Chicago’s Best Ballpark Food

This past weekend’s Crosstown Classic between the Cubs and the White Sox at Wrigley Field got me thinking about ballpark food, and how different the food offerings at each park can be. Tip: The Crosstown Classic continues June 25-27 when the Cubs play the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field.

First, let’s start with the ultimate ballpark meal: the hot dog.

At Wrigley Field you can get a bison dog for $5.25 at grill carts throughout the park, or if you’re really hungry, order a bison foot-long or the Bison Buffalo with blue cheese coleslaw and buffalo wing sauce.

On the south side, fans at U.S. Cellular Field love the Italian sausages for $5 and the Polish sausages for .25 cents less. Both are available on all concession stand menus. If you are watching the game from the park’s Club Level, try a Niman Ranch-made sausages for $7.50 that comes in three flavors: spicy Italian, apple-gouda and chipotle-cheddar.

Not a hot dog fan? Back on the north side, you can munch on a bison cheeseburger for $8 at the Sheffield Grill. You can also get an Italian Cub Sub for $6.75 made with ham, capicola and salami from Italian Hot Spot, Blue W and Big Hits vendors.

U.S. Cellular Field patrons have their own tasty treats including hot Asian buns (two for $5) and slow-smoked barbecue from Smoque BBQ, which is located on the LG Skyline Club level. Throughout the park, $6.25 sausage patty burgers are available.

If you are more of a “snacker” at a game, Wrigley Field has two pretzel options: the two-pound North Side Twist for $15 that comes with chipotle mustard, sweet cinnamon cream and beer cheese sauces and is served at Blue W and CC’s Frozen Drinks. Tip: A two-pound pretzel can also be found at U.S. Cellular Field, called the Victory Knot, also for $15 and served with the same sides as at Wrigley Field.

Back to Wrigley: if two pounds of pretzel dough is too much to handle, try the deep-fried, cheese-topped pretzel bites for $4.50. “Lighter” options at the White Sox’s home turf are funnel cake fries ($4) with dipping sauces.

Location: Wrigley Field (1060 West Addison St.; map) and U.S. Cellular Field (333 West 35th St. map)

Photo credit: SXC