Five days of celebration, flavors, and fun. That was the Reggio Calabria Street Food festival, which wrapped up yesterday before a wonderful crowd in an enchanting setting: the “Italo Falcomatà” promenade.
The highlight of the final evening could only be the announcement of the winner of the second edition.
Taking home the coveted award was the famous Portella Fried Python, served traditional or with speck and potatoes, the specialty most appreciated by visitors. Silver medal for the Churros from Punta Piana Pool, third place for Hammucca with the Smash Burger.
“This year, too,” said the sole director of Eventivamente, Alberto Palella, “was a success. We are very happy to have spent five days in the enchanting city of Reggio Calabria, surrounded by fine products, food, and entertainment. It was heartwarming to see families, young people, and people of all ages crowding the waterfront and enjoying the specialties offered at the 48 food stalls. Our event is becoming increasingly popular, and the growing numbers prove it—we nearly reached 100,000 attendees. And we have once again united the Strait by presenting the Python as a symbol of two cities, Messina and Reggio, which must continue to engage in dialogue, starting—why not—with food. I congratulate Pitoneria Portella, the operator that won the bid for the 2026 edition. But I also extend my applause to everyone who made the event special, enriched by the cooking demonstrations that welcomed up to seventy people each evening and by the featured artists with their performances and live music. We fostered dialogue with industry experts and had the honor of watching renowned chefs—including Michelin-starred ones—prepare dishes live. Thank you to the people of Reggio for their warm welcome, and thank you to the Metropolitan City for enthusiastically supporting our event.”
The show cooking events also ended with a bang, serving as a showcase of excellence for chefs, master gelato makers, winemakers, and industry experts. The stars of the show were traditional Calabrian dishes, reimagined with sophisticated pairings and that touch of creativity that only the most talented chefs possess.
The event kicked off with “Luce Calabra,” a crescendo of flavor created by chefs Fortunato Aricò of L’Officina del Gusto in Reggio Calabria and Pasquale Palermo of Villa Le Ginestre in Villa San Giovanni, featuring stockfish enhanced by bell peppers, bergamot, and licorice. The dish was paired with wine from the Nesci winery.
Ice cream was a must: a tiramisu cream by Domenico Laganà of the Mckenzie gelateria in Reggio Calabria. At 9 p.m., it was the turn of Gianfranco Condò, chef of the Haprilo restaurant in Pellaro and the Mysia restaurant in Reggio Calabria, to delight the guests with a chicken supreme with CBT, bergamot, and light caponata. The flavors were even more intense thanks to the wine from the Tramontana winery. The final dessert was fig sorbet infused with saffron from Motta San Giovanni, topped with a crumble of toasted and salted almonds and honey. A delight created by master Demetrio Romeo of the Trebottoni gelateria in Reggio Calabria.
An engaging discussion was led by journalist Valeria Zingale. During the cooking demonstrations, the acting metropolitan mayor Carmelo Versace, professor, researcher, and writer Filippo Arilotta, Alberta Nesci, vice president of the Terre di Reggio Calabria Consortium, and others—including Ninni Tramontana, president of the Reggio Calabria Chamber of Commerce, Angelo Musolino, president of Conpait, and Renato Salvadore, director of Gran Mirci—joined the conversation.
The combination of art and music made the atmosphere along the waterfront even more lively. Among the 48 food stalls, the final performances by the Compagnia Joculares took center stage. E followed by the live band Briganti Italiani, the musical selection “Cotti e suonati” by Alfredo Reni, and DJ sets by Santino Villari and Antonio Venanzi.
The Reggio Calabria Street Food Fest promotes high-quality street food, but it also serves as a draw to showcase Reggio’s traditions and cultural heritage, making it an effective form of regional marketing.
Journalists and food bloggers from all over Italy are participating in press tours organized to highlight local businesses specializing in the production of wine, olive oil, and cheese, and to help visitors discover the sites of historical and cultural interest in the metropolitan city of Reggio Calabria under its regional brand “Animautentica”.
On April 26, they visited the National Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria before discovering the secrets of Olio Kouvala, a company based in Sant’Eufemia di Aspromonte that produces extra virgin olive oil. Next, they explored artisanal confectionery with a visit to the Taverna company in Taurianova.
