It’s been 38 years since the Mets won a World Series, but when it comes to ballpark cuisine, they’re repeat champions. On a blustery late March afternoon at Citi Field, the team introduced its latest food options ahead of the 2024 season. Touting their second straight title of best in MLB for stadium food (as voted on by the readers of USA Today), the Mets unveiled new burgers, fried chicken, pepperoni nachos, and much more. Here’s a quick look at what fans can expect to find at Citi Field this year.
On the Menu
Let’s start with what’s new this season, beginning with a trio of celebrity chefs:
Anne Burrell’s Italian Eats: The Food Network star brings a garlic bread chicken parm hero and loaded pepperoni chips to Citi Field. The latter is essentially a cold cut sandwich turned into nachos, as she layers provolone cheese, lettuce, pickled onions, hot cherry peppers and parm crisps onto fried pepperoni. It’s messy and delicious. (Available on the Field Level in Section 101)
Seoul Bird: Korean-American chef and restaurateur Judy Joo brings Korean fried chicken to Queens with her Bucket O’ Birds, a giant crispy tender served with chili chicken sauce, pickled daikon and French fries. If you’re in a vegetarian mood, check out her japchae noodles, made out of sweet potato and mixed with spinach, carrots, onions, peppers and an egg omelet. (Available on the Promenade Level at the Hudson Whiskey NY Club)
Adam Richman’s Burger Hall of Fame: The former host of Man vs. Food provides fans with two different burger choices: one his take on the Midwestern icon that is the Jucy Lucy, and a French onion soup burger that is shockingly close to the real thing. (Available on the Field Level in Section 104)
The Mets are also adding some local flavor with these New York eateries all joining the Citi Field menu:
Prince Street Pizza: This NoLita mainstay will sling two kinds of square pies: their original cheese, and their Spicy Spring, made with pepperoni and fra diavolo sauce. (Available on the Field Level in Section 102, on the Excelsior Level in the Piazza 31 Club and in the Caesars Sportsbook at the Metropolitan Market, and on the Promenade Level in Section 414)
Nixtamal NYC: Hailing from the Lower East Side, this Mexican joint offers excellent birria tacos made with slow cooked beef knuckle and ribs in a seasoned broth with melted cheese, cilantro and onions and a small cup of broth on the side, as well as esquites, a traditional Mexican street corn salad served with mayonnaise, cotija cheese and red chili powder. (Available on the Field Level at Taste of the City)
Tea and Milk: This Astoria boba tea emporium brings a brown sugar Thai milk tea as well as a strawberry rose tea lemonade, each with sweet tapioca pearls floating at the bottom, to the ballpark. They’re perfect options for hot days. (Available on the Field Level at Taste of the City)
Gyro Jimmy’s Greek Grill: Located in Carle Place in Long Island, this fast-casual Greek restaurant will dish out traditional gyros as well as loukoumades, which are small Greek donuts that are fried, dusted with cinnamon and served with a honey glaze, and which you’ll devour in about 10 seconds flat. (Available on the Excelsior Level at the Caesars Sportsbook Metropolitan Market)
Wok N’ Roll: Hailing from Huntington, Long Island, this modern Chinese take-out spot will expand Citi Field’s dessert options with some Italian-Asian fusion in the form of its rainbow cookie egg roll, stuffing a rainbow cookie with raspberry jam and chocolate syrup into an egg roll wrapper. (Available on the Field Level at the Metropolitan Fry Factory in Taste of the City)
Glaze Donuts: Boasting five locations in New Jersey, this donut chain crossed the Hudson and East Rivers to bring you a signature Mets donut with an orange Boston cream filling. (Available throughout Citi Field)
Throughout the season, the Mets will have a rotating trio of vendors at two different locations. Here’s what you can find at the Coca-Cola Food Truck, located in the Coca-Cola Corner on the Excelsior Level:
Comfortland: Based in Astoria and a self-identified purveyor of comfort food, this small Queens outfit is debuting the Bases Loaded Brisket Sandwich, featuring Coca-Cola glazed brisket served on sourdough bread and topped with balsamic onions and gruyere cheese. This one is a must-try. (Available from March 28 to May 14)
New York Panini: They’re located in Huntington, but this Italian sandwich shop will be celebrating Brooklyn and Staten Island with the Verrazano, a chicken cutlet panini made with fresh mozzarella and vodka sauce on a ciabatta roll. (Available from May 24 to July 14)
Maiz: Savor the flavors of this Manhattan Mexican outpost with their chicken tinga quesadilla, served with chipotle crema. (Available from July 25 to September 22)
Meanwhile, at Taste of Queens, these three hyper-local small businesses will each get a spin in the Taste of the City section on the Field Level:
Poprice: Asian street food comes to Citi Field from this Union Mall stand via their egg-fried rice with a teriyaki chicken skewer; the rice is mixed with Chinese pickles, scallions, soy sauce and garlic, as well as Poprice’s special seasoning. (Available from March 28 to May 14)
RyRy’s Kitchen: Both located in Jamaica and offering Jamaican-style cuisine, RyRy’s will bring a jerk chicken sandwich topped with coleslaw and jerk aioli on a potato bun. (Available from May 24 to July 14)
Benny’s Cuban Cafe: Benny’s brings authentic Cuban flavors from Miami to Ridgewood to Citi Field with their Cubano sandwich served with plantain chips. (Available from July 25 to September 22)
Along with those newcomers, these Citi Field regulars have some new options on the menu:
Pig Beach BBQ: Along with their pulled pork sandwich, you can find a terrific loaded mac & cheese at Pig Beach, with chunks of brisket mixed with mac and cheese and a red barbeque sauce. (Available on the Field Level in Section 135)
Shake Shack: The venerable burger spot and New York institution adds its always excellent fried chicken sandwich to its offerings, as well as a Mets MVP Shake made with vanilla custard blended with chocolate and chocolate chip cookies, topped with cookie crumbs and sprinkles. (Available on the Field Level at Taste of the City)
Chiddy’s Cheesesteaks: This longtime Long Island joint joined the Citi Field roster last season and returns this year with the Chiddy Dog, a Nathan’s foot long hot dog topped with steak, red onions, jalapeños and whiz on a hoagie roll. (Available on the Field Level in Section 132)
Big Mozz: Look no further if you want classic mozzarella sticks than this tri-state area chain, which will serve handmade sticks breaded with garlic, parsley and pecorino romano accompanied by red sauce. (Available on the Field Level at the Home Plate Market and on the Excelsior Level at the Market at the Porch)
Empanada Mama: One of the city’s most popular late-night food joints adds a pair of new flavors to its existing Citi Field location which opened last year: cheesesteak, and a creamy yet surprisingly light banana and Nutella. (Available on the Field Level in Section 103)
Takumi Taco: Serving Japanese-inspired Mexican food, this Manhattan-based restaurant returns for a second season with the Mets and will serve a carnitas burrito stuffed with rice, black beans, lettuce, cheese, crema and pico de gallo in a flour tortilla. (Available on the Field Level at the Home Plate Market and on the Excelsior Level at the Market at the Porch)
Pat LaFrieda: A Citi Field mainstay, Pat LaFrieda offers two new burgers this season: the Mets Championship Burger, which was chef Jason Eksterowicz’s winning entry in the 2023 NYC Wine & Food Festival Burger Bash, featuring a beef patty topped with lobster salad, lobster fondue and charred lemon on a fennel brioche; and the Mel’s Butcher Box Burger, the People’s Choice winner at that same festival, with two beef patties topped with bacon bourbon jam, melted cheddar and crispy seasoned shallots on a potato bun. You can't go wrong with either, but the lobster salad on the Championship burger is a phenomenal addition.
Pat LaFrieda will also serve customized Tomahawk ribeye steaks at its Chop House in the Clover Home Plate Club. (Available on the Field Level at Taste of the City and on the Promenade Level in Section 416)
Keith’s Grill: Back by popular demand, this burger grill will serve two options for fans this year. There’s the 108 Burger, featuring a six-ounce beef patty topped with pastrami, deli mustard and Havarti cheese on a pretzel bun, and there’s the Mex Burger, which is a six-ounce beef patty topped with a blend of cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, guacamole, bacon, chipotle aioli and jalapeños on a sesame seed bun. Both are accompanied by chips, a pickle spear, and a Tootsie Roll pop. (Available on the Promenade Level in Section 410)
Getting There
As always, the best way to get to Mets games is to take the train to the game! If you're coming by subway, you can take the 7 to Mets-Willets Point station, right across from the stadium. If you're taking the Long Island Rail Road, head to Mets-Willets Point LIRR station via the Port Washington line; LIRR riders can transfer from other lines at Woodside, while Metro-North riders can pick up LIRR at Grand Central Madison.
Subway
