Unforgettable Moments on the Strip: Inside the Inaugural Drink Las Vegas

From September 24 through 27, the Las Vegas Strip transformed into a mega foodie playground for mixology, high-end spirits, and culinary craftsmanship. Hosted across four iconic MGM Resorts International destinations—ARIA, Bellagio, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, and Park MGM—the inaugural Drink Las Vegas brought together more than 7,000 guests for a four-day celebration spanning 30 distinct events.

The festival delivered a star-studded lineup of entertainment icons, world-class mixologists, and legendary chefs who immersed themselves in the weekend’s festivities—where else can you see household names like Wolfgang Puck serving up caviar cannolis on a Saturday night? This is the event culinary fans won’t want to miss in 2027!

Industry Visionaries Push Culinary Boundaries

At the heart of the event was a collaborative effort between world-renowned talent and MGM Resorts, redefining what a large-scale food and drink festival can offer. Though Las Vegas is certainly no stranger to culinary art, DRINK Las Vegas took the “food festival” to the next level in every way. From brand activations with House of Pernod featuring fresh seafood, charm bracelet stations, and customized luggage tag booths to live podcast tapings with Jon Taffer, the weekend-long event brought a variety of events fit for every type of foodie.

“Reflecting on what we’ve accomplished with Drink Las Vegas, I am deeply inspired by the caliber of F&B talent that came together across our resorts this past weekend,” said Ari Kastrati, MGM Resorts’ Chief Content, Hospitality & Development Officer. “What made this event truly special was the sheer depth of creativity—seeing world-class mixologists, winemakers and legendary chefs collaborate so seamlessly to push the boundaries of craft and culture. Bringing this scale of innovation to life across MGM Resorts proves once again why Las Vegas is the epicenter of global entertainment and dining, and it sets a new benchmark for what guests can expect from us moving forward.”

The gathering proved that Las Vegas remains an unmatched backdrop for ambitious hospitality concepts. “What a remarkable debut for Drink Las Vegas. What other event can pair Shaquille O’Neal with Sammy Hagar and Jean-Georges? It’s been quite the journey over the past five years developing this endeavor on behalf of MGM Resorts, and we have now established Drink Las Vegas as a signature culinary event on the national stage,” remarked Brett Friedman, Founder and CEO of a21.

Signature Tastings and Star-Studded Gatherings

The festival’s epicenter rested at ARIA’s Yucca Pool, which hosted the three-night Signature Tastings series—opening night kicked off on Thursday as chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten welcomed guests alongside special appearances by Shaquille O’Neal and Sammy Hagar. Impeccably organized from start to finish, the poolside tasting featured wine and spirit brands strategically placed around the space, along with food tastings from chefs from across the country. Our favorite bite of the night? Bananas Foie-sters from Chef Giorgio Rapicavoli of Miami’s Luca Osteria and Eating House.

On Friday, Tom Colicchio and Tiffany Derry led A Night of Excellence in partnership with the James Beard Foundation, bringing together some of the best culinary talent in the country for a night of true excellence in cuisine. In addition to the brands located by the pool all weekend, each night in the VIP section featured one of North America’s 50 Best Bars, with a rotating selection and a Perrier-hosted setup. Our favorite bites of night two were a tie between Chef Roy Choi’s Beef Bulgogi (which he hand-passed at the exclusive In the Mix after-hours event) and Chef Giorgio Rapicavoli’s Petrossian Imperial Daurenki Caviar (make sure to bookmark his restaurants for your next visit to Miami).

Saturday’s Timeless Taste showcase brought together culinary icons Wolfgang Puck, Michael Mina, and Masaharu Morimoto to celebrate Las Vegas’s dining heritage. Along with new Old Vegas-era decor and entertainment, the evening brought together a wide range of world-renowned chefs and local offerings, served up in the perfect Vegas setting. Our favorite bite of the night was legendary Chef Wolfgang Puck’s Caviar Cannolis.

Intimate, high-profile events were scattered across all four properties throughout the weekend:

• Carbone Riviera Lunch: Sylvester Stallone hosted a sold-out afternoon gathering featuring an exclusive Q&A session discussing his career and current projects.
• No Proof Dinner: Host Andrew Zimmern teamed up with Tom Holland, co-founder of BERO, to highlight sophisticated non-alcoholic beverage pairings.
• Exclusive Late-Night Experiences: Johnny Depp made a special appearance at Park MGM’s hidden Reserve Bar on Friday night, while social media star Alix Earle joined fans during the Timeless Taste festivities.

Rare Vintages and Culinary Innovation

Beyond the grand tasting events, guests explored niche beverage traditions and rare vintages. Highlights included the exclusive Vintner’s Tables with Opus One, Abreu Vineyards, and Hundred Acre, as well as Rated 100, a guided tasting of top-tier 100-point wines. Meanwhile, spirits enthusiasts gathered for The Best of Rip Van Winkle pours and agave-focused cocktail lunches, while Food & Wine presented a panel on The Future of the Restaurant Cocktail to discuss the evolving role of mixology in fine dining.

Local Las Vegas culinary leaders—including Saipin Chutima, Brian Howard, Daniel Ontiveros, Jae Doan, Harrison Ono, Carlos Santos-Cruz, and Francesco Lafranconi—shared the stage with visiting master chefs and mixologists from across the country. In addition to delivering an unforgettable weekend for guests, MGM Resorts underscored its commitment to the industry by making a financial contribution to the James Beard Foundation to support equity and sustainability in the food and beverage community. We had a blast at the inaugural DRINK Las Vegas weekend and can’t wait to see what (and who) next year brings!

Watch this space for 2027 DRINK Las Vegas announcements!