Coachella 2023: The culinary lineup has quick bites and meals from Michelin-starred restaurants

Music and art are of course the driving forces behind the annual Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio.

Really, it’s in the name itself.

But in the past few years, Coachella has also become known for its culinary offerings, partnering with some of the hottest restaurants and a few of the most celebrated chefs who set up shop with pop-up eateries and offer exquisite eats for fans during both weekends of the festival. The event continues in the desert Friday, April 21-Sunday, April 23.

“I think food at Coachella has become almost as important as the music and the art at the festival,” said Lizzy Curnen, culinary director for Coachella. “Each year, we try to go in with the same mindset that’s around the (musical) lineup, where it’s kind of all about discovery. So we choose spots that have some good buzz around them that are on the verge of blowing up and, obviously, they have to pass our taste test.”

The Coachella culinary crew actually goes into all of the restaurants and sample the food before the eateries get a spot at the festival.

“Our goal is to have a higher-end offering,” she said. “The food program has evolved over the last eight years into something great. A few years, ago it was just chicken strips, fries and burgers and now we want to nourish people and give them a great experience.”

This year, there dozens of curated restaurants on-site, including two Michelin-starred restaurants.

One of those award-winning restaurants is the Los Angeles-based Camphor.

Located in the 12 Peaks VIP area at Coachella, the restaurant is serving a pre-fixe family-style dinner that includes dishes like ribeye steak with choron sauce and asparagus maltaise. Upscale dining at a festival comes at a cost and this option will set fans back $150 per person. Reservations need to be be made, too, via OpenTable.

Those not able to make reservations or shell out the extra dough can still get a taste of the Camphor experience at Le Burger by Camphor, a casual walk-up window serving the restaurant’s burgers.

The other Michelin-starred choice is Sushi By Scratch, which is offering a two-hour-long, 16-course dinner with a sake pairing. Reservations for this are $395 per person and reservations are required through the Coachella website.

“We’re transforming these temporary spaces into their kitchens, so we’re building literal kitchens for these Michelin-starred concepts,” Curnen added.

Also in the 12 Peaks VIP area is the Postmates ReTreat, an Instagram-worthy area where the company has partnered with West Hollywood restaurant The Nice Guy and Los Angeles barbecue joint, Slab, to feed the very hungry and very important people.