If you’ve been following me for a while, you know this is usually one of my favorite days (and posts) of the year.
Every Spring (usually under unfortunate weather conditions bc March in NYC), I head to Citi Field’s press preview, eat my way through approximately 47 dishes in 2 hours, and report back like it’s my full-time job (because…well it kind of is).
But this year? I had a client shoot that I couldn’t move – so for the first time in years, I didn’t attend the preview. Clients come first, but I can’t say I wasn’t sad about it. Last year I couldn’t eat much due to a wisdom tooth surgery, and now this?! Life is unfair sometimes.
That said, I did get all the press materials and got some feedback from friends, (also let’s be real, I’ve covered this enough years to know what actually hits), so consider this your curated, no-BS breakdown of what’s actually worth knowing at Citi Field in 2026.
First Things First: Citi Field Is Still Crushing It
Citi Field continues to dominate the stadium food game. They’re coming off multiple years of being named Best Baseball Stadium Food by USA Today, and 2026 is no exception.
This year:
- 37 new menu items
- 27 different vendor partnerships
- A mix of NYC icons, local legends, and new partnerships
Translation: this is not your standard hot dog + pretzel situation, and it never was (though keep reading for one very interesting hot dog situation). They know they can’t always give us a winning team, so the least they can do is give us a winning menu lineup.
The Headliners
These are the items that stood out immediately – either because of the collab, concept, or just knowing what chefs and restaurants tend to actually be good at Citi Field.
Adam Richman’s Burger Hall of Fame
- Adam’s Classic w/ Pat LaFrieda Burger Patty, melted American cheese, shredded lettuce, tomato, sliced white onion, bread & butter pickles, Adam’s secret sauce, Martin’s potato roll
- Caprese Burger w/ Pat LaFrieda meatball grind patty, Heirloom tomato, fresh mozzarella, basil aioli, garlic butter Ciabatta
Location(s): Field Level – Section 105
Chef Kwame’s Patty Palace
- NY Chopped Cheese Patty w/shredded Romaine, tomato, and house sauce
A chopped cheese… in patty form. I had something similar to this last year and Tatiana is an amazing restaurant, so I think this should be a good one. This is also exactly the kind of NYC-meets-ballpark crossover they do well.
Location(s): Promenade Level, Section 415; Clover Home Plate Club
Pat LaFrieda’s Chop House
- Customized Tomahawk Steak w Chimichurri and Fleur de Sel
- Apple Pie Cheesecake
Pat is one of THE vendors for steak. So…the steak is probably awesome. Will you order it during a game? TBD depending on your bank account and emotional state, also this is not something you bring to your seat.
Location(s): Clover Home Plate Club
Legacy Catering by Mookie Wilson & Family
- Smoked Pulled Chicken Sliders w/ bread & butter pickles, classic Golden BBQ sauce, Martin’s potato roll
Feels very “this will actually taste good after 2 beers.” Also controversy or not, I do love a good slider on a potato roll.
Location(s): Hudson Whiskey NY Club
Seoul Bird
- NY Bulgogi Cheesesteak Spring Rolls w/ Bulgogi marinated beef, kimchi, sharp cheddar, pickled jalapeños, served with a creamy spicy gochujang-sriracha mayo
These guys brought the heat in the past, so I would crush these, 100%
Location(s): Excelsior Level – Metro Market
French Dip
- French Dip w/ shaved peppercorn crusted prime rib, caramelized onions, Boursin horseradish spread, melted provolone, onion roll, au jus
They literally had me at Boursin. And au jus. I love a French Dip.
Location(s): Field Level – Section 132
Roast Pork Sandwich
- 14-Hour Porchetta rubbed roast pork, Italian long hots & broccoli rabe relish, roasted garlic aioli, melted provolone, seeded semolina
Another sando I happen to love, but I’d still probably pick the French Dip over this one.
Location(s): Field Level – Section 105; Clover Level – Clover Home Plate Club
The “Wait…What?” Category
These are the fun, slightly chaotic, very Citi Field-coded items.
Wok N’ Roll
- Clam Chowder Egg Roll w/ New England clam chowder, table bread, and oyster crackers
- Cookies & Cream Egg Roll w/ Cookies & Cream cake filling and Oreo cookie crumble
We may have gone too far on this one lol. Clam Chowder is bold. Maybe too bold. Last year they had a Rainbow Cookie Egg Roll and if you know me, you know I have a strong distaste for Rainbow Cookies, so…Cookies & Cream is a massive step up at least (for me).
Location(s): Field Level – Taste of the City
Metropolitan Fry Factory
- Fried Pickles – crunchy breaded dill pickle spears served with a dill ranch
- Oreo Churros – cream filled Oreo churros, rolled in a cookies & cream crumb with crème anglaise
- Big Apple Blend Seasoned Fries – house cut fries tossed in Big Apple Blend Seasoning
Idk how I feel about Apple-seasoned fries, but I can absolutely get down with the other ones. Never have to convince me to eat a fried pickle.
Location(s): Field Level – Taste of the City
Amazin’ Deli
- Chopped Italian Sausage Hoagie w/ Premio Italian sausage, chopped braised peppers & onions, Provolone, pesto aioli, hoagie
- Bacon, Egg & Cheese on a buttered Kaiser roll
The BEC at a ballpark is another bold move but idk? I could be convinced to eat one. And the Premio Italian Sausage and Peppers was always my move at a Mets game growing up, so I feel like that’s a new level I need to try.
Location(s): Field Level – Section 139; Promenade Level – Section 414; Clover Level – Clover Home Plate Club
Amazin’ Chicken Co.
- Chicken Dog w/ Amazin’ Chicken Co. tenders, hot honey, ballpark sauce, lettuce, tomato, Martin’s hot dog roll
A little weird, but in a way that probably works. I’m not mad at this.
Location(s): Field Level – Taste of the City
NYC Icons & Local Collabs
This is where Citi Field continues to win: bringing in real NYC food culture.
The Queensboro
- Kimchi Reuben w/red cabbage apple slaw, Swiss cheese, Russian dressing, non-fermented kimchi fennel, sesame oil, house cured corned beef, on toasted Rye bread
If you’ve followed me, you already know this is exactly the type of mashup I love. I would try this in a heartbeat.
Location(s): Field Level – Taste of the City
Taqueria Ramirez (!!!)
- Tacos de Nopales (cactus tacos) w/onion, garlic, guajillo, and cotija cheese
ONLY for a limited time (March 26th – July 12th). Arguably one of the most legit taco spots in NYC making its way into Citi Field. This alone is worth being excited about.
Location(s): Coca Cola Food Truck – Excelsior Level, Section 302
Napoli’s Pizza Co.
- Classic Cheese slice
- Cheesesteak Square Slice w Chiddy’s Cheesesteaks w/sauteed onions, cheese whiz, mozz & provolone blend
Ballpark pizza is usually… questionable. They’ve had many good spots show up in the past (Prince Street, Patsy’s), so hopefully this is another good one.
Location(s): Field Level, Section 102; Excelsior Level – Heineken Diamond Lounge; Promenade Level – Section 414; Clover Level – Clover Home Plate Club
Pig Beach BBQ
- Loaded Cornbread topped with pulled pork, BBQ sauce, & cheddar cheese sauce
Pig Beach has always been a fave of mine – Chef Matt Abdoo can do no wrong and I’m sure this is delicious.
Location(s): Field Level, Section 135
The Sweet Tooth Situation (It’s a Lot)
There is a very clear apple/dessert theme happening this year. Also everything is better on a stick.
- Apple Pie Cheesecake
- Apple Pie Nachos – cinnamon-sugar dusted tortillas, apple pie compote, powdered sugar, topped with vanilla gelato
- Home Run Candy Apple – an homage to the Citi Field Icon
- Mr. Met Chocolate Whoopie Pie – an Homage to our beloved Mr. Met
- Hildebrandt Ice Cream (Citi Field Exclusive Flavor): Blue & Orange Skies – M&M’s and marshmallow in vanilla ice cream
- Strawberry Short-Stop Dip – New York Cheesecake dipped in strawberry chocolate & rolled in strawberry shortcake crunch, on a stick
- The Outfield Oreo Dip – New York Cheesecake dipped in chocolate & rolled in Oreo crunch, on a stick
- Home Run Apple Pie Shake (from Shake Shack)
Location(s): Various locations throughout Citi Field. Cheesecakes located on Promenade Level – Hudson Whiskey NY Club
Wild Card
This is the one that’s been popping up ALL OVER my IG feed:
- The 9-9-9 Challenge from Willets Point Brewery: 9 Mini Nathan’s Hot Dogs, 9 (4 oz.) Souvenir Cups with your choice of Coors Light or Heineken, 9 Innings.
It costs about $60 and if you finish it, you win…nothing. Bragging rights? I guess this works if you’re feeling brave. Or if you just really like hot dogs and food challenges.
Location(s): Seaver Way
Final Thoughts
Even though I couldn’t make it to the preview this year (still bitter, it’s fine), this might be one of Citi Field’s most creative menus yet. And dare I say, they usually knock it out of the park (I’ll see myself out).
They continue to do what most stadiums try to do: blend NYC food culture with chef-driven concepts while still keeping it fun and accessible.
Hope to be at the press preview next year!
