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Outside Lands
Outside Lands

Outside Lands 2016: Eater Editor Food Picks

A curated guide to what to eat at the music festival this year

by Stefanie Tuder

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More and more, people are coming to Outside Lands just as much for the incredible food as they are for the music. More than 75 local food vendors, 28 breweries, and 40 wineries are currently on hand with local and gourmet options that run the gamut from fresh-pressed juice to barbecued oysters to freshly baked pie. (You can see the full food and drink lineup — in all its glory — here, or be sure to download the handy official app.) But with so many options, deciding where to eat can become overwhelming. It would be a shame to miss out on the best the festival has to offer.

That's where this guide comes in. Read on for our picks of the best food at Outside Lands this year, organized by area. Use the Table of Contents on the left to quickly skip to food options at your location; so you can always quickly find what you should be eating no matter where you are.

Table Of Contents (all h2's added automatically)

VIP Hospitality

Belcampo Meat Co. Belcampo Meat Co./Facebook
Belcampo Meat Co.: New to the festival this year, Belcampo only puts ethically sourced meats onto its burger and hot dog buns. It's a solid bet if you're craving classic Americana.

Sutro Stage

Spicy Pie Spicy Pie/Facebook
Spicy Pie: This slice shop brings ginormous New York-style slices into San Francisco — a rarity in this town. East Coast transplants should definitely fulfill the craving. Plus, lines move quickly here.

Polo Field Right Side (facing the stage)

Little Skillet Little Skillet/Facebook

Big Chef Tom's Belly Burgers: These pork belly burgers have deep flavor and the meat-bun-sauce ratio is spot-on.
Pacific Catch: If you want a hard-to-find healthy bite, go for this basic ahi tuna poke.
Rosamunde Sausage Grill: This San Francisco favorite is on the grounds serving up grilled beer and brat links — great alone; deathly amazing in the poutine.
Little Skillet: A perennial favorite, this stall puts out crispy, crunchy, non-greasy fried bird.
Southpaw BBQ: You full "summer" with a hefty, juicy brisket sandwich.

Polo Field Left Side (facing the stage)

Pica Pica Arepa Kitchen Pica Pica Arepa Kitchen/Facebook

4505 Meats: This is the burger San Francisco knows and loves from the Divisadero Street and Ferry Building locations. Bonus: It's not enormous, so you'll still be able to boogie after eating.
Pica Pica Arepa Kitchen: These arepas are not only carefully crafted with fresh ingredients, but they're also one of the only gluten-free options.
Itani Ramen: Ramen may seem a bit much for an August festival food, but have you seen the fog out there? Chef Kyle Itani has spent a lot of time in Japan and he takes ramen seriously so this is a new offering we've got our eyes on this year. Both chicken and veg options are available.
Fine & Rare: Another newcomer, Fine & Rare uses sustainable meats throughout its menu. Look for the wild-caught Dungeness crab roll.

Cocktail Magic

Bini’s Kitchen Bini’s Kitchen/Facebook

Loving Cup: Grab a portable ice cream sandwich from this local favorite.
Bini's Kitchen: Turkey momos, which are basically doughy turkey dumplings, are a great snack that's easy to share and eat while walking around.

Outside Clams

Woodhouse Fish Co. John L./Yelp

Woodhouse Fish Co.'s lobster roll

Namu Street Food: Namu's Korean fried chicken sandwich combines classic comfort food fare with a spicy San Francisco edge added by chef Dennis Lee. Just be sure to get lots of napkins with this one.
Woodhouse Fish Co.: Woodhouse is one of San Francisco's most popular and long-standing seafood spots. And you definitely want a lobster roll.

Cheese Land

Loving Cup: If you don't want cheese at Cheese Lands, what are you doing here? Oh, you're here for an ice cream sandwich from Loving Cup. Good call.

Choco Lands

Epic Cookies Epic Cookies/Facebook
Epic Cookies: These babies usually sell out, so if you're craving chocolate, get here early.

Food Trucks

Those Fabulous Frickle Brothers: An excellent take on fried pickles that are not super greasy, but give the salty, crispy, on-the-go snack you were looking for.
Curry Up Now: These spice-heavy, deconstructed samosas have layers and layers of flavor from chickpeas and multiple sauces. Also: there are vegetables involved. So...healthy?

Noise Floor

Del Popolo Del Popolo/Facebook
Senor Sisig: This Filipino food truck is known for its long lines everywhere, but that's because the food is good. This weekend's option is pork, chicken, and tofu sisig with steamed rice.
The Chairman: Steamed and baked bao are always excellent handheld food and The Chairman does the genre proud with a subtle California flair.
Del Popolo: The bubbly Neapolitan pizza is always a super popular choice, and therefore one of the longest lines at the festival. You can always get one of these excellent pies over at the permanent Nob Hill location, but if you ever happen to notice a short line, get in it!
Koja Kitchen: KoJa stands for Korean + Japanese. There are chicken and vegetarian tacos this year which will not be short on flavor, sauce, or spice.
El Huarache Loco: The best Mexican food on site — get the chorizo; get a huarache. There are several salsas and crema to douse on your food. You won't be sorry.
Stones Throw: Stones Throw, one of the best restaurants on Russian Hill, is offering a meatball sub. Chef Jason Halvorsen won an Eater Award last year. Needless to say, he knows his way around a meatball.
Rich Table: So popular that they're now available inside AT&T Park, these porcini doughnuts with raclette cheese are sinful, savory, surprising treats. Pair with bubbly from Wine Lands for the ultimate experience.
Sababa: This Mediterranean joint makes a light, flavorful falafel that's perfect festival fare: portable and not overly filling.
Woodhouse Fish Co.: Woodhouse is one of San Francisco's most popular seafood spots. And you definitely want a lobster roll.
Wise Sons: Grab a bagel and schmear as the bands kick off. Or go for the ultimate finisher: chocolate babka.
4505 Meats: This is the burger San Francisco knows and loves from the Divisadero Street and Ferry Building locations. Bonus: It's not enormous, so you'll still be able to boogie after eating.
Have a favorite festival bite that we missed here? Share the love it in the comments or email sf@eater.com.
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