{"id":475781,"date":"2026-09-25T22:24:13","date_gmt":"2026-09-25T22:24:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/475781\/"},"modified":"2026-09-25T22:24:13","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T22:24:13","slug":"from-supper-clubs-to-pop-ups-bik-lun-is-finding-its-place-in-sd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/475781\/","title":{"rendered":"From Supper Clubs to Pop-Ups, Bik-Lun Is Finding Its Place in SD"},"content":{"rendered":"

At Del Mar Wine & Food Festival\u2019s Grand Tasting<\/a>, the walk between food tents can take a while. You might stop to watch a chef competition, get pulled toward the DJ, or find yourself playing mini golf before you remember which bite you were after.<\/p>\n

Across the Del Mar Polo Fields, there\u2019s also line dancing, a 1961 red Beetle ready for photos, and an aviation-themed pop-up with Reno Tahoe chefs and mixologists. Need a slower stretch? Check out the wellness stops or browse the shops. Here\u2019s what to look for as you make your way through the festival\u2019s zones:<\/p>\n

\"\"Courtesy of Del Mar Wine & Food Festival<\/p>\n

VIP First Bites & First Sips<\/p>\n

VIP ticket<\/a> holders get a head start, with the VIP Reception running from 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. and serving first bites, first sips, and a few surprises before the Grand Tasting officially gets going. Champagne Telmont will make the festival\u2019s first pour, while Cohn Restaurant Group brings carajillos alongside pours from Karl Strauss, Licor 43, Tap Truck San Diego, Bebemos Tequila, and Devil\u2019s Grin Gin.<\/p>\n

The bites are just as good. Celebrity chef Beau MacMillan<\/a> will serve a first bite, while Warung RieRie<\/a> is bringing one of its highly coveted dishes. Yes, this is the restaurant that currently has an eight-month waitlist. You\u2019ll also find bites from The Shellfish Affair, The Waverly, Wolf in the Woods, Dora Ristorante, Cori Pastificio Trattoria, An\u2019s Gelato, Pacific 333, Vintana, and more.<\/p>\n

And because every good first act needs a soundtrack, there will be live painting and music, with Courtney Govan bringing live jazz to the reception. It\u2019s the perfect opening act before the main event.<\/p>\n

Live Cooking & Culinary Moments<\/p>\n

During the VIP Reception, chefs Tommy Gomes<\/a> and Jeff Roberto<\/a> will conduct a live ahi cutting. Plant Paradise brings another culinary angle, with celebrity chef Zuliya Khawaja<\/a> joining the plant-based lineup. The area combines chef talent with plant-forward restaurants and brands, giving guests a chance to see just how creative plant-based cooking can get.<\/p>\n

Throughout the weekend, The Stage keeps the cooking demonstrations coming, with celebrities and chefs<\/a> sharing techniques, recipes, and plenty of inspiration for anyone who plans to actually cook something when they get home. Before you know it, you\u2019re watching a chef demo, casting your awards vote, and sipping mezcal on the grass with friends you just met in line.<\/p>\n

\"\"Courtesy of Del Mar Wine & Food Festival<\/p>\n

DJs, Music, & The Party<\/p>\n

At the Grand Tasting, dancing just sort of\u2026 happens. A DJ drops the right song. Someone\u2019s holding a taco in one hand and a glass of wine in the other. The country zone breaks into a two-step. Friends convince friends. Strangers become temporary dance partners. By the end of the day, everyone\u2019s forgotten they were ever worried about looking cool.<\/p>\n

DJ TENAX<\/a> will be spinning in Plant Paradise, bringing house, techno, and UKG to an open-air dance floor that\u2019s hard to leave. Chris Cantore<\/a>, a veteran San Diego broadcaster, takes over the VIP Tent, while BootScootin Line Dance<\/a> and PVO Events<\/a> bring country-style line dancing to the Polo Fields, so you can work off your tasting itinerary one two-step at a time.<\/p>\n

Then a live guitar hum in the distance leads you to a fuchsia boa over at the Pride Zone, where you\u2019ll find yourself covered in sequins and having the lawn party of a lifetime.<\/p>\n

Sports, Tailgates, & Games<\/p>\n

Not every activity at the festival requires a tasting glass (although it\u2019s certainly encouraged).<\/p>\n

The Matchday Experience brings San Diego FC<\/a> and San Diego Wave FC<\/a> into the Grand Tasting, complete with interactive tents and plenty of game-day energy. Athletic Brewing is also sharing activation space with San Diego Wave FC, bringing a fun nonalcoholic option into the mix.<\/p>\n

For golf fans, the Los Angeles Golf Club is bringing a Dryve Box golf simulator to the festival. And if your competitive streak is less fairway and more miniature windmill, SD Pop Up Mini Golf has you covered.<\/p>\n

The Beach Zone gets in on the action, too, with surfing-inspired elements and Playavole paddle courts. Hemlock Hats and other California brands add to the coastal atmosphere, but the real draw is having somewhere to actually play. And don\u2019t worry, you can cool down in COOLA\u2019s turquoise beach chairs, too, and when your bestie suggests reapplying sunscreen, obviously you do. Basically, there are plenty of ways to work up an appetite between tastings.<\/p>\n

\"\"Courtesy of Del Mar Wine & Food Festival<\/p>\n

Photo Ops & Instagram Moments<\/p>\n

You\u2019re going to want to take photos, and the festival has made that extremely easy.<\/p>\n

A Timeless Day<\/a> is bringing multiple photo moments to the Grand Tasting, including a 1961 red Beetle at The Italian Getaway and a teal VW bus in The Beach Zone. For something a little more polished than the standard group selfie, head to the Locals Zone for Pixster Photo Booth and San Diego\u2019s version of a Glam-Bot, complete with a grass red carpet.<\/p>\n

Bebemos Tequila<\/a> is also bringing back its festival-favorite hidden speakeasy. If there\u2019s ever a time for a photo, it\u2019s here. Otherwise, people might not believe you. The speakeasy serves bone marrow shots straight from the bone, with candlelight, a lounge area that makes it hard to believe you\u2019re in a tent outside, and little orange shot glasses. This is \u201cfirst slide of your festival photo dump\u201d material.<\/p>\n

You can also grab your squad and head to LaCroix\u2019s bright and ridiculously cute setup, or swing by San Diego Magazine\u2019s area<\/a>, where you might stop for a photo in front of the larger-than-life SD Magazine sign and find yourself watching a painting come to life.<\/p>\n

But really, you\u2019re in Del Mar. The ocean is essentially your backdrop, and every zone gives you an excuse to stop for the obligatory \u201ctotally candid\u201d photo. And yes, the best strategy is to get the group shot before everyone has been sampling wine for three hours.<\/p>\n

Shop, Browse, & Take Something Home<\/p>\n

The Grand Tasting also doubles as a little shopping excursion, with local makers<\/a>, fashion, vintage finds, jewelry, and lifestyle brands scattered throughout the grounds. Smoke Revival Vintage Vault brings the thrill of vintage treasure hunting, while Nortte Hats and Hemlock Hat Company make a pretty good case for leaving with a new accessory.<\/p>\n

Keep an eye out for jewelry and creative vendors, too, including Iris Studio Jewelry and New Nightfall Jewelry, plus local artists and makers<\/a> featured throughout the festival.\u00a0<\/p>\n

You can come for an all day food and wine festival, but still leave with something shiny you definitely did not plan to buy.<\/p>\n

Wellness & Reset Moments<\/p>\n

We know, at some point, even the most dedicated grazer has to come up for air. The Novo Dia Wellness<\/a> Zone is designed for exactly that, bringing together mocktails, coffee, hydration, wellness brands, and even bites from Parakeet Cafe.<\/p>\n

Step away from the food and drink frenzy for a few minutes, relax in the shade, try some skincare, stretch with prAna, and maybe grab some Instant Hydration Electrolytes before round three.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also nothing wrong with stopping to smell the roses at Green Air Botanicals while devouring a dairy-free cheese dip. It\u2019s less about disappearing from the party and more about making sure you have enough energy to keep going.<\/p>\n

The zones give you somewhere to wander, and the activities give you a reason to keep going. So grab your tasting glass, check the schedule<\/a>, and leave a little room in your afternoon for something you didn\u2019t plan on doing. At Del Mar Wine & Food<\/a>, that\u2019s usually where things get interesting.<\/p>\n