Man vs. Ballpark Food

In my quest to hit every ballpark, I am also trying to eat the ballpark signature food at each stadium. I've done my homework on most stadiums, gotten some good suggestions from people (Kurt Smith's E-Guides), and ventured out and sampled some. I try to get something different if I go back to a park I have already been to. I am again ask the you the readers to help me out with suggestions on what to get, things you like, or things you have heard to get.

I have just returned from Florida and wanted to update what I have had. I was a little disappointed in Miami because I could not get a couple of the things I had heard were great: the Shrimp Burger and Mahi Mahi tacos were nowhere to be found.

July 5, 2014: Returned from Cincinnati and must admit the food was very disappointing. The Skyline cheese coney was very good, but very small. The Hot Mett was average and the LaRosa's pizza was dripping with grease. Not much selection there either, so if you go to GAB, you had better like hot dogs.

August 7, 2014: I have just returned from LA and visited both stadiums. At Dodger Stadium I had the overhyped Dodger Dog. It's just a regular dog that I could buy at a grocery store. The nachos were pretty good, made better with the beans on it. At Angels Stadium I was GREATLY DISAPPOINTED!. The Halo Dog that I had read so many good things about is not there anymore. The Angels have new concessions this year and do not sell it anymore. I had a Grilled short rib and cheese sandwich, which was average at best.

Here is what I have had so far:

1. Milwaukee: Bratwurst, chorizo*, and poutine
2. Minnesota: Juicy Lucy* and walleye on a stick, Baked buffalo chicken sandwich
3. St. Louis: Fried cannelloni and bacon wrapped hot dog*
4. Cubs: Chicago dog* and the heater
5. White Sox: Italian beef sandwich
6. Washington: Half smoke
7. Baltimore: Boog's BBQ pork sandwich* and crab mac n cheese dog
8. Philadelphia: The Schmitter* and cheese steak
9. Pittsburgh: Primanti Brothers
10. Kansas City: Rib eye stack sandwich, BBQ brisket sandwich*, Kansas City dog.

11. Colorado: Rocky Mountain Oysters

12. Toronto: Chicken Shawarma
13. Detroit: Coney Dog. (I had one from Leo's and one from the Chicago style dog stand. I liked the one from the Chicago style stand better.)

14. Cleveland: Food network mac and cheese. I went with the trio of smokewood meat, crab, and buffalo chicken.

15. Tampa: Cuban Sandwich

16. Miami: Short Stack Burger* (Single cheese burger topped with beer braised shortrib and onion rings) and a Grunge Dog (hot dog with cream cheese on the bun, grilled onions and doused in Sriracha, located at Burger 305, visiting team specialty dog.)

17. Cincinnati: Skyline cheese coney*, Hot Mett, and LaRosa's pepperoni pizza slice.

18. Dodgers: Dodger Dog and Nachos*

19. Angels: Grilled short rib and cheese sandwich

* Favorite at each stadium if I've had multiple things.

Again, I encourage anybody to add their favorite ballpark foods that you have had or would like to share with the rest of us. This is my last trip of the year. When I figure out where I'm going next year, I will start it up again.

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Comment by Shawn Welsh (25)/26 on August 13, 2014 at 10:41am: Disappointed in Miami and Angels for not having their hyped signature concessions.

Comment by Holly Mcwhorter on July 10, 2014 at 10:20am: Gotta have a California Pizza Kitchen pizza at LA.

Comment by Shawn Welsh (25)/26 on June 22, 2014 at 9:42am: Yesterday at Target Field I had the buffalo chicken baked sandwich. Very good. It was FILLED with chicken and cheese.

Comment by Matt Angeli on May 22, 2014 at 4:52pm: Visited St Louis last Thursday vs Cubs and KC on Monday night vs White Sox. Loved all the food options at both ballparks but only had time for the Bratzel and bacon wrapped hot dog in STL. The Bratzel was not that desirable. The pretzel dough wasnt cooked all the way and it was very chewy. I probably just got a bad batch. The bacon wrapped hot dog was immense. Me and my fiance had to share it to finish it. But the best part is you can choose the toppings from BBQ baked beans, pico de gallo, french friend onions, grilled onions, bbq sauce and mustard. Yeah, we got it all!

In KC we found a Pulled Pork Mac N' Jack Sausage sandwich. Pepper Jack sausage topped with bbq pulled pork, mac n cheese, bacon crumbles and scallions. It was amazing. We also tried the funnel fries for a late game snack. Perfectly made!

Next up for me is Toronto at the end of June...any food suggestions for north of the border?

Comment by Holly Mcwhorter on May 22, 2014 at 1:49pm: Cincinnati's specialty is skyline chili. (Thin chili sauce over pasta with cheese onions oyster crackers)

Comment by Matt Angeli on May 7, 2014 at 8:57pm: Going to KC and St Louis next week and cannot wait to try the BBQ brisket sandwich in KC and the bacon wrapped hot dog in STL. I live in Colorado now and love me a generic Rockie Dog with peppers and onions. I had the Helton burger last season and while it is tasty it is still not amazing to me but the Helton stand french fries are unique and very very delicious!

Comment by Craig (17) on April 17, 2014 at 1:40pm: We are seeing poutine pop-up around other ballparks this summer. Can't wait to try some!

Comment by Sean Mahoney on September 11, 2013 at 12:11pm: At Citi Field, have the fries from Catch of the Day, with cheese dipping sauce, and a sausage hero. If you want the Shake Shack, go right after the gates open, or just visit one of the locations in NYC. I would also avoid the self serve Nathan's stands, because most of the time the food is soggy, or cold.

At Yankee Stadium, I would go for the Lobbell's steak sandwich, but make sure you get it from the small stand on the field level, and not at one of the many concession stands that say "steak sandwich" on the menu. The stand is near a window, where you can watch the guys cut the meat. The Carl's cheese steak was pretty good too.

Comment by Shawn Welsh (25)/26 on August 25, 2013 at 5:49pm: I had went with the BBQ beef brisket sandwich and the Kansas City dog (swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and mustard. Both were very good.

Comment by Shawn Welsh (25)/26 on August 10, 2013 at 3:07pm: Going to KC again. Last time I had the Rib eye stack sandwich and it was terrible. The meat was like eating rubber, yet it won an All-star game contest as best signature item. Who has better suggestions for me this time around?