Waterfront food and wine festival set to return to Newport Dunes

The Pacific Wine & Food Classic will return to Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort next month with new spirits and surprises, organizers say.

The annual event showcases local chefs and restaurants as well as wine and spirit brands and purveyors. This year’s festival, on Sept. 21, will feature 40 restaurants and sips of 75 kinds of beer, wine, cocktails and mocktails from more than a dozen spirits brands.

It’s a chance for guests to get know some of Orange County’s most lauded restaurants, said Pacific Wine & Food Classic founder Pamela Waitt, president of O.C. Restaurant Assn.

“The Pacific Wine & Food Classic attracts food and wine connoisseurs and novices from all over Southern California who come to celebrate the culinary brilliance that Orange County has to offer,” Waitt said.

This year’s roster of participating chefs includes Vincent Espinoza, executive chef at Silverado’s Xacalli; Rich Mead, executive chef at Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens; Matthew Luna, executive chef at Five Crowns & SideDoor in Corona Del Mar; and Alan Sanz, executive chef at Maizano, located within Costa Mesa’s Mercado González. Guests can also look forward to bites from restaurants like Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken, Lido Bottle Works, Lōrea, the Yellow Chilli and Wahoo’s Fish Taco.

Waitt said she is eager for new and returning guests to experience the new additions to the event. “We’re in the middle of one of the most exciting and flourishing food scenes in the country, and those who have joined us in the past can look forward to new restaurants, wines, beers and spirits to experience.”

The event will be a special opportunity for attendees to sample food and beverages from 2024 James Beard Award Nominee and 2024 TOTCF Spirited Award-winner Strong Water Anaheim, an immersive nautical-inspired tiki bar where it can be hard to find a seat due to its growing popularity and limited space.

Lola’s By MFK, an Anaheim-based restaurant that specializes in Filipino brunch, will prepare a traditional spit-roasted whole pig lechon feast for the occasion.

New to the event will be a Grand Wine Pavilion, presented by San Luis Obispo Wine Collective, featuring wines from San Luis Obispo Coast Wine Collective, as well as grilled skewers by Sweetgreens and fresh cookies, pastries and more from Scratch Bakery.

The red carpet will feature a living produce wall made entirely of fresh fruits and vegetables created by Melissa’s Produce as both an art installation and backdrop for selfies and groups photos.

Also provided by Melissa’s Produce, the Taco Garden will return to this year’s event, with the addition of a new fresh salsa and guacamole bar.

Waitt said guests can also expect a “few fun surprises along the way.”

Pacific Wine & Food Classic will take place at Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort, located at 1131 Back Bay Drive, Newport Beach. General admission tickets for entrance at 2 p.m. are priced at $199, while early entrance tickets for entrance at 1p.m. are priced at $250. Guests must be age 21 and older with valid ID to attend. For tickets visit pacificwineandfood.com.