Everything We Ate At Outside Lands 2016

Each year, music lovers come to San Francisco in August for Outside Lands, a three-day music festival that also serves as a beer, gourmet food, and cocktail showcase. Unlike other festivals where you’re restricted to food like pizza and meat on a stick, Outside Lands kicks things up a notch, inviting some of the city’s best restaurants to set up shop on the festival lawn for the weekend and do what they do best: cook some amazing food.

An astounding 80 restaurants participated in this year’s Outside Lands. On the menu was everything from Malaysian Peanut Tofu Braised Nachos and Nepalese Veggie Dumplings, to Crab Rolls and Funnel Cakes. This year there was even a prix-fixe restaurant on-site. Trestle, Michelin Bib Gourmand and newly named among San Francisco Chronicle’s Top 100 Bay Area Restaurants, offered a four-course menu at tables in the woods. Choices included Falafel Salad, Corn Soup, Saffron Risotto, Garganelli Bolognese, Ora King Salmon, Braised Beef Shortrib, Peach Cobbler and Chocolate Mousse; wine pairings were also available.

While we certainly couldn’t eat everything available (and believe me, we wish we could), we did sample a good bit of what the festival had to offer this year. Check out the gallery, above, for a look at some of the highlights. If you’re curious about the drink options, you can also check out our preview post for the festival which lists all of the amazing craft beers that were poured this year.

1 of 16 This year's Outside Lands brought with it some amazing bands and some even better food. Don Bernal

2 of 16 Proposition Chicken had these awesome fried chicken sandwiches available in the VIP food area. Don Bernal

3 of 16 Straw's doughnut cheeseburger put a patty and cheese between two full-sized glazed doughuts. While this might seem like the epitome of festival food, Straw actually sells these year round at its carnival-themed San Francisco restaurant. Don Bernal

4 of 16 Endless Summer Sweet's gourmet funnel cakes were one of the highlights this year. We had this banana and chocolate one on Day One, but came back for the strawberry version the next night. Don Bernal

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6 of 16 Lobster Roll, anyone? Don Bernal

7 of 16 Rocko's Ice Cream Tacos was once again selling its iconic handmade ice cream tacos from its truck near one of the smaller stages. Don Bernal

8 of 16 San Francisco is known for having some epic seafood. At Outside Lands, Fine & Rare was serving up these delicious crab rolls. Don Bernal

9 of 16 Who says you have to be in the south to get good barbeque? Lucca Foods served up some epic pulled pork sandwiches by the main stage. Don Bernal

10 of 16 Even though it was cold outside, handmade ice cream sandwiches were still a popular item. Don Bernal