Melbourne’s about to spend March eating its way through it. The Melbourne Food & Wine Festival 2026, presented by La Trobe Financial, has unveiled a new wave of culinary heavyweights heading to town this March—and it’s shaping up to be a delectable chapter in the city’s food story
Overall, from plant-based pastry magic to wood-fired flavour fests and a cult London pizza pop-up, the latest lineup brings together some of Australia’s and the world’s most exciting kitchen talent. The festival, which runs from 20th to 29th March, will see more than 200 pop-up events across Victoria—proving once again that Melbourne is still the beating heart of Australia’s food and drink scene.
“We’re thrilled to welcome some of the world’s most exciting hospitality talent to Melbourne for 2026,” says Anthea Loucas BOsha, CEO of Food + Drink Victoria. “From Phil Koury‘s plant-based croissants at Lune to Nat Thaipun‘s bold collaboration with Andy Hearnden and James Lowe‘s take on pizza, these events highlight the diversity and skill that make this Festival so special.”
The Flour & Fire At Melbourne Food & Wine Festival
Leading the charge is MasterChef Australia 2024 winner Nat Thaipum, who’s teaming up with grill master Andy Hearnden for Smoke, Skewers and Som Tum—a fiery outdoor cook-up at the Abbotsford Convent. We can expect plenty of flame and flavour as the pair celebrate the universal joy of charcoal cooing.
“Andy and I both learned to cook over fire from our families,” says Thaipun. “Getting to do this together, outside, with smoke in the air and a crowd with us, feels like it’s going to be a good time. Come on down.”
Meanwhile, the beloved Lune is turning a new (and totally unexpected) page for the Festival—going vegan for two nights only. For Phil Koury x Lune, the acclaimed pastry chef joins Kate Reid to reimagine the classic croissant with plant-based finesse—with an olive oil butter and a Lune lab-style tasting experience that’ll tempt even the most devout dairy lovers.
Then there’s Pizza Pronto: James Lowe at Figlia. London’s James Lowe—the star behind Michelin-starred Lyle’s and the pandemic-born ASAP Pizza—flies in for one night only at Brunswick’s Figlia. Walk in anticipating a stripped-back, produce-first pizza experience that’s all about the good ingredients and greater times.
More Reasons To Feast At The Festival
Elsewhere, a host of top-tier collabs will see Adelaide’s Restaurant Botanic link up with Armadale’s Amaru for a refined two-night service; and Geralds’s Bar welcomes Sam Lawrence (from NYC’s Bridges) for a sold-out encore dinner celebrating friendship and Melbourne’s enduring affair with neighbourhood dining.
A Night at Caregiver’s Place packs heritage Wesley Place School House with Rosheen Kaul (Bistro Marigold), Junda Khoo (Ho Jiak), Mark Hannel (Reed House) and Dessert Masters’ John Demetrios—hosted by Sofia Levin ( current MasterChef Australia judge) of Caretaker’s Cottage, which is considered in the top 50 of the World’s Best Bars (No.19 to be exact). Additionally, Sydney sushi master Toshihiko Oe does exclsuive Sushi Oe at Ishizuka, serving just six per sitting.
The Festival’s ever-expanding Special Events program has also dialled things up. featuring over 160 unique food moments across the city—from hands-on workshops and boozy lunches to community feats and cultural mashups.
And because no MFWF is complete without a little mayhem, the CBD will host three pop-ups including The Festival of Korean Fried Chicken, The Spicy Side of Collins Street (hot sauce fans, unite!) and Something Saucy: The Pizza Party, a free giveaway of 1000 slices of Southern Italian-style pizza in the Melbourne streets.
Sweet Notes & Bakers’ Brillance At MFWF
Baking lovers can catch Helen Goh, the London-based author and longtime Ottolenghi collaborator, live in conversation with MasterChef Emelia Jackson; meanwhile, guests will enjoy a three-course lunch inspired by Goh’s upcoming cookbook, Baking and the Meaning of Life.
The Baker’s Dozen, presented by McKenzie‘s, also returns for its fourth year—now bigger than before with bakers from across the country and special international guests.
Across 10 food-filled days, Melbourne will once again become a living, breathing dining room— a celebration of creativity, comfort and connection through food. Whether it’s a croissant that breaks all the rules or a pizza made by one of London’s greats, this year’s Melbourne Food & Wine Festival promises a taste of what makes this city so deliciously alive.
The Melbourne Food & Wines Festival 2026 runs from 20-29 March. Book your tickets here.