Technically Outside Lands is a music and arts festival. But with bigger, better restaurant offerings every summer, it’s turned into a world-class food festival, too.
Outside Lands (Aug. 11-13) just announced this year’s food lineup, and it’s going to be a doozy—a global feast that will hail from 96 participating eateries (including some of the biggest names in the San Francisco game).
“After 15 years we are as obsessed as ever with exposing people to bites they may not have otherwise sought out,” says Tanya Kollar, Outside Lands food curator. “We are equally proud to celebrate nationally renowned restaurants as we are to showcase experimental new pop-ups."
From critically acclaimed newcomers to uncommon cuisines, here’s what we’re most excited to taste at this summer’s Outside Lands Music Festival.
Women- and Minority-led Restaurants at Outside Lands 2023
Chicano pop-up My Friend Fernando.
(Courtesy of @my.friend.fernando)
Of the restaurateurs and chefs represented at the 2023 festival, 90% will be women and minorities. La Cocina, the food business incubator for immigrants and women of color, will represent with their La Cocina Taco Tour, where each plate comes with three interpretations of the snack (think oyster mushroom tempura with seaweed and shrimp ceviche on fried plantain shells), while Chicano pop-up supper club My Friend Fernando will amp up the party with gourmet tortas filled with pork Milanese and summer squash. Also keep an eye out for Jordanian chicken shawarma wraps from Shawarmaji, Nepalese momos from Bini’s Kitchen, and braised oxtail nachos from alaMar Kitchen & Bar.
Critically Acclaimed New Restaurants at Outside Lands 2023
Horn Barbecue's brisket chopped cheese.
(Courtesy of @hornbarbecue)
There’s an unreal number of critically-acclaimed newer restaurants in this year’s festival food lineup. In the real world, it might take you weeks to visit them all. At Outside Lands, you can get a taste of every single one in less than 48 hours. Pop over to Daytrip, one of Bon Appetit’s 10 best new restaurants of 2022, for spicy pork belly and eggplant pesto parmesan sandwiches; to Bodega SF, Eater SF’s 2022 restaurant of the year, for pho ga chicken soup and bo kho spicy beef stew; and to Michelin recommended Horn Barbecue for brisket chopped cheeses. While you’re at it, don’t miss New Orleans-style muffuletta sandwiches from Sandy’s, pork belly-loaded yucca fries from Parche, and Taiwanese hot dogs from Piglet & Co.
The Ultra-Luxe Golden Gate Club at Outside Lands 2023
Acclaimed chef Ravi Kapur will be making Hawaiian-inspired eats like those from Liholiho Yacht Club.
(Rasami Storm)
Outside Lands is joining forces with renowned designer Ken Fulk to create the Golden Gate Club, an extravagant mini food tour with four major chefs. While there, dig into seasonal California bites from the Michelin-starred and James Beard Award winning chefs of Boulevard, and Hawaiian-inspired eats from Ravi Kapur, James Beard nominee and winner of Food & Wine’s best new chef award, and co-owner of Liholiho Yacht Club and Good Good Culture Club. Two time James Beard nominee Tyler Florence will also be on deck with steakhouse-style offerings from Miller & Lux.
Uncommon Cuisine at Outside Lands 2023
Indigenous cuisine from Wahpehpah's Kitchen.
(Courtesy of @wahpepahskitchen)
There aren’t many festivals—food, music, or otherwise—where uncommon global flavors are as essential to the lineup as handheld classics. But at Outside Lands, opportunities to try rare and exciting cuisine is built right into the weekend’s DNA. This summer, cue up for pan-African soul food at The Bussdown, Indigenous dishes at Wahpepah’s Kitchen, Eastern European eats at the Borsch Mobile, and Indonesian flavors at Sataysfied and Austronesia.
The Sweetest Sweets at Outside Lands 2023
Frozen treats from Rocko's Ice Cream Tacos
(Courtesy of @rockosicecreamtacos)
Sweet tooths will find more than enough sugary satisfaction in this summer’s food lineup. Humphrey Slocombe will be scooping up its artisan ice creams, Rocko’s Ice Cream Tacos handing out its handheld frozen treats, and Charles Chocolates toasting its gourmet s’mores. No fewer than three stalls will be frying up donuts (including carioca mochi ones from Abacá’s 2023 James Beard nominated pastry chef, Vince Bugtong), and at least two will be baking cheesecakes (including a flan ube version from Marley’s Treats). All that plus cookie dough bites from Out The Dough, French macarons from Oui Oui!, cinnamon rolls from Timeless Coffee & Bakery, and so much more.
// Outside Lands Music Festival is August 11-13 in Golden Gate Park. Get tickets and info at sfoutsidelands.com.
