The Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival is undeniably South Florida’s tastiest week of the year. That said, while everything we ate at the 2018 festival was delicious, there were some bites (and restaurants!) that stood out from the competition.

Here were our favorite bites from SOBEWFF 2018:

The Pizza & Burger Juicy Lucy (P.B.J.L.)
Topped with pepperoni, tomato confit, lettuce, and smoked mozzarella, and served on a crispy garlic bun
Where it’s from: Pizza & Burger by Michael Mina {4441 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; 305.674.4636}
Where we found it: Heineken Light Burger Bash presented by Schweid & Sons

Short Rib Bolognese with Fresh Ricotta
Where it’s from: R House Wynwood {2727 NW 2 Avenue, Wynwood; 305.576.0201}
Where we found it: Barilla’s Italian Bites on the Beach

2 Mikes Burger
A blackened all-beef cheeseburger with applewood bacon jam, jalapeño, and sunchoke relish
Where it’s from: BUTTER
Where we found it: Heineken Light Burger Bash presented by Schweid & Sons

Orecchiette
With rapini and spicy Italian sausage
Where it’s from: Cibo Wine Bar South Beach{200 South Pointe Drive, Miami Beach; 305.987.6060}
Where we found it: Barilla’s Italian Bites on the Beach

Oxtail Brioche
With Silver Dollar mushrooms, kale, and oxtail aioli
Where it’s from: The Strand Bar & Grill {6801 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; 305.514.7474}
Where we found it: BACARDÍ Rum & Bass Beach Party
Meat Lovers Cavatelli
Where it’s from: Dolce Italian {1690 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; 786.975.2550}
Where we found it: Barilla’s Italian Bites on the Beach

Lobster Rolls
With Nova Scotia Lobster, celery, and Tarragon Mayo, and served on Old Bay Air Bread
Where it’s from: Lobster Bar Sea Grille {404 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach; 305.377.2675}
Where we found it: BACARDÍ Rum & Bass Beach Party

During SOBEWFF, more that 60,000 locals and visitors alike attend hundreds of walk-around-tastings, signature events, celebrity chef dinners, late-night parties, workshops, dessert events, food competitions, and more. Some fan favorite events include: Fontainebleau Miami Beach presents Wine Spectator’s Best of the Best, Heineken Light Burger Bash presented by Schweid & Sons hosted by Guy Fieri, Goya Foods’ Grand Tasting Village, BACARDÍ presents Walshy Fire’s Rum & Bass Beach Party, and Southern Kitchen Brunch hosted by Trisha Yearwood. The 2018 event saw celebrities, celebrity chefs, and event hosts like José Andrés, Giada De Laurentiis, Guy Fieri, Bobby Flay, Duff Goldman, Anne Burrell, Robert Irvine, Scott Conant, Emeril Lagasse, Michael Schwartz, Jonathan “Foodgod” Cheban, Katie Lee, Marcus Samuelsson, Guy Fieri, and Jean-Georges Vongerichten, to name a few.
Happy SOBEWFF!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor