The Best Places to Eat Near Five of the Best Summer Music Festivals

Big events are very much back this year and the summer music festival season is in full swing. And if you’re making a weekend trip to experience a destination festival in another city, there’s one thing that’s almost as important to figure out as the set time for your favorite act: Where are you going to eat before heading to the festival grounds? Today we’re sharing our picks for the best vegan-friendly restaurants to try when you head out to TK this summer’s biggest festivals.

Bonnaroo – Manchester, TN
June 16 – 19, 2022

You’re probably not heading to Manchester, Tennessee for the restaurant scene, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still get a good bite on your way in or out of the festival. Locals and festival-goers point to El Molcajete Mexican Restaurant as a favorite. There’s an entire section on the menu dedicated to vegetarian offerings, with veg and vegan salads, fajitas, and combos, and the staff is knowledgable and flexible about making ingredient substitutions.

Pitchfork Music Festival – Chicago, IL
July 15 – 17, 2022

Pitchfork Fest returns to Union Park this summer and while a variety of local Chicago restaurants do pop up inside the grounds as vendors, in previous years only a limited number of them have specifically catered to plant-based diets. Luckily, you’ll have no shortage of vegan options within just a couple miles of the entry gates, from super-fancy Althea to an outpost of fast casual chain Native Foods. But if we could pick one, we’re zipping over to Wicker Park for a meal at 2021 Best New Restaurant honoree Bloom Plant Based Kitchen.

Outside Lands – San Francisco, CA
August 5-7, 2022

Sunday headliner Post Malone once ordered $8,000 worth of food to be delivered to him at a festival, but you can avoid the delivery fees by simply getting a table at any number of San Francisco restaurants. We would add the all-veg Loving Hut and another 2021 Best New Restaurant honoree, Wildseed, to our weekend agenda. Inside the festival grounds, you will not have to worry about food and drink. Outside Lands always brings out an A-list culinary line-up; this year the website lists 77(!) vendors with vegetarian and/or vegan options, and that doesn’t even include the fancy wine, beer, and cocktail offerings.

Psycho Las Vegas – Las Vegas, NV
August 19 – 20, 2022

Metal-leaning Psycho takes place at Resorts World Las Vegas which might be the vegan-friendliest place in town. The complex includes the only location of vegan dining icon Crossroads outside of Los Angeles, and the only Crossroads Burgers anywhere. Craig’s Vegan has a dedicated ice cream parlor of vegan treats, too. Even non-vegan restaurants in the complex often feature vegan options, so wherever you end up eating, you should be able to find something satisfying.

Desert Daze – Perris, CA
September 30 – October 2, 2022

If you’re driving out to Lake Perris, you’ll find plenty of dining in Riverside, about half an hour away (and likely where your hotel will be located). Stop into Monty’s Good Burger or Plantos for a quick meal before you hit the road. Closer to the venue, Rustik Fork offers several vegan dishes, including a mac and cheese with cashew cream sauce that we kind of wish we were eating right now.

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