Love Catalina Island Tourism Authority

20th Annual Taste Around Avalon Celebration

2026 Winners

Food

Dessert

N/A Drinks

Cocktails

Taste Around Avalon

Spend one evening exploring more than 20 restaurants, with bite after bite and sip after sip across Avalon. Taste Around Avalon returns on May 28, 2026, bringing Catalina Island’s cherished annual food and beverage celebration into its 20th year.

Every May, Avalon’s waterfront village becomes an open-air tasting experience that feels worlds away from the mainland. Residents and travelers wander from stop to stop, trying signature plates, handcrafted cocktails, refreshing non-alcoholic drinks, and decadent desserts while enjoying the island breeze and harbor scenery that make Catalina Island so memorable.

It is an opportunity to experience the best of Avalon dining in one night and help choose the favorites that will receive the title of Best Taste of the Year.

2026 Participating Restaurants

How It Works

Step 1 — Get a Voting Card

A Voting Card is required for every participant who wants to taste and vote. Cards can be picked up at the Love Catalina Visitor Center on the Green Pleasure Pier before the event, and at Wrigley Stage while the event is underway from 5–9 PM.

Helpful hint: purchasing your card ahead of time at the Visitor Center helps you avoid the event-night line.

Step 2 — Start at Wrigley Stage at 5 PM

Meet at Wrigley Stage for a greeting from Love Catalina Island and a short rundown of the evening before heading out to taste.

Step 3 — Sip, Sample & Savor

Make your way through Avalon and stop at each participating restaurant. Present your card, buy a tasting, and have your card stamped at every location. Tastings are offered in four categories and are typically priced at just $1–$5 each:

Island tip: carry $20–$40 in small bills, since many restaurants may run short on change later in the evening. Some participating spots may also take credit card or Apple Pay.

Step 4 — Vote for Your Favorites

Once you have tasted your way around town, mark your favorite choice in each category on your Voting Card. The top selections across all four categories receive the title of Best Taste of the Year, and the winning establishments receive a $100 prize.

Step 5 — Submit Your Card & Join the Drawing

Bring your completed Voting Card back to Wrigley Stage by 9:15 PM to be included in an additional drawing for a $50 Catalina Island Gift Certificate.

Why Taste Around Avalon Is Worth the Trip

Taste Around Avalon is more than a night of tasting; it brings together the food, people, and island atmosphere that make Catalina Island’s dining scene stand out. In a single evening, guests can find new favorite restaurants, meet the chefs creating the dishes, and see Avalon in a way many visitors never do. Food lovers, families planning a special night, and couples enjoying an island escape can all find something to love, with tasting prices that keep the experience accessible.

There is no need to hurry back to the mainland afterward. Turn the evening into a weekend in Avalon, wake up beside ocean views, and spend the following day snorkeling, hiking, or taking a slow breakfast at one of the restaurants you discovered the night before. Look for places to stay on Catalina Island and enjoy more of the visit.

Taste Around Avalon is presented by Love Catalina Island Tourism Authority.

2025 Winners

9 Reasons to Attend Taste Around Avalon

Taste Around Avalon takes place on May 28, 2026 from 5-9 pm.

Visit the Taste Around Avalon 2026 – Catalina Island Food & Drink Event | May 28 page →