This article is part of BruinLife’s Outside Lands 2024 music festival coverage happening from August 9-11, 2024.
Outside Lands 2024 is almost here, and the hype is only building. The three day festival goes from August 9 to 11 and will feature performances from the likes of The Killers, Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan. Along with the legendary lineup, Outside Lands 2024 also offers a full wedding venue and tons of beer and wine gardens. The cherry on top of this soon-to-be unforgettable weekend is the equally impressive dining options.
Attendees will truly get a taste of all The Bay has to offer across the festival’s 90 plus food vendors. Since most guests will not be able to try every taco, fried chicken sandwich and noodle dish, deciding where to eat can be a paralyzing decision to say the least. To avoid this culinary conundrum, here are the top 10 highest-rated restaurants coming to Outside Lands 2024, according to Google Maps reviews.
10. Parche
Parche is a Colombian restaurant in Oakland that holds 4.7 out of 5 stars across 247 reviews. While the restaurant serves traditional Colombian dishes such as patacones, crispy plantains and ajiaco, a chicken soup dish, Parche also modernized them. Menu items include a chorizo corn dog with an onion marmalade and a Mexican coke braised short rib sandwich. For anyone looking for an inspired take on classic Colombian flavors, Parche is a must-try.
9. Wooly Pig
Wooly Pig not only has the cutest name on this list but also has a 4.8 star rating from 338 reviews. The restaurant’s tagline is “Made with Hella Love,” and it shows on their artfully creative menu. The Wooly Pig remixes traditional Asian recipes to push creative boundaries. A traditional banh mi is served with pork cold cuts, but Wooly Pig spices it up with curry-spiced fried chicken, fried tofu or grilled pork. This updated take on a classic sandwich is but one of the culinary innovations Wooly Pig is bringing to the table at Outside Lands 2024.
8. Bini’s Kitchen
Bini’s Kitchen must be catering something delicious with 105 reviews and 4.8 out of 5 stars. This catering company brings the best flavors from the foothills of the Himalayas to the watery isles of San Francisco. Popular menu items include momos, dumplings stuffed with lamb, turkey or tofu. Bani’s Kitchen is also known for its selection of Nepali meats and stews such as Gurkha chicken and kwati, a nine-bean chili. Festival goers wanting to try foreign flavors without traveling halfway around the world should travel no farther than Bini’s Kitchen.
7. Wahpepah’s Kitchen
Wahpepah’s Kitchen honors Native American recipes with its 4.8 stars and 251 reviews. Member of the Kickapoo nation, Crystal Wahpepah, put care and education for communities at the center of her restaurant. As such, indigenous knowledge of the land, origins, and their connection to ingredients went into crafting this menu. The traditional affair includes bison frybread tacos, blue corn waffles and nixtamal tortillas. Wahpepah’s Kitchen looks to be serving up a deliciously educational experience at Outside Lands 2024.
6. Jo’s Modern Thai
Jo’s Modern Thai brings a Michelin star menu and 4.8 stars from 545 reviews to Outside Lands 2024. The restaurant uses local ingredients so guests can feel confident about their order while also being exposed to the flavors of Thailand. At Jo’s Modern Thai, BBQ brisket finds its way onto drunken noodles and Isaan style pork comes fried in the form of a burger. With the combination of familiar favors and classic Thai dishes, attendees can confidently choose Jo’s Modern Thai.
5. Bloomstock
Bloomstock not only has the munchies but also 61 reviews and a 4.9 star rating. This cannabis-inspired cafe boasts coffee and waffles as its specialties. Cold brews and espressos can be taken to the next level with the addition of hemp milk. Specialty waffles are served sweet or spicy by adding maple whipped cream or chili crunch aioli. Whether festival goers are chasing that high or just want a waffle, Bloomstock is a great way to satisfy those cravings.
4. Fowl + Fare
Fowl + Fare truly is the fried chicken Oakland deserves as it stands at 4.9 stars with 110 reviews. This chicken shop offers a surprising amount of variety on an already perfect meal. Customers can choose from Jamaican jerk, lemon pepper and black garlic fried chicken sandwiches, and people can’t forget about the seasoned fries. While enjoying this legendary weekend, attendees should not be chickens and try Fowl + Fare.
3. Gumbo Social
Gumbo Social brings musical flair to its 4.9 star food, and its glowing rating is backed by 164 reviewers. Chef Dontaye Ball says the individuality of gumbo equates it to America’s musical art form, jazz. While the boiling pots of chicken, turkey or vegetable gumbo are the star attraction, pork, shrimp and jackfruit po’boys are not to be overlooked. No matter where people come from, everyone should grab a taste of America’s soul food from Gumbo Social.
2. Sandy’s
Sandy’s rolls out the bold flavors of New Orleans along with a 4.9 star rating and 194 reviews. The sandwich shop is famous for its muffulettas, a round Sicilian sesame bread filled with Italian meats and cheeses. Sandy’s serves their sandwiches by the inch, one-fourth or one-eighth to be exact. While the sandwich is impressive, the brown butter chocolate chip cookies are not to be missed. For what might be the biggest bite at Outside Lands 2024, Sandy’s is a must-try.
1. AyDea
AyDea provides a piece of history on a plate and a perfect five star rating from 51 reviews. This cafe combines the local culture of the Republic of Tatarstan with California flavors to create a truly unforgettable culinary experience. While at Outside Lands 2024, start the day right with butter-infused coffee or a spiced cold brew. Throughout the day, snack on qistibi, a flatbread stuffed with potatoes, and or peremech, pan-fried dough filled with beef patties. No matter the time of day, AyDea has a menu item worth trying.
With over 90 food options, Outside Lands 2024 truly captured the best bites in The Bay, but these 10 are the best of the best.
—
Featured Image Photographed by Alive Coverage/Sipa USA/Outside Lands
