Every May, the celebrated Culinaria food festival takes over the Texan town of San Antonio for five glorious days. Renowned as one of the greatest food festivals in America, the event explores the best of southern state cooking as well as national and international culinary traditions. Make sure you arrive with an empty stomach and get ready to sample the best food you've tried all year.
Tex-mex cuisine
An internationally acclaimed blend of Mexican and southern state cooking, Culinaria hosts some excellent tex-mex chefs and food stalls. Don't miss their annual tex-mex and tequila event, which celebrates this unique comfort cuisine. Learn about and feast upon classic dishes like Chile con queso, a sinfully tasty blend of local cheese, cream and chilli peppers, best enjoyed with chips and guacamole. You'll also find incredible renditions of Texan-style Chile con carne, crispy tacos and fajitas loaded with freshly grown ingredients. Don't miss their annual taco showdown where tex-mex chefs from across the state battle it out for the coveted crown of "Taco King."
Wine
Wine country might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Texas, but the region has a long and celebrated history of wine production due to its sunny and dry climate. You can find a wide selection of locally produced wines at Culinaria, particularly at its Texas Grand Tasting, a luxurious wine pairing event which is accompanied by fine creations by the best local chefs.
Barbecue
Texas is where some of the country's best pit masters hail from, and if you're a fan of this unique facet of Southern food culture, make sure you visit the Burgers, BBQ and Beer section of Culinaria. You'll find a string of delicious-smelling grill stations in a smoke-filled but beautiful site in Texas Hill Country. Feast on the freshly grilled burgers and barbecue, wash it down with local craft beer and enjoy lively seminars and classes on the art of barbecue.
Food truck cuisine
Texas is the home of some of the best food truck restaurants in the world, and you can find a huge selection of these at Culinaria. Their food truck event is a fan favourite, and you can find a colossal variety of food here, from lobster rolls to tacos as well as locally produced wine and organic beer. Don't miss the infamous Duck Fat French Fries from Say She Ate, and the Chipotle Braised Pork Sliders from Crazy Carls. Afterwards enjoy live music and appease your inner child at the petting zoo.
Desserts, Texan style
One of Texas' famous exports is the humble pecan nut, famous for perfectly finishing off a myriad of tasty desserts. Don't miss feasting on some of Texas' best sweets - make sure you try gourmet renditions of the humble pecan pie, also known as Texas' official dessert – which is perfectly matched with a scoop of soft vanilla ice cream. Make sure you also try buttermilk pie, a custardy cake flavoured with buttermilk, and Texas sheet cake, a delicious flat brownie-style sponge that's flavoured richly with cocoa and pecans.
The Grand Tasting
Not so much a Texan tradition as a unique Culinaria tradition, The Grand Tasting is the grand finale of the festival and treats visitors to a tasting event helmed by two of the area's top-rated chefs. You'll be accompanied by incredible live music and performances, as well as the best local wines chosen by sommeliers to match the meal. If wine isn't your thing, they also provide a selection of extremely creative cocktails to keep your thirst quenched. The night ends with a silent auction - where lots of foodie treats and top-notch bottles of wine are up for grabs, and everything sold raises money in support of local charities.