The Austin Food & Wine Festival brought together more than 50 mostly local chefs and restaurants — plus tons of wines and spirits — from November 7-9 at Auditorium Shores.

The main event was the Chef Showcase on Saturday and Sunday, a massive tasting tour that attendees explored for hours, visiting booths for small bites and to meet participating chefs. In between snacks, visitors had plenty of opportunities to refill their wine glasses.

Home chefs also watched live cooking demonstrations led by well-known local and visiting chefs, and guests got covered in smoke watching pitmasters tend the barbecue pit.

Now that the food is gone and the wine is poured, attendees have a year to follow up on their weekend favorites around town. Here are our top picks for nights out, dinner parties, and solo cooking nights that call for a bit of pizzazz.

Best bites

Arriba Abajo: Duck carnitas with polenta
Creamy polenta, which can become gummy if served too late, was a bold idea for a festival. But this warm fall dish assembled a well-balanced stack of textures, from the comforting mac-and-cheese-like corn base, to the pulled duck, to the crispy topping that combined toasted pepitas, shattered tostada, and salsa macha. It was as if a practical taco had become a brand-new comfort food. — Brianna Caleri, editor

Garrison Brothers: Balmorhea Bourbon-infused ice cream
In between all the savory bites and tasty wines being poured, Hill Country bourbonmaker Garrison Brothers brought a delicious sweet treat to entice festivalgoers. The distillery served a scoop of Amy’s classic sweet cream ice cream, infused with Garrison Brothers’ 115-proof double-barreled Balmorhea Bourbon, with Heath pieces and candied Texas pecans mixed in. Attendees had the option to get theirs topped off with HoneyDew Bourbon for an extra boozy flavor. — Amber Heckler, network writer

Goodwins: Chicken leg with creamy chimichurri
American restaurant Goodwins made its way from Dallas to Austin for the festival, and thank goodness it did. On Saturday, Chef Jeff Bekavac served up a fall-off-the-bone chicken leg topped with a creamy white variation of chimichurri sauce that somehow managed to be both rich and refreshing. Paired with a side of chilled veggie tabouli and dressed in preserved lemon ranch and tahini, the dish struck a delicate balance: hearty yet bright, comforting yet fresh. — Natalie Grigson, contributing writer

Tacodeli: Lamb al pastor negro
Tacodeli may be a familiar Austin favorite, but their lamb taco at this year’s fest was a surprising standout. Chefs Roberto Espinosa and Jesus Juarez created a taco that felt upscale yet simple: a combination of Capra lamb, black pastor salsa, queso fresco, a tangy Mexican crema, and a few slices of green onion, all wrapped in freshly-made corn tortillas (that did not fall apart while devouring this two-bite taco). Chef Juarez hinted that this delicious dish might make its way to Tacodeli menus in the future, though they’d likely replace the lamb with pork. — NG

Skipjack Oyster: Guacapoke
Seafood restaurant Skipjack Oyster recently opened at The Westin Downtown in October, and chef Josh Melton impressed us with a generous portion of ahi tuna served on a crispy fried wonton chip, then topped with garlic chili crisp, spicy guacamole, and sesame seeds. This tuna tasted the freshest of any I’d eaten all day, and the spicy elements added a nice heat without overwhelming the rest of the bite. If this represents what a diner can expect from the eatery that replaced Stella San Jac, they won’t be disappointed. — AH

Wu Chow: Honey pecan shrimp
Chef Ji Peng Chen’s honey pecan shrimp instantly transported me to Chinatown, San Francisco, decades ago — a nostalgic moment that makes festivals like this feel global. It was tender, perfectly cooked in a honey lemon aioli, and topped with two candied pecans for just the right balance of textures and tastes: sweet, savory, crunchy, and tender. It was served on an elegant little leaf as a bite-sized reminder that comfort and sophistication can absolutely coexist. — NG

Best sips

Cazadores Tequila: Espresso martini
Throughout the weekend, we overheard several attendees touting how superior Cazadores’ tequila-based espresso martini was to the typical vodka version. After trying it, this may be the only way I ask for espresso martinis at the bar. This cocktail was made using Cazadores’ new coffee-flavored tequila liqueur with soft-whipped heavy cream layered on top, and garnished with puffed rice and cinnamon for an horchata-inspired presentation. $28.49 online; a small number of bottles are in stock at Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods on Brodie Lane. — AH

Greenwing: Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
It seemed like everyone wanted to pour us a cabernet, and this was the best of the bunch. It was earthy and slightly sweet, plus smooth without the annoying tendency to dry out the mouth. Greenwing boasts “velvety tannins” — hence the smoothness — and excellent balance, with a gently spicy finish. This is the type of wine I’d bring to a dinner party if I wanted an easy crowd-pleaser for people who don’t necessarily love red wines. $16.99 at Total Wine and More, $17.99 at Twin Liquors.— BC

Sequoia Grove: Napa Valley Chardonnay
On the lighter side, this chardonnay was crisp and assertive; easygoing without dipping into mildness. The winery offers tasting notes of lemon curd, wet stone, jasmine, and vanilla. White wines are festival-friendly since they’re easy to pair and compatible with the Texas heat, but many of them get muddied by all the food tastings, or simply disappear. This wine stood up to it all, and I’d pick it up for times where I’m not looking for subtlety. $38 at these stores around Austin. — BC

Chef tips

Adriana Urbina: Gluten-free almond bread demo with a side of education
Venezuelan-born holistic chef Adriana Urbina — a three-time Chopped champion and the only Latina to do it — brought equal parts charm and expertise to her debut Austin Food and Wine Festival demo. Traveling all the way from Spain to “represent the EU,” she educated the audience on quality European ingredients like Greek olive oil, La Mancha manchego, and Bayonne ham. She also fascinated the crowd with fun facts, including the complete histories of chia seeds and baking powder, all while whipping up gluten-free almond bread buns in an air fryer. What could have felt like a lecture instead felt entertaining and delightful thanks to Urbina’s undeniable charm and passion for quality food. – NG

Lorena Garcia: Ceviche as you like it
Another Venezuelan chef brought more Latin flavor in the form of ceviche, which she calls “a way of life.” True to that characterization, Chef Garcia’s demo focused on general ceviche-making tips rather than any specific recipe. Those included choosing a fish that can take on lots of acid — halibut, for example, or anything else with little fattiness — using an ice-cold mixing bowl, using a mix of parsley and mint if you hate cilantro, and scooping the ceviche with sweet potato rounds cooked in butter, cinnamon, and sugar. For her leche de tigre recipe to tie it all together, follow this video. – BC

Tristen Epps: Viet-Cajun fried quail with lemongrass chili honey butter
Top Chef winner and Houston-based chef Tristen Epps’ had an infectious charisma when he said he wanted to celebrate diversity and the culture of Texas immigrants with his demo on Sunday afternoon. While preparing sticky rice-stuffed whole quails for deep frying and cooking a spicy lemongrass glaze, Epps tracked how Vietnamese and Southern cuisines were influenced by French colonization, and shared how these culinary cultures later came together in Houston following Hurricane Katrina. Every part of the dish had Vietnamese and Southern ingredients, from the Thai chilis and fish sauce in the quail marinade, to the lemongrass and Creole seasoning in the glaze. — AH

Honorable mentions

Shrimp on flatbread by Ember Kitchen: Sometimes there’s not much to say except that something was perfectly cooked, and that was the case for Ember Kitchen’s generously portioned, buttery shrimp canapés, which were worth a long wait in line. — BC

Lamb and pork merguez by Parkside: This dish may have looked like an old-school chicken nugget, but this lamb and pork combo with marinated fresh vegetables on top was much tastier. — NG

Pumpkin and ricotta crostini by Laurel Restaurant: These bites of soft focaccia, creamy ricotta, diced pumpkin, and pepitas made for hearty yet elegant hors d’oeuvres. — BC

Yowza Yuzu poke by Poke Poke: I didn’t catch the name of this dish, but I’ve ordered it enough times to immediately recognize it. The heavily sesame-forward tuna and avocado mix is pricey, but one of the best pokes in town. — BC