Nothing brings a region together quite like the local sports team… except for food. Lucky for us, ballparks the Commonwealth-wide offer both! Peanuts and crackerjacks have given way to increasingly audacious bites at stadiums throughout the country, and Pennsylvania is keeping up with the trend. You’ll find eye-popping eats and crazy mash-ups in many of PA’s major and minor league ballparks to try – if you dare. We’ve got a rundown of some particularly adventurous eats to try this year while cheering for the hometown team.
Kyle’s Cutlets & S’Mores Quesadillas at Citizens Bank Park (Philly)
In honor of the Phillies‘ and Aramark’s 40th year in partnership, the two have joined forces to unveil some truly elevated and inventive concessions. We suggest you start with Kyle’s Cutlets, a sandwich packed with bright, bold flavors and benefitting a great cause. This spin on Philly’s iconic cutlet sandwich includes creamy burrata, crispy fried pepperoni and arugula piled on a chicken cutlet, drizzled with sweet-hot honey sauce and served on a soft, chewy Italian roll. A portion of all proceeds go to Schwarber’s Neighborhood Heroes, which supports first responders and their families.
How about dessert? While the red velvet affogato with cookies, vanilla ice cream and espresso certainly catches our eye, the s’more quesadilla scores points for its uniqueness. Forget about cheese and meats; these pressed flour tortillas are oozing with melted marshmallows, Nutella and graham cracker crumble. Dunk it in a chocolate dipping sauce and enjoy. 1 Citizens Bank Way, Philadelphia; (215) 463-1000.
Chipped Ham Empanadas at PNC Park (PGH)
Yinz ready for this? From another major league-Aramark partnership comes a great lineup of big-time bites for baseball season at the Pittsburgh Pirates‘ PNC Park. This includes the chipped ham empanadas, a dish with knockout flavor. These fried empanada turnovers are filled with finely sliced barbecue chipped ham (a local specialty), cheddar cheese and pickles with a zesty barbecue dipping sauce.
You’ll find another nod to local culture with the Polish cannonballs. They’re fried balls of egg noodle, kielbasa, cabbage, bacon and cheddar with an herb crema dip on the side.
Finish things off with a fried almond torte, which is like a funnel cake log, fried and topped with an icing and raspberry sauce striping and crunchy toasted almonds. 115 Federal St, Pittsburgh; (412) 321-2827.
Three Little Pigs Sandwich Coca-Cola Park (Allentown)
There’s loads of PA-pride in the concessions at Lehigh Valley IronPigs games, with everything from pierogis, pretzels, Berks hot dogs and scrapple sandwiches to funnel cake and Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews for dessert. The team was the first in its league to have its own menu website, and sells more pork than any other nearby restaurants, according to General Manager Kurt Landes. All this to say: The IronPigs take their food seriously.
The menu is quite expansive, with over 30 food and drink vendors and a bacon section spanning appetizers through dessert. Among the swine-centric offerings, you’ll find the Three Little Pigs Sandwich, a must-try for any carnivore. It’s a kaiser roll piled high with ham, barbecue pulled pork and bacon for hog heaven.
Hambone, one of the Ironpigs’ mascots
End on a sweet note with chocolate-covered bacon or the bacon brownie sundae, with warm brownie, hot fudge, peanuts and crumbled bacon topping. 1050 Ironpigs Way, Allentown; no phone.
The Spot’s Iron Man Hot Dog at FNB Field (HBG)
If you decide to catch a Harrisburg Senators game this season at the unique City Island ballpark, FNB Field, head to The Spot for your over-the-top grub. The Spot is the last iteration of the former Harrisburg hot dog institution by the same name, and dishes up some spectacular dogs on game days.
What was new to The Spot’s rotation in 2024 and now returning in 2025 is the Iron Man hot dog. It’s covered in sauerkraut that’s been cooked in beer and Old Bay seasoning, plus mustard, scallions and pimento cheese sauce.
Keep your eye out for “Luau Nights,” too, which will feature Berks hot dogs topped with a spicy pineapple relish.
Also look for Buffalo Chicken Cheesesteak features and a few new items from Berks. They’re doing three “Luau Nights” this year, and may be adding a dog with a spicy pineapple relish to their offerings. They’re “working out the kinks” with that. 245 Championship Way, Harrisburg; (717) 231-4444.
Altoona Fries at PNG Field (Altoona)
Minor league team Altoona Curve knows how to lean into a joke. It starts with mascot Al Tuna, a smiling tuna fish who has drawn comparisons to Goldfish crackers, and we can see why (the resemblance is uncanny). When the franchise joined the league’s Copa de la Diversión, a collection of Hispanic community-inspired personas, it took the Goldfish connection a step further with Peces Dorados. Translating to “gold fish,” this new mascot is a brightly hued fish with a gold body and back fin and sugar skull head, with its own line of apparel.
In a tasty nod to the marine mascot theme, the ballpark created a one-of-a-kind dish, Altoona Fries. If you like crab fries and you like cheese fries, you’ll find the perfect fusion in these seafood seasoned, Monterey Jack-smothered French fries. And, while you’re at it, check out the Rail King Fries. Named for the area’s preceding minor league team and tying into the city’s railroad industry roots, this boat of cheesesteak fries showcase a lot of PA pride. We suggest tucking into the pile of beef, cheese, onion and pepper-smothered French fries with a fork.
You can take your ballpark visit over the top — literally — with a ride on the park’s roller coaster, the Skyliner, which sits adjacent to PNG Field inside of Lakemont Park. Perhaps enjoy the amusements before tearing into those fries. 1000 Park Ave., Altoona; (814) 943-5400.
Caliente Perro Hot Dog at UPMC Park (Erie)
The Erie Seawolves show no fear when it comes to bold culinary concoctions, especially in conjunction with local favorite Smith’s Hot Dogs. For one of its Sugar Rush nightly specials in recent years, the Seawolves offered a cotton candy hot dog, which was a hot dog nestled in a cotton candy bun and covered in Nerds. Needless to say, it was a sensation.
There’s plenty of opportunity to walk on the wild side, food-wise, this season in the beautiful UPMC Park, which sits downtown and less than a mile from Lake Erie. This year’s hot dog lineup includes a buffalo-cheddar dog, hot dog parmesan with melted cheese and marinara, May the Fork Be With You hot-dog with burnt ends, and the Caliente Perro. This concession, translated (almost) to “hot dog,” really brings the heat with Flamin’ Hot Cheetos lining both sides of the frankfurter and jalapeños on top. It’s the type of concession that just dares you to try it. 831 French St., Erie; (814) 456-1300.
What over-the-top ballpark eats are you getting into this season? Let us know in the comments below, or join the conversation on the PA Eats Facebook and Instagram pages!
- Feature photo: Aramark
- All other photos: courtesy of the respective teams and ballparks
