After a successful run last year, Flavour Fest is set to return as the South West’s largest free food and drink festival. Taking place in Plymouth, Britain’s Ocean City, from May 30 to June 01, the three-day event will bring together the region’s finest culinary offerings.
This year’s festival sees a 20% increase in vendor numbers, with over 100 food and drink stalls lining the streets. A newly created International Market zone in the heart of the city centre will introduce attendees to a wide range of exciting new tastes, including Burmese street food, local spirits, and handmade cakes alongside returning local favourites.
The festival – a key feature of Plymouth’s vibrant and diverse Food & Drink scene, which contributes to the city’s reputation as one of the South West’s foodie hotspots – will also welcome an array of returning highlights, from freshly baked sourdough by Artigrano and traditional Sicilian pastries by Bella Cannoli, to sustainable artisan chocolate from Barbers and refreshing brews by Steel Brew.
Live chef demonstrations will take centre stage in the Cookery Theatre, hosted by Michael Barber, owner of Barbers Chocolate and tutor at Ashburton Cookery School. Highlights include Indian flavours with cookbook author, Suki Pantal, gin-making from Craig Brook-Hewitt for sustainability-champions, Mother’s Ruin 1751, and a seafood masterclass with Adrian Bartlett, Director of Plymouth Seafood & Fishing Association.
Children can join in the foodie fun too, with dedicated cookery workshops from kids’ cooking class experts, Cook Stars.
The entertainment zone returns to the city’s Civic Square – which was such a success last year – bringing live music to the very heart of the city throughout the weekend and into the evenings.
Steve Hughes, Chief Executive of Plymouth City Centre Company, said: “Flavour Fest continues to be a standout event for Plymouth and the South West. It showcases the very best Food & Drink the region has to offer and highlights Plymouth’s growing reputation as a hub for quality and excellence. This year’s festival promises to bring even more excitement and attract visitors from across the UK.”
In 2024, the festival attracted more than 100,000 visitors to Plymouth’s city centre and contributed an estimated £3 million to the local economy.*
Amanda Lumley, Chief Executive of Destination Plymouth, added: “Flavour Fest is a key date in Plymouth’s dynamic Food & Drink calendar. The festival is not only a celebration of our local talent but also demonstrates the national importance of Plymouth as a vibrant Food & Drink destination.
“The festival brings people into the heart of the city, generates significant economic value, and gives brilliant local producers and traders a major platform to shine in the South West. We are very much looking forward to welcoming our visitors to experience this year’s three-day long edition and enjoy the array of Food & Drink choices and the incredible hospitality Britain’s Ocean City has to offer.”
Plymouth is also home to an array of renowned culinary destinations, where fresh local produce is cooked by the best chefs in the finest settings, from dining delights waiting to be discovered (and great views to be enjoyed) along the waterfront, to a whole host of cosmopolitan cuisines on offer in the city centre.
Some highlights are: Michelin-starred Àclèaf at Boringdon Hall, where locally sourced ingredients are transformed into exceptional fine dining experiences; The Boathouse Café, a harbourside gem known for its freshly caught seafood and relaxed atmosphere; Cosmic Kitchen, a dynamic, family-run vegan bistro housed in a former chapel, serving bold, plant-based dishes inspired by Cypriot heritage.
