Music festivals are the best three days of your life if you do it right. In addition to eight hours of captivating live music each day, music festivals have become foodie havens with each one offering their own signature dishes and drinks. For example, Snowglobe is known for its’ spiked hot chocolate. This article serves as your guide for which music festivals have the best food options if you’ve looking to optimize your festival experience.
1. Outside Lands
This festival is my favorite of them all, not only because it’s in my home territory, but because of the wide array of food options that will leave you wishing that Outside Lands came around more than just once a year. No matter what your favorite food is, Outside Lands has your covered. The festival is organized into multiple “lands” such as “Wine Land”, “Bacon Land,” and my personal favorite – “Chocolate Land.” Located in Golden Gate Park, this festival features some of the best restaurants in the Bay Area as well as standalone options offering the latest food trends. From Donut Cheeseburgers to Nepalese Dumplings, your tastebuds won’t be disappointed.
2. BottleRock
Home to some of the top-notch food in the country, Napa Valley provides pretty much the best setting that any foodie and festival goer could dream of. The festival is highlighted by some of Napa’s most popular restaurants including sushi from Morimoto, Italian cuisine from Bistro Don Giovanni, modern American from Mustard’s grill and more! For dessert, there’s Kara’s Cupcakes, popsicles from The Pop Nation and treats from Sweetie Pie’s bakery. In addition to the food, as you might imagine, the wine selection is superb. No matter what your wine preference is whether it’s delightful sauvignon blanc, a buttery chardonnay or a dazzling pinot noir, BottleRock has it all.
3. Coachella
To accompany the star-studded lineup, Coachella’s menu is equally dazzling. Located in Indian Wells, Coachella features some LA staples such as KazuNori in addition to creative items such as ice-cream stuffed donuts and short-rib mac-n-cheese grilled cheese. So be sure to take a break from the stage to check out some of these treats. To cool off from Indio’s scorching heat, there’s ice pops and ice cream galore. If Beyoncé headlining isn’t reason enough to attend this trendy music festival, the food is as trendy as the outfits that you’ll see on Instagram.
4. Stagecoach
My favorite menu items from Stagecoach, California’s three-day country music festival, are the tacos and the pizza, providing the ultimate comfort food. There is also a Pinkberry stand which was the perfect treat to save you from the 90 degree desert heat. So put on those cowboy boots and check out all of the tasty treats that Stagecoach has to offer!
5. SnowGlobe
As I mentioned, the spiked hot chocolate is a must-try and the only way that you will be able to survive the sub-freezing temperatures that turn this festival into what feels like a literal Snowglobe. This icy festival also features comfort food such as hot and cheesy pizza slices and pad thai so don't forget to take a break from the dance floor and refuel between sets.