Winchester’s much-loved celebration of local food and drink is back for a third year, and it’s shaping up to be the most delicious yet.
Organised by Winchester Business Improvement District (BID), and sponsored by Dutton Gregory, A Taste of Winchester runs from 22 June to 5 July 2026, with an irresistible line-up of events, menus, and experiences across the city, showcasing the very best of Winchester’s hospitality scene and the outstanding local producers who supply it.
All local hospitality businesses have been invited to take part, making it a Winchester-wide celebration. And now you can get involved too. Whether you’re a regular at your favourite neighbourhood restaurant or on the hunt for somewhere new to discover, this is your chance to support the brilliant bars, cafés, pubs, and restaurants that make Winchester such a special place to eat and drink, while celebrating the local producers and makers behind the food on your plate.
Early highlights already confirmed include a sumptuous five-course tasting menu at St James Tavern, featuring home-grown and locally sourced produce that puts the very best of Hampshire’s larder centre stage. Foodies can also test their knowledge at a tasty Quiz at South Downs Social, raising money for Winchester Basics Bank, or head outdoors to discover the flavours right under your feet with an urban foraging workshop run by Experience Hampshire.
Winchester’s most creative culinary minds will also go head-to-head in a canapé competition using local tomatoes as a hero product. These will be judged by the public, with more details of how to get involved revealed soon.
And saving the best for last, the festival closes on 5 July with a truly spectacular community event. Bar Lento, St James Tavern, and Rick Stein’s Winchester are joining forces to bring the fortnight to an unforgettable finale. The full details of the Long Lazy Lunch are being kept tightly under wraps for now. Suffice to say, it’s not one to miss.
“A Taste of Winchester goes from strength to strength,” said Dr Paul Spencer, Executive Director of Winchester BID. “Building on the last two hugely successful years, we’ve seen the event evolve into something really special, and this year is no exception. What excites me most is watching the city’s hospitality community come together: we now have a brilliant steering group of businesses actively shaping and collaborating on the programme, which is a testament to the spirit of Winchester’s food and drink scene. This event exists to champion that community.
A Taste of Winchester is being curated by local foodie PR, Miranda Rocksmith: “I feel so proud to live and work in a city with such a rich and diverse food scene. The range of flavours, cuisines, and experiences you can find here is genuinely extraordinary. It’s a difficult time for hospitality businesses, and A Taste of Winchester is our chance to fly the flag for every one of them. If this event can bring more people through the doors of these brilliant businesses and remind people what a fantastic place this is to eat, drink, and spend time, then every moment of putting it together is absolutely worth it.”
Sarah Strangeway, of Bar Lento, said: “What I love about A Taste of Winchester is what it brings out in the hospitality community here. You might expect businesses to be rivals, but actually, there’s a genuine desire to lift each other up, and this event is the perfect expression of that. When we collaborate, we create something far greater than any one of us could alone, and we hope that energy is something our customers can feel too.”
Andrew Witt, Partner at Dutton Gregory Solicitors, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to sponsor A Taste of Winchester. The hospitality sector has so much to teach us all, about attention to detail and the art of making people feel welcome, and those values resonate deeply with how we work at Dutton Gregory. Winchester’s food and drink businesses are at the heart of this community, and we’re proud to play our part in supporting them.”
For the growing programme of events, menus, and booking details, follow @atasteofwinchester on Instagram and Facebook or visit on atasteofwinchester.co.uk.
Photograph: From left to right, Ellie (Rick Stein), James (St James Tavern), Karon (South Downs Social), Paul (Winchester BID), Andrew (Dutton Gregory), Miranda (Rocket Launch), Darren (Dutton Gregory), Sarah (Winchester BID), Sarah (Bar Lento), Ben and Kris (St James Tavern).
