Bigger, bolder, buzzier – the James St Food + Wine Trail reveals its 2026 program
Brisbane’s largest block party is back for another day of food-packed goodness. The James St Food + Wine Trail has announced its return for Sunday July 26, revealing a program bursting at the seams with restaurant-quality street eats, special events, live entertainment and after parties. Here’s the scoop …
Next month, James Street will close to traffic for its annual celebration of all things delicious. The James St Food + Wine Trail will draw foodies to Fortitude Valley for a shared sun-soaked culinary experience like no other, with the promenade’s diverse array of restaurants, bars and retailers set to congregate for a free-to-attend open-air picnic.
This year, 25 of James Street’s resident venues will pump out a menu of more than 160 restaurant-quality items, ranging from savoury delights, drool-worthy desserts and craveable cocktails.
Highlights from the 2026 selection include Mosconi’s famous porchetta rolls, fried-chicken burgers and wagyu skewers from ESSA, Moreton Bay bug sushi rolls and yuzu slushies from Sushi Room, mortadella focaccias from Biànca, lamb on the spit with tzatziki from Hellenika, charcoal doner kebab from ēmmē, 100s and 1000s lamingtons from Jocelyn’s Provisions, and much, much more.
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The James St Food + Wine Trail itinerary also includes a range of exclusive lunch offers at select James Street eateries, including a French-inspired long degustation lunch at Harveys Bar + Bistro, a seven-dish lunch at Hellenika, and an express lunch of woodfired Moreton Bay bug with chilli XO butter and a glass of Blood Moon orange wine at ESSA. There’ll also be free Shaw + Smith Wine tastings at Cru Cellar between 1:00–3:00 pm, and fused-glass workshops at Mud Australia.
The festival’s Live Chef Stage is returning for 2026, with demonstrations including a whole tuna carving display from Sushi Room’s master fishmonger and sashimi specialist Mitsu Sakurai, as well as demos from ESSA’s Phil Marchant, Anyday culinary director Ben Williamson and Hellenika head chef Bryan Kelly.
On the music front, three stages will host a line-up of DJs and live performers, including Adam Hunter and Thomas Prime at the Vibe Stage, Blade Hooper with Grace Jones on the Live Stage, and Joseph Machen, Jono Fraser and Wil Sargison at Jazz Corner.
James St Food + Wine Trail is kid friendly, with professional face-painting and cupcake-decorating sessions hosted by The Australian Women’s Weekly and Jocelyn’s Provisions.
Want to know more? Be sure to head to the James St Food + Wine Trail website for all of the important information.
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