FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — If you’re looking for a night out with great food, wine and a good cause, Las Olas is the place to be.
The Las Olas Food and Wine Festival is celebrating 30 years by turning four blocks of Las Olas Boulevard into a walkable foodie playground — all for a good cause.
For one night, the street transforms into a full-scale food and wine experience, featuring more than 50 restaurants and about 200 culinary tents serving up their best bites.
“It’s such a great time. You get to see, touch, taste different foods, drink some great wine,” said Peter Lopez, director of operations at Shooters Waterfront.
As guests eat and sip their way down the street, they’re also giving back. The festival benefits the American Lung Association.
“I think it’s a great time for the community to come out for a great cause, the American Lung Association,” Lopez said. “It’s the camaraderie with the al fresco dining lifestyle that we have going on down here. You have 200 great culinarians putting their best foot forward, and you get to meet the chefs that are cooking it. And the winemakers are there.”
The event also highlights Fort Lauderdale’s growing food scene.
“There are so many great restaurants that are popping up, and some great culinarians are coming up,” Lopez said. “Fort Lauderdale wasn’t really known for its great culinary scene like Miami is, but we’re upcoming. We’re very small, but a very tight community. We’ve got some great restaurants and restaurateurs that have come in. It’s a great experience to try something you might not have had a chance to visit but have heard about.”
Among the participating restaurants is Shooters Waterfront, a South Florida staple.
“We’ve been around 44 years. We were around in the heyday when Fort Lauderdale was wild, crazy and untamed. We like to say we’ve grown up,” Lopez said. “We’ve taken our cuisine and elevated it. No more burgers, beers and bikinis — we have true culinarians. My chefs have been with me for 10 to 11 years.”
Shooters will feature dishes in the VIP section, including a lobster roll and a creamy risotto topped with sliced prime rib and veal glacé.
“Our fan favorite — how can you not go to South Florida and have a lobster roll?” Lopez said. “There are different versions out there, but for us, the lobster is the star of the show.”
In honor of its 30th anniversary, the festival will also feature a 1990s-themed area, paying homage to the era when the event was founded.
Tickets are available online, with discount code RESTAURANT by clicking here.
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