Photo courtesy of Vibe Organic Kitchen
The biggest Coachella news this week wasn’t Ye dropping out – that one we could have guessed months ago out – it’s the drop of the list of food vendors that’ll be setting up shop on the field for the next two weekends. For the past ten years or so food and drinks have become a bigger and bigger part of the Coachella experience and this year’s no exception: from hidden high-end sushi bars to some of LA’s best burgers to amazing cocktails, here’s the best stuff to eat and drink at this year’s Coachella festival – and have no fear, your tried-and-true favorites including Spicy Pie and Crab Fries, will still be scattered all over the field as well.
Hidden door in Indio Central Market
Probably the most exciting new food spot on the field this year is this small omakase pop-up from Scratch|Bar chef Phillip Franklin Lee, which is hidden in plain sight behind a door at the huge Indio Central Market compound and will be serving a 17 -course omakase menu to 12 lucky patrons at various seatings each day. The price is hefty: $375 on top of your fest ticket – but if you’re looking to next-level your weekend, this may be the best way to go.
The Rose Garden
The other wallet-busting add-on is the long-running Outstanding In The Field series, which seats dozens of concertgoers on beautiful table setups in the Rose Garden at 6pm each day with a rotating group of LA’s best chefs. Over the weekend, chefs from Slab, San Miguel De Allende’s The Restaurant, Camphor, Seattle’s Plum Bistro, and more will be doling out food, with each seating costing $275 on top of your ticket fee.
12Peaks VIP
Malibu’s Broad Street Oyster Co. is doing a full-on restaurant build-out with table service in the main VIP area, with reservations available on the link above and food including Shrimp Cocktail, Watermelon Crudo, a $145 Caviar Feast, and their famous Lobster Roll.
Terrace Food South
Nashville’s beloved hot chicken chain makes its first appearance on the polo field, serving up their signature slaw-topped sandwiches and fries as well as a Coachella-exclusive secret-menu add-on: bacon-laced pimento cheese, added by request.
The Beer Barn
The Houston Brothers’ hidden-in-plain-sight Cabin in the Beer Barn has been a honky-tonk themed mainstay at Coachella for a few years, serving up ice cold booze-addled snowcones and craft cocktails to beat the heat.
Indian Central Market
Hailing from Atlanta, this Black- and woman-owned business from entrepreneur Pinky Cole has announced expansion plans for NYC in the near future. But you can also enjoy them on the West Coast at Coachella this year. They’ve got two options: The One Night Stand, loaded with vegan bacon, vegan cheese, caramelized onions, and slut sauce, and the spicy jalapeno-topped Sloppy Toppy.
Terrace Food South
Watts’ legendary burger makers are serving up their huge-ass Whipper Burgers: Two angus patties loaded with pastrami, hot links, red onions, kosher pickles, and tomatoes on a brioche bun, as well as turkey burgers, chicken sandwiches, and southern- fried chicken and waffles.
rose-garden
This award-winning soul food-and-more restaurant is popping up on the field for the first weekend, with smoked BBQ salmon wraps, vegan crab cakes with spicy kale slaw and black eyed pea hummus, and braised oxtail sliders on their loaded menu.
dir=”ltr”>Hidden on the Field
This hidden-in-a-secret-location on-the-field outpost from New York’s highly acclaimed PDT (Please Don’t Tell) is serving up drinks including the vodka/sherry/apple/lemon “Green Light” and the gin/ guava/ginger beer/lemon/lime/tonic “Tropic Tonic.”
rose-garden
Rashida Holmes’ lauded Caribbean pop-up concept will be taking over the Post & Beam space during weekend two, offering concertgoers the chicken thigh, turmeric cabbage, and potato-stuffed Mom’s Chicken Roti and a curry shrimp roll, as well as a couple of vegetarian options.
12Peaks VIP
Speaking of vegetarian options, there are a ton on the field this year, including Newport’s Vibe Organic Kitchen, who’ve got veggie-and-gluten free options including the jackfruit carnitas-topped fiesta bowl and a California cobb with coconut bacon.
12 Peaks VIP/Rose Garden
If you’re looking for a mid-afternoon treat to help you cool off but want to avoid lactose because, ew, port-o-potties, Craig’s Vegan may be your answer: the frozen-dessert offshoot of Craig’s in WeHo (beloved by TikTokers like Tinx) has a bunch of plant-based ice creams, including Killa Vanilla and Melrose Mint Chip.
Outdoor Theater
Highland Park’s Block party is hitting the field with a slew of cleverly named cocktails: A Schwizzle For Shizzle has Malibu, green chartreuse, pineapple, lime, and house-smoked falernum while Ghostride the Dole Whip recreates the Disney classic with banana chip-infused Absolute , pineapple, orange juice, and coconut cream.
Craft Beer Barn
Smorgasburg’s favorite garlic-laden crustacean will be coming to Coachella in two forms: their Hawaiian-style shrimp plus mac salad, rice, and pineapple either on a plate or served in a pineapple boat.
Indian Central Market
The Hong Kong-style fried chicken sandwich mini-chain will be selling sandwiches in Indio Central market, with their pineapple buns stuffed with fried organic chicken breasts topped with spicy garlic aioli (and an option to increase the spice quotient with chili sauce & hot garlic oil as well.
rose-garden
Though the exact offerings at Coachella are still TBC, this womxn-owned wine bar & bottle shop in Palm Springs is known for organic and small production wines, so expect some rare sips on the field.
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Caffeination is as important as hydration to make it all the way through the late-night sets, and Dayglow has you covered: the small-batch shop/subscription service is serving up their signature snapchilled cold coffee from Nensnebo in Ethiopia as well as some killer caffeine concoctions including the Blueglow – an eggnog coquito made with clear coffee, butterfly pea flower, vanilla, and spices, and the Greyglow: a black sesame latte with activated charcoal.
12Peaks VIP
West Hollywood’s long-running stand Irv’s heartbreakingly closed in 2018 but has been resurrected for Coachella with a simple menu: their classic burger, a birthday cake cookie, and chips. That said, you’ll get a totally worth-it keepsake if they serve the way they used to at the restaurant: on a simple paper plate with a hand-written message and drawing for each customer.
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