As we approach the 2024 MLB season, we’re taking a different approach to our ballpark coverage. We begin with American League East ballparks, as Natty Boh returns to Oriole Park, Fenway Park adds Irish nachos, the Yankees add a slew of offerings from celebrity chefs, and Tropicana Field sees a revamped turf field.
Oriole Park at Camden Yards / Baltimore Orioles
Natty Boh is back! National Bohemian is once again available at an Orioles game. The classic American lager, now brewed under Pabst ownership, is largely available only in the Baltimore area. At Oriole Park, Natty Boh will be served in a specialty baseball-themed orange can sold exclusively at the ballpark.
There are also a host of other new food offerings at Oriole Park, as concessionaire Brick & Whistle will offer a number of new signature menu items, including a Chicken Flatbread Sandwich (pulled rotisserie chicken with arugula, tomato cucumber salad, cilantro pesto and roasted pepper aioli), Rotisserie Chicken Platter (half-roasted chicken with three cheese mac and cheese, topped with hot honey and coleslaw), Steak Burger (Omaha Steak burger with American cheese, caramelized onions, dill pickle and brick sauce) and the Warehouse Dog (Berks all-beef footlong hot dog with horseradish infused brick sauce, crispy onions, pit beef queso fundido, and pickled pico on a pretzel bun, shown above).
In addition, a variety of local restaurants and purveyors will debut Oriole Park wares, serving fans at permanent concession locations throughout the ballpark, including Deddle’s Mini Donuts, Vida Nacho on Eutaw, Squire’s Pizza, Maria’s Pupuseria Factory, Pat & Stugg’s (a collaboration between the popular Baltimore-owned hot dog shop Stuggy’s and Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors), Fuzzies Burgers, The Local Fry, Fuku Chicken, Big Mozz and Berks Hot Dogs (the new official hot dog partner of the Baltimore Orioles and Oriole Park at Camden Yards).
Restaurants appearing at Camden Yards throughout the season will include Ekiben, Attman’s Deli, The Local, South Mountain Creamery and Deli-Ish.
Of course, we can’t help but note that our favorite Orioles ballpark vendor is returning in 2024: Boog’s BBQ. It’s a popular spot with long lines waiting to buy the slow-roasted, thinly sliced beef top round rubbed with Boog’s spice blend and served atop a corn-dusted Kaiser, shown below.
Boston Red Sox / Fenway Park
New food items at Fenway Park in 2024 include Irish Nachos (waffle fries, corned beef, sauerkraut, sour cream, Thousand Island dressing and queso fresco).
New concession stands include Anna’s Taqueria, serving burritos and bowls; Luke’s Lobsters, known for its commitment to sustainability and fresh seafood; and Aramark’s proprietary brands Tenders, Love, and Chicken and The Burger Kitchen.
Returning are classic items Togarashi Clam Roll (hot dog roll filled with slaw-nappa cabbage, clam strip, togarashi sauce, and togarashi spice) and Boston Creme Pie (vanilla sponge cake, pastry cream, chocolate ganache, and chocolate crispearls).
Yankee Stadium / New York Yankees
There is a certain Broadway feeling to Yankee Stadium these days; browse through the listings of new and returning chefs and offerings and you can visualize the stands topped with huge Broadway marquees, projecting famous names and brands.
For instance, the new food items at Yankee Stadium come from a notable lineup of Baby Ruth, Mister Softee and Blue Bunny. Returning partners include Marcus Samuelsson, Bobby Flay, Lobel’s, Mighty Quinn’s, Fuku, Christian Petroni, Mac Truck, Chickie’s & Pete’s, City Winery, The Halal Guys and Benihana. On tap is a new signature brew—Goose Island’s New York Legendary Ale—while a wide variety of vegetarian options are featured throughout the Stadium.
First, the new items from new vendors. Concessionaire Legends Hospitality is now led by new Executive Chef Robert Flowers. Two new Blue Bunny stands will offer hand-dipped ice cream and frozen dessert novelties. Mister Softee will be offered at a variety of stands on all three grandstand levels and the bleachers, with your essential chocolate, vanilla and twist soft serve. Yankee Stadium’s Own stands will offer a variety of milkshakes, including a Baby Ruth shake (chocolate milkshake, chocolate sprinkles, chocolate sauce, Baby Ruth candy bar). Goose Island’s New York Legendary Ale is billed as a crisp, aromatic and fruity golden ale with brilliant clarity, brewed in Baldwinsville, N.Y., and available in draught and 25 oz. cans.
Existing vendors with new offerings include City Winery’s Porchetta Sandwich(porchetta, broccoli rabe, provolone, Calabrian aioli, arugula, brioche bun), Christian Petroni’s Meatballs & Cheesy Garlic Bread (meatballs fried in extra virgin olive oil & cheesy garlic bread, Fuku’s Sweet & Spicy Chicken Sando (crispy habanero-brined chicken breast, sweet & spicy glaze, pickle, potato roll) and Sweet & Spicy Chicken Tenders (crispy chicken tenders, sweet & spicy glaze), Lobel’s BBQ Filet Tip Loaded Tater Tots (crispy tater tots, Lobel’s seasoning, BBQ filet tips, cheddar cheese and crispy onions, shown above), Dom Tesoriero’s Mac Truck’s Bacon Ranch Mac & Cheese (bacon crumbles, butter toasted breadcrumbs, buttermilk ranch), Mighty Quinn’s BBQ Chipotle BBQ Chicken Sandwich (hand-pulled, slow-smoked chicken glazed with house-made Chipotle BBQ Sauce, served with an optional assortment of pickled veggies and slaw), Marcus Samuelsson’s Streetbird M’s Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwich (spicy, crispy chicken breast, pickles, spicy aioli, toasted bun) and M’s Spicy Chicken Wings (brown sugar babe sauce and ranch),
And, of course, for the traditionalists there’s Nathan’s Famous Original Beef Frankfurter and Extra-Long Beef Hot Dog.
Keep in mind these are just the new items; fans can expect a wide variety of returning specialties in 2024.
One other interesting to note on the concessions front. Lettuce and herbs grown in the Yankee Stadium Tower Garden, located inside Yankee Stadium’s Gate 2, will be used in various menu items throughout the season. Using the vertical, aeroponic garden system of Tower Farms, the garden also serves to provide a hands-on learning experience for students taking part in the New York Yankees Healthy Home Plate Program.
Besides the new beer, Yankee Stadium is debuting additional new adult drinks in 2o24: The Bleacher Peacher (Jim Beam Peach Bourbon, sweet tea, fresh lemon), Bullpen Buck (Jim Beam Bourbon, lime juice, ginger beer, fresh lime), Coconut Mojito (coconut rum, house mojito mix, club soda, fresh lime), Power Swing Transfusion (house vodka, house grape, Transfusion mix, ginger ale, fresh lime) and Strawberry Paloma (Hornitos Plata Tequila, house strawberry mix, grapefruit soda).
Tropicana Field / Tampa Bay Rays
There are plenty of changes afoot at Tropicana Field, as the Tampa Bay Rays announce two big ballpark changes and a slew of new concessions offerings.
First, the Rays revamped the artificial turf at Tropicana Field unlike what is featured in the rest of MLB baseball and American League East ballparks. The turf is textured to resemble a mowed grass field, complete with stripes. The standard rubber pellets are gone, substituted for coconut husks in the turf’s backfill. The warning track will remain identical, but Safeshell—crushed walnut shells—will be placed throughout. The Tampa Bay Rays are the only MLB team utilizing the Safeshell product. (The old turf–some 75,000 square feet–was donated to the City of St. Petersburg, Hillsborough County and other local groups to be used for soccer fields, batting cages and more.)
Second, the exterior cupola at Tropicana Field was removed and repaired. Due to the age of the ballpark, the original documents were handwritten, causing repairers to handcraft the raw materials onsite. The existing structure was flown by helicopter and had to be restored by removing decades’ worth of built-up paint and rust.
A few of the Rays new food partnerships includes a new dessert partner, Cookie Fueled Mama, which will now have a location in each food hall; Twisted, a new pretzel-themed concession booth featuring a housemade footlong pretzel dog (shown above); Chicken Salad Chick with a new stand; and a new Gluten-Free Favorites stand offering wheatless versions of ballpark favorites, such as chicken tenders, French fries, hot dogs and Smash Burgers. Beyond this addition, “bold & gold” labels will be on updated food menus to clearly alert fans with dietary restrictions of which foods are gluten-friendly (GF), vegetarian (VEG) and vegan (V).
Photos courtesy of each team covered.