After a five-year break, the La Cocina Street Food Festival is returning.
It’s something of a family reunion for more than 25 La Cocina alumni, including some of the city’s most celebrated chefs and business owners, including James Beard nominees and Bon Appétit “Best New Restaurant” honorees.
Alicia Villanueva of Alicia’s Tamales Los Mayas and her daughter Grecia at the 2019 La Cocina festival(Erin Ng)
Attending the festival is quite possibly the single best opportunity to literally taste the Bay Area’s diverse culinary offerings in a single weekend.
Originally, the festival took place on Folsom Street, near La Cocina’s commercial kitchen, moving to Dogpatch when it outgrew that location. This year, it will be at China Basin Park in Mission Rock and will feature live music by Noise Pop. The weekend, November 8-9, coincides with La Cocina’s 20th anniversary—a proud achievement for an organization focused on supporting women, immigrants, and BIPOC food entrepreneurs.
The festival will give previous La Cocina participants the chance to reconnect with their cohort and more recent ones the opportunity to partner with more established businesses. It’s the first time Stephanie De La Cruz of De La Creamery, a small-batch ice cream business established in 2020 that specializes in Latin-inspired flavors, is participating.
Some of the food offered at the 2019 La Cocina festival(Erin Ng)
“It’s an honor to be part of the festival, and the legacy means so much,” she says. “We align with their values and celebrate their accomplishment of bringing diversity to the Bay. Looking at the roster, the majority are women-owned businesses. To be standing next to them is so inspiring.”
De La Cruz won’t just be standing next to other business owners; she’ll be partnering with one: “We are sharing a booth with Reem’s California, which is super exciting. I’m friends with Reem, and coming together was suggested by La Cocina. I’ve admired her business for a long time.”
De La Creamery will be making a vegan black tahini ice cream to pair with Reem’s chocolate chip cookie as an ice cream sandwich. They will also offer a jamaica sorbet to serve in a float with Reem’s hibiscus lemonade and a cardamom cold brew with malted vanilla ice cream. “Working with Reem will teach me about working with a new team, and their menu and flavors will expand my skills and experience,” De La Cruz adds.
Reem Assil prepares food at the 2019 La Cocina festival(Erin Ng)
For Binita “Bini” Pradhan of Nepalese soul food favorite Bini’s Kitchen, the festival is a homecoming. Pradhan joined La Cocina in 2012 and has participated in every one of the festivals since then. “It is so much to me. It’s like what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas; if you’re born in La Cocina you are always La Cocina,” jokes the proud alumna.
This year, the “queen of momos” will be serving stir-fried American lamb, steamed chicken, and vegan momos with (vegan) soup simmered with lots of spices, as well as an extra-spicy version with peanuts, sesame, roasted tomato, and cilantro.
“It is going to be crazy busy, but I’m excited to serve new specialties and to bring people who love La Cocina to a new party,” Pradhan says. “To see them all, new and old, enjoying the music—that will be a festival in itself. La Cocina is like my first home, it brings me happy memories.”
Some of the food offered at the 2019 La Cocina festival(Erin Ng)
The festival will feature cooking demos, local artisans, bars, family activities, and, of course, a ton of food: $6 to $12 for small bites and $12 to $22 for large bites. Tickets are available now for one or two days, as well as in packages that include food and drink tickets, VIP seating, and other perks.
// La Cocina Street Food Festival 2025 is Saturday, November 8th, from 11am to 8pm, and Sunday, November 9th, from 11am to 6pm at 1 China Basin Park (Mission Rock), 20th.lacocinasf.org