Citi Field is hopping this baseball season, with stands filled with hardcore (and optimistic!) Mets fans enjoying classic New York City summer nights at the ballpark.
In addition to this year's exciting Mets season, Citi Field has really upped its food game in recent years, with some new additions to the 2022 dining roster that make it even easier for you and everyone in your crew to get their favorites. Burgers, shakes, pizza, nachos, fried chicken, ice cream, cookies, pastrami, vegan options, gluten-free options, kosher options, mozzarella sticks, risotto balls, fried pickles, french fries, tacos, hot dogs, popcorn, barbecue, sushi, steak sandwiches, sausages, pretzels, lobster rolls, dozens of different beers... heck, you could eat a different meal at every game here from now until the playoffs!
So get here early on game day, hang out in one of the many dining and drinking areas before hitting your seats (like the outdoor, open-to-everyone Jim Beam Highball Club in center field, or one of the several higher-end loungy spaces on all levels), and stuff your face before the game. Then go back for seconds and thirds--it's summertime, baby!
Take the Train to the Game
Forget the stress and expense of parking, and the traffic getting home, it's a breeze to get to Citi Field via public transportation. The 7 train, both the local and express, puts you right at the doorstep of the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, the stadium's main entrance. This is also where you'll find Citi Field's prime photo-ops, both the historic Met's Home Run Apple (not a replica, this is the original from Shea Stadium), and the new Tom Seaver statue, unveiled on opening day this season and honoring the club's Hall of Fame pitcher.
Another excellent option: the LIRR runs trains to Citi Field from Penn Station, Woodside, and any station along the Port Washington Line. You'll know you're at the Mets-Willets Point Station by all the orange and blue highlights on the platform. Just head up to the broad wooden boardwalk for a three-minute walk over to the stadium.
Subway
Your 2022 Citi Field Food Guide
It'd be impossible to highlight all the food options at Citi Field this season--some concession stands have four of five different vendors on the menu--but here's a look at some solid picks to get you started!
PIG BEACH BBQ
The award-winning pit masters at Pig Beach, which already have two of the city's best BBQ party spots (in Gowanus and Long Island City) are now at Citi Field too. The star here is the Bases Loaded Fries, a mountain of crisp-fried potatoes laden with pulled pork, gobs of cheese sauce, pickled jalapeños, and a tangy vinegar BBQ sauce. The People's Champion Burger sounds pretty darn good too.
AMAZIN' CHICKEN CO.
New in '22 from Citi Field's own kitchen crew, the appropriately-named Amazin' Chicken features one of the best bargains in the whole place, a big bucket of fat and juicy tenders, plus about a half dozen Cheesy Tater Kegs, which are basically huge pillowy tots. Get the General Tso style chicken, if you're looking for a nice zing.
MISTER SOFTEE
Part nostalgia, part sweet frozen treat, a vanilla and chocolate swirl at Mister Softee is a must at least a few times every summer. And it's impossible to overstate just how much of this stuff fits into a souvenir Home Run Apple Bowl (there's also a helmet option, if you prefer).
MURRAY'S MAC & CHEESE
The legendary cheesemongers of Bleecker Street got into the Mac & Cheese game a few years back, and starting this summer they're slinging their stuff at Citi Field too. Try the crazy rich Classic Mac, thick and sticky with a three-cheese blend covering the radiatori, with bread crumbs on top adding some welcome crunch. The spicy Buffalo Mac, a staple at their West Village outpost, is a fine choice here as well.
GOYA NACHOS
Look at this beautiful beast! Get some of these nachos--topped with any combination of beef, chicken, beans, cheese, jalapeños, salsa, guacamole, and sour cream--and you've got an instant party at your seat. And if you firmly believe that there's no such thing as too much of a good thing, you can even have them served in a batting helmet.
SWEET CHICK
The fried chicken mini-chain--there are four locations in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens--also has a stand at Citi Field, and, yes, they sell their popular Chicken and Waffles here, complete with maple syrup and lemon honey. Want something more portable? Try Sweet Chick's first-rate Buffalo Chicken Sandwich, the fiery bird is cooled down a bit by the carrot and celery slaw and blue cheese sauce.
WOWFULLS
Huge scoops of ice cream piled into still-warm waffle shells and finished with all sorts of fun goodies? No wonder this place has been a hit at NYC's Smorgasburg since 2015, as well as just about every music festival in recent summers. There are three Wowfulls from which to choose at Citi Field: the self-explanatory Chocolate Overload, the caramel- and cheesecake-based Sweet and Salty, and the festive Rainbow World (pictured), with "Crazy Vanilla Rainbow Ice Cream," chocolate sauce, Fruity Pebbles, sprinkles, powdered sugar, and a couple of Pocky Sticks for good measure.
PAT LAFRIEDA MEAT PURVEYORS
Another fan favorite is the Steak Sandwich at Pat LaFrieda's stand in center field. These monsters will fill you right up, thick as they are with hand cut chunks of 100% Angus filet mignon, drizzled with jus, blanketed in melted jack cheese, all loaded into a toasted baguette. You can also get LaFrieda's meaty, cheesy fries at their promenade location.
NATHAN'S FAMOUS
A ballpark classic! Nathan's hot dogs are available all throughout the stadium, and can be done up however you like from nearby, self-serve toppings bars, though we're not sure why you'd ever do them any other way than with mustard and sauerkraut. It's worth mentioning here that you can also get other old-timey favorites at Citi Field too, like boxes of popcorn, clouds of cotton candy, and salty, jumbo-sized pretzels.
LOBSTER SHACK
Have you had a lobster roll yet this summer? Here's your chance! Citi Field's Lobster Shack sells these luxe crustacean sandwiches either Maine style (tossed in aioli) or East Shore style (the meat dipped in warm butter), and either will satisfy this fierce seasonal craving. Cups of creamy Lobster Bisque are available here as well.
PATSY'S PIZZERIA
Pasquale "Patsy" Lancer opened his first pizzeria in 1933 in Harlem, and the name has been synonymous with classic NYC slices and pies ever since. The Citi Field outpost of Patsy's fires up a basic Original slice, a slightly fancier Margherita slice, and a crowd-pleasing Pepperoni slice, any of which would be perfect for the pickiest of eaters in your group.
COOKIE CRUMZ
Citi Field's rookie cookie spot, Cookie Crumz, bakes a pair of oversized, sugary-sweet treats, but if you only have room for one dessert, how can you not get the Fun-"Met"-I (their take on a confetti cookie) white chocolate chip confection, studded with team-color sprinkles?
SHAKE SHACK
Danny Meyer's hugely successful chain gets a lot of love here in center field, and with good reason: Shake Shack's burgers remain among the city's best of their kind (the Smoke Shack with bacon and cherry peppers is a fave), and the shakes, led by the Citi Field exclusive Triple Play featuring three kinds of cookies, are a home run.
There's tons more to choose from within the stadium as well: chicken sandwiches from Fuku, the Arancini Bros' terrific stuffed fried rice balls, Big Mozz's fried cheese sticks, Dole Whip's tart pineapple and strawberry soft serve, biscuit sandwiches from the hugely popular Upper West Side spot Jacob's Pickles, and Tipsy Scoop's boozy ice cream.
All of that, and it's just a train ride away...
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