Next summer will be Lollapalooza’s 25th anniversary. For those not in-the-know, Lollapalooza is a three-day music festival that takes place in Chicago every summer on the last weekend of July.
The epic music festival usually sells out within the hour, due to the thousands of fans it attracts every year. While the music is unbeatable (shoutout to last year’s guests who included Sam Smith, Kid Cudi, Florence + the Machine, and Sir Paul McCartney), the food is easily the second best part of the weekend.
In order to celebrate the 25th anniversary, the festival is being extended to four whole days to include over 170 musical performances. This means that not only will there be an unreal lineup of musical guests, but there will also be some of the best food vendors.
Eat these foods to prepare for this summer and attempt to cure your Lolla FOMO, because luckily most Lollapalooza foods can be found year-round. It will ALMOST feel like you’re there.
1. Wow Bao
Portable, tasty, and mess-free. Could a person ask for anything more from festival food?
2. Rainbow Cone
Everyone knows that the best way to end the day at Lollapalooza is with a rainbow cone at your favorite headliner.
#SpoonTip: If you actually want the rainbow flavor at Lollapalooza (and not cookies and cream) get it early because they WILL run out. It’s that good.
3. Lou Malnati’s Deep-Dish Pizza
When in Chicago, eat as the Chicagoans do.
4. Cheesies
Is it really Lollapalooza if you don’t eat a Cheesies grilled cheese at least once?
5. Graham Elliot’s Popcorn
By far the greatest thing to happen to Lollapalooza. The quickest and tastiest snack to grab.
6. Robinson’s No. 1 Ribs
Because no one can survive on cheese alone. Well, you can, but this is also a Chicago classic.
7. Brunkow Cheese
Bringing a little bit of Wisconsin to Chicago, because even though we have the best festivals, Wisconsin is still the cheese capital.
8. Franks ‘n’ Dawgs
Franks ‘n’ Dawgs updated a Chicago favorite by adding some cheesy goodness. The mac and cheese dog is never a bad idea.
9. Chubby Weiners
Nothing makes a college student happier than seeing cheese on their fries. There really is nothing quite like the taste of cheese fries after running around all day.
10. Reggie’s Chicago
You could survive solely off the mac n’ cheese at Lollapalooza.
11. Owen + Alchemy Cold-Pressed Juice
For that brief moment at Lollapalooza when you think that maybe you are eating too much cheese and sugar.
Just a couple more months until ticket sales. We’ll be chowing down until then.