Countdown to #SOBEWFF!  We are just a couple weeks away from the South Beach Wine and Food Festival and it’s over 65, 000 guests, who take over Miami Beach and surrounding Miami venues from February 22-25 for 4+ days of Food, Wine, Fun and maybe even a little sun in between all of the over 85 different events and seminars.

Now in its 17th year and hosted by Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits and Florida International University (FIU), the Festival benefits FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management and the Southern Wine & Spirits Beverage Management Center. To date, the Festival has raised more than $25 million for the school.

So, where to begin?  Here are MIAbites picks for best 12 SOBEWFF events with a focus on some of the amazing local chef talent and local venues featured this year in collaboration with many of your favorite Food Network stars. Many events are already sold out, so check availability and buy your tickets online at http://sobewff.org/.

We are liking the Intimate dinners a lot this year as they are focusing on local talented chefs paired with celebrity chefs, local venues and featuring locally sourced ingredients.  They are among the pricier events priced at $200-250 pp but can offer a creative and unique evening.

Thursday 2/22-Vegetarian Dinner: For all you vegetarians or those looking for explore the world of vegetarian dining, Soul Tavern is hosting an Intimate Dinner of Thursday 2/22 featuring their chef Kinsler Josiame cooking alongside NYC chefs, Anita Lo of Annisa and Amanda Cohen of Dirt Candy. $200. http://sobewff.org/soul/

Friday 2/23- Taste of Latin American Dinner- James Beard Best New Chef winner Chef Daniela- Soto Ines joins Miami's La Mar's Chef Diego Oka and Venezuelan chef Carlos Garcia for a flavor intensive dinner featuring the many flavors of Mexico, Peru and Venezuela.  $250. http://sobewff.org/obra/

Friday 2/23- Shabbat Dinner- SOBEWFF's very first Shabbat dinner. Chefs Michael Solomonov, Michelle Bernstein, Adeena Sussman, and celebrated baker Zak Stern will serve up classic dishes featuring the elevated touches that have made them some of the biggest names in Israeli cuisine. The dinner is NOT Kosher. $250.  http://sobewff.org/shabbat/

Saturday 2/24- Glass & Vine hosts top chefs- Chef Mathew Peters, executive chef at Thomas Keller’s Per Se,  lead team U.S.A. to gold in January, winning top honors for the first time in the 30-years of the Bocuse d’Or culinary competition. He joined by fellow Per Se alum Greg Baxtrom of the much-lauded Olmsted in Brooklyn, and Miami culinary star Giorgio Rapicavoli at his trendy restaurant Glass & Vine in the burgeoning Coconut Grove neighborhood. $250. http://sobewff.org/glass/

The $100 & Under events are always a buzzy and fun time, but be prepared for crowds and not a lot to eat as many are walk around dining events held poolside or at local venues.

Saturday 2/24- Barry’s Bootcamp and Bites- Chef, fitness expert and television personality, Robert Irvine helps you burn off those SOBEWFF calories with co-instructor Derek DeGrazio, partner and head trainer for Barry’s Bootcamp Miami through the ultimate morning workout. Followed by healthy plant-based bites from Matthew Kenney’s Plnthouse at the 1 Hotel. $50 http://sobewff.org/bootcamp/

Saturday 2/24- Bacardi Rum Late Night Party- a late night of irresistible beats, light bites and endless cocktails at the BACARDÍ Rum & Bass Beach Party featuring Walshy Fire. Dance the night away to some serious tracks by Walshy Fire & Friends, including special guest DJ Irie, known for keeping the dance floor hot and spirits high! Grab a late night bite cooked up by some of Miami’s top chefs and sip on delicious rum cocktails. $100.  http://sobewff.org/bacardi/

Saturday 2/24-  Midnight Munchies on Espanola Way- Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten serving as your host and Action Bronson dishing up his signature beats! Stroll under the stars along this historic street and indulge in all of your sweet, salty, ooey-gooey midnight cravings while sipping on simply perfect Patrón Tequila cocktails, and leave the guilt-trip at home! $95.  http://sobewff.org/munchies/

The SOBEWFF Signature Events are a BIG affair, priced at $150-$350, and are held in the tents or the hotel ballrooms along the beach and attract thousands of hungry and thirsty food lovers. Barilla’s Italian Bites on The Beach, The Heineken Light Burger Bash,  Fontainebleau’s Best of The Best, Trisha Yearwood’s Southern Brunch and The Goya Foods Grand Tasting Village are all worth checking out if you have never experienced these popular events. But be forewarned as these are pretty crowded events.  Details on main SOBEWFF site. http://sobewff.org/

Wine Seminars- Priced from $85 to $125, these are educational and informative wine tastings and include over ten different seminars held at the Eden Roc: We like:

Saturday 2/24- Domaine Ott- Wines of Provence http://sobewff.org/ws4/

Sunday 2/25- Shiraz- A Penfolds Perspective http://sobewff.org/ws14/

TIP: Always good to check both Gilt City Miami and Groupon as many times a limited number of tickets to select events are discounted.

For more information about pricing and venues and to purchase tickets visit SOBEWFF site at

http://sobewff.org/

**And make sure you follow MIAbites on Instagram, as we will be hosting FREE ticket giveaways for a number of events beginning a week before SOBEWFF kicks off!