City of Angels Food & Wine Festival debuts at Vibiana with 36 chefs, rare wines, cocktails, and unforgettable flavor in Downtown Los Angeles.
Los Angeles doesn’t need another food festival. It needs a moment. Something bold enough to reflect the city’s creative appetite, its obsession with flavor, and its refusal to play small. Enter City of Angels Food & Wine, a new marquee culinary festival landing in Downtown L.A. in July 2025—and doing it with confidence.
Set inside the jaw-dropping halls of Vibiana, this two-night celebration brings together 36 all-star chefs, rare wines, craft cocktails, and the kind of electric energy usually reserved for fashion week or Oscar night after-parties. If you live in Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Culver City, Beverly Hills, or West Hollywood—and you care about what’s next in food—this festival isn’t optional. It’s essential. And yes, it’s going to be ridiculously fun-loving.
Why City of Angels Food & Wine Feels Different
Most food festivals chase trends. City of Angels Food & Wine is planting a flag.
Founded by Shelby Russell and helmed by culinary host and partner Neal Fraser of Redbird and Vibiana, this event is built on intention. Thirty-six chefs. Two nights. One thousand guests each evening. No chaos. No filler. Just bold bites, beautifully balanced pours, and a flavor-forward celebration of what Los Angeles actually tastes like right now.
This isn’t a walk-around snack fest where you elbow strangers for a cold slider. It’s curated. Thoughtful. A little glamorous. The kind of place where a Santa Monica sommelier chats with a Chicago chef while you’re discovering a wine pairing that makes you laugh out loud—because yes, flavor can be funny.
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World-class wineries
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Artisanal spirits & handcrafted cocktails
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L.A.’s hottest craft breweries
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Curated non-alcoholic beverage selections
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Live entertainment
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And more surprises to come
From bold bites to beautifully balanced pours, this is where L.A.’s culinary and cultural energy come alive — a two-night toast to the city’s tastemakers, trendsetters, and flavor-seekers.
The Vibiana Effect: History, Drama, and Downtown Swagger
There are venues, and then there are statements. Vibiana—housed in a restored 19th-century cathedral—lands firmly in the second category.
High ceilings. Old-world grandeur. Modern polish. Vibiana doesn’t just host City of Angels Food & Wine; it elevates it. Downtown L.A. has become the city’s most exciting culinary playground, and this venue sits right at the center of that energy. You can feel it. You can taste it. You can Instagram it without trying too hard (relatable, because lighting matters).
This setting turns every bite into theater. Every cocktail into a small performance. It’s upscale without being uptight—exactly how Angelenos like it.
Thirty-Six Chefs. Zero Weak Links.
Here’s where most festivals stumble. Big promises. Safe lineups. Not here.
City of Angels Food & Wine brings together an elite mix of Michelin-level icons and fearless local innovators from Los Angeles, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Pasadena, Anaheim, Chicago, New York, Palm Beach, and Mexico. Neal Fraser anchors the event, joined by names that matter—Josiah Citrin, Jessica Koslow, Marcel Vigneron, Jonathon Sawyer, Franklin Becker, and many more.
This lineup reads like a love letter to modern dining: globally inspired, technically sharp, and unapologetically flavor-driven. Expect bold spices, playful textures, rich sauces, and moments that make you stop mid-bite and say, “Okay, that’s ridiculous.” Fun-loving? Absolutely. Serious about taste? No question.
Drinks, Vibes, and the Art of a Good Time
Great food without great drinks is just homework. Thankfully, City of Angels Food & Wine understands balance.
Guests can expect world-class wineries, artisanal spirits, handcrafted cocktails, top-tier craft breweries, and thoughtfully curated non-alcoholic options. Translation: everyone’s included, and no one’s bored. Add live entertainment and open-air movement, and suddenly this feels less like a tasting and more like a very well-fed party.
Pro tip: pace yourself. Two nights. Lots of flavor. We’ve all learned this lesson the hard way (relatable, right?).
A Festival With a Conscience
Here’s where the event earns real respect. The beneficiary of City of Angels Food & Wine is St. Vincent Meals on Wheels, a nonprofit delivering over 100,000 meals each month to homebound seniors across Los Angeles County.
Food insecurity affects more than 250,000 seniors locally. This festival doesn’t just celebrate abundance—it gives back. That matters. And it’s worth supporting. For broader context on food insecurity, the USDA’s official data offers sobering insights into why programs like this are essential: https://www.usda.gov.
All-Star Chef Lineup includes:
Event Host Chef Neal Fraser: Redbird, Vibiana – Downtown Los Angeles, CA
Chef Vartan Abgaryan: Momed – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Govind Armstrong: Post & Beam, The Lobster, 8 oz. Burger Bar – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Lindsay Autry: Honeybelle – Palm Beach, FL
Chef Franklin Becker: Point Seven – New York, NY
Chef Giberto Cetina: Holbox, Chichen Itza – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Josiah Citrin: Mélisse, Citrin, Charcoal Venice, Dear John’s, Openair, Augie’s on Main – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Tolu Eros: ILE LA – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Ben Ford: Ford’s Filling Station, Galerie – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Jeffray Gardner: Marsatta Chocolate – Old Town Torrance, CA
Chef Joel Hammond: Uchi West Hollywood – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Katianna Hong & Chef John Hong: Yangban – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Jessica Koslow: Sqirl – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Vivian Ku: Pine & Crane, Joy – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Donnie Masterton: The Restaurant @ Sollano 16 – San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
Lord Maynard Llera: Kuya Lord – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Raphael Lunetta: Lunetta – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Sergio Ortego: Bontanica – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Dylan Patel: avec – Chicago, IL
Chef Michael Reed: Poppy & Seed, Poppy + Rose – Anaheim, Los Angeles, CA
Chef Andreas Roller: Jonathan Club – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Steve Samson: Rossoblu, Superfine – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Jonathon Sawyer: Kindling – Chicago, IL
Chef Warren Schwartz: Magpies Softserve – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Shannon Swindle: Funke, Felix Trattoria – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Jimmy Shaw: Loteria Grill – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Kris Tominaga: Manuela – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Bret Thompson: Pez Coastal Kitchen – Pasadena, CA
Chef Niki Vahle & Anna Sonenshein: Little Fish – Los Angeles, CA
Chef Marcel Vigneron: Lemon Grove – Los Angeles, CA
Mini FAQ
Q: When is City of Angels Food & Wine?
A: Friday, July 25, 2025, and Saturday, July 26, 2025.
Q: Is this event 21+?
A: Yes. Alcohol is served, and valid ID is required.
Q: Are VIP tickets worth it?
A: If early entry, fewer crowds, and first crack at rare pours matter to you—yes.
Conclusion
Los Angeles has waited a long time for a food festival that actually feels like L.A. City of Angels Food & Wine delivers—on flavor, style, and substance. Mark the dates. Dress well. Come hungry. And expect to leave with new favorites, new stories, and at least one dish you won’t stop talking about. This isn’t just an event. It’s the beginning of a new culinary tradition.
This year’s Partners include Delta Air Lines as the official Airline, Chef Works as the official Hospitality Apparel, IceBulb as the official Ice Supplier, Waterboy as the official Hydration, and Vibiana as the official Event Venue.
Ticket Information: The Inaugural City of Angels Food & Wine will take place on Friday, July 25th, 2025, and Saturday, July 26th, 2025, and this is a 21+ event. A DELTA VIP Early Entry Pass will be held from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm and Regular Admission will be from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Tickets are on sale starting Wednesday, May 14, 2025. For more information on the City of Angels Food & Wine, please visit www.CityofAngelsFW.com.
Transportation and Parking: Guests are strongly encouraged to utilize professional car services, such as Lyft, as alcoholic beverages will be served at the event. Self-parking is conveniently available in a Joe’s Parking Structure across the street from Vibiana.
Follow City of Angels Food & Wine for the latest updates on:
Facebook: @cityofangelsfoodandwine
Instagram: @cityofangels_foodandwine
City of Angels Food & Wine
Vibiana
214 Main St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
