Family Style Fest Packs Up Their Heavy Hitters and Heads to Brooklyn
After cementing its place in Los Angeles as one of the most inventive food events in the country, Complex is bringing Family Style Food Festival to New York City for the first time. On Saturday, May 17, the festival lands at Industry City in Brooklyn with a lineup that blurs the line between culinary innovation, fashion, and music. What started as a West Coast food-meets-streetwear celebration has now evolved into a national platform for culture — and NYC is next.
Unlike most food festivals that stick to a predictable script, Family Style feels more like a creative block party than a tasting event. It brings together some of the most respected chefs, breakout culinary talent, streetwear designers, and DJs in one curated space. Returning as Official Host is Keith Lee — food critic, influencer, and cultural connector—who’s known for championing underrepresented restaurants and bringing real people into the conversation.
For its New York debut, the festival is showing up strong. Food offerings include local favorites like Scarr’s Pizza, Russ & Daughters, Regina’s Grocery, Win Son Bakery, and Ayat — each representing different slices of New York’s rich, immigrant-rooted food culture. These are places with loyal followings and deep cultural influence, and seeing them share the spotlight at a festival like this is a celebration of the city itself.
On the fashion front, expect collabs and drops from heavy-hitters like Awake NY, Vandy the Pink, Billionaire Boys Club, Verdy, and LAAMS. These aren’t just booths selling leftover stock — they’re thoughtful partnerships that reflect the DNA of the food and the people behind it. Limited-edition merch, graphic tees, and unexpected collabs are part of the draw, and if past years are any indication, things will sell out fast.
Music is just as much a part of the experience. NYC’s own Va$htie and ODALYS will be on deck, alongside Levar from DBA, Venus X, and Andre Power of Soulection. The lineup is stacked with DJs who understand how to move between genres and scenes — fitting for a festival that doesn’t fit neatly into one box.
Looking back, the September 2024 edition in Los Angeles helped set the tone for what’s coming. Held at the LA State Historic Park, the event pulled together over 30 acclaimed restaurants, including Kato and Kuya Lord, and drew in thousands for a day that felt like equal parts food fair, fashion drop, and cultural summit. The LA fest also introduced the Next in Line competition, a platform that gave rising chefs the opportunity to showcase their food and connect with a wider audience. It wasn’t just performative — it gave real access and real support to new talent. We expect something similar (if not bigger) in NYC.
Industry City makes perfect sense as the venue. It's already a creative space, home to artists, food businesses, and retail spaces that reflect Brooklyn’s spirit. The festival will likely lean into that vibe — something hyperlocal but globally aware, experimental yet grounded.
Family Style is a living snapshot of culture in motion. In a moment where food, fashion, and music are often siloed into separate spaces, this festival reminds us how interconnected they really are. It’s where the line between chef and designer, DJ and restaurateur, starts to blur — and that’s exactly the point of it all.
If you care about food but also care about what it means, get yourself a ticket to Family Style NYC because it’s truly a can’t-miss moment. Come hungry, leave inspired — and maybe with a tote full of merch and a new favorite DJ, too.
Photos — Complex
