Traveling for food is no longer just a hobby, it’s a way of life. Food tourism is increasing swiftly in 2025 and more and more people are arranging their visits around food festivals that showcase flavors, traditions and cultural stories. Food festivals are a terrific way to taste the best food from all around the world, from street food that sizzles to Michelin-starred meals. If you want to know which food festivals are worth traveling to in 2025, we have the greatest list of them.
These food festivals in 2025 are more than just about eating. They’re also about having fun, meeting new people and building memories. So, have your passport and your hunger ready. Let’s talk about the best locations to eat this year.
1. Taste of Chicago, USA: The World’s Biggest Food Festival.
When to Go: July 2025
Where is it: Chicago, IL.
For a long time, the “Taste of Chicago” festival in Chicago has been the biggest food festival in the world. In 2025, it promises an even greater roster of gourmet street cuisine, live music, and cultural performances. Imagine deep-dish pizza slices, Chicago-style hot dogs, food stalls from all over the world, places for vegans and others who can’t eat gluten and pop-ups by famous chefs—all in Grant Park with a great view of the city.
This year’s event is all about being green. There will be food stalls that don’t waste any food, plant-based innovations, and food-tech displays. It’s the perfect choice for families that want to eat out while on the road.
2. La Tomatina in Spain: More Than Just a Food Fight.
When to Go: July 2025
Where is it: Buñol, Spain.
The big tomato fight at La Tomatina is famous all over the world, but the festival will be different in 2025. People can eat Spanish tapas, partake in paella cook-offs and drink traditional sangria before the main event. There are a lot of exciting things to do at the festival, including eat and learn about different cultures.
The town is initiating guided food tours that will focus on local wines, artisan cheeses, and meals made with fresh ingredients. It’s not simply a conflict over tomatoes anymore; it’s a look at the food culture of Valencia.
3. Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, Australia: A Place Where Food Is Always Good.
When to Go: March 2025
Where is it: Melbourne, Australia
Australia’s most anticipated culinary festival will be back in 2025. It will focus on worldwide street food trends, fusion dining, and menus that are beneficial for the environment. Expect to eat outside beneath the stars, try foods from Australia, and see local chefs work with chefs from other countries.
This festival is proof that Melbourne is currently one of the top locations to dine. Foodies can’t miss it, whether it’s the legendary “World’s Longest Lunch” or the food-and-wine trails that let you experience them firsthand.
4. Naples, Italy’s Pizzafest: The Pizza Capital of the World
When to Go: September 2025
Where is it: Naples, Italy.
If you think pizza should have its own pilgrimage, you should go to Naples in 2025 for Pizzafest. This celebration is held along the shoreline of the city to remember the site where pizza was invented. There are more than 50 pizzerias competing in categories that range from traditional Neapolitan meals to modern gourmet ones.
There will be gluten-free and vegan pizza contests this year and as bonus pizza making classes taught by some of the best pizzaiolos in the world. In Naples, Italy, nothing says Italy like eating pizza directly out of a wood-fired oven.
5. The National Cherry Blossom Festival and Street Food in Washington, D.C., USA
When to Go: March to April 2025
Where is it: Washington, D.C.
People know the Cherry Blossom Festival for its pink flowers, but the street food market has become just as popular in the last few years. There are food trucks and pop-up stores all over the streets selling everything from Asian dumplings to desserts made by hand that are inspired by cherry blossoms.
More and more cuisine is added to the event each year, making it a springtime gastronomic destination where nature and food meet together.
6. Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, where you can drink beer and eat Bavarian food
When to Go: September to October 2025
Where is it: Germany’s Munich
One of the most famous festivals in the world is Oktoberfest. The cuisine is just as vital as the beer. Imagine enormous pretzels, roasted chicken, schnitzels, sausages and Bavarian pastries, all served with liters of golden beer.
Munich is introducing vegan Bavarian cuisine and fusion versions of classic dishes to its menu because it expects to see more foreign tourists during the tourism boom.
7. The Best of the Atlantic: The Galician Seafood Festival in Spain
When to Go: October 2025
Where is it: O Grove, Galicia, Spain
This is for folks who like fish. The “Fiesta del Marisco,” or Galician Seafood Festival is a gathering of the freshest oysters, lobsters, scallops, mussels and octopus from the Atlantic coast.
Galicia is regarded as Spain’s seafood paradise. The festival will offer oyster-tasting contests, cooking lessons and Michelin-level pop-ups that teach people how to make seafood more sustainable.
8. The SXSW Food & Drink Festival in Austin: Where Tech Meets Taste
When to Go: March 2025
Where is it: Austin, Texas.
People know the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival for its music, movies, and technology, but its Food & Drink Festival is growing very popular. There will be talks in 2025 about AI in food, sustainable farming, novel plant-based cuisine, and Tex-Mex street food parties.
It’s a mix of Austin’s legendary nightlife and live music with the gastronomy of the future. This is the ideal thing for kids to do.
9. Bordeaux Wine Festival, France: A Toast to the Past
When to Go: June 2025
Where is it: Bordeaux, France
Wine lovers consider Bordeaux to be a heavenly place. The Bordeaux Wine Festival has tours of vineyards, tastings of wines, and boat excursions on the Garonne River. Local food stalls serving cheeses, pastries, and meats blend well with red and white wines from throughout the world.
This year, the festival offers “wine and wellness” retreats that involve yoga, walking through vineyards, and learning about how to make wine in a way that is good for the environment.
10. The USA’s New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival: Food, Music, and Soul
When to go: April to May 2025
Where is it: New Orleans, Louisiana
The Jazz Fest in New Orleans isn’t only about music; it’s also a great place for foodies. The food stands are well-known for its gumbo, crawfish étouffée, po’boys, and beignets. It engages all of your senses, with live jazz music playing in the background.
In 2025, there will be fusion street food that is influenced by how various cultures have changed New Orleans gastronomy as well as traditional Creole and Cajun meals.
How to Get to Food Festivals in 2025
- Book ahead of time. Hotels and flights fill up quickly during big festivals.
- Eco-Friendly decisions: To help the environment, bring reusable cups and utensils.
- Be flexible: Some festivals have activities that come up out of the blue, so check the official schedules periodically.
- Guided Local Tours: Many festivals include guided tours, join one to know interesting facts.
- Fuse Culture and Food: To make the most out of your excursions, visit some of the local landmarks too.
Food festivals used to be only for a few individuals but today they happen all over the world and affect how we travel. In 2025, cities like Chicago, Naples, Melbourne, Munich, Austin and Bordeaux will turn meals into cultural experiences that you can genuinely enjoy.
These festivals are definitely worth the trip if you’re preparing a list of food-related destinations you want to go in 2025. They promise not only great flavors but also connections to local cultures, customs and communities.
So, if you want pizza in Naples, seafood in Spain or BBQ in Texas one thing is for sure: 2025 is the year to go for food.