The Best New Foods At MLB Ballparks In 2023

The breeze outside is no longer bitter, the sun is peeking through the clouds, and we can practically hear someone in the distance shouting, "I've got Bud Light! I've got Modelo!" Baseball season is upon us, and while you're absolutely welcome to get excited about how the teams are shaping up this year, we're purely in it for the eats.

Each year, MLB ballparks debut a lineup of new foods to draw spectators to the park, and this season's menu promises a nice variety of uniquely mouthwatering offerings. Fans of the classics, don't fret: Your usual hot dogs and cheese-drenched nachos will still be available—these new items will simply be joining their ranks on the concourse. Here are eight new ballpark foods to get excited about in 2023.

Here in Chicago, we are blessed enough to have two MLB stadiums full of delicious menu options. At the home of the Chicago White Sox, Guaranteed Rate Field, you'll find a fruity, frozen treat drenched in Chamoy: the classic mangonada. This mango sorbet moment might be new to the park in 2023, but it's a staple summertime treat in many of Chicago's Latino neighborhoods. The Chicago Tribune reports on the other exciting new eats available to White Sox fans this year, including an elote corn dog and vegan sandwiches.

Small Cheval is a burger-focused offshoot of Au Cheval, an extremely popular restaurant in Chicago (which also serves a much-hyped burger). This MLB season, the juicy stacked burgers offered by Small Cheval will be available at Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs. A big, greasy burger isn't the easiest item to handle, particularly in a narrow stadium seat, but the taste certainly makes up for the mess. Fans can find these burgers in the Budweiser Bleachers.

At Fenway, home of the Boston Red Sox, you'll find fried slices of avocado served with green goddess dressing. Frying a soft fruit like avocado to crispy perfection seems like a delicate task to scale up to stadium output, but it seems Boston is rising to that challenge. When done right, the crunchy breaded and fried outer shell creates the perfect textural contrast to the creamy, mellow interior. These fries can be found at the Big Concourse – Center Field and Jersey Street concessions.

Over in Pittsburgh, the Pirates have a BLT on offer that goes beyond the basics. The sandwich is filled with fried green tomatoes, sliced bacon, and baby arugula served on Martin's Old-Fashioned Real Butter Bread that's lightly toasted to order. The fried exterior of the tomatoes and the sensible swap to arugula will no doubt help this sandwich from growing soggy as you eat. The elevated BLT can be found in the Bridges Club.

Kauffman Stadium is the home of the Kansas City Royals and now also the home of pork belly tacos. Located in section 225 at the KC Cantina, these tacos contain anise pickled carrots, crumbled queso fresco, mint, arugula, and chimichurri sauce in a flour tortilla. Now, I know that corn tortillas are traditionally where it's at, but some of us have a soft spot for these soft shells, and we have a feeling you might, too.

As great as the ballpark's savory bites might be, by the later innings you'll need something sweet to end the game with. Cue the Strawberry Churro Shortcake at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, home of the A's. The dessert features a strawberry shortcake parfait topped with cinnamon churro chunks, strawberry pieces, chocolate sauce, and whipped chocolate—Abuelita brand, no less. Rich, dark Abuelita Mexican chocolate is already a delight, and to experience it in a whipped format is just true springtime perfection.

Sorry, but we're not done with PNC Park yet—because we need to talk about the Pickle Curds. Of all the MLB stadiums' new menu releases this year, this combo is the one we are most intrigued with. The Pickle Curds consist of fried cheese curds topped with sweet pickles and dill ranch. These little bits can be found in Section 127 at the Chicken Pitt. Will they become a new ballpark staple, or just a momentary pickle fad? Pirates fans will have to decide.

Another sweet indulgence you can tackle while someone steals first are the Peach Chimmies at Coors Field, where the Colorado Rockies play. The Chimmies consist of fried flour tortillas filled with whipped cream cheese and sliced peaches tossed in a cinnamon sugar mix; the whole dish is topped with caramel syrup and whipped cream. These are definitely the most over-the-top way to get your sugar fix at the park this season. Find them in Section 316 and at mobile ordering stands.