Restaurant Review: Celebrating 110 seasons, Wrigley Field serves up classics with a twist
A couple of weeks ago, Dean’s Team Chicago featured the White Sox 2025 menu offerings for Rate Field. This week, we’re featuring the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field. The Cubs are celebrating 110 years at the Friendly Confines this season.
Though Wrigley Field prefers to keep their food simpler than Rate Field, heavy on the traditional hot dogs (Chicago-style, footlong, etc.), pizza, hamburgers, and of course, Chicago’s own Cracker Jack, they’ve been quietly expanding their menu items to reflect Chicago’s diverse communities.
Section Offerings
Take, for example, their new Fried Ranch Bombs, at the Addison Street Grill, near Section 126. Eater.com describes them as “glorified hush puppies,” with ranch dressing in the breading, drizzled with spicy honey.
Another new item, near Section 110, are tangy, tasty Dill Pickle Tater Tots, located at Third Base Classics.
In Section 121, the kiddos will enjoy a Kraft Mac & Cheese Souvenir Helmet, available on Kid’s Sundays.
For those who prefer their helmets with nachos, Big Slugger Nachos stand features Nacho Helmets at Sections 307, 307 and 227.
Marquee Classics Stand- near Section 117
Debuting this year is the Marquee Classics Stand in the concourse by the Clark and Addison entrance. They’re featuring a menu that changes with each homestand and feature foods relating to the visiting team.
For instance, as Fox 32 notes, there will be Lobster Rolls for the Boston Red Sox (Friday, July 18 to Wednesday, July 23) and Sticky Pork Bao Buns for their recently completed Los Angeles Dodgers series in April.
“It’s always a challenge within the ballpark when you’re feeding 42,000 people,” Levy Executive Chef Mary Ann Culleton told Fox 32. “But I think that’s the excitement of it and we want to be able to offer our fans more.”
In May, they’re featuring Chicken & Waffles, also the late, great DB Kaplan’s Turkey in the Slaw sandwich (NOTE: I remember the creative menu and enormous sandwiches at the deli located in Water Tower Place!) They’re also serving Dill Pickle Tater Tots and Elote Nachos.
As Eater.com mentions, from Monday, September 1 to Sunday, September 7, when the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals are in town, they’re featuring BLT Fries, topped with crispy pork belly, cheddar cheese, tomato, ranch dressing, and shredded lettuce.
How About Dessert and a Souvenir?
Throughout the season, Marquee Classics will feature Baseball-Shaped Doughnuts, packaged like a souvenir baseball in transparent plastic boxes. Inside, you’ll find a round cake doughnut, drenched in white vanilla frosting and decorated with red frosting ‘stitching.’ The ‘baseball’ come is accompanied by a “pipette” filled with blueberry or strawberry frosting, so fans can “juice” the baseball to their liking, as Eater.com says.
Remember, as Humphrey Bogart said, “A hotdog at the ballpark is better than a steak at The Ritz!” And now, there’s so much more!
Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago
