Seattle’s famed Beecher’s Handmade Cheese is coming to tennis with the mac and cheese, grilled cheese sandwiches and other items joining the Indian Wells Tennis Garden for the BNP Paribas Open.
Beecher’s Handmade Cheese
Beecher’s Handmade Cheese owner Kurt Beecher Dammeier has been traveling from his hometown of Seattle to the Coachella Valley for years. This time he’s bringing his famous cheese with him, part of the update coming to the 2026 BNP Paribas Open’s food scene.
The largest tennis tournament apart from the four majors, the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden runs March 1-15, welcomes over 500,000 fans annually and this year features three key restaurant additions across the grounds, as well as a new two-story, open-air structure in the reimagined Circle of Palms focused on food and beverage.
The Beecher’s appearance comes inside Stadium 1, bringing the Seattle-based artisan cheesemaker and its award-winning mac and cheese to the desert alongside tomato cheddar soup and plenty of the brand’s famous Flagship cheese.
“Indian Wells is a passion project for me,” Dammeier tells me. “This is the first time trying to operate something like this out of state.”
Dammeier says he hopes the fans enjoy it as much as he’s excited to bring it to them, serving up concessions and specialty items in suites, including mini cheeseboards available to bring back to the Stadium 1 seats and grilled cheese sandwiches to serve alongside the brand’s well-known creamy mac and cheese. He says the shop, which operates in airports and Seattle-area stadiums, is suited to showcasing cheese because “Our mac and cheese being so good and so easy to operate in a fast-serve environment.”
MOTO Pizza has become a popular addition to the Indian Wells tennis dining scene.
Sodexo Live!
Also new this year is Santa Monica-based Sweetfin, which brings its California-inspired signature poke bowls to the Food Village, and Las Vegas-based Pacha Mamas offering Peruvian rice bowls with freshly grilled meats and vegetables as a concession option in Stadium 2.
“A thoughtfully curated food and beverage program is an essential part of the Tennis Paradise experience, and the 2026 improvements reflect our continued focus on enhancing the on-site offering for fans,” says Philippe Dore, the tournament’s chief marketing officer.
The Indian Wells Tennis Garden features sit-down dining that overlooks Stadium 2.
Sodexo Live!
The tournament ground’s Circle of Palms readies an upgrade with the debut of the Veroni Charcuterie and Champagne Lounge. At the heart of the site, the update highlights a two-story, open-air structure with full food and beverage service, including Veroni’s charcuterie offerings.
A handful of fan favorites are back for 2026 as well, including Nobu Indian Wells, Ristorante Mamma Gina and Mole Ingenious Mexican Kitchen all returning to Stadium 2. Nobu diners can overlook the Stadium 2 court, capturing tennis action while dining at one of the more luxurious options on a tennis site.
Puesto is a popular stop at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden during the BNP Paribas Open.
Sodexo Live!
Puesto, John’s and Chef Tanya’s Kitchen all return to the site, along with MOTO Pizza, another Seattle-based favorite. In all, the 2026 BNP Paribas Open will feature over 40 culinary vendors, including a wide mixture of Coachella Valley favorites. The offerings are created in conjunction with Sodexo Live!, the tournament’s hospitality partner.
“From the reimagined Circle of Palms to a wider range of dining options,” Dore says, “there is always something for everyone to enjoy this spring.”
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/timnewcomb/2026/01/28/beechers-cheese-headlines-new-indian-wells-tennis-dining/
