In the desert, it is critical to refuel often.

And at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, sometimes the only option for sustenance is to choose from the smorgasbord of vendors and booths selling plates of food of various cuisines. While often overpriced, the Coachella food scene’s bounty of possible choices meant festival-goers were sure to find an edible item to enjoy – albeit while lightening one’s wallet tremendously. In this spirit, the Daily Bruin kept track of what yummy grub was worthwhile and what unfairly priced eats were not.

Keep reading for the Daily Bruin’s overview of some of the best and worst dishes of Coachella 2025, each assigned a score out of five.

Forever Pie – 3 / 5

Forever Pie wants to believe it is the “best pizza ever,” but it is far from it.

The pizzeria dining establishment at the Indio Central Market offered a slice of cheese pizza for $10 or a slice of pepperoni pizza for $13. Although the price was steep, the slice was decent in size compared to some other Coachella food offerings. On a gastronomical level, the tomato sauce had a powerful flavor but was a bit too acidic, and the consistency of the cheese – which was the least flavorful part of the pizza – created a gooey, creamy texture that might have been off-putting to some customers.

That said, the surprisingly scrumptious crust of the pizza was quite a marvel. Simultaneously thin yet holding its shape without any limpness, the crust had a rich taste, even if it was slightly too salty. In some ways, its flavor profile was reminiscent of a soft pretzel. While satisfying and dependable for attendees looking for a quick and filling bite, Forever Pie was not creative or memorable enough to rank among the best food at Coachella.

Even with the strength of its crust, Forever Pie will not be forever remembered.

[Related: Coachella 2025 review: Lady Gaga’s headlining set electrifies with fierce energy, jubilance, artistry]

MANEATINGPLANT – 4.5 / 5

By and large, MANEATINGPLANT at the Indio Central Market was a slam-dunk with its dishes.

The $14 “steamies” – five dumplings with a mushroom, cabbage and carrot filling – melted in the mouth and had the richness of a dumpling with a meat-based protein. The acidic, tangy sauce the dumplings were served in contained notes of ginger and were garnished with sesame seeds and scallions, bringing a welcome dash of heat to the bite. The dough was a tad soggy, but the elevated presentation of the dish with the dumplings lined up symmetrically in a shallow pool of sauce was well-executed. The $11 cup of Houjicha Palmer – a reimagining of an Arnold Palmer with a type of Japanese green tea – was not life-changing but serviceable.

But MANEATINGPLANT had the best dish the Daily Bruin tried at Coachella with the “garlic noods” – a $22, 20-ounce bowl of garlic noodles served with a small mountain of toppings including shallot jam, shiitake mushrooms, cilantro and pickled mustard greens. The delectable dish was hearty and filling for festival-goers in need of carbohydrates and boasted a large portion relative to most other Coachella offerings. Had there been a broth, this dish would have transcended possible positive descriptions, as the bowl of noodles was exploding with flavor on its own and just needed a liquid to tie everything together.

With delectable takes on Chinese and Taiwanese comfort food, MANEATINGPLANT made the case for more plant-based dishes at the next Coachella.

Birrieria Michi – 3.5 / 5

Birrieria Michi provided a nearly perfect late-night snack, but not for a great price.

Located at the Sonora Food area, Birrieria Michi’s birria fries were piping hot and overflowing with toppings, an ideal texture and absolutely delicious in every possible metric. The warm nacho cheese sauce dripping between the fries toward the bottom of the dish was almost sweet, the scallions and garnishes were bright and, best of all, the tender heap of slow-cooked beef birria on top was not too salty. The fries themselves were not soggy but not overcooked, maintaining their starchiness to make the dish a must-have for festival-goers craving something fried and salty with a twist.

However, the price for the birria fries was outrageous. A meager portion – equivalent to a small concession stand tray – was a nose-curling $25. Worse still, the Birrieria Michi establishment did not have any prices listed on the menu as customers waited in line to order. By the time an order had been placed, patrons were slammed with the harsh reality that the fries were not just costly but outright expensive.

Although the birria fries were good enough to order again from a flavor standpoint, Coachella attendees should be wary of craving-ready foods that appear too good to be true.

[Related: Coachella 2025 review: Saturday’s sets featured artists new and old from Charli xcx to Green Day]

OAKBERRY – 1.5 / 5

Unfortunately, OAKBERRY left much to be desired.

The acai bowl pop-up was located at the Sonora Food area, where it sold each bowl for $20. It was immediately evident that the acai bowl was going to be subpar when it arrived in a tall cylindrical cup – one that would have ordinarily been used for a beverage – rather than a bowl-adjacent vessel that could have enabled an easier dining experience. As a consequence of the limited surface area at the top of the bowl, the only fruit to decorate the bowl was a quarter of a sliced banana.

Upon biting into the first spoonful of the bowl, the experience of having an OAKBERRY acai bowl became even worse. An ideal acai bowl is fruity, somewhat sweet and has a slight earthiness – none of which were found in the OAKBERRY bowl. Instead, the contents had an almost medicinal, artificial taste that did not resemble any particular fruit. Likewise, the granola topping was practically flavorless and looked more like cookie crumbs or sawdust than an appetizing sprinkle of rolled oats and nuts.

Acai bowls could have been a star item of the Coachella food scene because of their potential to be refreshing in the desert, but OAKBERRY failed miserably at this task.

Lemonade – 2.5 / 5

A Coachella food review would not be complete without addressing the lemonade.

Scattered across the festival grounds at the Empire Polo Club were dozens of lemonade stands, each featuring employees juicing lemons on the spot to be put into a tall cup of the classic tangy beverage. Conceptually, the idea was extremely fun – lemonade is a near-universally beloved source of refreshment, and the lemonade stands were aesthetically adorable.

The lemonade itself though was aggressively average and might have been the most egregiously overpriced item at the entire festival, since a single cup was $17. Some of the best lemonades are decidedly sweet or proudly sour, but this lemonade was neither. While appropriately refreshing, the drink lacked a strong lemon flavor, and some of the possible volume of the cup was taken up by the carcass of half a juiced lemon. If there was any saving grace to be had, it was that, after gulping down the contents of the cup, the remaining ice made a fun makeshift maraca while cheering for subsequent performances.

Lemonade’s fundamental purpose though is not to be a maraca, and for that reason, the sentiments to be had toward Coachella lemonade are definitely sour.