NewsYanks fans won't leave Stadium hungry
From fine cuisine to hot dogs, visitors have plenty to dine on
By Anthony DiComo / MLB.com
04/09/09 10:15 AM ET
As if the steak joint and the Hard Rock Café weren't enough, as if the Boar's Head sandwiches and the Dunkin' Donuts coffee didn't entirely fit the bill, as if the burgers from Johnny Rockets and the barbeque from Brother Jimmy's didn't satisfy all appetites, the Yankees will also be selling hot dogs and hamburgers at the new Yankee Stadium. Imagine that."Variety is providing the fans with what they're looking for," Yankees COO Lonn Trost said. "That's why we have a number of food court areas, a number of concession stands and two restaurants. Everything we've found that the fans wanted, we were able to provide."
They're providing it in 25 permanent concession stands and a whopping 112 portable ones, 70 percent of which will have the capability to cook their own food. That's up from 14 percent at the old Yankee Stadium, allowing the Yankees to drastically reduce the amount of pre-wrapped food they sell.
But more than quantity, the Yankees are focused on quality. In addition to the standard ballpark fare -- hot dogs, sausages, pretzels, Cracker Jack and the like -- the Yankees, in their premium seats, will feature cuisine from guest chefs such as Masaharu Morimoto of Food Network's Iron Chef Program, and April Bloomfield of the Spotted Pig pub in the West Village.
Last month, the Yankees announced a full lineup of seven guest chefs in the "Legends Culinary Series," which will be open to all fans in the bi-level Legends Suite Club.
For those in more moderately priced seats, the Yankees will offer options ranging from Brother Jimmy's, a barbeque joint with locations throughout the city, to Moe's Southwest Grill, a burrito joint with its main following in the southeastern United States. There will be a Johnny Rockets stand serving burgers and fries, and a Tommy Bahama's Bar serving mixed drinks.
Perhaps most unique will be Lobel's of New York, a butcher that will be providing cuts of meat for those sitting in the stadium's club and suite sections. Adjacent to the butcher will be a cart hawking sandwiches of Lobel dry-aged prime rib, as well as beef and chicken sliders.
It's a bit of local flair, for a city with plenty of it.
For a sugar rush, the Yankees are offering Otis Spunkmeyer cookies and Turkey Hill Ice Cream, along with the old standard of Carvel. And they'll be bringing back many of their other favorites from the old Yankee Stadium -- most notably Carl's Steaks, a popular choice for fans down the right field line of the old park, and Carl's old neighbor, Mike's Arthur Avenue Italian Deli.
Devotees of the Goya stand down the left field line of the old Yankee Stadium can frequent the Latin Corner of the new one, offering hot-pressed Cuban sandwiches, nachos and burritos. There will be a stand offering the garlic fries that have become popular at many West Coast ballparks. And for fans of the global cuisine now standard at many stadiums across the country, the Yankees will offer Asian-inspired items at Noodle Bowls, and sushi and salads at Soy Kitchen.
There will also be healthy options at Melissa's, which the Yankees are billing as a "traditional farmers market carrying fresh fruits and vegetables," and child-friendly fare at The Big Apple stand, the Dale and Thomas popcorn stand and the Kids Cart with school-lunch standards.
The gems of the new stadium, however, are the two full-service restaurants: the Hard Rock Café and NYY Steak. The Hard Rock, hosting rock and roll memorabilia with an emphasis on local talent, is what fans might expect from a popular national chain plunked down in the middle of a brand new stadium. And NYY Steak, located directly above it, will provide fans with a high-class alternative featuring prime dry-aged beef, fresh seafood and a signature wine list.
Based on the Council Oak Steak & Seafood restaurants at several of Seminole Hard Rock's hotel and casino properties, NYY Steak will serve fans on non-game days as well. It will stay open until midnight on the weekends. And the Hard Rock will remain open until 1 a.m. after all night games, giving fans an opportunity to extend their Yankee experience throughout the day.
"It adds an element where people can come on game days and non-game days," Trost said. "It's available for fans who want to sit there and watch the game without a ticket. It's also available for the residents in the area to use it, whether there's a game or not."
So after the hot dogs, the sushi and the prime rib, there's still time for more food and drink. It's tough to argue with that.
Anthony DiComo is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
