The Pacific Wine & Food Classic is bringing more than 35 restaurants, two brand-new tasting areas and a silent disco to Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort on Saturday, Sept. 12, as the eighth annual festival launches under new ownership of Tricia Cook.
Cook, who co-created the event with Orange County Restaurant Association president Pam Waite, is running the show alone for the first time after Waite stepped back to focus on OC Restaurant and Burger Week. The transition gave Cook room to reshape the festival's look and lineup.
"I thought it was a good opportunity and a good challenge for me to do it by myself," Cook told the Newport Beach Indy. "I'm a very creative person, but I also have to concentrate on so many of the detail-oriented things. So this was a challenge for me to kind of put a little more of my creative spin on it."
Among the biggest additions: The Bubble Garden, a dedicated sparkling-wine area with themed décor, lounge seating and photo spots featuring sparkling wines, bubbly cocktails and other effervescent pours. Cook is also partnering with the Paso Robles Alliance for a new Paso Robles Grand Wine Experience, showcasing Central Coast and Napa producers alongside the festival's 30-plus wine purveyors pouring more than 100 wines.
A Tiki World section, new sponsors and redesigned lounges round out the creative overhaul.
Who's pouring and plating
The confirmed restaurant roster includes Bosscat Kitchen & Libations (chef Peter Petro), Farmhouse at Roger's Gardens (chef Rich Mead), Sushi Roku (chef Toshikazu Sasue), Wahoo's Fish Tacos (Wing Lam), Ospi (chef Jackson Kalb), Strong Water Anaheim (Ying Chang and Steve Kling), Five Crowns, Descanso, Il Girasole, Miss Mini Donuts, Puesto, RED O, Sol Cocina and Trevor's at the Tracks. Additional vendors confirmed by the OC Register include Lola's by MFK, Roy's Restaurant, Uchi, the Crack Shack, Stone Groove Stillhouse, Scratch Bakery and Cafe and Acai Republic.
Premium craft cocktails, a live DJ and a silent disco fill out the afternoon.
Tickets and details
The festival runs 2 to 5 p.m. at Newport Dunes, 1131 Back Bay Drive. Three ticket tiers are available at pacificwineandfood.com:
- Early Bird VIP — $179+ per person, entry at 2 p.m.
- Early Bird VIP Early Entrance — $259+ per person, entry at 1 p.m. with access to premium wines and specialty tastings during the first hour
- Diamond VIP Private Lounge — $500 per person (limited), private lounge, express entry, exclusive tastings and dedicated waterfront seating
All attendees must be 21 or older with valid government-issued ID. The event is outdoors, rain or shine.
As we reported Aug. 6, Cook's takeover marks the festival's first leadership change since its founding. Tickets are on sale now and the full restaurant lineup is public at the festival website.
Upcoming Newport Beach community events
- Sept. 12 — Pacific Wine & Food Classic, Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort, 2–5 p.m.
- Oct. 15–22 — Newport Beach Film Festival (dates per festival organizers)
- Visit newportsignal.com for the latest community calendar updates.
