Anguilla Culinary Experience 2026: Five Flavor-Filled Days on the Culinary Capital of the Caribbean

There are food festivals, and then there is the Anguilla Culinary Experience. If you've been searching for a reason to finally book that Caribbean trip, the 5th Annual Anguilla Culinary Experience (ACE 2026) running May 13 to 17, 2026 is the most delicious one you'll find.

For five consecutive days, this stunning 35-square-mile British Overseas Territory in the northern Leeward Islands becomes something extraordinary — a destination-wide food and wine festival where Michelin-caliber guest chefs share kitchens with Anguilla's own culinary stars, where beachside dinners run into the warm Caribbean night, and where every sip, every bite, and every setting reminds you exactly why Anguilla has earned its title as the Culinary Capital of the Caribbean.

Five Years of Building Something Special

The Anguilla Culinary Experience isn't a new concept grasping for an identity. It arrives in 2026 as a fully formed, mature festival with a clear sense of purpose. The 5th edition on May 13 to 17, 2026 builds on four previous years of growing reputation, expanding chef lineups, and an increasingly international audience who plans their Anguilla visit specifically around the festival dates.

"Every ticket purchased, every dinner attended, and every experience booked contributes directly to developing homegrown talent on the island."

The event was designed from the start with two goals running in parallel. The first is the obvious one: create genuinely world-class culinary experiences in one of the Caribbean's most beautiful settings. The second is more meaningful in the long run — raise funds for educational programs supporting the next generation of Anguillian culinary and hospitality professionals and the Anguilla National Culinary Team. That combination of celebratory dining and community investment gives ACE a character that sets it apart from comparable festivals in the region.

The 2026 Programme: Five Days, Five Different Experiences

Wednesday, May 13: An Evening at Karaya — Opening Night

The 5th Annual ACE opens on Wednesday, May 13, 2026 at Karaya, the newest addition to Anguilla's culinary landscape — a coastal restaurant at Shoal Bay West from the celebrated team behind Veya and Sandbar, led by Chef Carrie Bogar.

The opening night runs from 6:00 PM to 9:30 PM and brings together Guest Chefs Oliver Poilevey and Timothy Dean alongside Chef Carrie Bogar for an evening of coastal cocktails and cuisine that sets the tone for the entire week. Karaya's Shoal Bay West setting — turquoise water, white sand, the warm glow of a Caribbean evening — is a backdrop that would make any meal memorable. On opening night, it's extraordinary.

Thursday, May 14: Moke Tours, Rum Crawls, and a 4-Hands Dinner

Thursday, May 14 delivers arguably the most varied day of the festival — a combination of island adventure and refined dining that captures ACE's ability to blend the two perfectly.

"The combination of island adventure and refined dining captures ACE's ability to blend the two perfectly."

The day kicks off with the beloved Moke Tour and Rum Crawl at 10:45 AM, meeting at Tasty's POV before winding through some of Anguilla's most iconic stops: Funzone, Anguilla Sands and Salts, and the stunning Scilly Cay — the tiny offshore island accessible only by rowboat from Island Harbour, famous for its grilled lobster and fish and one of the most authentically magical spots on any island in the Caribbean. The tour wraps back at Tasty's by 3:00 PM.

Thursday evening steps up the sophistication significantly. The 4 Hands Chefs' Dinner at Villa Alegria in Cul de Sac brings together Guest Chef Oliver Poilevey and the Veya team for an intimate collaborative dinner running from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM. A 4-hands dinner — where two chefs share a single kitchen to create a single collaborative menu — is one of the most exciting formats in contemporary dining, and Villa Alegria's setting in Cul de Sac makes it a genuinely special evening.

Separately, the Premium "Rum Sniffer" Tasting at Zemi Beach House runs from 7:30 PM to 8:00 PM in the Rhum Room at Zemi Beach House, Shoal Bay East — a focused rum tasting for those who want to dive into the Eastern Caribbean's rum heritage in one of Anguilla's finest resort settings.

Friday, May 15: Wine Pairing at Jacala and Rum Tasting

Friday, May 15 opens with a second Premium "Rum Sniffer" Tasting at Zemi Beach House's Rhum Room from 4:30 PM to 5:00 PM — the earlier time slot for guests who want to explore the rum programme before moving into the evening.

The headline event of Friday night is the Wine-Pairing Dinner at Jacala — one of Anguilla's most celebrated restaurants, perched directly on Meads Bay beach. The dinner runs from 6:30 PM to 10:00 PM and pairs the kitchen's refined cuisine with selections from Grands Vins de France guided by a guest wine expert. Ticket pricing confirmed for this event is from $280 USD per person — a reflection of the calibre of the wines, the cuisine, and the incomparable setting of Jacala on Meads Bay at night.

"Meads Bay is widely considered Anguilla's most glamorous beach."

Meads Bay is widely considered Anguilla's most glamorous beach — the stretch where Malliouhana and several of the island's finest boutique hotels face the sea — and a dinner on its sands with Grands Vins de France is one of the finest things you can do in the Caribbean this year.

Saturday, May 16: Beach BBQ, Competitions, and Roman Cuisine

Saturday, May 16 packs two completely different worlds into one day, starting with the outdoor energy of the Beach BBQ and Bartending and Chef Mystery Basket Battles at Anguilla Great House on Rendezvous Beach from 12:00 PM to 5:30 PM.

The Chef Mystery Basket and Bartending Battle format is exactly what it sounds like — competitive culinary theatre where chefs and bartenders face off with surprise ingredients and strict time limits. This event has been a highlight of previous ACE editions, drawing crowds who come as much for the energy and entertainment as for the food. The Anguilla National Culinary Team competes here, and the beach setting at Rendezvous Bay — one of the island's longest stretches of calm white sand on the sheltered south coast — makes it a genuinely joyful afternoon.

Saturday evening shifts to the other end of the flavour spectrum with All Rum Leads to Rome, an immersion in Roman cuisine at Zemi Beach House, Shoal Bay East, running from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM. The combination of Caribbean rum culture and Italian culinary tradition sounds unlikely on paper and unforgettable in practice.

Sunday, May 17: Grand Finale

Sunday, May 17 closes the 5th Annual ACE, with the full event schedule confirming the five-day run through its final evening. The grand finale format continues the tradition of previous editions — the 2025 ACE closed with the NCBA and Cape Air Beach BBQ where local grill legends fired up island favourites while the Anguilla National Culinary Team competed in their final Battle of the week. The 2026 finale is expected to follow a similarly celebratory format, bringing the week full circle with community energy and island cooking.

The Chefs: Local Stars and International Guests

A Philosophy of Collaboration

ACE 2026 continues the festival's core approach of pairing visiting chefs with Anguilla's resident culinary talent in genuine collaborative formats. The 4-hands dinner model, shared kitchens, and joint menus mean this is not a parade of celebrity chefs cooking to spectators — it's a genuine exchange of techniques, ingredients, and culinary perspectives.

The 2026 guest chef lineup confirmed to date includes:

• Chef Oliver Poilevey — featured at both the Opening Night at Karaya and the 4-Hands Dinner at Villa Alegria

• Chef Timothy Dean — joining the Opening Night lineup at Karaya

• Chef Carrie Bogar — co-founder of Veya and Sandbar, host of Opening Night at the new Karaya restaurant she co-created at Shoal Bay West

• Guest Wine Expert (confirmed, name TBA) — leading the Wine-Pairing Dinner at Jacala with Grands Vins de France

• Anguilla National Culinary Team — competing in the Chef Mystery Basket and Bartending Battles on Saturday at Rendezvous Bay

The 2026 programme places a specific focus on local talent, with coverage describing this edition as "putting local talent center stage" — a deliberate choice to ensure the festival celebrates Anguillian culinary identity as much as it showcases visiting names.

The Venues: Anguilla's Most Beautiful Settings as the Stage

Restaurants, Beaches, and Resorts That Make Every Event Unforgettable

ACE is explicitly a "destination-wide" festival — events are spread across Anguilla's most celebrated locations rather than concentrated in a single venue. The 2026 programme uses this to full effect:

• Karaya, Shoal Bay West — opening night venue; the newest coastal restaurant from Veya and Sandbar creators

• Villa Alegria, Cul de Sac — 4-Hands Chefs' Dinner setting; intimate villa dining in the island's south

• Zemi Beach House, Shoal Bay East — Rum Sniffer tastings (Rhum Room) and Saturday evening Roman cuisine event

• Jacala Beach Restaurant, Meads Bay — Friday wine-pairing dinner; one of the Caribbean's most celebrated beachside restaurants

• Anguilla Great House, Rendezvous Beach — Saturday Beach BBQ and competition grounds

• Scilly Cay, Island Harbour — Moke Tour stop; the island's most iconic casual dining destination

• Tasty's POV — Moke Tour meeting and return point

This geographic spread means the festival is also an island tour. Guests move between Shoal Bay West on the northwest coast, Shoal Bay East on the northeast, Meads Bay on the north coast, Cul de Sac and Rendezvous Bay on the south coast, and Island Harbour in the east — experiencing Anguilla's full landscape and local culture alongside each culinary event.

Anguilla: More Than Just the Festival Backdrop

An Island That Takes Food as Seriously as Its Beaches

The Anguilla Culinary Experience doesn't happen in just any location. It happens on an island that has been building its culinary reputation for decades — long before a dedicated festival existed to celebrate it.

"Anguilla's food scene is exceptional by any Caribbean standard."

Anguilla's food scene is exceptional by any Caribbean standard. The island has a disproportionate concentration of genuinely high-quality restaurants for its size — 35 square miles of territory that includes Malliouhana, Cap Juluca, Zemi Beach House, Veya, Jacala, Sandy Ground's beach bars, and dozens of places that would headline the restaurant scene of a city ten times Anguilla's size.

The island's local culinary heritage runs deep too. Freshly caught lobster, red snapper, yellowtail, and conch pulled from the waters around Anguilla show up on fine dining menus and beach shack grills alike. The island's johnny cake tradition, the rum culture rooted in Eastern Caribbean heritage, and the Anguillian approach to outdoor cooking over charcoal and fire all feed directly into what ACE celebrates.

Travel Tips for ACE 2026

Getting There, Getting Around, and When to Book

Getting to Anguilla:

• Fly into Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) in St. Maarten — the main regional gateway

• Then take a 20-minute ferry from Marigot or Simpson Bay to Blowing Point, Anguilla, or a short regional flight into Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport (AXA)

• Regional connections also available from San Juan, Antigua, and other Eastern Caribbean hubs

Accommodation during ACE 2026:

• May 13-17 falls in Anguilla's shoulder season — rates are more accessible than peak winter months while the weather remains warm and largely dry

• Meads Bay area hotels (Malliouhana, Belmond Cap Juluca, Frangipani) put you in the heart of the festival geography — Jacala's Friday night dinner is a short walk from most Meads Bay properties

• Shoal Bay East properties are ideal for guests prioritizing the Zemi Beach House events

• Villa rentals (including Altamer) have been specifically promoted as ACE accommodation options — villa stays with access to a private kitchen also enable the island's fresh seafood market culture

Booking tickets:

• Tickets are confirmed on sale now at anguillaculinaryexperience.com

• Wine-Pairing Dinner at Jacala (Friday, May 15) is confirmed from $280 USD per person

• Book early — individual events have limited capacity and sell out ahead of the festival dates

Getting around during the festival:

• A rental car or Moke rental (Anguilla's iconic open-air beach vehicle) is the most practical option for the destination-wide festival spread

• The Thursday Moke Tour is organized by the festival itself — a guided version of the island circuit that's perfect for first-time visitors

Raise a Glass to the Next Generation

One of the most meaningful threads running through the Anguilla Culinary Experience is what happens after the plates are cleared and the glasses are emptied. Every edition of ACE raises funds for educational programs supporting young Anguillian culinary and hospitality professionals and the Anguilla National Culinary Team.

"When you attend an ACE event, you're not just buying a memorable dining experience. You're investing in Anguilla's culinary future."

The National Culinary Team competes in the Chef Mystery Basket and Bartending Battles on Saturday, May 16 at Rendezvous Beach — a public-facing showcase of exactly the talent that ACE's fundraising exists to develop. When you attend an ACE event, you're not just buying a memorable dining experience. You're investing in Anguilla's culinary future.

Get Ready to Taste Paradise

The 5th Annual Anguilla Culinary Experience runs May 13 to 17, 2026, and if you're within reach of the Eastern Caribbean this spring, this is the five days worth rearranging your calendar for. Five extraordinary evenings, five days of island exploration, a lineup of chefs who genuinely love this island's ingredients and story, and settings that will make every course feel like the best meal of your life.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Anguilla Culinary Experience 2026?
The 5th Annual Anguilla Culinary Experience (ACE 2026) runs from Wednesday, May 13 to Sunday, May 17, 2026. Events take place across five days at multiple venues across Anguilla, beginning with the Opening Night at Karaya on May 13 at 6:00 PM and closing with the grand finale on May 17.

Where does the Anguilla Culinary Experience take place?
ACE 2026 is a destination-wide festival spread across multiple venues on the island, including Karaya at Shoal Bay West, Zemi Beach House at Shoal Bay East, Jacala Beach Restaurant at Meads Bay, Villa Alegria in Cul de Sac, Anguilla Great House at Rendezvous Beach, and Scilly Cay at Island Harbour. Events move around the island throughout the week.

How much do tickets cost for the Anguilla Culinary Experience 2026?
Ticket pricing varies by event. The Wine-Pairing Dinner at Jacala on Friday, May 15 is confirmed from $280 USD per person. Other events have their own pricing. Tickets are on sale now at anguillaculinaryexperience.com — book early as events sell out ahead of the festival dates.

What chefs are appearing at ACE 2026?
Confirmed guest chefs for ACE 2026 include Chef Oliver Poilevey (Opening Night and 4-Hands Dinner), Chef Timothy Dean (Opening Night), and Chef Carrie Bogar of Veya and Sandbar (Opening Night at Karaya). The Anguilla National Culinary Team also competes at the Saturday Beach BBQ. A guest wine expert leads the Friday wine-pairing dinner.

How do I get to Anguilla for the Culinary Experience?
The main route in is through Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) in St. Maarten, then a 20-minute ferry from Marigot or Simpson Bay to Blowing Point, Anguilla, or a short regional flight to Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport (AXA). May falls in Anguilla's shoulder season, making it a good time to find competitive accommodation rates compared to peak winter months.

Verified Information at a Glance

• Event: 5th Annual Anguilla Culinary Experience (ACE 2026)

• Category: Food and Wine Festival / Culinary Event / Destination-Wide Cultural Festival

• Edition: 5th Annual

• Dates: Wednesday May 13 to Sunday May 17, 2026

• Location: Destination-wide — Anguilla, British West Indies

• Venues confirmed:

  • Karaya, Shoal Bay West (Opening Night, May 13)

  • Villa Alegria, Cul de Sac (4-Hands Dinner, May 14)

  • Zemi Beach House, Shoal Bay East (Rum Sniffer Tastings May 14 and 15; Roman Cuisine Dinner May 16)

  • Jacala Beach Restaurant, Meads Bay (Wine-Pairing Dinner, May 15)

  • Anguilla Great House, Rendezvous Beach (Beach BBQ and Battles, May 16)

  • Scilly Cay, Island Harbour (Moke Tour stop, May 14)

  • Tasty's POV (Moke Tour base, May 14)

• Confirmed events:

  • Opening Night at Karaya — May 13, 6:00–9:30 PM

  • Moke Tour and Rum Crawl — May 14, 10:45 AM–3:00 PM

  • 4-Hands Chefs' Dinner at Villa Alegria — May 14, 7:00–10:00 PM

  • Premium Rum Sniffer Tasting (Thursday) — May 14, 7:30–8:00 PM

  • Premium Rum Sniffer Tasting (Friday) — May 15, 4:30–5:00 PM

  • Wine-Pairing Dinner at Jacala with Grands Vins de France — May 15, 6:30–10:00 PM

  • Beach BBQ + Chef Mystery Basket and Bartending Battles — May 16, 12:00–5:30 PM

  • All Rum Leads to Rome at Zemi Beach House — May 16, 6:00–9:00 PM

  • Grand Finale — May 17

• Confirmed guest chefs: Oliver Poilevey, Timothy Dean, Carrie Bogar

• Ticket pricing: From $280 USD per person (Wine-Pairing Dinner at Jacala, May 15)

• Tickets: On sale now at anguillaculinaryexperience.com

• Organiser: Anguilla Culinary Experience / supported by Anguilla Tourist Board

• Facebook: facebook.com/anguillaculinaryexperience

• Charitable purpose: Funds raised support educational programs for young Anguillian culinary and hospitality professionals and the Anguilla National Culinary Team

• Gateway airport: Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM), St. Maarten — then ferry (20 min) or short flight to AXA