These Are The Most Exciting New Concessions For MLB's 2024 Season
Spring has sprung, even if the climate isn't necessarily cooperating, but give or take the odd weather-related delay, baseball season is officially underway. As John Fogerty once sang (in words heartily endorsed by every baseball fan): "We're born again, there's new grass on the field." Not only are we excited to see all the action on the field, but we're also ready to explore all of the new offerings in the concession stands. This year's new items, by and large, hit the sweet spot — there's nothing too OTT like the Atlanta Braves' outlandish $25k burger, and we're glad to say that most MLB stadiums seem to be over the madness that hit in 2022 when concessionaires were dishing up dubious sweet and savory pairings like marshmallow fluff with fries or peanut butter cups with barbecue.
The following items are our pick for 2024's best new baseball foods. These include a ballpark classic with a local twist, a two-in-one sandwich, a mashup with a side of merch, and two of the most colorfully Instagrammable items you're likely to see this season. If any of these menu additions stand the test of time, they may even deserve to join the (hypothetical) Hall of Fame for MLB's best ballpark foods.
The Renegade — Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates got off to a red-hot start by winning their first five games in a row, something the team last did in the '80s. The concessions are top-notch. too, and this year they came up with a real winner: a foot-long hotdog known as the Renegade. This super-sized dog allows plenty of surface to pile on the toppings and the Bucs really went to town here, topping the Renegade with pickles, caramelized onions, pot roast, and, as the pièce de résistance, mini pierogis.
What we love about it: You can't get much more traditional than a hot dog at the ballpark, and it's true that even the plainest wiener is ambrosial if eaten within such friendly confines, but standard-sized hot dogs just go so fast — three, four bites and you're done. This one, however, is an entire meal on a bun (yes, pickles and onions count as vegetables). The best thing about it, though, is it's just so Pittsburgh! Fan tip: Save a few pierogis to eat after the bottom of the fifth inning when the Great Pittsburgh Pierogy Race kicks off.
Loaded Bases Nacho Burger — Cincinnati Reds
Concessions at Great American Ballpark, home of the Cincinnati Reds, could best be described as meat-heavy as they feature all manner of sausages, burgers, and of course the city's famous Skyline chili (now available in nacho form). Our pick of the new 2024 options is a meaty mashup of two different stadium foods: As the name makes pretty clear, these would be burgers and nachos. What you get with the Loaded Bases Nacho Burger is a two-patty smashburger topped with lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and crunchy tortilla chips with a side of fries (the crinkly kind).
What we love about it: Okay, we're kind of burying the lede here, since while a burger with crunchy bits is kind of fun, and getting fries with your ballpark burger is much appreciated when it happens, the truly exciting thing about the Loaded Bases Nacho Burger is that it comes with a side of merch! Yes, while the burger may sound kind of plain with only sour cream and veggies for a topping, that's because we didn't mention that you also get a scoop of FUNacho cheese (their term, not ours) served up in a miniature Reds batting helmet. Fan tip: Take the helmet home and see if your cat will wear it long enough for you to snap a quick photo.
Double MitchWich — Seattle Mariners
Once upon a time, a baseball team (spoiler: it's the Mariners) added two players in the offseason, and to the amusement of all, both men were named Mitch. While this sounds like the basis for a 21st-century "Who's on First" routine called "Which Mitch is Which?", the team instead decided to commemorate the move with a one-of-a-kind sandwich. The side of the Double MitchWich named for right fielder Mitch Haniger consists of grilled chicken, bacon, tomatoes, Havarti, and a wedge of deep-fried avocado. The other side, named for catcher Mitch Garver, is meant to reflect his New Mexico roots, but the combination of pulled pork, ham, Swiss cheese, and pickles sounds more like a Miami-style Cuban sandwich (it's even made with the right kind of bread).
What we love about it: Besides being fun to say, the Double MitchWich is the perfect choice for the indecisive, and aren't we all, from time to time? As it's such a sizeable sandwich, even the $15.49 price tag isn't too terrible, especially when you consider that stadium food always tends to be pricey and Seattle's one of the nation's spendiest cities. What's more, some of the money from sandwich sales will go to Seattle Children's Hospital, so you can feel good about your expenditure. Fan tip: Eat the Haniger side first before the bacon loses its crunch.
Back to Blue Burger — Kansas City Royals
Kansas City baseball fans are said to bleed Royal(s) blue, but now they can ingest it, as well. The rather startling, yet oddly beautiful, Back to Blue Burger comes in a bright blue bun. While some snarky commenters on MLB's Instagram post announcing the burger compared it to SpongeBob's pretty patties, it's actually not that different in concept from the orange, red, and black colored buns that Burger King's been known to offer for Halloween or to promote the occasional movie tie-in. If you're allergic or averse to food coloring, of course you won't be ordering this. The same goes if you're a vegetarian and beef is off the menu.
What we love about this: The Back to Blue Burger may be remarkable for its striking (and oh-so-Instagrammable) exterior, but what really gets it over with us is what's inside. A burger with bacon, buffalo aioli, and blue cheese? Yes, please! For the price, you're getting both a cool photo and a great-tasting snack, which is a home run as far as we're concerned. Fan tip: Pair this with a Blue Moon (even though this brew was birthed in a different baseball stadium).
Rainbow Cookie Egg Roll — New York Mets
New York City is the original melting pot, so it's fitting that one of the Mets' new items this season would pay homage to two of the immigrant groups that settled the city. The Rainbow Cookie Egg Roll, as its name implies, takes that Italian bakery staple, the rainbow cookie, then wraps it in a Chinese-style egg roll wrapper and deep fries it, creating an edible bridge between Mulberry and Mott Streets. (The former is the heart of Little Italy, while the latter, which runs parallel, is the center of Chinatown.)
What we love about it: The whole Easter egg in a plain brown wrapper vibe. Unlike the Back to Blue Burger, the Rainbow Cookie roll is fancy on the inside, not the outside. You still get the same twofer deal of a fun photo op plus (in this case) a delicious dessert — oh, did we forget to mention that there's also raspberry jam and chocolate syrup inside the roll? Fan tip: Order two, they're small and they're also selling fast. According to vendor Wok N' Roll, Rainbow Cookie egg rolls were "the best-selling item at Citi Field for opening day."