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Most Outrageous Ballpark Foods of MLB’s 2017 Season

Jun 9th 2017 - J. Vigotsky Blog, 

Most Outrageous Ballpark Foods of MLB’s 2017 Season

citi field

With two months of the 2017 MLB season already in the books, the dog days of summer are fast approaching. It won’t be long before both the temperature and humidity spike and fans start preferring to watch games from the comfort of their own homes. Before that happens, make sure to attend a game at your local ballpark and try some novelty food offerings. Everyone's had the classic hotdog, peanuts, and cracker jacks, but there's an assortment of other unique options you might not know about. Here is a list of just some of the items you’ll find at MLB ballparks across America.

Churro “Dessert” Poutine – Toronto Blue Jays

churro dessert poutine

Although the churro is a dessert we associate with a certain country south of the border, the Toronto Blue Jays have adopted the fried treat in their own glorious fashion. Serving vanilla ice cream accompanied by churro sticks and topped with warm caramel sauce, the Blue Jays ensure no sweet tooth in the stadium goes unsatisfied. While poutine typically has cheese curds and gravy, this innovative take of the dish is all about the sugar. The Churro “Dessert” Poutine can be found in the Rogers Centre at T.O. Street Eats near section 134.

Brisket Mac & Cheese Grilled Cheese – Chicago White Sox

brisket mac and cheese

This behemoth of a ballpark meal is 16" long and features brisket that’s slow-smoked for 12-hours. Perfect for families, the extravagant sandwich is lathered in Syrah barbecue sandwich and comes with a stack of onion rings. Potentially more expensive than what you paid for a ticket to the game, this sandwich costs $34 with brisket or $28 without brisket.

The MVP (Most Valuable Tamale) – Texas Rangers

most valuable tamale

Everything’s bigger in Texas. Buried beneath a ludicrous amount of chili, nacho cheese, and sour cream, a 2-foot hot dog is wrapped in a tamale, waiting to be devoured. Although the club states the dish is meant for at least two people, we’d be impressed if it took fewer than four fans to consume this monster. Priced at $27, you can certainly get worse bang for your buck at a ballpark stadium.

Pulled Pork Patty Melt – Kansas City Royals

pulled pork patty melt

Leave it to Kansas City—one of the barbecue capitals of the country—to combine funnel cakes with pulled pork sandwiches. Featuring pulled pork, bacon, fried chicken, jalapeno poppers, cheese, and fried onions, this modern marvel uses funnel cakes instead of boring old bread to bookend its contents. While aficionados might debate whether the Pulled Pork Patty Melt technically qualifies as a sandwich, Royal fans are left to indulge in this groundbreaking creation that pushes culinary boundaries.

Sunrise Dog – Kansas City Royals

sunrise dog royals

If you make it to Kauffman stadium but are looking for something a little tamer than the Pulled Pork Patty Melt, the Sunrise Dog might be for you. This Kansas City favorite consists of a ballpark frank topped with bacon, cheddar cheese, white sausage gravy, and a fried egg. While it’s not as creative as the Patty Melt, a Sunrise Dog is less likely to make a mess and arguably just as—if not more—delicious.

Chicken Funnel Cake Sandwich – Arizona Diamondbacks

chicken funnel cake

The Diamondbacks held nothing back when brainstorming up this culinary masterpiece. Like the Royals’ Pulled Pork Patty Melt, the Chicken Funnel Cake Sandwich utilizes funnel cakes instead of bread. But the madness doesn’t stop there. Between two funnel cakes lies a chicken patty covered with strawberry jam, maple syrup, and garlic black pepper cheddar. Regardless of your experience with ballpark novelty foods items, this onslaught of sugar should not be underestimated.

Miami South Beach Dog – Washington Nationals

miami south beach dog

While fans might expect to find this item at Marlins Park in Miami, they’ll take it wherever they can get it. The gargantuan 18-inch hot dog is topped with pineapples, onions, and classic condiments. Served with salty French fries, the Miami South Beach Dog should be more than enough to keep your hunger at bay all game—and maybe even through extra innings.

Tuna Poke Bowl – Los Angeles Dodgers

tuna poke bowl

This refreshing bowl of ahi tuna is the perfect light meal for those trying to stay cool under the California sun. Featuring ahi tuna over rice, the dish comes with vegetables, wakame, and ponzu sauce. For hungry fans who have had more than their fair share of Dodger Dogs, a Tuna Poke Bowl is a great change of pace option.

Lobster Poutine Stak – Boston Red Sox

Lobster Poutine Stak

Why wouldn’t New England region’s lone major league baseball team to offer lobster-based dishes at a ballgame? The Lobster Poutine Stak consists of steak fries covered with lobster meat, cheese curds, and chives. And rather than using gravy—as is customary in Canada—the Red Sox give top the meal with thick, creamy bisque. The ambitious Fenway Park meal is making its debut in 2017 and might not be around for long.

Taco Dog – Miami Marlins

taco dog marlins park

Home to a large Hispanic population, Miami wears its culture with pride. This year, the Marlins are combining hot dogs with tacos to create “Taco Dogs.” The Taco Dog is a foot-long Nathan frankfurter topped with chili, pepper jack cheese, pico de gallo, shredded cabbage, and jalapenos—all wrapped in a tortilla bun. It’s the perfect spicy, culture-infused alternative to a traditional ballpark frank.

Bao to the Pork – Chicago Cubs

bao to the pork

The Chicago Cubs are celebrating their first World Series Championship in over 100 years by improving their food offerings. If you’re visiting legendary Wrigley Field this summer, make sure to get a taste of this pulled pork sandwich. Topped with Asian sauce, pickled daikon and carrot, cucumbers, and jalapeno, the sandwich comes on a delicious steamed bao bun.

Tomahawk Chop Sandwich – Atlanta Braves

tomahawk chop sandwich

While the opening of their new stadium might’ve been enough to draw fans to the ballpark, the Braves were taking no chances. The Tomahawk Chop Sandwich—which they added to their 2017 concession stands—is proof of that. This robust sandwich includes fried pork chop with collard green slaw and white BBQ sauce. Fit for a family of four, the Southern-style sandwich costs $26 and is not for the faint of heart or stomach.

There’s no need to fret if you don’t see food from your local team on this list. With attendance numbers declining throughout baseball, teams are increasingly improving their food offerings to attract fans. Just check your team’s website for detailed information about what food is offered in the stadium. But since there’s no guarantee that teams will continue carrying these novelty offers, make sure to get them while they’re still around.

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