With The Infatuation curating this year’s food lineup, we know without a doubt that we have much more to look forward to than rocking out to our favorite artists all weekend long. The food vendors here have us insanely excited to say the least, so naturally, we felt it necessary to highlight all of the outstanding restaurants serving up some seriously good #eeeeeats at Governor’s Ball 2016.
CAFFEINE & BREAKFAST
Bluestone Lane Coffee
This Australian inspired West Village cafe pumps out some seriously good looking avocado toast – key to starting off your festival day right. The coffees here are on point, too.
Wandering Bear Coffee
Their super strong cold brew coffee steeps for 18 hours and will give you the caffeine necessary to kick that hangover to the curb.
Wowfulls
Who said breakfast had to be healthy? Authentic Hong Kong egg waffles full of ice cream, the toppings of your choice, and drizzled in syrup. Yes, please.
LIGHT BITES & LUNCH
Arancini Brothers
Deep fried balls of risotto are the Italian specialty at Arancini Brothers. There are tons of mouth-watering flavors to choose from like buffalo chicken and spinach ricotta, and we’re excited for the festival selection to include varieties of their meat, vegetarian, seafood, and dessert options to try.
Asia Dog
Two of our favorite things: hot dogs and Asian fare. Upgrade your dog with toppings such as kimchi and pork belly.
Beecher’s Handmade Cheese
You really can’t go wrong with the homemade mac and cheese from Beecher’s. It’s literally to die for.
Mac Truck
Fine, we’ll admit it. Mac and cheese is hands down our favorite food. Mac Truck hits the nail on the head with not only its original mac and cheese but also fried mac and cheese bites (!!!) and special mac with choices like braised Applewood bacon, cheeseburger, buffalo chicken, and pulled pork.
Papaya King
Tropical drinks and hot dogs. A match made in heaven? We think so.
Taquitoria
Taquitos remind us of college – we used to buy them frozen and heat them up after long nights at the bar. Taquitoria is the much more mature version of our late taquito-filled nights, serving up crispy concoctions of meat, cheese, guac, and shredded lettuce.
The Nugget Spot
Chicken nuggs, vegan nuggs, and literally twelve sauces to choose from. Twelve!
SOLID SANDWICHES
Jeepney
This trendy Filipino spot is known for its daring twists on traditional fare. Expect some flavorful sandwiches – perfect for munching on mid-day.
Harry & Ida’s Meat & Supply Co.
Pastrami is the name of the game here, people. Feeling bold? Pastrami nachos are the way to go.
Hebros Kitchen
You’ve been dancing all day, and, all of a sudden, you’re starving. It happens to the best of us. Take our advice and head straight for Hebros, where the juicy gourmet sandwiches and mac and cheese will solve your problems fast.
Luke’s Lobster
LOBSTER ROLLS. Need we say more?!
Mario by Mary @ The Pennsy
These handcrafted Italian sandwiches by highly esteemed restaurateur Mario Batali and celeb-caterer Mary Giuliani are a must-try for us at the festival. We heard through the grapevine that the food here is un-f’ing believable. Looking at you, Truffle Honey Grilled Cheese.
Phil’s Steaks
We were born and raised in Philly, so we must say we’re a bit skeptical about the authenticity of NYC’s “Authentic” Philly Cheesesteaks. It might not beat out Pat’s Steaks, but we’re willing to give it a shot.
SWEET EATS
Black Tap
The enormous milkshakes from Black Tap have become pretty famous pretty fast, so plan on waiting in what might be one of the longest lines at the festival. If you have time to spare between sets, indulge in an oversized creamy creation that is absolutely loaded with the toppings of your wildest dreams.
Coolhaus
Gourmet ice cream sandwiches are just what you need on a hot festival day. Yeah, you might raise your eyebrows at some of the exotic flavors, but trust me, they won’t disappoint.
Davey’s Ice Cream
Guys, Davey’s was voted the best ice cream shop in NYC. Do you know how many ice cream shops are in NYC?! This place has got to be on the top of your list.
King of Pops
Cool off with a delicious homemade popsicle. These flavors (think banana pudding, chocolate sea salt, and tangerine basil) have us drooling already.
Momofuku Milk Bar
If you haven’t already heard of Milk Bar, who even are you? No, seriously. The baked goods here are well-known for good reason. Do not miss the appropriately named crack pie and the cereal milk soft serve.
Snowdays
Developed from the idea of shaved iced, Snowdays is a unique take on the always popular dessert. Think creamy ice cream in the form of light fluffy snow. It’s homemade in fresh batches daily, including their mouth-watering New York cheesecake flavor made from real cream cheese. Top that with some nilla wafers, fresh seasonal fruit, and salted caramel drizzle, and you’ll have yourself one hell of an afternoon. Count us in.
Van Leeuwen Ice Cream
An artisan ice cream shop with a retro vibe, Van Leeuwen’s handcrafts their ice creams with only a handful of the highest quality ingredients. Even better, they serve vegan ice cream, which means there’s always something for everyone in your group.
Wafels & Dinges
You can’t get much better than authentic Belgium waffles topped with chocolate fudge, strawberries, and whipped cream. Create your own combination of toppings, and top it off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. If you want to try something new (and out of this world), this place is known for their spekuloos, which is a gingerbread spread similar to nutella. Get it, or regret it.
HEALTH FREAK HEAVEN
By Chloe
Vegans rejoice. The entire made-from-scratch menu items here will even impress your carnivore friends. Stay on track with the creative kale salads, smoothie bowls, and delicious noodles.
Coco & Co
Refresh and rejuvenate with water from a freshly cracked coconut before a long afternoon set.
Juice Press
Let’s face it, long festival days take a toll on our bodies. The juices, smoothies, and salads from Juice Press will help fight off the festival woes and suppress tomorrow’s inevitable hangover.
Hippie Dips
Healthy food that’s actually filling. Try a smoothie, a sandwich, a salad, a soup – Hippie Dips has it all.
Matchabar
Did you know that matcha tea enhances your energy, alertness, and focus? Sounds like the perfect pick me up before a long afternoon.
Try Vegan
We’ll try anything once, especially if it’s good for you. The buffalo cauliflower wrap sounds like a healthy alternative to most of the fried festival norms, especially when paired with one of the delectable fruit smoothies.
THE BASICS: BURGERS & BBQ
Burger Joint
This Le Meridien staple is trendy AF. Personalize your meat by selecting your preferred temperature and fav toppings.
Burger Warrior
The burgers this food truck serves up are far from basic. Get your exotic meat fix with choices like Canadian bison, black angus beef, and wagyu.
Dan & John’s Wings
Decide on the style: traditional, boneless, or seiten, and douse them in the sauce of your choice. With nine flavors to choose from, you won’t leave unsatisfied. Our pick? The BBQ Sweet with a side of ranch.
Korilla BBQ
DIY rice bowls, burritos and salads with Korean and Mexican flair. Sounds like dinner to us!
Landhaus
Their slogan is farm to sandwich. Expect cultivated local ingredients built into your gourmet burger.
Mighty Quinn’s BBQ
A barbecue joint that prides itself on old school cooking and quality ingredients. Fuel up with one of Mighty Quinn’s pulled pork sandwiches before a long night of dancing.
Ramen Burger
Pretty sure these babies are so popular that they’re already trending on social media. This inventive twist on two classics is anything but ordinary, and we’re intrigued. #RamenBurgers are a festival must.
SMALL SNACKS
Four Boys
The one stop shop for all your boardwalk classics. Lemonade, fried oreos, hot pretzels, and water ice (or Italian ice, whatever).
Friterie
For when you just suddenly crave french fries, and nothing else will do. Catch a bite in between back to back sets, and, whatever you do, do not overlook the incredible list of sauces.
Jalapeno Corndogs
The name of this spot is pretty self explanatory. Can’t really go wrong with corndogs, especially with an extra kick. Did we mention they also serve funnel cake and lemonade?
DINNER FEASTS
Cafe Habana
The original cafe is still bustling in Mexico City, attracting the likes of Mexican musicians and artists. Expect the same quality home cooking at the NYC institution with Cuban-influenced classics like tortas, burritos, tacos, and of course, grilled corn, their specialty.
Flaming Wok
Sometimes you just have to have traditional Chinese food. Asian bowls and egg rolls will hit the just the right spot after a long day of dancing. You deserve it.
Pizza Nova
No stranger to the festival scene, Pizza Nova began out of love for music and the need for good food. Also, pizza is always a win.
Ponti Rossi
An authentic Italian food truck serving up some incredible pasta dishes that even my grandmothers would approve.
Seamore’s
This beachy chic spot makes us feel a little better about missing an entire weekend down the shore. We’ll take a poke bowl, please!
Southernmost Falafel
We’re suckers for Greek food, and we can’t think of a better way to upgrade a music-filled day than with a healthy but hearty falafel in a fluffy pita wrap topped with refreshing tzatziki sauce.
Spaghetti Incident
In Italy during the 1950s, it was common to see tourists and locals enjoying pastas to go straight out of cone shaped containers. This tradition inspired the idea of spaghetti to go right here in NYC. While it may be a miles away from the streets of Rome and Venice, Spaghetti Incident brings back culture we can appreciate – especially when it enables us to eat pasta on our way to Kanye.
Streetbird Rotisserie
Winner, winner, chicken dinner. Chicken wings, fried chicken, chicken sandwiches, and obviously rotisserie chicken.
Sweet Chili
Thai and Vietnamese food are two of our favorite things. Creating your own platter from Sweet Chili is one of the best options for a legit meal at the festival. Pick a protein like honey chili pork belly and a salad like the green mango and be on your way. Extra hungry? Jasmine rice comes as an add on to your platter as well.
Tacombi
Ranked as one of NYC’s best taquerias, Tacombi serves up authentic Mexican tacos in a stylish way. If you haven’t stopped by one of the neighborhood spots in NYC, you’re missing out. The interiors, influenced by Mexican culture in the 1960s, are flooded with bright hues and bold wording hand-painted on the walls. The original Tacombi served tacos right out of an old VW van down in Playa del Carmen after all.
Taqueria Diana
Not just another taco shop, Taqueria Diana should not be overlooked. They pride themselves are carefully pressing each tortilla and creating each taco with unconditional love.
Uma Temakeria
Current obsession: sushi burritos. Curb your sushi craving with fresh fish in a hand held roll, so you won’t miss a beat. If you have time to kill, the sushi bowls sound (and look) incredible as well.
Valducci’s Pizza
We love NYC pizza. Valducci’s was named NYC’s best five times in a row. That counts for something.
