Around the time of the new year, I posted a video of my top 15 stadium bites from 2025. But how about we blow that out to 25 and include some of my early 2026 favorites? And we’re gonna go savory only. I’ve got something else coming for the sweet stuff…
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Honorable Mention - CinnaBEC (UBS Arena) $24.99
I don’t think this fits the criteria because it’s only half savory. But it needed to be mentioned. Bacon egg and cheese between two cinnamon buns. As much as I’d love to talk about this work of art again, it wouldn’t be right. But it is incredible. Let’s keep it moving.
25 - Z-Man Sandwich (Kauffman Stadium) $15.00
Royals fans are lucky to have the famous Joe’s Bar-b-que in the ballpark. Beef Brisket, provolone, onion rings, and BBQ sauce. I’m sure it’s lightyears better at the actual Joe’s location but you’re not finding much better BBQ in a stadium if you ask me. Not my favorite item in KC however…
24 - Area 206 Curry with Pork Katsu (T-Mobile Park) $19.99
Arguably my favorite bite at T-Mobile. Asian culture is ubiquitous in Seattle and its food scene. And they celebrate that at Mariners games. It’s described as “spiced Ground wagyu beef in a savory house-made curry, topped with fresh panko-breaded pork cutlet, crunchy garlic "ra-yu" flakes, plus fried Chinese donuts.” Yes. And on a cool night? Hell yes.
23 - Jerk Chicken Nachos (UBS Arena) $17.99
The latest addition to the list. I love the heat from the crema (yes, it’s mostly from the crema), I love the richness from the chicken, I love the sweet balance from mango, but what I love most is that it’s sold at an unassuming kiosk upstairs labeled ‘Nacho Station.’ If you don’t know about it, you’ll never find it. Section 209, you’re welcome.
22 - Cardiff Crack Nachos (Petco Park) $18.49
If you ask ten Padres fans for their favorite food at Petco, eight of them are gonna say the Cardiff Crack Nachos. I don’t agree, personally, but the tri tip is aptly nicknamed as “crack” without a doubt. Burgundy beef tri tip (IYKYK), seaside BBQ sauce, sour cream, green onion, yellow corn tortilla chips. There’s so much good food at Petco Park that it’s hard to pick a favorite. If this is yours, I get it.
21 - Brisket-achos (Kauffman Stadium) $16.99
I couldn’t believe how good these were. Loaded Nachos are commonplace but it’s hard to differentiate considering almost every stadium and arena offers their own version, many of which are the same. Chopped brisket, baked beans, corn-infused nacho cheese sauce, coleslaw, BBQ sauce—it’s the corn-infused cheese sauce that’s the game changer. And the brisket and baked beans are how these level up. Terrific.
20 - Fried Bologna Sandwich (Progressive Field) $12
I’ve not highlighted Progressive Field much and it’s not because they don’t have a tremendous selection—they absolutely do. Chicken Bacon Ranch Fries, the Guardian Burger, Polish Boy Poutine, a freaking hot dog with bacon, mac & cheese, and FRUIT LOOPS. But the Fried Bologna Sandwich is simplicity at its best, topped with American cheese, kettle chips, and only the finest Bertman mustard, a true Cleveland staple. It’s greasy but manageable, salty, crunchy, and all around delicious.
19 - Neighborhood Bird Bun (Camden Yards) $19.95
Baltimore locals are obsessed with Ekiben, an Asian fusion spot that has expanded and become a fan favorite at Orioles games. Fried chicken bao bun with pickled cucumber and spicy mayo. It’s actually incredible what we’ve got at our disposal at stadiums these days. Banger of a bite. And yet, not my favorite bite at Camden Yards…
18 - Curry Chicken Patty (Citi Field + Barclay’s Center) $22.89 / $19.50
Chef Kwame Onwuachi from Tatiana has his namesake patty business at a couple of NY stadiums now. It’s quite literally the last thing you’d associate with a baseball or basketball game, until you sink your teeth into one at which point it all makes perfect sense. The Jerk Mushroom Patty is terrific and the Curry Chicken is even better—stuffed between coco bread and topped with ginger-cabbage slaw, jerk BBQ sauce, and green aioli. It’s as rich and savory a bite as you’re gonna find.
17 - Kyle’s Cutlet (Citizens Bank Park) $16.99
Kyle Schwarber’s signature sandwich, and I can do nothing but applaud him. Chicken cutlet with burrata, crispy pepperoni, arugula, and hot honey on a Liscio’s roll. It’s a phenomenal sandwich as much as I’d love to clown on Schwarber and the Phillies. It’s as good a sandwich as you’ll find at most Italian delis in Jersey, Philly, etc.
16 - Brisket Loaded Fries (Petco Park) $18.49
I can’t imagine many Padres fans prefer this to the Cardiff Crack Nachos but that’s my unbiased stance. They’re smoking meats in house for up to 24 hrs for the Grand Ol Barbecue stand. The brisket on its own is legit af. Throw it on top of crispy fries with borracho queso and a Frito serrano relish, and you’ve got one of the best bites in baseball.
15 - Crab Shells (Camden Yards) $19.99
Deep fried pasta shells, stuffed with crab dip, finished off with hot honey and old bay— the best item at Camden Yards in my opinion. There’s no way a Maryland crab item wasn’t cracking this list. Take your pick at an Orioles game—the crab cakes are great, there’s a hot dog with crab dip, and so much more. But this is the one for your boy. The price tag is tough to stomach but they’re using real crab at Camden Yards so it’s hard to complain.
14 - Clam Chowder Bread Bowl (T-Mobile Park) $12.49
The thought of a cool summer night with a cold beer and a warm bowl of Ivar’s famous clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl… come on. If I’m not in New England, Seattle is probably the next best option for a quality chowder. I don’t care if I’m in a stadium or not. Pretty sure Ivar’s is well respected in the Pacific Northwest. Also, great price point IMO.
13 - Bacon Wrapped Hot Dog (Busch Stadium)
In my search for the best stadium foods, I’ve not lost my appreciation for the classics. You can’t beat a hot dog and a beer at a game, and if you’re not interested in anything else I can completely understand that. I also love when a modern twist is put on the old reliables. Consider the bacon-wrapped hot dogs a must for me at Cardinals games. You can customize the toppings (W), but I went with baked beans, BBQ sauce, garlic aioli, pico de gallo, and fried onions. Elite combo. It’s a top 3 stadium dog in the country.
12 - Fear the Schmear (UBS Arena)
Sadly this item was discontinued which is a travesty. Good on UBS Arena for keeping the menu fresh but this was my favorite bite during my first visit. I won’t waste too much time talking about items you can no longer get, but I couldn’t help but highlight this one more time. Pork belly with habanero cream cheese, tomato, and honey on an English muffin. Terrific bite. Best believe I expressed my disapproval with the UBS team. Fingers crossed that they bring it back…
11 - Lobel’s Steak Tots (Yankee Stadium) $19.99
Aside from the Legends Club (which I still need to experience aka if you’re reading this and can help, holla at your boy), Yankees fans go nuts for the chicken tenders + fries bucket and the Lobel’s stand. The iconic butcher has set up shop in the Bronx serving steak sandwiches and more. Technically they had steak-topped fries but they let me swap the fries for tots without hesitation. That’s the move IMO.
10 - Hurtado BBQ Big Papa Potato (Globe Life Field) $14.99
A staple in Arlington, Hurtado BBQ is understandably a Rangers fan favorite. You can’t go wrong with this menu so take your pick. For me it’s the Big Papa Potato. Mine was loaded up with their signature brisket and all the proper fixins. And if that’s not enough, this is arguably the best bargain of any stadium food I’ve come across.
9 - Gilroy Garlic Fries (Oracle Park) $12.75
I can’t pinpoint exactly what it is that makes these different because theoretically garlic fries should be pretty consistent across the board. Apparently Gilroy, CA is the garlic capital of the world? So ipso facto, Giants fans are grubbing on the best garlic fries on the market. I could eat an infinite amount of them. And to the many people who said “they used to be great,” I say they’re great right now. Elite, even.
8 - Dungeness Crab Sandwich (T-Mobile Park) $23.99
T-Mobile Park ranks 5th overall for me, largely in part because of their marquee items like the Dungeness Crab Sandwich. Local crab meat with lemon mayo, tomato, and a touch of old bay on toasted herb butter sourdough. It’s outstanding. I don’t care if I’m at a baseball stadium, if I’m in Seattle I want seafood. And this can hold its own outside of the ballpark.
7 - Crawford Dog (Daikin Park) $12.75
There’s another item that I have ranked slightly higher, but this will be my first stop when I get back to an Astros game. Two split griddled hot dogs with bacon onion jam and yellow mustard on a potato bun. It’s simple and it’s brilliant. I could make a real case for this being the single best concessions item at any stadium in the country and I could not be more serious about that.
6 - Tso Good Chicken Sandwich (Daikin Park) $16.89
They’ve managed to turn general tso’s chicken into an even better handheld sandwich version. They nailed the essence of what general tso’s chicken is (crispy, sweet, tangy), and the pineapple slaw plus szechuan aioli elevate it to the upper echelon of stadium foods. Hoping to get back to Daikin Park this summer to run this back as well as some of their new stuff. One of the best spreads in the league even though nobody talks about it.
5 - Hot Hen Chicken Sandwich (Petco Park) $17.49
There are so many bangers at Petco Park. That is why they’re ranked #1. And yet nobody talks about this sandwich. Chicken breast battered (dare I say double dredged?) and deep fried, dipped in hot agave (yes please), dusted in Hot Hen seasoning, and topped with fresno chile slaw, sweet butter pickles, and fuego sauce. Brioche bun makes sense here given the size of the sandwich—potato bun would virtually disintegrate. It’s incredible.
4 - Bulls BBQ Burnt Ends Cheesesteak (Citizens Bank Park) $19.49
Obviously they’re gonna take their cheesesteak game seriously in Philly. And they have the good sense to tap Bulls BBQ for a specialty rendition. Generally less is more when it comes to a great cheesesteak, but when you have fantastic, tender, delicious burnt ends to feature in a cheesesteak, sign me up. It’s not a one-person sandwich unless you’re keen on taking a mid-game nap. Split it with a few people, get some Chickie’s & Pete’s crab fries, grab a cold beer, and you’re all set.
3 - Surf & Turf Mac (Globe Life Field) $27.99
If you can find your way through the cloud of BBQ smoke (not an exaggeration btw), you might stumble into something that if I didn’t taste it myself I wouldn’t have believed how freaking delicious it is. They take an already formidable mac and cheese, load it up with lobster meat, and instead of taking their W there they add a generous portion of their in-house smoked brisket with BBQ sauce, jalapeños, and pico. That’s Texas for ya.
2 - Lobster Dog (Petco Park) $36.99
They have a “regular” lobster roll that I’d probably put up against nearly any lobster roll outside of Maine. And then they have the enhanced version where they load the grilled lobster tail on top of an andouille sausage. And for style points, a charred lemon garlic aioli that perfectly coats every bite. If this counts as a hot dog, it doesn’t get better than this. Whatever it qualifies as, it doesn’t get much better than this. You’re gonna pay a premium for it, but you’re getting a full meal, a delicious meal, and you’re likely doing so in picture perfect weather. Fair trade.
1 - Crab Sandwich (Oracle Park) $24.79
The best. San Francisco is home of the sourdough so the vessel itself is already better than almost any other. It’s sourdough garlic bread by the way, stuffed with dungeness crab meat and tomato, kissed with some lemon. The assembly of it is no joke, trust me. And the result is a sandwich I’d happily fork over 25 bucks for every chance I get. This is a special sandwich. I hope my travels uncover some bites that top this, but it is a tall, tall task.
And there you have it. Looking forward to updating this list every chance I get. I’ve got some heavy hitter stadiums to hit this year, particularly for baseball season. White Sox, Braves, Tigers, Brewers, among others. LOTS MORE TO COME. Stay tapped in, will ya?