025 South Beach Wine & Food Festival is a Can’t-Miss Epicurean Event
The Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Capital One (SOBEWFF) is back for its 24th year, and if you’re not already blocking off February 20-23 on your calendar, you just might miss out on the most epic epicurean event of 2025. This four-day extravaganza of flavor, fun, and famous faces is Miami Beach’s ultimate celebration of all things food and drink.
This gastronomic spectacle isn’t just another food festival; it’s THE SoFlo food festival. Picture over 500 world-class chefs, winemakers, and mixologists, cooking up stellar bites served with a side of beachside bliss. Add to that some of the biggest Food Network stars, Grammy-winning artists, and interactive culinary experiences, and you’ve got an event so packed with flair that skipping it would be a crime against good taste.
From epic late-night bashes and celebrity-hosted cooking battles to exclusive master classes, SOBEWFF 2025 is shaping up to be the most electrifying yet. Whether you’re in for the unlimited food and drinks, the A-list culinary talent, or just an excuse to sip champagne, fine wine and craft cocktails on the sand, here are 15 reasons this year’s festival in the Magic City is absolutely unmissable.
1. A Star-Studded Culinary Lineup
Where else can you rub elbows with Food Network royalty like Rachael Ray, Guy Fieri, Alex Guarnaschelli, Aarón Sánchez, Duff Goldman, and Tyler Florence—all in one weekend? These culinary icons will be hosting various events throughout the fest, adding their star power to make the breadth of sumptuous fare that much tastier. Master classes, dinners and brunches and other events hosted by the likes of Bobby Flay, Andrew Zimmern and Michael Schwartz amp up the fest’s lineup of culinary A-listers.
2. More Than 500 Chefs, Winemakers & Spirit Producers
This isn’t just a festival; it’s a who’s who of the food and beverage world. With talent spanning the globe, expect a smorgasbord of flavors and innovative culinary delights from over 500 experts who know their way around a kitchen and a cocktail shaker. To complement all of the gastronomic masterpieces attendees will taste over two days and four nights, each event will also feature a curated selection of premium wines and spirits from the Festival’s exclusive provider, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits. The sheer volume of high caliber F&B availed to attendees sets the stage for an unforgettable culinary experience.
3. Hands-On Master Classes
Ever wanted to master Vietnamese cuisine, become a BBQ master or learn the secrets of croissant-making? The fest offers numerous intimate workshops offer a rare chance to learn these cooking skills from culinary legends in a hands-on setting. The SOBEWFF® 2025 Master Class Series is designed to sharpen your skills, elevate your home cooking, and give you an insider’s perspective on the techniques that make top chefs stand out. It’s not just about watching—it’s about rolling up your sleeves, getting hands-on and leaving with skills (and flavors) to impress.
4. Burger Bash Returns with Rachael Ray
This isn’t just any burger showdown—it’s the Mike’s Amazing Burger Bash presented by Schweid & Sons, where top chefs battle to serve up the best burger of the year. Emmy-winning television personality, celebrity chef, author and entrepreneur Rachael Ray hosts the carnivorous madness, ensuring it’s as entertaining as it is delicious. This legendary burger battle pits top chefs against one another in the ultimate quest for burger supremacy. Expect juicy, flavor-packed creations, from classic smashburgers to over-the-top, chef-driven masterpieces—all vying for the title of best burger of the year. With endless bites, cold drinks, and a sizzling atmosphere, this isn’t just a competition—it’s a carnivorous celebration that’ll have you craving more. Grab a napkin (or five) and get ready to sink your teeth into burger heaven!
5. Tacos & Tequila, Need We Say More?
James Beard Award-winning chef, restaurateur and TV personality Aarón Sánchez takes the helm of this ultimate fiesta, where chefs showcase their most creative taco creations, all paired with endless pours of Tequila Cazadores. Tacos & Tequila is where bold flavors, top-tier tequila, and vibrant energy collide! This lively music and dance-filled event brings together some of the most innovative chefs in the game to serve up their best and most creative taco creations—from classic carnitas to unexpected, flavor-packed surprises. And, of course, no taco party is complete without endless pours of tequila to keep the celebration going. Get ready to sip, savor, and salsa the night away. Arriba!
6. Guy Fieri’s Tournament of Champions: Miami Beach Edition
If you’ve ever dreamed of watching culinary gladiators battle it, this is your moment. Hosted by cheflebrity Guy Fieri—a restaurateur and TV personality best known the hit Food Network show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives—hosts this entertaining culinary showdown. Here, four teams, led by past Tournament of Champions winners, will throw down in an epic cook-off on the sands of Miami Beach while being cheered on by the crowd.
7. Fire, Meat & Mastery with Tyler Florence
The Masters of Fire event celebrates the primal art of grilling, hosted by the one and only Tyler Florence, renowned chef, restaurateur and Food Network star revered for his expertise in modern American cuisine. If you love the sound of sizzling meat and the aroma of open-flame cooking, this is your spot.
8. Over-the-Top VIP Dinners, Brunches & Lunches
From a Table of Ten dinner hosted by the one and only Bobby Flay to a Sushi Omakase Collective featuring some of the country’s top sushi chefs, these exclusive gatherings offer the ultimate fine-dining experiences. This year’s Festival will also feature a variety of seated Brunches & Lunches where attendees will have the unique opportunity immerse themselves in the art of gastronomy, engage in meaningful conversations, and connect with their favorite chefs, local restaurateurs, vintners and mixologists.
9. A Late-Night Dessert Party Hosted by Duff Goldman
Imagine a sugar-fueled bash where famed pastry chef and TV personality Duff Goldman, well-known for his elaborate cake designs, serves up decadent desserts alongside a comedy show. This is the sweetest way to close out a night in Miami with belly laughs and a full belly, alike.
10. The Goya Foods Grand Tasting Village: A Culinary Playground
The Goya Foods’ Grand Tasting Village at SOBEWFF is the ultimate culinary playground with over 135,000 sq. ft. of open-air tent sampling space, more than 45 restaurants, and 1,200+ products to taste, this epicurean extravaganza is basically Disneyland for foodies. Over two days, the beachfront venue is packed with live cooking demonstrations from Food Network stars, over 1,200 food and beverage products for sampling and multiple dozens of the city’s most popular restaurants serving up delicious bites. This signature event offers an immersive experience where guests can sip, savor, and stroll while enjoying premium wines, craft cocktails, and gourmet creations, all set against the stunning backdrop of South Beach.
11. Guy Fieri’s Cigars & Spirits Part
In addition to hosting the festival’s Tournament of Champions, Guy Fieri will also helm Cigars & Spirits presented by Cigar Aficionado. This unforgettable evening atop the Kimpton Angler’s Hotel South Beach rooftop, is late-night revelry replete with premium cigars and a selection of rich bourbons, whiskies, and scotches. The combination of Fieri’s signature energy and charm, highly distinctive cigars and spirits, and the opportunity to socialize under the Miami Beach night sky, makes this an evening of refined indulgence and good vibes.
12. Drag Brunch With Athena Dion
Sashay your way to the Drag Brunch extravaganza featuring Mistress of Ceremonies Athena Dion where the mimosas flow freely, handheld fans jive with the music, and the performances are as fabulous as the food. This high-energy celebration blends over-the-top performances from some of South Florida’s fiercest drag queens with a decadent brunch spread, bottomless cocktails and a lively atmosphere.
13. A Grand Finale with Rev Run at the Asian Night Market
At this brand new fest event, culinary icons Andrew Zimmern, Jet Tila, and Aarti Sequeira team up to bring you an Asian-inspired feast sure to blow your taste buds away, complete with a special performance by hip-hop legend Rev Run. This vibrant celebration will showcase an array of mouthwatering Asian-inspired dishes crafted by top chefs, while Rev Run will take the stage for a special live performance—all ensuring the festival closes out with a perfect fusion of incredible food, music, and culture.
14. The Festival Supports Future Culinary Leaders
All proceeds benefit Florida International University’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, helping shape the next generation of chefs, restaurateurs, and food entrepreneurs. To date, the SOBEWFF has reportedly raised more than $40 million in support of its educational mission “to provide an invaluable real-world experience and an interactive educational platform for future leaders of the hospitality industry.” Additionally, between SOBEWFF and its sister NYCWFF, more than $53 million has reportedly been raised to benefit the respective charities of each fest. So yes, stuffing your face is technically for a worthy charitable cause.
15. It’s Miami Beach in February!
Do you really need another reason? Gorgeous weather, white sandy beaches and an excuse to sip cocktails while mingling with culinary greats? Pack your bags, book your tickets and head over to SOBEWFF 2025.
“The Festival not only celebrates the vibrant spirit of South Florida but also highlights the incredible food and beverage that has put Miami on the map as a premier culinary destination,” says Lee Brian Schrager, Festival Founder & Director. “Miami’s unique setting makes it an ideal host for the annual Festival, attracting amazing local, national, and international talent, which keeps fans coming back every year. It’s incredible to see how far the Festival has come—from its beginnings on the FIU campus to now being a global event that supports the next generation of hospitality leaders.”
With over 100+ events, legendary chefs, insane food battles and convivial dining experiences, SOBEWFF 2025 is pulling out all the stops. Whether you desire to devour burgers with Rachael Ray, sip tequila with Aarón Sánchez, or watch Guy Fieri host an epic culinary showdown, this festival has something for every kind of foodie. And let’s not forget—every bite, sip, and laugh supports the next generation of hospitality leaders.
So what are you waiting for? Grab your tickets now at sobewff.org, pack your appetite, and get ready for four unforgettable days and nights to eat, drink and educate. See you on the sand!
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Merilee Kern, MBA is an internationally-regarded brand strategist and analyst who reports on cultural shifts and trends as well as noteworthy industry change makers, movers, shakers and innovators across all categories, both B2C and B2B. This includes field experts and thought leaders, brands, products, services, destinations and events. As a prolific lifestyle, travel, dining and leisure industry voice of authority and tastemaker, Merilee keeps her finger on the pulse of the marketplace in search of new and innovative must-haves and exemplary experiences at all price points, from the affordable to the extreme. Her work reaches multi-millions worldwide via broadcast TV (her own shows and copious others on which she appears) as well as a myriad of print and online publications. Connect with her at www.TheLuxeList.com and www.SavvyLiving.tv / Instagram www.Instagram.com/MerileeKern / Twitter www.Twitter.com/MerileeKern / Facebook www.Facebook.com/MerileeKernOfficial / LinkedIN www.LinkedIn.com/in/MerileeKern.
***Some or all of the accommodations(s), experience(s), item(s) and/or service(s) detailed above may have been provided or arranged at no cost to accommodate if this is review editorial, but all opinions expressed are entirely those of Merilee Kern and have not been influenced in any way.***
Photos Courtesy and/or Copyright of Carma Connected, South Beach Wine & Food Festival, Florida International University, GALDOPHOTO. All images are copyright to and property of their respective owners.
