Nobu Indian Wells. Credit: BNP Paribas Open

When Tennis Comes to the Table at Indian Wells

7 Minute read

04 Feb 2026

Paul Feinstein

Journalist

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A closer look at how the BNP Paribas Open has quietly become a two-week dining destination, where chef-driven food, local restaurants, and thoughtful rituals shape the experience on and off the court.

For two weeks each March, the desert outside Palm Springs becomes a temporary city. Not just for tennis, but for food. At the BNP Paribas Open, one of the world’s most prestigious combined ATP and WTA events, the Indian Wells Tennis Garden transforms into a large-scale dining operation that looks less like a stadium circuit and more like a carefully curated pop-up food destination.

For 2026, tournament organizers are leaning further into that identity. Alongside the matches, the on-site food and beverage program continues to expand with chef-driven concepts, established restaurant brands, and a growing emphasis on hospitality that goes beyond grab-and-go.

New additions this year include Sweetfin, the Santa Monica–based poke specialist known for clean, California-inspired bowls; Beecher’s Handmade Cheese, bringing its cult-favorite mac and cheese and tomato cheddar soup to Stadium 1; and Las Vegas–based Pacha Mamas, serving Peruvian rice bowls with freshly grilled meats and vegetables in Stadium 2. In the Food Village, Le Burger by Camphor is a fast-casual pop-up from the team behind Camphor, the MICHELIN-starred French restaurant in Los Angeles, serving elevated burgers and frites alongside its signature kiwi cardamom slush.

They join a lineup that already reads more like a dining guide than a concessions map. Nobu Indian Wells anchors the luxury end of the spectrum, while MOTO Pizza and Puesto return to deliver bold flavors at volume. Longtime Coachella Valley fixtures including Porta Via, Ristorante Mamma Gina, Molé Ingenious Mexican Kitchen, and Mediterranean favorite John’s round out the offering. Chef Tanya’s Kitchen, a beloved gourmet vegan restaurant, brings plant-forward comfort cooking to the grounds, reinforcing the tournament’s commitment to range without compromise.

The roster also includes Post & Beam BBQ, from Chef John Cleveland, which brings its take on California comfort food to Tennis Paradise. A Black-owned neighborhood favorite in Baldwin Hills that recently closed its brick-and-mortar location, the restaurant appears at Indian Wells through a focused barbecue menu featuring pulled pork, smoked brisket, and seasonal sides, offering fans a rare chance to revisit a familiar kitchen in a new setting.

At the heart of the grounds, the newly upgraded Circle of Palms has become a destination in its own right. Reimagined for 2026, the two-story open-air space is now home to the Veroni Charcuterie and Champagne Lounge, offering full food and beverage service in a setting designed for pacing and pause between matches. Charcuterie boards, champagne, and premium beverages replace the usual stadium scramble, signaling a more deliberate approach to how fans eat and drink throughout the day.

That sense of intention extends beyond the daily dining options. In recent editions of the tournament, the BNP Paribas Open has introduced the Champions’ Luncheon, a chef-driven ritual held on Wednesday, March 4, that serves as an unofficial culinary opening of the event. The luncheon honors the previous year’s champions before the tournament fully shifts into high gear.

Hosted at Porta Via inside Stadium 1, the luncheon connects each year’s winners with dishes inspired by personal food memory and cultural tradition. At last year’s event, the menu included potato and cheese pierogies served in honor of Iga Świątek, a nod to her Polish roots, alongside a serrano ham and Manchego bocadillo created for Carlos Alcaraz, reflecting a classic Spanish staple built around bread, balance, and restraint. Menus are expected to evolve annually, honoring each new pair of champions through similarly thoughtful dishes.

Indian Wells is not trying to become a food festival. What it is building instead is something more deliberate. For two weeks each year, the tournament functions as a temporary dining ecosystem where restaurant-quality food, regional identity, and large-scale hospitality intersect. Then it disappears until the following March. For diners who care as much about what is on the plate as what is happening on the court, that fleeting quality may be the most compelling ingredient of all.