Mendocino Merlot Crush Falls to Six-Year Low
Mendocino County growers crushed 1,819 tons of merlot in the 2025 harvest, the smallest crush in at least six years.
California Food and Drink News
In California, food and drink news means culinary trends, restaurant industry developments, food safety and beverage culture. This page follows the industry from state reports to changing habits in the kitchen.
Dining Out
Live Poll
Do you support restaurants restricting delivery to preserve their in-person customer service experience?
Unofficial Drivers Have Offered In-N-Out Delivery
Individuals have used Facebook Marketplace to charge customers high fees for unauthorized In-N-Out Burger deliveries.
Healthy Food
Live Poll
Do you support permanent government funding for school nutrition programs to address food insecurity?
California Funds Farm to School Program
Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation in July 2026 to permanently support school nutrition access.
Wine
Michelin to Unveil Napa Valley Grapes Selection
The restaurant and tire company will reveal its first Napa Valley wine estate ratings on April 23, 2027.
Organic Food
Poisonous Mushroom Outbreak Kills Four in California
California health officials report four deaths linked to a statewide outbreak of poisonous mushroom cases that began last fall.
Beer
Live Poll
Would a celebrity chef's endorsement make you more likely to try a new beer?
Fathers Raises $2 Million, Adds Robert Irvine
The California organic clean lager brand expanded to eight distributor partners covering 51 counties after its funding round.
More in Food and Drink
California reporting spans the restaurant industry, food safety protocols, evolving culinary trends and the beverage market. It reaches from the capital to the rural counties where much of the agricultural production occurs. Seasonal harvest cycles often dictate which food trends gain traction across the state. Regulatory shifts and changing consumer preferences are the two factors that most often drive stories in this sector.