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Even though it's over 100 years old, "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" is still a relevant tune, sung in stadiums during the seventh inning of baseball games across the country. But we think the third line, “Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks,” is in need of an update.
Nowadays, sports stadiums have gone gourmet, feeding hungry fans with local favorites that go beyond just nachos and a hot dog (though we would never turn down either). Yelp recently analyzed hundreds of game day havens across the country—MLB, NFL, WNBA and NBA included—all in the search of the Hall of Famer when it comes to food. And New York? We came out at number one.
Queens' own Citi Field took the number one spot on Yelp’s Top 50 Stadiums for Game-Day Eats. With 27 vendors within the world-class stadium, callouts went to The Queensboro’s Kimchi Reuben with “house-cured corned beef, kimchi fennel, and Russian dressing stacked on toasted rye” and Willets Point Brewery’s 9-9-9 Challenge, where adventurous eaters have to eat nine mini Nathan’s hot dogs and nine four-ounce beers across nine innings of the game.
Adding to the list of things to try, we have to give a shout to fried chicken and kimchi-laden slice at Napoli’s Pizza Co. and brisket mac and cheese at Pig Beach BBQ. Giving you good reason to climb up to the top-level, the Coca-Cola Corner's current food truck vendor is run by the Taqueria Ramirez team, where you can find suadero and pastor tacos in all their roasted, fatty and greasy glory.
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But the Queens stadium wasn’t the only New York representation on the list. Madison Square Garden came in at number five, whose line-up of smoky and stacked sandwiches from Carnegie Deli and wood-fired slices from Paulie Gee’s come in quite handy when watching a nail-biting Knicks game or in between scream-singing songs at a Harry Styles concert. The rival stadium of the number one spot, Yankee Stadium, also made it on the list, landing at number 21st. Not surprising, given that the stadium now has blondies and brownies from Magnolia Bakery and even has a demo butchery onsite, thanks to Lobel's USDA Prime Steak Sandwich.
Queens got twice the love on the listing, as Billie Jean King National Tennis Center landed at number 40. And while the stadium itself is open year-round, the food village only comes alive at the start of the US Open. But seeing as how the tournament starts in just a few days with Fan Week starting on August 23 this year, tennis goers can soon nosh on dry-aged steaks from Champions by Benjamin Steakhouse and caviar-topped chicken nuggets from COQADOQ, sidled up next to newcomers including Salt Hanks and Enrique Olvera’s Cosme.
Plan your stadium crawl by checking out the full list here.