Indian Wells Tennis Garden has the best stadium food of any tennis tournament in the country. That's not a claim to take on faith. Nobu is literally inside the stadium. MOTO Pizza is a regular at the concession circuit. And the 2026 lineup added Sweetfin poke bowls, Beecher's Handmade Cheese, and a Peruvian rice bowl concept called Pacha Mamas. Most tournaments have hot dogs. This one has black cod miso courtside.
This post is specifically about the food. For accommodation, the BNP Paribas Open: Where to Stay post covers that separately.
Inside the Stadium: The Full Dining Lineup
Nobu Indian Wells (Stadium 2) Nobu is the anchor of the tournament's dining program and open to the public year-round, not just during tournament weeks. During the tournament, it's located in Stadium 2 and seats guests inside while matches play outside on the adjacent court. The menu is full Nobu: yellowtail jalapeño, tiradito, black cod with miso, sushi, sashimi. The Nobu Tacos are the signature small plate worth ordering if you're doing a shorter stop.
A limited package bundles a Front Box Seat ticket in Stadium 1 with a reserved table at Nobu in Stadium 2, which is the most efficient way to do both at once. There's also a Tanoshi Hour on Wednesday and Thursday from 5pm to 6pm with specials on dishes, cocktails, and sake.
Hours during tournament are Sunday through Thursday 5pm to 9pm, Friday and Saturday 5pm to 10pm.
Ristorante Mamma Gina (Stadium 2) Italian option in Stadium 2. Mamma Gina has been a valley institution for years. The tournament version brings their classics into the stadium dining context.
Molé Ingenious Mexican Kitchen (Stadium 2) Mexican concept inside Stadium 2. Good option for a quick full meal between sessions.
Porta Via (Stadium 1) Full-service dining in Stadium 1, the main show court. More casual than Nobu but still table-service.
Concessions Worth Knowing
MOTO Pizza returns as a fan favorite year after year. Wood-fired pizza that's noticeably better than stadium pizza usually is. Worth tracking down on the grounds map.
Sweetfin (new in 2026): California-style poke bowls. Easy to eat while moving between courts. If the sun is out and you want something light and cold, this is the move.
Beecher's Handmade Cheese (new in 2026): mac and cheese and tomato cheddar soup from the Seattle-based artisan cheese operation. The mac alone justifies a stop.
Pacha Mamas (new in 2026): Peruvian rice bowls with freshly grilled meats and vegetables. Different from everything else on the concourse.
Puesto and John's are returning options from prior years. Puesto brings Mexican street food. John's is a Coachella Valley staple.
Chef Tanya's Kitchen is also on site, representing one of the valley's most recognizable plant-based restaurants.
Veroni Charcuterie and Champagne Lounge in the Circle of Palms: two-story open-air structure with charcuterie boards and premium drinks. Good option between afternoon and evening sessions.
Off-Site: Eating Near the Tennis Garden
If you're leaving the grounds for a meal, the options improve with a short drive.
Kestrel at the Indian Wells Golf Resort is run by Food Network chef Richard Blais. Smashburgers and California cuisine, close to the tennis garden. Good for a lunch break if you're not going back through gates.
Palm Desert dining strip: Highway 111 through Palm Desert has the highest density of sit-down restaurants in the valley. El Paseo Drive (Palm Desert's main commercial street) has restaurants from casual to upscale. The drive from the tennis garden to El Paseo is under 10 minutes.
La Quinta: For guests staying further south or east, La Quinta has a cluster of restaurants around the Village that are 15 to 20 minutes from the tennis garden and less crowded during tournament week than Palm Desert.
Staying in Indio
If you're staying in Indio at The Cozy Cactus or Terra Luz, the Indian Wells Tennis Garden is about 20 to 25 minutes west on Highway 111. The drive is straightforward and the return trip after an evening session means you're heading east against traffic.
The practical approach for a full tournament day: eat breakfast at the rental, take food seriously inside the grounds at lunch (Nobu or Sweetfin), and then come back to the rental for dinner. The drive back through Palm Desert gives you options if you want to stop.
Tournament Week Logistics for Dining
The stadium grounds get crowded between matches and during the lunch window (roughly 12pm to 2pm). If Nobu is the goal, book in advance or arrive right at opening. Walk-up availability during busy session transitions is limited.
For concessions, the crowds thin quickly once a match starts and everyone goes back to their seats. The best time to hit a concession stand is 15 to 20 minutes after a match begins, not during the changeover rush.
The 2026 food and beverage lineup was officially announced in January. For the most current lineup in future years, the BNP Paribas Open website posts the full food and beverage guide before tickets go on sale.
What to Skip
The standard hot dog and pretzel concession stands exist and serve their purpose. But with the lineup above available, there's no reason to default to them. The 2026 tournament made a deliberate investment in upgrading the food program, and it shows in the variety.
The best summary of the stadium dining situation: Nobu is the prestige stop, Sweetfin and MOTO are the efficient stops, and the Champagne Lounge is for the gap between afternoon and evening sessions when you want to sit somewhere with a glass of wine and watch the desert light change.