Vinòforum 2026 nears its grand finale, with weekend events and the grand finale of the City of Pizza 2026.

Vinòforum is preparing for its final, intense evenings showcasing Italy's finest delicacies. After the success of the first few days, which saw all events sold out, the meetings with top chefs, master pizza makers, and local restaurateurs continue in Piazza di Siena until Sunday, September 13th. The caliber of the event is confirmed by the presence of the Mayor of Rome and the Metropolitan City, Roberto Gualtieri . Among the most anticipated moments of the upcoming evenings will be the final of La Città della Pizza , the national contest open to all talented pizza makers. After two selection stages in Rome and Milan, the seven finalists will be brought together on the Vinòforum stage.

“We are moving towards the final evenings of this edition which has already demonstrated its ability to amaze and win over the public from the very beginning - underlines Emiliano De Venuti, organizer and CEO of Vinòforum, said: " This weekend will be another opportunity to meet industry leaders. In this sense, we are particularly proud to once again host the final of La Città della Pizza, which will bring seven young talents of the art of baking to the center of Villa Borghese. This event showcases the talent of the new generations of pizza makers and further enriches the program developed thanks to the synergy with the institutions of Rome Capital, ARSIAL, the Lazio Region, ARSAC, the Calabria Region, MASAF, the Marche Region, the Abruzzo Region, and Unaprol, as well as consortiums such as the Strada del Barolo e dei grandi Vini di Langa and the Consorzio della DOC Friuli Venezia Giulia."

Meet the finalists of La Città della Pizza

The City of Pizza contest will take place on Sunday, September 13th. This year, the contest took place in Italy's two major hubs, first Rome and then Milan, attracting over 60 pizza makers, a testament to the format's ability to attract both new and established professionals from across the country. Taking the stage in Piazza di Siena will be Maria Falcone of Pizzeria Maxim (Padua), Andrea Gambardella of Carlo Fiamma Pizza e Cantina (Amalfi), Francesco Pio Comune of Da Cesira Pizza e Cucina Sannita (San Salvatore Telesino), who shared the Rome stage with Emanuele Rossi of Der Keller (Spigno Saturnia), along with the best pizza chefs from the Milan stage, Pietro Cirillo and Gaetano De Rosa of CapVin (Bielefeld , Germany), and Vittorio Caradonio of Spunzillo & Lucariello (Turin). Each pizza chef will present their signature dish, which will be judged by industry critics, primarily jury presidents Luciana Squadrilli and Luciano Pignataro, pizza and extra virgin olive oil experts, master pizza chefs from the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, and digital professionals and pizza lovers. This cross-disciplinary panel will evaluate not only the talent, but also the taste and creativity displayed by each pizza chef. The winner, who will receive a €4,000 prize, including products and services offered by partner companies, will be selected through a comprehensive evaluation that will reward the quality of the pizza presented, but also the pizza chef's personality, capable of crafting a recognizable culinary narrative based on the balance between dough and choice of toppings.

The finalists will, as always, have access to Molino Caputo products, Sorì fior di latte and Cirio Alta Cucina tomatoes.

Appointments for Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Last evenings for The Night Dinners by La Molisana With Danilo Mancini Anavà (Rome) , Gian Marco Bianchi of Al Madrigale (Tivoli), Stefano Bartolucci of Rossodivino (Rome), and Giordano Gianforchetti of Yezi Restaurant (Rome). All dishes will be paired with fine wines selected by Vinòforum. On Friday, September 11th, chef Gian Marco Bianchi will pair Rosé de Provence, whose intriguing winemaking interpretation is entrusted to three iconic Maisons: Château D'Esclans, Minuty, and Château Galoupet. These wines capture the distinctive characteristics of a unique terroir in the glass, where the marine influence, rich soil, and windy climate imbue the wines with distinctive character and identity.

The Signature Pizzas signed with Molino Caputo will see the presence of Pino Celio of the Pizzeria Lucignolo BellaPizza (Naples) on Thursday 10th, Gioacchino D'Urso of Pizza a Vico (Vico Equense) on Friday the 11th and Antonio Tafuri from L'Antica Pizzeria Da Michele (Rome) on Saturday the 12th, all accompanied by German Erdinger beer distributed by Pratesi. The dinner spaces are made unique by the table settings by Paşabahçe and Pratesi Hotel Division, in addition to the state-of-the-art technology. by Tecnhoreca , Unox, Valoriani, Informasistemi, and D'Agostini Lab . This year also marks the beginning of a fruitful partnership between Vinòforum and Smeg Professional, which will support the event with its Pura line of professional dishwashers and glasswashers, which represent not only innovative dishwashing technology but, above all, Italian design excellence at the service of quality and sustainability.

The final Wine Top Tastings hosted by the Lazio Sommelier Association will also take place: Thursday the 10th at 9:30 pm will begin with a talk on the world of Sake , Friday the 11th at 8:30 pm with a talk on Champagne , which will then give way to a masterclass on South African wines , including the most significant expressions of Chenin Blanc and Pinotage, and Saturday the 12th with the Consorzio Tutela Vini Colli Tortonesi . The grand finale will be on Sunday the 13th, among the hills of Valdobbiadene with the labels of Col Vetoraz , followed by an in-depth look at Riesling among the great terroirs of Alsace and Moselle. All tastings are curated by Paşabahçe , a global leader in table glassware.

The Vinòforum Theatre will also host the tasting sessions " Just Saying 'It's Good' Isn't Enough: Discovering Parmigiano Reggiano!" On Thursday, September 10th and Saturday, September 12th, 20 lucky people will be able to taste Parmigiano Reggiano at various ages and discover how three simple natural ingredients—milk, salt, and rennet—can transform into an icon of global excellence.

The free masterclasses on Lazio wines, promoted by the Lazio Region and Arsial , also continue. On Thursday 10th , Lazio's great white wines will challenge world-class excellence: the Cervaro della Sala di Castello della Sala, while on Friday 11th, Lazio's great red wines will challenge world-class excellence: the Bolgheri Sassicaia di Tenuta San Guido.

Roma Capitale – Zètema will discuss " Pecorino Romano DOP del Lazio: from the tasting table to Cacio e Pepe " (Thursday the 10th), the art of cheese (Friday the 11th), and how Rome meets the countryside. A journey through the wines, flavors, and stories of Lazio agriculture (Sunday the 13th). Also coming soon are the tasting calendars created by Unaprol Evooschool, the Spanish Tourist Board, the Italian Sommelier Foundation , and the Club degli Amici del Toscano.

The Drops of Excellence events by Sorgenti Italiane Regionali also concluded in grand style, featuring four-handed chef and bartender dinners that bring to life an experience celebrating the Excellence of the Essential: select ingredients, authentic gestures, and the value of relationships.

At the Temporary Restaurants instead on Thursday evening   it will be the turn of Garden Ristò with chef Franklin Garcia, Gusta Ristorante and chef Edoardo Conti and Cantina Simonetti while Terracotta Osteria with grilled meat by Davide Ribatti, Sando by Koji Nakai and Tacito by Chef Emanuele Mastroianni will be the protagonists of the evening of Friday 11th. Saturday will be space for Da Francesco with Gianluca Marrella, Scambio Cucina Condivisa by Fabrizio Cervellieri and Longitude 12 Bistrot & Jardin by Giuseppe Gaglione, finally on Sunday there will be Matteo Taccini and Luigi Senese of Uma Roma , Jacopo Toni of Mafè Osteria Moderna and Hostaria 100Celle.

The Digital Garden, designed by Fastweb Vodafone, is also coming to an end. It will once again host interviews and in-depth discussions with key players from Vinòforum 2026. All content will be available on Vinòforum's social media platforms. The Digital Garden was created in collaboration with Pergo-X for the structures , Cappiello Design for the furnishings, and D'Agostini Lab for the advanced audio and video systems.

Dinners continue each day at the Origini restaurant, featuring a strictly Made in Lazio menu created in collaboration with ARSIAL – the Regional Agency for the Development and Innovation of Agriculture in Lazio – which supports and promotes Lazio agriculture and has granted its patronage to the initiative. These are the last days to also try Anima by Edition, the à la carte restaurant paired with the great Champagnes of Krug, Dom Pérignon, Ruinart, Veuve Clicquot, and Moët & Chandon. To round off the evening in style, there will be a space dedicated to sweet wines selected from the wine shops Enzoteca, Punto Enoteca, Enoteca Seidivino, and Doppiaenne, paired with creations by four pastry chefs from La Cannoleria Siciliana, Gelateria Cremilla, BAP, and Gima Caffè, for a finale to the evening dedicated to one of the most interesting souls in winemaking.