The Best Things to Eat and Drink at Coachella 2025, From Cult-Favorite Tacos to Craft Cocktails

Spring has officially sprung, and for festivalgoers, that means one thing: Coachella season.

Now in its 24th go-round, the annual extravaganza continually brings the biggest names in music — along with hundreds of thousands of their frenzied fans — to the Southern California desert. But as much as it is synonymous with the day’s most venerated live acts, the dual-weekend-long jamboree has also blossomed into a world-class food and drinks festival, with Michelin-star chefs, 50 Best speakeasies, and celebrity tastemakers to show for it. 

Perhaps you’re already aware of the headliners taking to the stage this year, a billing that includes Lady Gaga, Charli xcx, Travis Scott, and Post Malone. Now we’re going to give you an exclusive first look at some of the superstars crowding the kitchens and bars at the thousand-acre site. More than 75 separate establishments will set up shop over the consecutive weekends of April 11th and April 18th. 

Here are the highlights your mouth won’t want to miss.

A global hit parade of Michelin-caliber meals

If there’s a style of cuisine you can think of, there’s someone there to serve it to you at Coachella this year. From the Tijuana-inspired signatures of Tacos 1986 to the Korean gastropub dishes from Inssa, you’ll find perfectly crisp Neapolitan pizzas from the maestros at Ronan, as well as overstuffed wraps of chicken curry and red pepper goat from Bridgetown Roti, crafted by Rashida Holmes, a James Beard Award semifinalist for Outstanding Chef in 2024 — variety is the spice of desert life.

General admission attendees can enjoy the broadest selection of flavors at the Indio Central Market, featuring 15 restaurants under a shaded tent toward the center of the fairgrounds. Highlights here will include popular street food favorites like fried chicken from Dave’s Hot Chicken, alongside innovative taco creations from Kogi, whose acclaimed founder, chef Roy Choi, is returning to Coachella for his 15th festival.  

“It started out as a fun challenge in our early days — could our truck make the drive? Could we feed that many people?” Choi tells Food and Wine. “Even today, we deal with all sorts of operational gymnastics. But just like gymnastics, all the hours and years of training and preparing lead to you sticking the landing.”

And VIPs at Coachella can land something with Michelin pedigree. Inside the exclusive 12 Peaks tent, the starred team from Camphor in Downtown L.A. is slinging its indulgent gouda and remoulade-topped burger alongside chicken nugget-and-caviar pairings, of course. “We’re also introducing specialty cocktails, including the Saint-Germain,” promises executive chef Max Boonthanakit. “It’s a blend of tequila, yellow chartreuse, pineapple gomme, lime, and lime sorbet.”

At a neighboring stall, outsized Banh Mis are assembled by the talented folks at My Lai, a sustainably-focused modern Vietnamese kitchen. You can wash it all down with caffeinated creations from Menotti’s Coffee Shop, beloved in Venice Beach and Tokyo. 

Though there’s an obvious emphasis on the culinary talent of Los Angeles — it is only 130 miles west, after all — there’s plenty to savor from further afield. All’antico Vinaio is a notable example, showcasing its legendary sandwiches born in the heart of Florence. 

“Being part of such an iconic event is a dream come true,” says Douglas Zamensky, who helps run operations for the famed Italian eatery. “Our biggest challenge has been perfecting our signature schiacciata bread in the desert heat, but thanks to the incredible support from everyone involved, we’ve got everything we need to make it just right.

Speakeasies, craft beer barns, and tiki bars

From a musical standpoint, Coachella has long taken pride in encouraging discovery and providing literal platforms for what’s new and next. This adventurous spirit is reflected in the beverage scene, with a collection of hidden speakeasies spread across the vast landscape. While wandering the festival grounds, be sure to look out for unassuming doors or tents tucked away among the crowds — they could be craft cocktail bars cleverly disguised in plain sight 

A particularly worthwhile one to watch out for is Mixteca, the new agave-centric concept coming to New York’s West Village later in the year. It’s helmed by the award-winning mixologists who run Please Don’t Tell, one of the city’s most iconic hidden watering holes. Golden Hour and TikiBar round out the trio of camouflaged drink venues, which Coachella organizers playfully refer to as “easter eggs.”

You certainly won’t have trouble finding the Craft Beer Barn, however. The large suds station enjoys a prime spot right in the middle of the site. Here, you’ll discover a shaded retreat, serving up dozens of Southern California’s most sought-after IPAs, sours, stouts, and lagers on draft. Under the same roof is another craft cocktail venue called The Cabin. It’s operated by Houston Hospitality, one of LA’s most reputable names in nightlife. Also noteworthy, with its bright red decor, is a booze-free bottle shop run by The New Bar. It’s filled with 100% alcohol-free options, including RTDs and nonalcoholic cocktails at the forefront of this booming trend. 

Wine, naturally…

Oenophiles aren’t overlooked at Coachella, either. This is the unofficial start of rosé season, after all. Plenty of refreshing skin contact juice will flow across the festival grounds this year, for sure. Holding down the fort for all things vinified is Clink Wine Bar, a natural wine club that has built a huge following across Los Angeles over the last three years with its focus on organic, biodynamic, and hard-harvested bottlings. Head over to its warm and inviting environment for an inventive take on grapes, fermented with minimal intervention and served with maximum passion. 

A lineup loaded with social media superstars 

Sure, there will be plenty of celebrity chefs in attendance. However, it’s not just the creators of the food who are celebrated here. Coachella 2025 will be busting out a parade of plates that are famous in their own right — or Instafamous, at least. 

It’s been six years since Bang Bang Noodles took the internet by storm with its spicy, hand-pulled Xi’an-style biang-biang. The demand for the photogenic street fare from the sidewalks of Highland Park has been astronomical ever since. After several returns, it has now become a true fixture across the festival grounds. 

“We are always so grateful for the opportunity to serve at Coachella,” says owner Nelson Lee, referring to the added spotlight the annual gathering has provided his signature dish. “We started as a street food concept, and now we are at one of the best festivals in the world. Every year, the team gets to create amazing memories together and have a family-like experience.”

Other Instagram darlings in attendance include Yeastie Boys Bagels, a viral sensation known for its delicious sandwiches, topped with plump, freshly-baked carbs. The giant smashburgers from Burger She Wrote — an enduring favorite among Hollywood A-listers — will feature prominently on site. And for dessert, Afters Ice Cream presents its rainbow assortment of colorful sweets. The violet-hued ube brownie bar is sure to be a standout. 

Meanwhile, Prince St. Pizza — renowned for its pepperoni-cupped square pies — is showcasing its talents in a uniquely innovative way. In addition to its own dedicated stand, the popular chain is collaborating with Postmates on something called Pizza Remix. Centrally located in the General Admission area, the activation will feature the brand’s signature slices reimagined with unexpected toppings from L.A. favorites like The Boiling Crab and Bridgetown Roti. Visitors will then have the opportunity to “remix themselves” through a multimedia photo experience 

A four-course feast with 200 seats

Now a festival staple in its 10th iteration, Outstanding In The Field is a pop-up dinner series of epic proportions. Every evening at 6pm, the VIP Rose Garden transforms into a serene retreat for a unique family-style meal set at an improbably long table, accommodating a total of 200 guests.

It features a different high-profile chef over the six nights of the festival. The first weekend is anchored by Silvia Barban of Briscola in New York, Diego Argoti of Estrano in Los Angeles, and Tara Monsod of ANIMAE in San Diego. Weekend two highlights LA-based talent: Eric Greenspan, Bryon Lazaroff-Puck, and Danielle and Alessandro Zecca will each take their turn under the toque. Tickets are available here for $350 per person.

Pair the fare with headliners Lady Gaga, Green Day, and Post Malone for dessert, and you’ll agree that Coachella is a feast for all the senses. That’s music to our ears. The complete list of restaurants and bars is now live here.