Chicago Ballpark Best Bets for Foodies

Whether you’re North Side Pride (Cubs) or Good Guys Wear Black (Sox), one thing’s for certain — baseball and food go together like peanut butter and jelly. (We would’ve said ketchup and mustard, but you already know how us Chicagoans feel about that.) So, we dove deep into each stadium’s food game to bring you the best options for your trek to the ballpark this summer.

Photo of U.S. Cellular Field from Flickr user FaceMePLS

What to eat at U.S. Cellular Field, home of the Chicago White Sox

Bacon on a stick* —  available at the two Burger Barn locations in sections 112 and 528

Premium, thick cut, peppered bacon, cooked to perfection and threaded onto a stick for your eating pleasure.

Carved sandwiches* — available at The Xfinity Zone Bar and Carvery in section 107

Get a gourmet sandwich, complete with all the fixins’. Options include Supreme Corned Beef (marble rye, jalapeno-ranch cole slaw, Swiss cheese and thousand island dressing) and the Ultimate Turkey Club (seven-grain bread, bacon, jack cheese, avocado, lettuce, tomato, red onion, apricot chili aioli).

Walking tacos — available in the big leagues in sections 110, 164 and 544

A sliced open bag of Fritos (hence the “walking” part), topped with chili and nacho cheese. Don’t forget to grab a fork.

The Comiskey Burger* — available at the two Burger Barn locations in sections 112 and 528

A two-or-three patty burger, topped with “Chitown Pico” — a relish-esque salsa made from the classic Chicago hot dog toppings (sport peppers, green relish, diced tomato and onions).

Three pound banana split sundae helmet* — available at Sportservice in the 100-level and 500-level

Remember those little helmet bowls that Dairy Queen used to offer back in the 90s? Multiply that by 100 and that’s what you can get at The Cell this summer. This sundae comes in a FULL SIZE helmet, and it includes 12 scoops of ice cream (four scoops each of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry), two sliced bananas, three sauces (caramel, strawberry, and chocolate), whipped cream and cherries. This monster sundae has gotten a lot of press since it’s introduction last month — even ESPN is talking about it.

Elotes — Corn off the Cob food stand

Freshly roasted sweet corn that’s been removed from the cob (you ARE at a baseball game, after all — gotta have at least one hand free) and topped with your choice of goodies, including mayo, red pepper, cheese and lime juice.

Cuban Comet Sandwich — available near section 152

A Cuban sandwich that’s stuffed with ham, finely shredded pork, melted Swiss cheese, mustard, pickles, and citrus-garlic mojo sauce, then pressed to a crispy perfection.

Photo of Wrigley Field from Flickr user Jason Rosenberg

What to eat (and drink) at Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs

Decade Dogs*  — available next to Gate F near section 123

The Chicago Dog is great and all, but Wrigley is rolling out a series of special hot dogs in celebration of its 100th anniversary. Some are available all season long (including the 1910s Rueben Dog: Vienna Beef hot dog, sliced corn beef, sauerkraut, Thousand Island dressing and Swiss cheese) while others (like the 1950s TV Dinner Dog: Vienna Beef hot dog, mashed potatoes, gravy and corn) are only available during certain homestands. Check this link for the full lineup of Decade Dogs.

Timeless Toddies* — available at the main concourse near section 109 and on the bleacher patio in left field

Baseball may be all about beer, but at Wrigley, you can cheers to a day at the ballgame with a cocktail or two. As part of Wrigley’s 100th anniversary celebration, the stadium will be unveiling 10 decade-inspired cocktails throughout the season.  Options include the 1910s Weeghman Park Old Fashioned, the 1920s Upper Deck Gin Rickey, the 1980s Electric Ryno Margarita and more. As a bonus, each is served in a commemorative souvenir glass. Click through to see the full selection of Timeless Toddies.

Sheffield Dip — available at The Decade Diner (formerly the Sheffield Grill) in section 137-140

A classic Italian beef sandwich served French Dip-style (or “wet” as us Chicagoans call it) with melted cheese and au jus dipping sauce. (Pro tip: grab some extra napkins.)

Craft brews from Goose Island — available at various concession stands around the stadium

Cubs baseball will always equal Old Style (in fact, earlier this year, a petition launched by Pabst, Old Style’s parent company, saved it from being booted from Wrigley Field entirely), but for those looking to change things up a bit, you can now grab a beer by another familiar Chicago name — Goose Island. Options include 312 Urban Wheat, 312 Urban Pale Ale, Green Line, Matilda and Sofie.

*Indicates items that are new this year

Sure beats peanuts and Cracker Jacks, right? If you have any other stadium favorites that we missed, we want to hear about them. Leave us a comment in the box below, or send us a tweet at @ChiFoodPlanet.