November might be one of the best months of the year to be in Austin.

The brutal summer heat has finally backed off, patios are enjoyable again, the holiday madness hasn’t completely taken over, and the city’s restaurants, chefs and bars are coming off another busy year of feeding one of the country’s most food-obsessed cities.

And then there is the weekend that brings all of that together.

The Austin Food + Wine Festival.

On November 4 and 5, 2023, Auditorium Shores will once again turn into one of the biggest food-and-drink playgrounds in Austin as chefs, pitmasters, bartenders, winemakers and food lovers gather for two days of eating, drinking and showing off what makes the Central Texas food scene so good. The 2023 festival was the 12th edition of the event and featured chefs from Austin and around the country.

For Baller ATX, this is one of those November events that is almost impossible to skip.

Austin has plenty of food festivals, but Austin Food + Wine is different.

This is the weekend when you can walk into one area and sample dishes from dozens of chefs without having to drive across the city.

You can eat barbecue.

Then tacos.

Then oysters.

Then pasta.

Then chocolate.

Then something you can’t pronounce.

Then wash it all down with wine, beer or a cocktail.

And then, because you are apparently making excellent decisions, you go back for another plate.

That’s the festival.

THIS IS NOT JUST A WINE FESTIVAL

The name can be a little misleading.

If you hear “Austin Food + Wine Festival” and assume you’re going to spend the weekend standing around sipping Chardonnay, you’re missing half the experience.

Actually, you’re missing most of it.

The food is the star.

The 2023 festival’s Chef Showcase brought together an enormous group of Austin-area chefs and restaurants, including Alma Alcocer of El Alma, Tano Avila of Grizzelda’s, Ji Peng Chen of Wu Chow, Jason Dady, Barrett Black of The Original Black’s BBQ, Joseph Gomez of Con Todo, Roberto Espinosa of Tacodeli, Liz and Stephanie Everett of Ensenada, Anthony Sobotik and Kendall Melton of Lick Honest Ice Cream, Paul Qui and the East Side King team, Jam Sanitchat of Thai Fresh and many more.

That’s what makes the event so fun.

You don’t have to pick one restaurant.

You don’t have to make a reservation six weeks in advance.

You don’t have to decide between tacos and barbecue.

You can eat all of them.

THE CHEF SHOWCASE IS THE MAIN EVENT

If you’re going to Austin Food + Wine, the Chef Showcase is where you want to spend serious time.

Imagine walking through a giant outdoor food festival and seeing restaurant after restaurant represented by the chefs actually cooking the food.

Instead of ordering one entrée at one restaurant, you get small bites from a huge selection of kitchens.

That means you can sample something from a restaurant you’ve been meaning to try without committing to an entire dinner.

And that’s one of my favorite things about the festival.

It turns the entire city into a tasting menu.

You can find established Austin institutions alongside newer restaurants that are trying to make a name for themselves.

You might discover your next favorite restaurant simply because you liked one bite.

And that is exactly how Austin’s food scene should be experienced.

THE FIRE PIT IS WHERE THINGS GET SERIOUS

Then there is the Fire Pit.

If barbecue and live-fire cooking are your thing, this is probably where you’re going to spend most of your time.

The Fire Pit features chefs and pitmasters cooking over open flames, giving attendees a chance to watch the cooking process and, more importantly, eat the results.

In 2023, the lineup included chefs such as Adrian Abella and Camille De Los Reyes of Sari-Sari Supper Club, Vinnie Cimino of Cordelia, Jason Dady, Leo Davila of Stixs & Stone, Harold Marmulstein of Salty Sow and Esaul Ramos of 2M Smokehouse BBQ.

And Esaul Ramos being part of the lineup is exactly the kind of thing that makes the festival worth attending.

2M Smokehouse has become one of the names people associate with serious Austin barbecue, and getting to taste food prepared by chefs and pitmasters like these in a festival setting is a completely different experience from going out for a normal Saturday lunch.

The Fire Pit also captures something important about Texas food.

Cooking over fire isn’t a gimmick here.

It’s part of the culture.

Barbecue.

Grilling.

Smoking.

Roasting.

Open-fire cooking.

Texas has built an identity around it, and Austin Food + Wine gives chefs an opportunity to put their own spin on those traditions.

WINE, BEER AND COCKTAILS

Obviously, the wine part matters.

The festival brings together wine and spirits producers, giving attendees the opportunity to taste things they may not normally find at their neighborhood restaurant or bar.

And that’s another reason you need a strategy.

Do not start drinking heavily the moment you walk through the gate.

You’re going to be there for hours.

There is food everywhere.

There are wine samples.

There are cocktails.

There are beers.

There are demonstrations.

There are people offering you things.

And eventually, if you aren’t careful, you’re going to be sitting underneath a tree wondering why you thought drinking your way through an entire festival was a good idea.

Pace yourself.

Drink water.

Eat.

Then drink some more.

The Austin Chronicle’s 2022 preview gave essentially the same warning, describing the festival as a particularly boozy event and recommending that attendees alternate alcohol with water or mocktails and plan transportation in advance.

It’s good advice.

THIS IS WHERE YOU FIND YOUR NEXT RESTAURANT

One of the best strategies at Austin Food + Wine is to stop thinking about what you already know.

Yes, go to the chefs and restaurants you’re excited about.

But leave room for something new.

If you’ve never tried a particular restaurant, this is the perfect opportunity.

Maybe you see a dish that looks interesting.

Try it.

Maybe somebody recommends a chef you’ve never heard of.

Go.

Maybe the line at your favorite restaurant is ridiculous.

Walk somewhere else.

The entire point of a festival like this is discovery.

And Austin has enough restaurants that you could spend the rest of your life trying to eat at all of them.

The festival gives you a shortcut.

THE 2023 LINEUP IS A SNAPSHOT OF AUSTIN’S FOOD SCENE

Look at the 2023 chef list and you’ll see just how diverse Austin’s food scene had become.

There were Mexican restaurants.

Barbecue.

Italian.

Chinese.

Thai.

Japanese.

Seafood.

Bakeries.

Ice cream.

Chocolate.

Cocktails.

And plenty of restaurants that don’t fit neatly into one category.

Chefs from places such as Wu Chow, Intero, Dashi Sichuan Kitchen + Bar, Thai Fresh, Ensenada, Con Todo, Lick Honest Ice Cream, Tacodeli and East Side King were represented.

That is a pretty good snapshot of modern Austin.

The city still loves tacos and barbecue.

Obviously.

But the food scene has expanded dramatically.

Austin has become a city where you can eat incredibly well across a huge range of cuisines without needing to leave town.

And Food + Wine is one weekend where you get to see all of it at once.

DON’T MISS THE CHEF DEMONSTRATIONS

If you’re someone who actually likes cooking, don’t spend the entire weekend standing in food lines.

Check out the chef demonstrations.

These are one of the more interesting parts of the festival because you aren’t just eating.

You’re learning.

Chefs demonstrate techniques, recipes and cooking methods, and some of the most interesting information comes from watching how professionals approach ingredients that you might normally ignore.

Even if you don’t cook, they’re entertaining.

And if you’re the person who always says, “I could make that at home,” this is where you get to find out whether you actually can.

Probably not.

But it’s worth trying.

THE BEST PART: YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A FOODIE

There is sometimes a perception that Austin Food + Wine is only for hardcore food people.

It isn’t.

You don’t have to know who every chef is.

You don’t have to understand wine.

You don’t need to know the difference between every type of olive oil.

You don’t need to watch cooking shows.

You don’t need an Instagram food account.

You just need to like eating.

That’s pretty much the only qualification.

If you like food, you’re going to have a good time.

If you like drinks, you’re going to have a good time.

If you like watching people cook, you’re going to have a good time.

And if you like all three?

You’re probably going to need somebody to roll you home.

THE BATTLE BETWEEN QUALITY AND QUANTITY

There is one problem with the festival.

There is too much food.

That’s a good problem.

But it’s still a problem.

The first hour is easy.

You’re excited.

You see a taco.

You eat it.

Then you see barbecue.

You eat it.

Then you see pasta.

You eat it.

Then dessert.

You eat it.

Then another taco.

Then something else.

Suddenly you realize you’ve been at the festival for three hours and you’re completely full.

And there are still dozens of things you haven’t tried.

That’s why small portions are your friend.

Take your time.

Share.

If you’re with friends, don’t have everybody get the same thing.

Get different dishes and try everything.

The goal isn’t to eat the most.

It’s to eat the best.

COME HUNGRY. BUT DON’T COME STARVING.

This sounds contradictory, but it’s important.

Don’t eat a giant breakfast before you arrive.

But don’t show up completely empty either.

Have something light.

Then start tasting.

You’re going to be drinking too, and drinking on an empty stomach at a food festival is a terrible strategy.

You’ll feel great for about 45 minutes.

Then you won’t.

WHAT TO WEAR

November is one of the best months for an outdoor Austin festival.

The weather is usually much more forgiving than the summer months, and that’s exactly what you want when you’re walking around Auditorium Shores eating all afternoon.

Still, check the forecast.

Wear comfortable shoes.

You’re going to walk.

A lot.

And don’t wear your nicest white shirt.

This is a food festival.

Something is going to fall.

Something is going to drip.

Someone is going to hand you a sauce you weren’t expecting.

Accept it.

THE FOOD FESTIVAL DATE NIGHT

If you’re looking for something different to do with a date, Austin Food + Wine can actually be a great option.

You’re not sitting across from each other at a restaurant trying to come up with conversation.

You’re walking around.

Trying food.

Talking about what you like.

Making fun of each other’s wine choices.

Finding new restaurants.

Watching chefs.

It gives you something to do.

And if the date goes badly?

There is enough food there to distract you.

That’s a win either way.

GO WITH FRIENDS

The festival is also better with a group.

Four people is probably the sweet spot.

Everybody can grab different dishes and share.

One person can go get barbecue.

Someone else can get tacos.

Another person can grab dessert.

Then everybody meets back up and compares.

It’s basically a giant culinary scavenger hunt.

And because the event is spread out over a large area, having friends makes it easier to divide and conquer.

Just don’t lose anybody.

You’ll spend the rest of the afternoon trying to find them.

AUSTIN FOOD + WINE IS A SNAPSHOT OF WHERE THE CITY IS GOING

Perhaps the most interesting thing about the festival isn’t any individual dish.

It’s what the event says about Austin.

Twenty years ago, Austin was already known for barbecue, Tex-Mex, breakfast tacos and a handful of iconic restaurants.

Today, the food scene is much broader.

The city has become a destination for chefs from different culinary backgrounds.

The festival reflects that.

You can eat a classic Texas barbecue bite and then walk over to a chef making something inspired by Southeast Asia.

You can try a taco and then eat handmade pasta.

You can have chocolate from a local chocolatier and then taste wine from somewhere you’ve never heard of.

That’s Austin in 2023.

AND YES, THE WINE FLOWS

Let’s not pretend otherwise.

This is Austin Food + Wine.

There is plenty of it.

Wine tastings are one of the festival’s major attractions, and if you enjoy exploring different producers, this is a good opportunity to taste your way through different styles without buying an entire bottle.

But the same rule applies:

Pace yourself.

Especially if you’re spending the entire afternoon at the festival.

Eat something.

Drink water.

Take breaks.

And if you’re drinking, don’t drive.

Plan your ride home before you arrive.

That makes the entire experience better.

THE FESTIVAL THAT AUSTIN FOOD LOVERS WAIT FOR

By November, Austin has already been through another year of restaurant openings, closings, chef changes, new food trucks, new bars and new culinary trends.

Austin Food + Wine gives everybody an opportunity to take a breath and celebrate it.

For one weekend, you don’t have to chase down every new restaurant.

The chefs come to you.

And that’s what makes this event so special.

It is a celebration of the people who make Austin’s food scene what it is.

The established chefs.

The new chefs.

The pitmasters.

The pastry chefs.

The bartenders.

The winemakers.

The local restaurants.

The people standing behind the food.

THE BALLER ATX PLAN

If you’re going to the festival this November, here’s our strategy:

Come early.

Wear comfortable shoes.

Start with food before drinking.

Try things you’ve never tried.

Share everything.

Visit the Fire Pit.

Watch at least one chef demonstration.

Taste something new.

Drink water.

Take a break.

Don’t try to eat everything.

Because you can’t.

Trust us.

You can’t.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Austin Food + Wine Festival is one of those events that perfectly captures the city.

It’s big without being impersonal.

It’s sophisticated without taking itself too seriously.

It’s packed with nationally recognized chefs, but the Austin food scene remains at the center of it.

And most importantly, it’s fun.

You get to spend a weekend eating food from some of the city’s best restaurants, discovering chefs you may not know, drinking wine and cocktails, watching live-fire cooking and hanging out with thousands of other people who apparently thought spending an entire weekend eating was a good idea.

They were right.

So if you’re looking for something to do this November, head down to Auditorium Shores.

Come hungry.

Bring friends.

Wear comfortable shoes.

And prepare yourself for a weekend where the biggest question isn’t “Where should we eat?”

It’s:

“How much more food can we possibly eat?”

The answer, in Austin, is always:

A little more.