While stages at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival will host performances by prominent acts, festivalgoers can also sample Michelin-star dishes, local favorites, secret speakeasies and a variety of other foods and beverages.

Throughout the event at Indio’s Empire Polo Club on April 11-13 and 18-20, fans from around the world may need a break from the action to recharge and refuel. Luckily, there will be plenty of food halls, culinary activations and shaded bars for them to retreat to.

Adrian Garcia, culinary director and food and beverage at Goldenvoice Festivals, said in a Zoom interview that there is room for the festival, now in its 24th year, to offer a deeper, more entertaining dining experience.

“With our speakeasies, it’s about taking people out of Coachella so they forget, for a second, that they’re even on-site at a festival, until they realize they should probably get out and go see a band onstage,” he said.

As for the food, Garcia said, the search for new vendors is a constant process that involves staying attuned to what’s trending online and in the foodie scenes of Los Angeles and other parts of Southern California. Some of the trends making their way to this year’s festival include birria and hot chicken, placed alongside the usual suspects of burgers and pizza.

Most of the food and drink offerings are scattered in areas accessible to general admission ticketholders, but others will remain exclusive to VIP access. This is so some restaurants can serve items speedily so customers spend less time in line and more time enjoying the vibes. Garcia said it’s also about giving VIP guests a unique ambiance.

“Some of our partners want to be in the VIP area and want people to come find them in the VIP Rose Garden, where they can sit at Casa Nori and enjoy some hand rolls in a more mellow experience,” he said. “There are definitely some higher price points there too, and sometimes it also has to do with the speed of service. For example, Bang Bang noodles are fantastic, and they kill it. However, they have to hand-pull noodles, so it’s a slightly slower process and serving time. Keeping them in a more controlled environment allows them to keep up with the crowd.”

Whether it’s in general admission areas or VIP, an eclectic lineup of food has become a foundation of the festival, giving visitors a chance to try some favorites from Los Angeles, the Coachella Valley and more.

Here’s a taste of this year menu.

Beer Barn, Camping & Coachella Courtyard

This spot is back with fan favorites that pair with crisp ales, IPAs and other craft beers. Options next to the barn include The Goat Mafia, a pop-up concept from Compton serving L.A.-style birria; Nashville-inspired Ritchie’s Hot Chicken; and Angeleno’s wood-fired pizza, offering selections like the classic Margherita and a fully vegan pie. If craft beer isn’t your preference, consider the specialty cocktail bar next door at The Cabin.

Campers will also have options during their weekend in the desert. The camping grounds will feature a Dave’s Hot Chicken’s 24-foot truck, Word of Mouth’s plant-based comfort food, Spicy Pie’s festival favorite slices, Yeastie Boys’ bodega-style plump and chewy bagels, and Five03 Pupusas’ Salvadoran dishes.

Coachella Courtyard offerings include Fat Sal’s extra-wide French baguette sandwiches; Sunny Blue’s tuna mayo with yuzu and miso mushroom omusubi; Nash and Popper’s crisp, deep-fried boneless chicken thigh “sammich”; and, of course, L.A.’s Oh My Burger.

General admission bites

General admission attendees can visit Pizza Remix, a pop-up collaboration between Postmates and New York City’s Prince Street Pizza. The collaboration will include slices that remix Los Angeles restaurants, such as The Boiling Crab’s slice, made with its signature Whole Sha-bang Sauce and topped with mozzarella, shrimp and smoked sausage. Another option is Bridgetown Roti’s honey jerk chicken slice, made with mango masala, green seasoning and smoked mozzarella.

The Indio Central Market

This large tented hall, filled with a plethora of flavors and offering views of the Outdoor Stage, returns with 15 concepts. Highlights include Chef Roy Choi’s Kogi taco truck, which remixes Korean flavors with street food. Kogi will also showcase its new concept, Tacos Por Vida.

Other offerings at the market include sandwiches from the iconic All’Antico Vinaio, originally out of Florence, Italy, known for packing fresh veggies and meats between slices of schiacciata (Tuscan flatbread); Farmhouse Thai Kitchen’s colorful comfort food featuring blue jasmine rice, yellow curry and fried chicken; a Philadelphia-style smooth and fruity sorbet from Happy Ice; and elevated takes on bites and beverages inspired by Japan’s convenience stores Sandoitchi.

Sonora Food

If you’re planning to catch music at or near the Sonora Tent, you’ll likely want to stay nearby when you’re ready to grab a bite. There are plenty of options available.

All Dat Noodle specializes in hand-sliced Asian-style selections tossed in a housemade sauce and topped with your choice of ingredients. Island Noodles is another option, serving up wok-fired yakisoba, stir-fried with veggies and signature sauce.

Other highlights include Birreria Michi, which serves birria tacos, quesabirrias, birria fries, ramen and even a birria mac burrito; chef Gerard Nebesky’s paella; and Sandfish’s traditional Japanese sushi.

Speakeasies

One of the best parts of picking your own adventure at Coachella is the scavenger hunt to find the hidden speakeasies. It’s a great way to escape the sun, relax in air conditioning and enjoy a fun cocktail in a themed bar.

This year, the team behind New York City’s PDT (Please Don’t Tell) will debut its concept Mixteca, soon to open in the Big Apple’s West Village, offering an agave oasis hidden in plain sight. Two other concepts include Golden Hour and a Tiki bar.

For those looking for a booze-free experience, the festival will also host The New Bar, an outpost of an L.A. bottle shop stocked with alcohol-free spirits, wine, beer and festival-inspired mocktails.

Terrace North

Customers can dig into L.A.-based chef Eric Greenspan’s elevated version of a grilled cheese from New School Quality Grilled Cheese. He will also host two other food concepts alongside each other.

Other bites include a plate of pulled pork sliders on King’s Hawaiian rolls from Slider Kings; carnitas-loaded fries with New School cheese sauce, mango mayo and green onions from Chipapas; and classic Chinese dishes such as crisp orange chicken, slurp-worthy chow mein and packed egg rolls from Fat Dragon.

Terrace South

Vegan festival fans can pick up items from Monty’s Good Burger spin-off concepts, like a hot dog at Monty’s Dog House, frozen desserts at Monty’s Treats, or matcha lattes at Good Boy Matcha.

Other offerings include the steamed delights from Lovebite Dumplings, and messy Louisiana-inspired Cajun seafood boils at The Boiling Crab. Also featured are wagyu smashburgers from Burger She Wrote and sandwiches from TKB, a family-owned and operated establishment in the Coachella Valley since 1994.

VIP Rose Garden

One of the festival’s most elevated dining options is artist Jim Denevan’s Outstanding in the Field. The off-grid culinary experience has traveled to 25 countries and is returning to the festival for its 10th anniversary, featuring dishes crafted from the Coachella Valley’s local farms. For $350, guests can have a four-course, family-style dinner prepared by chefs from across the country.

Other exclusives include Korean flavors from Inssa; crisp smashburgers from Love Hour; and the Clink Wine Bar, an L.A.-based seller of organic, biodynamic and hand-harvested vino.

12 Peaks VIP

Festivalgoers can try “Le Burger,” by Camphor, whose Michelin-recognized team will offer a “high-low” pairing of chicken nuggets and caviar. Also available are savory poke bowls from Sweetfin; Tijuana-style tacos by Tacos 1986; Neapolitan pizzas from Ronan; Szechuan garlic noodles from Bang Bang Noodles; banh mi sandwiches by modern Vietnamese kitchen My Lai; and espresso from Menotti’s.