Beach Club. Photo / Supplied
Offering four days of world-class chefs, sand, surf and seriously good food in one of Australia’s most beautiful towns, the Noosa Food & Wine festival returns to its roots, Kerry Heaney writes.
Forget everything you know about food festivals. This isn’t a parade of celebrity chefs or an Instagram-driven spectacle. This is Noosa, where culinary magic happens between the lines, in whispered conversations and unexpected collaborations.
That same quiet confidence defines the return of Noosa Food & Wine, which reclaims its original name this year and, with a shift to June, lands in what might just be Noosa’s most perfect season: clear skies, crisp evenings and sunlit days made for long lunches.
Running from June 11-14, 2026, Noosa Food & Wine unfolds across Signature Events, the Restaurant Series and the American Express Festival Village. Held in Noosa on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, roughly a two-hour drive north of Brisbane, it’s an easy fly-and-drive destination for New Zealand travellers seeking a mix of beaches, nature and dining.
I slipped up from Brisbane before the crowds for a quiet preview before the glasses are clinking and the foodies arrive. I like to hear the conversations behind the menus, watch chefs compare notes, and understand what really drives them to collaborate, especially when they are, on paper, competitors.
Set at the end of Hastings St, the Festival Village is the social heart where everyone gravitates, drawn by the promise of a drink on arrival, something delicious in hand and the easy buzz that Noosa does so well. Expect over 40 food stalls and bars, offering everything from quick bites to more refined plates, with a rolling programme of cooking demonstrations. This year’s chef line-up includes Alessandro Pavoni, who has just opened Cibaria Noosa, alongside familiar faces like Marion Grasby and Gino D’Acampo.
As the sun dips, the village shifts gears. The cooking gives way to music, the crowd leans into the evening, and the dance floor fills.
The Restaurant Series is where things get interesting. Here, chefs step into each other’s kitchens, share ideas, and, occasionally, push themselves outside their comfort zones.
At Rickys, the collaboration with Brisbane’s Essa shows how these partnerships work best. Rather than a takeover, it’s a considered exchange. Both restaurants are grounded in a respect for produce and place, but they approach it differently. Essa leans into fire and technique, while Rickys focuses on fresh seafood and a refined sense of Noosa hospitality.
The result is a six-course tasting menu with matched wines, split evenly between the two kitchens. Three courses from Essa, three from Rickys.
Over at Lucio’s Marina, the approach is more relaxed but just as thoughtful. Their Ligurian Seafood Sagra showcases King Ora salmon, cobia and tuna with clean, precise accompaniments like ponzu, avocado and finger lime.
Then there’s Cibaria Noosa, one of the festival’s most anticipated newcomers. The concept draws on the traditions of Brescia, the hometown of Pavoni, and centres on Spiedo Bresciano, a slow-roasting cooking ritual, where meats are basted for hours with butter and red wine. Guests begin with a spritz, then settle into shared dishes that arrive in a steady rhythm, encouraging conversation and connection.
If you’re planning ahead, consider this your cue to book early next year as only a handful of tickets remain for some of the Signature Events, including those coveted beachside experiences on Noosa Main Beach. These are the ones that tend to sell out first, and for good reason. There’s something undeniably special about dining with your toes in the sand as the sun edges towards the horizon.
Where to stay is always part of the strategy. Hastings St is the most convenient base, putting you within walking distance of the Festival Village and many key events. The newly reimagined Elysium Noosa Resort, formerly the Sofitel, offers a polished, coastal take on luxury right in the centre of it all, complete with a day spa for recovery between long lunches.
One of this year’s best innovations is an expanded festival shuttle service. Running from Sunshine Plaza in Maroochydore through Peregian Beach and Coolum, it opens up a wider range of accommodation options. You can stay further afield, avoid the premium price tag of Hastings St and still move easily between events without needing a car.
For families, RACV Noosa remains a reliable option, with its larger rooms, resort-style facilities and easy shuttle access. Alternatively, base yourself in Noosaville and take the Noosa Ferry to Hastings St. It’s a slower, more scenic way to arrive, but that’s part of the appeal.
After all these years, it’s not just the food that keeps me coming back. It’s the sense of connection, chefs, producers, locals and visitors sharing the same space, the same table, and the kind of conversation that lingers long after the last plate is cleared.
The writer was hosted by Noosa Food & Wine Festival.