The Best Food Festivals In 2019

The ultimate guide to food festivals around the world

Yes, we are foodies. And because we’re probably not the only ones who plan their journeys around what they can eat and drink, we scoured the globe to find the best food festivals for you. Pack your stretchy pants: 2019 is going to be delicious.

London Brunch Festival

They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but who says you can only have one breakfast? #BreakfastForDinner From 31 August until 1st September 2019 the English capital will be all about the London Brunch Fest. There will be workshops, talks, music by renowned DJs and of course, the finest brunch and most amazing coffee, with one (or four) Bloody Marys. London’s most hyped cafés and brunch spots all come together in one place, all weekend long. In addition, there will be a market featuring hundreds of products to be sampled and bought, from smoothies and teas to mueslis, pastries and more. We can’t wait!

Dumpling Festival, Hong Kong

Dumplings are so hot right now. Their delicate texture and surprising flavours can’t be enjoyed any better than at Hong Kong’s Dumpling Festival, where you will find traditional Zongzi dumplings wrapped in bamboo, lotus or banana leaves, with every type of filling imaginable – and some you couldn’t have imagined. Over 2000 years old, the festival is also called Tuen Ng Festival, or the Dragon Boat Festival, so before you weigh yourself down with dumplings you should join the dragon boat race. On 7 June 2019 there will be food stalls, live music, drinks and an electric atmosphere all around the city.

Truffle Festival in Alba, Italy

Alba in Piemonte is known for the white alba truffle, which is more valuable, per kilogram, than diamonds. Anyone who has had the luxury to eat one knows why: the taste is incomparable to anything else, anywhere in the world. During truffle season, between October and November, Piemonte hosts the famous truffle fair, where you can try many different kinds of truffles. If that wasn’t indulgent enough, you can wash down your truffles with Barolo wine, and follow it up with the region’s best cheeses. A truffle market runs all autumn long, and you can even rent a truffle pig and go truffling yourself. The farm-to-table-foodie’s dream.

Cheese Festival Berlin, Germany

Who doesn’t love a good cheese? From 8 until 10 November 2019 you will smell Kreuzberg’s Markthalle 9 from a mile away, when Cheese Berlin takes over. Cheesemakers from all over the world come to show us how great cheese is made, with workshops, tastings and a cheese market where you can learn as you taste. But good cheese needs good sides, and Cheese Berlin does not disappoint, with amazing breads, wines, beers and conversations with like-minded foodies on offer. There is even a cheese school for the kids (the little baby cheeses), where they can learn to milk a cow and even make their own butter. By the way: Markthalle 9 is worth a visit any time of year. Located in the heart of Berlin’s cultural hub, Kreuzberg, and open from Monday to Saturday, you will find the freshest foods from local producers, several bars and on Thursday nights, street food trucks with offerings from across the globe.

Melbourne Coffee Festival, Australia

Like a (caffeinated) wave, the Melbourne coffee movement has reached Europe (just try to find a good cafe in Berlin where you won’t be served by an Aussie accent). To celebrate its origins, and show some solidarity with your barista, head down under from 4 until 9 February 2019 for Melbourne Coffee Week, a whole week celebrating our everyday superhero. With roastings, a huge coffee market and even barista challenges, you can learn from the professionals how to make – and enjoy – the perfect coffee. Our personal favourite? All proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to StreetSmart, an aid organisation for homeless people in Australia.

TISH. Jewish Food Festival in Warsaw, Poland

Even though there are no dates set for 2019, we are pretty sure that after this year’s success, there will be a second round of TISH Festival in 2019. The festival is named after the Jewish tradition of TISH: where people gather at a big round table to talk, eat and drink together. TISH Festival is all about contemporary Jewish cuisine; you will find workshops, panel talks, opportunities to get together, cook together and laugh together, all while enjoying delicious Jewish food. The first edition was “Vegan & Vegetarian” – let’s see what next year’s theme will be!

Brazilian Food Truck Festival Que Bom in Tokyo, Japan

A food festival every day – well, weekdays – at lunch time. Right near Tokyo’s Sophia University is M-Square, where different food trucks gather around every day for the lunch trade. Our absolute favourite was the Brazilian truck by Que Bom, which opens its doors every Friday for its guests. There is a lot of meat, but above all else, there is an authentic Brazilian culinary experience: think tender steaks, juicy chicken and mouth-watering sausages, and for the full Brazilian, get a bottle of ice cold Guarana Antarctica. Tokyo is always full of surprises.

Salón de Chocolate Festival, Ecuador

There are so many events and fairs around chocolate and the cocoa bean, but Salón de Chocolate in Ecuador is our pick. Between May and June this event celebrates Ecuador’s famously high-quality chocolate, framed by seminars about making chocolate and cooking with chocolate, with competitions for the best chocolate statues, and the “Everybody’s Favourite” award. We know what you’re thinking, and yes: you can taste the chocolatey goodness on offer! Incidentally, Ecuador is the world’s biggest exporter of of premium chocolates – so for all gourmets out there, a visit is long overdue.

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