Taste 2026, the Pitti exhibition dedicated to food and wine excellence
From February 7 to 9, at the Fortezza da Basso
From February 7 to 9, Florence's Fortezza da Basso will host the 19th edition of TASTE, Pitti Immagine's food fair that showcases and interprets the excellence of contemporary food and wine. A key event for industry professionals, international buyers, and enthusiasts, which every year chooses to go beyond simply exhibiting products to provide an authentic snapshot of food as culture, identity, and a reflection of local areas. (To learn more about the event, click here and read our interview with Davide Paolini, creator of Taste!)
TasteTheme of TASTE 2026: True Food
The theme of TASTE 2026, True Food, places authenticity at its core: genuine raw materials, tangible processes, and credible stories. It marks a return to the essence of food, understood not only as a finished product but as an expression of people, supply chains, and places. A concept that reflects TASTE’s deep-rooted identity and responds to the expectations of a new generation of buyers, increasingly attentive to quality, sustainability, and traceability.
As Raffaello Napoleone, CEO of Pitti Immagine, points out, TASTE is “an event that, within the panorama of food and wine trade fairs, has always preserved a strong and tangible identity, focused not only on products, but also on people and territories.”
The Featured Companies
TASTE 2026 presents a constantly evolving exhibition journey, featuring over 750 carefully selected companies that represent the finest Italian and international food and wine production, blending tradition and innovation. Alongside the fair’s established names, the 2026 edition introduces more than 100 new companies, chosen through a meticulous scouting process to offer the TASTE community fresh perspectives, new flavors, and stories to discover. The result is an updated and in-depth map of contemporary food, capable of showcasing the diversity of taste and the transformations shaping the industry.
Taste The New Exhibition Journey of TASTE 2026
Entrance and Registration
Entry to the event will be through Porta Santa Maria Novella, with registration at the Padiglione delle Ghiaia, the starting point of the visitor’s journey.
Padiglione delle Ghiaia
Increasingly central to the visitor experience, the Padiglione delle Ghiaia will be the beating heart of TASTE 2026, serving as a space for meetings and exchange. Presentations, events, and talks will take place here, including in the Unicredit Taste Arena, featuring figures such as Davide Paolini and numerous other voices from the contemporary gastronomic scene. The pavilion will also host a dedicated area for Filippo – Ristorante in Pietrasanta, showcasing signature dishes of Versilian cuisine.
The Taste Tour
The Taste Tour begins on the Attic Floor of the Central Pavilion, dedicated to savory products, continues to the Ground Floor, and leads to the Padiglione Cavaniglia, the kingdom of sweet delights. This smooth and coherent journey is designed to guide visitors through different consumption experiences, including hybrid areas dedicated to breakfasts and break moments.
Taste Spirits
Within the Padiglione Cavaniglia, Taste Spirits continues to grow, featuring over 30 labels of gin, vermouth, amari, and other spirits. This section highlights small, single-product companies, custodians of artisanal stories built on botanicals, stills, and experimentation, showcasing an authentic and innovative Made in Italy.
Digital Taste Shop
For 2026, the Digital Taste Shop will once again be available online. Ticket holders—both operators and enthusiasts—will receive a 20% discount code valid on the online channels of participating exhibitors, easily identifiable through dedicated signage and the Pitti Connect platform.
Special Area: Heroic Wines from Extreme Lands
Returning to TASTE 2026 is the project dedicated to heroic viticulture, curated by Alvaro De Anna. A fascinating journey among wines produced under extreme conditions: on volcanic slopes, at high altitudes, on terraces overlooking the sea, or from centuries-old vines. Wines “from ice,” “from the desert,” “from the sands,” harvested on unusual dates or aged under snow or at the bottom of the sea. A selection of small producers will tell stories of forgotten grape varieties, atypical climates, and extraordinary winemaking techniques.
Taste 2025Fuori di Taste
During TASTE, Florence transforms into a true city-wide celebration of taste. Alongside the exhibition at the Fortezza da Basso, the city comes alive for nearly a full week with a packed calendar of events: themed dinners, tastings, masterclasses, and exclusive appointments, all united by a focus on top-quality ingredients.
Book Presentation: Una Favola di Mortadella at Teatro del Sale
Among the most exclusive events is the presentation of Una Favola di Mortadella by Davide Paolini, dedicated to the story of Mortadella Favola Palmieri, established in 1996 at the Palmieri Butchery in San Prospero. An invitation-only aperitif pairs Favola with Champagne, celebrating a truly exceptional moment in Italian food culture.
Forketters Night at W Florence
On Sunday, February 8, 2026, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., the W Florence (Piazza dell'Unità Italiana / Via del Melarancio) will host an invitation-only event organized by Forketters, bringing together some of the finest names in contemporary cuisine. The stars of the evening will be the combination of Savini Tartufi and Enoteca Pinchiorri, with Le Noir, a cream of prized black truffles, and Mosaico Food Experience, with Coda Nera, wild salmon, and fillets of marinated anchovies from the Cantabrian Sea. The evening will be accompanied by non-alcoholic beverages by Kombwine and Legend Kombucha.
La Credenza: Show with Aperitif at 25hours Hotel
La Credenza, a show by Leonardo Romanelli with video by Gilberto Bertini, debunks myths and legends of international gastronomy. The evening begins with an aperitif featuring cured meats from Salumificio Mannori, Le Noir pâté prepared in collaboration with Enoteca Pinchiorri and Savini Tartufi, wines from La Querce dell’Impruneta, and liquors from Cittò: gin, bitter, and vermouth. After the show, the trio of Gustiamo in America producers serves Pasta Faella with Maida tomatoes and Frantoio Gaudenzi olive oil directly to guests.
Taste the Origin at Collegio alla Querce, Auberge Collection
For Pitti Taste, an exclusive dinner at La Gamella celebrates Mugello excellence with products from the historic Fattoria Il Palagiaccio, Tartufo Savini, and a curated selection of wines. A gastronomic journey highlighting the territory, short supply chains, and sustainability, while reinterpreting Tuscan tradition. Price: €180 per person. Aperitif at Bar Bertelli from 6:30 PM to 7:45 PM.
Ortobello, Desinare’s food market and cooking classes
On Sunday, February 8, ORTOBELLO returns: the food market created by Desinare, now in its 11th edition, hosted in the courtyard of the Riccardo Barthel workshop-boutique, which this year celebrates its 50th anniversary. The event is a full day dedicated to the Casentino, its producers, artisanal know-how and traditional cuisine, with the aim of showcasing and celebrating an authentic and still little-explored area of Tuscany. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., the market will feature agricultural and artisanal products from the Casentino, offering visitors the opportunity to meet farmers, producers and winemakers in person, including the Casentino Winemakers Association, making its official debut at the event. The programme also includes cooking classes focused on Casentino flavours, a traditional letterpress printing workshop curated by Elena Barthel, and activities open to the public. Admission is by free donation, supporting a food solidarity programme for the Piagge neighbourhood.
Custodi del Gusto at Fattoria di Maiano
On February 7, Fattoria di Maiano opens its doors to Custodi del Gusto, an event celebrating the iconic Tuscan Cinta Senese pig. In collaboration with Antica Macelleria Falorni, the Miari Fulcis family offers a nocturnal off-road tour of the estate’s Botanic Garden to discover Cinta Senese farming. The experience continues with a culinary journey across the estate’s historic spaces—from the courtyard to the old oil mill, the panoramic loggia, and the 15th-century cloister—featuring tastings and traditional Tuscan dishes prepared by the two companies. Price: €40 per person, starting at 7:00 PM, by reservation.
Il Maiale Volante: A Village-Style Feast at Teatro del Sale
On February 5, the Cinta Senese DOP Consortium, together with Gruppo Cibrèo and Teatro del Sale, presents Il Maiale Volante, a village-style evening blending storytelling, cuisine, and music to celebrate Tuscan excellence. The program opens with a roundtable on the value of native breeds and continues with a dinner-event by Executive Chef Oscar Severini, accompanied by live music. Price: €50 per person.
Mordi e Bevi at La Gemma Café
From February 5 to 9, La Gemma Café presents Mordi e Bevi – True Food told through Pintxos and Cocktails, an experience focused on ingredients and the dialogue between cuisine and mixology. From 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM, guests can choose single pairings or a full journey combining three pintxos by Michelin-starred chef Paulo Airaudo with three cocktails designed to enhance their flavors. A contemporary aperitif interpreting the True Food theme in an urban and international key.
Pomodoro & Pizza – Zanfa Bros
On Friday, February 6 at 6:30 PM, Zanfa Bros (Via Pisana) hosts an aperitif celebrating the new Italiana Vera tomato line, featured in a selection of pizzas by Gianfranco Zanfardino, Paolo Ciullo, and Tommaso Mazzei, made with Molino Le 5 Stagioni flours and paired with a drink list curated by Liquori Morelli.
Girotolio at Ora d’Aria
On Friday, February 6, Ora d’Aria by chef Marco Stabile hosts the third edition of Girotolio, the renowned prize dinner dedicated to extra virgin olive oil. Four producers from four Italian regions participate: Frantoio di Sant’Agata d’Oneglia (Liguria), Montigiani (Tuscany), Madonna dell’Olivo (Campania), and Olio Mimì (Puglia).
Cheese Tasting at Cassetti Boutique
On Saturday, February 7, Cassetti Boutique on Ponte Vecchio hosts La forma del tempo, an exclusive tasting of the “1955 Pecorino” by Caseificio Busti, paired with champagne and fine spirits, guided by expert Federico Silvio Bellanca.
Launch of the Fellini Competition at Bar Artemisia, Hotel Savoy
On Sunday, February 8 at 5:30 PM, Bar Artemisia at Hotel Savoy hosts the press conference for the Fellini Competition, powered by Aceto Balsamico del Duca. Cocktail creator Peppe Doria will present the project and its inspirations, followed by a public aperitif featuring the Fellini Cocktail, created for the occasion. The event is by invitation; information: marco@ilforchettiere.it.
The Fantastic Four by Velier at Sina Villa Medici
The Fantastic Four is a two-stage journey celebrating four icons of the Velier spirits world: Nikka Whisky, Silent Pool Gin, Los Siete Misterios Mezcal, and Hampden Rum. The program emphasizes ingredient quality while telling the story, identity, and territory of each spirit. The day begins with a masterclass at Sina Villa Medici and continues with a dinner at Testina Restaurant, where spirits are paired with fish dishes inspired by Northern European cuisine by chef Ivan De Simone. The event is by invitation; information: marco@ilforchettiere.it.
