Every year, Los Angeles empties for two consecutive weekends when more than 100,000 festival-goers head to the low desert to attend the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
While last year's lineup was an unapologetic celebration of Latin music featuring Bad Bunny, Kali Uchis, Rosalía and more, this year's festival, which will take place at the Empire Polo Club in Indio from the 12th to the 14th and April 19-21, puts an emphasis on local Los Angeles music. talent, including headliners Tyler the Creator and Doja Cat, and legacy bands Sublime and No Doubt.
The newly announced food and beverage program takes the same inspiration, with several Los Angeles concepts appearing at the festival for the first time. Chef David Kuo opened his globally-inspired Fatty Mart in Sawtelle in May and will bring his neighborhood market to the festival with grab-and-go items and made-to-order dishes like orange chicken and a Philadelphia cheesesteak with Taiwanese flavors . and dan dan chili fries.
Other newcomers to the festival include Pies and Lows from chef and Food Network personality Aaron May, with pizzas inspired by this year's music lineup; DogHaus, with hot dogs, fried chicken, burgers and plant-based options, all wrapped in grilled King's Hawaiian buns; and the beloved Indio Deli TKB, with stacked sandwiches served with house bread.
At Craft Beer Barn, refreshing local beers favorites will be paired with more Los Angeles concepts making their first appearance at the festival this year. Chris N Eddy's is a slider venue in Hollywood, while Mano Po will appear with Modern Filipino Snacks. Originally from Compton, Goat Mafia will serve their traditional birria with a Los Angeles twist.
Returning to the Craft Beer Barn is the Cabin from Houston Hospitality, offering a transportive mountain atmosphere with craft cocktails on tap.
Over the years, Coachella's ticketed dining events have attracted almost as much attention as the musical acts.
Outstanding in the Field returns with its multi-course family dinner that begins at sunset in the VIP Rose Garden, with different chefs taking over the menu each night with seasonal produce sourced from local family farms such as Weiser, Aziz and County. Line harvest.
Outstanding in the Field offers a multi-course dining experience in Coachella's VIP Rose Garden, with rotating chefs. Dinner begins at sunset with a cocktail.
(Foodsteez)
On the first weekend, Tijuana chef Javier Plascencia will bring the flavors of his Baja California restaurants to the Outstanding in the Field community table, including Pesca Zarandeado, whole fish slow-roasted over a wood fire, Friday April 12. Australian chefs Jo Barrett and Josh Niland will team up for dinner on Saturday, April 13; and Los Angeles pitmaster Burt Bakman will close out the festival's first weekend with Texas-style smoked meats on Sunday, April 14.
Standouts on the Field's Weekend 2 lineup include “Top Chef” winner Ilan Hall of Ramen Hood at Grand Central Market on Friday, April 19; Chef Gabe Kennedy of Highland Park's Checker Hall will take over the menu on Saturday, April 20; and Karla Subero Pittol, who will close the festival on Sunday, April 21 with the open-fire cooking that turned her Chainsaw pop-up into a citywide hit. Tickets to Outstanding in the Field include all-day access to the VIP Rose Garden on the day of the dinner and a complimentary Aperol Spritz to start the night.
For a taste of Italy in the desert, make a reservation at Aperol Terrazza, located in the 12 Peaks VIP area. The golden hour experience runs daily from 4 to 7 pm and is designed by Samuele Silvestri, executive chef at Terrazza Aperol in Venice.
VIP ticket holders can also take advantage of in-the-moment deals from vendors in the 12 Peaks VIP area, including Prince Street Pizza, which celebrates the release of Grimes and artist Anyma's new song with “The Last Pizza,” with your pepperoni. -Loaded pizza with diavolo sauce drizzled with hot honey. Sweetfin will be available with California-inspired poke bowls and burritos; Tacos 1986 will be Tijuana-style folding tacos; Melrose's Ronan's restaurant will make blistered Neapolitan pies; and Bang Bang Noodles will hand stretch Szechuan garlic noodles. Enjoy the caffeine rush courtesy of Abel “The Weekend” Tesfaye, who partnered with Blue Bottle on Samra Origins, a line of products celebrating Ethiopian coffee culture.
Also in the 12 Peaks VIP area, things could get more complicated with Postmates' Sauce Bar, which invites guests to load up on fries or tater tots from Irv's Burgers with sauces from Los Angeles restaurants including Bludso's BBQ, Monty's Good Burger and Prime Pizza, as well as a limited-edition vegan ghost chili sriracha sauce made in collaboration with producer Benny Blanco.
For festival-goers skipping the alcohol, Coachella has teamed up again with New Bar, a non-alcoholic bottle shop with locations in Venice and West Hollywood. Brianda González's Non-Alcoholic Beverage Store will help festival-goers quench their thirst with a curated selection of non-alcoholic spirits, wine, beer and ready-to-drink beverages, as well as specialty NA cocktails made exclusively for the festival. Find them in the 12 Peaks VIP area and next to the Outdoor Theatre.
The New Bar returns to Coachella with a full mocktail bar setup, including NA spirits, beers, wine and ready-to-drink beverages, plus Coachella-exclusive mocktails.
(J. Douglass)
Between acts, one of the best ways to hide from the stifling desert sun is to dig out one of Coachella's secret speakeasies. This year, you'll find them all at Cocktail & Dreams, a hidden-in-plain-sight 21+ destination that includes PDT Tropical, an offshoot of New York City's PDT (Please Don't Tell). ) and Sonny's, by Attaboy, with a Miami Vice theme.
For quick and easy-to-find options: Indio Central Market is back with 15 restaurants under a huge tent with plenty of seating. Take a tour of the food hall with Korean barbecue fries from chef Roy Choi's Kogi taco truck, a cup of Volcano noodles topped with fried chicken from chef Kasem Saengsawang's Farmhouse Thai Kitchen, a burger from Burger She Wrote or go green with cold pressed food. juice from the #Juicebae bar.
Many Los Angeles restaurants, including Kogi BBQ, have appeared for several years in a row.
“Sure, it's long hours, it's hot, finding places to stay is a hassle, traffic, staying hydrated, having the right staff and making sure our team is rested and well taken care of. All kinds of operational gymnastics,” Choi said. “But just like in gymnastics, all the hours and years of training and preparation lead to you sticking the landing and, hopefully, you're smiling and excited as the desert wind blows in your face on that last set on a Sunday morning. night and it's all worth it. .”
Tickets for weekend 1 of Coachella are sold out, although there is a waiting list. There are still tickets left for weekend 2.
