What to Eat and Drink at Coachella 2024

Here are all the best dishes at this year's festival — from a cone of churros con leche ice cream to double-smash wagyu burgers and beyond.

April is here, which means it's officially Coachella season. Now in its 23rd go-round, the annual Southern Californian celebration has blossomed into a global rite of spring — and a dominating presence on our Instagram feeds over two consecutive weekends.

While you might know it mainly as the ultimate musical festival, Coachella actually exists as one of the premier culinary confabs of the calendar year. The 2024 lineup underscores that conceit quite dramatically. It touts some marquee names from the bar and restaurant scene of Los Angeles, and beyond. We scored an exclusive look at the tastemakers destined for the desert — starting on April 12th — and we have to say it: we’re probably more excited by the chefs in the kitchen than the singers on the stage (no disrespect to No Doubt). Here’s a rundown of some of the highlights.

Fabulous food-and-beverage offerings have always been popping off at Indio Central Market, Coachella’s dedicated food hall, since 2018. This year the concept returns, showcasing 15 fan favorites under one large, shaded tent. Chef Kasem Saengsawang of Farmhouse Thai Kitchen will be serving up his sensational fried chicken-topped noodles. You can score loaded Korean BBQ fries from Roy Choi’s legendary Kogi taco truck to pair alongside a double smash wagyu burger from Burger She Wrote.

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The chefs, for their part, are every bit as amped to be here as the attendees. So, despite the logistical hurdles of operating a remote kitchen in the desert, many of them return year after year.

"Kogi has been at Coachella since probably 2010—I think this is our 12th consecutive one,” says Choi. “It started out as a fun challenge in our early days. Could our truck make the drive? Could we feed that many people? Would people crave our food in this environment? Nobody knew, and that was exciting. Plus, we'd get to see Radiohead! It is amazing to see what it has become food-wise. I'm excited to see all my colleagues busting their ass doing the impossible in makeshift kitchens, feeding thousands.”

These days, Coachella consistently caters to all cravings and delivers all courses. For dessert, take on a cone of churros con leche ice cream from McConnell’s. There’s also a dedicated coffee bar operated by Everbloom Coffee as well as fresh-pressed fruit drinks from the folks at #Juicebae.

And speaking of drinks, the Coachella landscape is dependably dotted with multiple speakeasies throughout. As you cruise the vast festival grounds, stumbling into any of them is like encountering an unexpected oasis. But the tentpole concept this year is one you won’t simply chance upon: Cocktails & Dreams is prominently positioned at the heart of all the action. It unites rival New York cocktail bars, PDT Tropicale and Attaboy, for an ‘80s-themed extravaganza. Think Miami Vice, but with Tiki.

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"We are very excited to put aside our long-running feud with PDT at this year's festival in order to join forces and produce a cocktail Megatron,” says Sam Ross, co-owner of Attaboy, which was crowned Best Bar in North America by World’s 50 Best back in 2022. “Worlds will collide, new alliances will be forged, cocktails will be enjoyed.”

As will beer. The rustically-themed Craft Beer Barn boasts a unique array of highly-hopped suds from notable breweries both big and small. But this year they are joined by beer-friendly fare, including sliders from Chris N Eddy’s, modern Filipino from Mano Po, and traditional Birria from The Goat Mafia, straight out of Compton. The barn also holds a quaint cabin for craft cocktails on tap, helmed by LA’s celebrated Houston Hospitality.

But as with most things Coachella, it’s all about the VIP access. Those that can stomach the $1100 upcharge (beyond the $500 general admission price) are afforded access to an exclusive culinary stable studded with standouts. Angelenos will immediately be drawn to the garlic-scented magic of Bang Bang Noodles, the outsized poke bowls from Sweetfin as well as the soulful seasonal Californian fare from Post & Beam.

From two separate food gardens on opposite ends of the festival grounds, guests can expect exclusive collaborations between food and music, like The Last Pizza — a hot honey-drizzled slice conceived by Prince Street Pizza and Canadian songstress Grimes. Postmates is debuting its Sauce Bar, with an array of commendable condiments, including a vegan ghost chili sriracha that the delivery app service developed with DJ/producer Benny Blanco.

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If you’re craving a proper sit-down dining experience while in Indio, Outstanding In The Field has got you covered. Throughout the duration of the festival, this makeshift restaurant will serve four-course meals, family style, at a dedicated long table in the VIP Rose Garden. You’ll even be greeted with an Aperol Spritz to kick off the $350, two-hour-long affair. Each evening, it’s helmed by a specific celebrity chef, six in total across the two weekends: Javier Plascencia, Jo Barrett, and Burt Bakman for week one; Ilan Hall, Gabe Kennedy, and Karla Subero Pittol for week two. Tickets can be purchased here.

Whether you’re pulling up a seat to a posh tasting menu or simply enjoying general admission smash burgers, Coachella promises to be tastier than ever in 2024. There’s simply too much talent involved for it to unfold any other way. And who knows, maybe there’ll be some music to enjoy, too.

The full list of culinary offerings and experiences is now live here. 

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