From lobster mac and cheese to spicy pie: The best eats we found at Bonnaroo
Bonnaroo, the four-day music and arts festival in Manchester, Tennessee, covers a lot of ground — more than 700 acres of Middle Tennessee farmland. It's also often pretty darn hot, held as it is in June. You can easily wear yourself out just trying to gather supplies. But you don't have to. Here, we've rounded up some of our favorite food and drink options on festival grounds, including the best coffee, breakfast, vegan food and more.
If you're a high-class hippie
The first thing I ate at Bonnaroo may have so far been the best thing. Wicked Maine Lobster, located near the Which Stage, has arguably the best option for carb-loading in Centeroo: incredibly cheesy, rich, delicious lobster mac and cheese. You can further gussie it up with bacon if you're so inclined.
Who's playing Bonnaroo 2023? See the full lineup and schedule
If you want a great slice of pie
Spicy Pie (various locations throughout the festival) is probably my favorite pizza of the fest, even though the really, really cool Rolling Oven pizza food truck (near the Who Stage) is also worth a visit. The Bianca Pie is your order there.
The spicy slice isn't cheap at $11, but it's worth it. With crushed red pepper, pepperoni and jalapenos, it should be on your list if you want some cheesy that can really bring the heat.
If you're looking for a solid breakfast
I love the Biscuits and Coffee truck out of Athens, Georgia, located near the Who Stage. It serves an abbreviated menu with two biscuit sandwiches, crispy hash brown patties a la McDonald's but infinitely better, and big, tall cups of strong iced coffee.
On the other side of the festival, near That Tent, you can find breakfast burritos and bowls for just $10, and you can add veggies or bacon for $4.
If you want a great cup of coffee
Just Brewed Coffee out of Albuquerque, New Mexico, has excellent drip coffee, cold brew and espresso drinks, and you can get regular, oat or almond milk. If you're also looking for a refreshing tall glass of lemonade, you can have that here too, with or without strawberry flavor.
If you're a vegan or vegetarian
The Roti Roll truck has a great vegan rice bowl with curried vegetables, salsa, pickled beets, candied onions and salsa verde. If you eat eggs, you absolutely must order this as a late breakfast with a fried egg on top. It's perfect. This truck is located near the Who Stage.
Over by the What Stage, vegans and vegetarians also have excellent options in Fly Rice and Bun'd Up. The former serves veggie and kimchi fried rice and veggie spring rolls, while the latter serves vegan and vegetarian steamed bao buns, rice bowls and dumplings.
If you want something on the lighter side
Ko'Ala Kreations has the best poke bowl we tried at the festival. I like the Ahi Del Diablo bowl, with tuna, jalapeno, red peppers and togarashi. It's actually spicy, unlike another poke bowl we tried that was far too sweet. They let me add a big scoop of wakame to create something fresh and nourishing, which I badly needed. You can also get refreshing hibiscus green tea, smoothies, lotus fruit punch and something called a "Spamiyaki" burger here, too.
If you just want a big ol' burger or dog
Definitely make your way over to the food trucks and find the 100% Grassfed truck. On the menu, you'll find grass-fed beef cheeseburgers, lettuce wraps and even all-beef dogs, to which you can add kraut or grass-fed cheese.
Happy 'Roo!
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Best Bonnaroo 2023 festival eats: Lobster mac and cheese, spicy pie
