Peanuts, hot dogs and pizza are making room for jibarito sandwiches, chicken katsu and parrillada boards as baseball season kicks off in ballparks around the country.
Chicago-based Levy, Major League Baseball’s foodservice partner in several stadiums, is targeting more adventurous palates with menu items that take fans on a global food journey. Spectators can also eat their way through many local and regional specialties as they watch their favorite players come up to bat.
Wrigley Field, home to the Chicago Cubs, is serving up that Jibarito Sandwich. The word “jibarito” literally translates to “little hillbilly/mountain person,” but locally, it’s a beloved Puerto Rican sandwich which has become a symbol of Puerto Rican pride in Chicago. Levy’s version swaps out bread for crispy fried and smashed plantains, layering roast beef, garlic butter, lettuce, tomato and aioli in between the unique carriers.
The Jibarito Sandwich at Wrigley Field swaps in mashed, fried plantains for bread slices.
Also on the menu at Wrigley is a plant-based Kimchi Burger, Puffy Tacos topped with carne asada and Chicken & Waffles.
Traveling west to Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium is offering a Japanese-inspired Chicken Katsu Club. The crispy chicken filet is stacked on Texas toast and topped with kewpie mayo, avocado, arugula, tomatoes and applewood smoked bacon. Another new item associated with Japan is a shareable Teriyaki Home Run Platter, piled with teriyaki-glazed chicken, steamed rice, shishito peppers, veggie dumplings and spring rolls, accompanied with sweet chili dipping sauce.
The Japanese-inspired Chicken Katsu Club sandwich is a new addition at Dodger Stadium.
For those craving Mexican, the Smoked LA BBQ Platter hits it out of the park. It features house-seasoned and mesquite-smoked al pastor ribs and pulled pork, chipotle cornbread, habanero baked beans, chorizo links and pineapple salsa.
Down in Miami at the Marlins’ loanDepot park, that overflowing South American-style Parrillada Board will take hungry fans through extra innings. The mixed grill is loaded with steak, chicken breast and sausage, plated with smashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, chimichurri verde, chimichurri rojo and cilantro sauce.
Traditionalists watching Marlins’ games may opt instead for Pull-Apart Steak Sliders with provolone, roasted peppers, onions and chili aioli on King’s Hawaiian rolls, or simple tossed wings served Buffalo-style.
The Sonoran Dog, a local Arizona favorite, is on the menu at the Diamondbacks ballpark.
Heading to the Arizona Diamondbacks home at Chase Field, Sonoran Dogs, a local favorite, are on order. Here, a footlong hot dog is sandwiched in a toasted split bun and topped with ranch beans, bacon, pico de gallo, mustard and mayo.
Also at Chase Field, Levy gives loaded fries and indulgent spin with its Filthy Mac Fries. Cajun crinkle cut fries are smothered in white cheddar mac, cheddar cheese, pork belly bacon, cola BBQ sauce, slaw, crispy onions and scallions.
Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore plays up regional flavors. The Chessie is a footlong Chesapeake sausage smothered with Maryland crab dip, pickled sweet corn and fried green tomatoes on a pretzel bun, while The Warehouse Burger features two beef patties topped with queso fundido, fried onions and Grillo’s Pickle de Gallo and Whistle Sauce, a local purveyor.
Two players on the Washington Nationals give their names to this slow-smoked brisket sandwich.
And Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., offers new items that riff on the tried and true, some hand-picked by team members. First up is Jake and Jake’s Smoked Brisket Sandwich, selected by pitcher Jake Irvin and center fielder Jacob Young; the build includes slow-smoked brisket, pickled vegetables and slaw on a warm onion roll.
Nachos crafted with flavors from each visiting team’s city will rotate in throughout the season. Starting the lineup is Cheesesteak Loaded Nachos topped with chopped, grilled rib-eye, caramelized onions, pickled peppers and Cheez Whiz in a nod to Philadelphia.
Local and regional flavors are not new to Major League ballparks, but Levy is taking it up a notch, leaning into authenticity this season and expanding its international selection.
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