{"id":184186,"date":"2026-04-03T04:18:14","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T04:18:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/184186\/"},"modified":"2026-04-03T04:18:14","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T04:18:14","slug":"ranking-yankee-stadiums-newest-concessions-from-dessert-chicken-to-fried-mozzarella","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/184186\/","title":{"rendered":"Ranking Yankee Stadium\u2019s newest concessions, from dessert \u2018chicken\u2019 to fried mozzarella"},"content":{"rendered":"

NEW YORK \u2014 The concessions are part of the experience of attending a baseball game, for diehard and casual fans. The reality is not everyone in the stands on any given day cares about what\u2019s happening on the field. Those people are there to be entertained, and food is a major draw for them.<\/p>\n

The New York Yankees want the game experience to appeal to all different types of fans, and their food and beverage offerings reflect this aim. The club unveiled its new concession items for 2026 on Tuesday, and The Athletic was there to taste everything.<\/p>\n

To rank each item I tried, I\u2019m bringing back the highly scientific YSC+ stat that I introduced in 2023. Just like baseball\u2019s \u201cplus\u201d stats, 100 is average. Any number above or below 100 means a Yankee Stadium concession is above or below average. So, a 125 YSC+ would mean it\u2019s 25 percent better than the average concession item.<\/p>\n

The only new items I did not try were the Lobel\u2019s pastrami fries, the sticky que chicken sandwich and the Bird Dog 2.0, a loaded split-beef dog. I have a mustard allergy, and each of those items contains mustard. I\u2019ve found concession workers usually won\u2019t alter any items because they\u2019re busy, so I didn\u2019t want to grade anything with a missing ingredient. These rankings are serious business, and the sanctity of the process cannot be compromised in any way.<\/p>\n

For those appalled that an MLB stadium serves anything other than hot dogs, peanuts, Cracker Jacks and soda in 2026, fear not. Those options remain widely available.<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s rank some food.<\/p>\n

The All-StarsMini dessert \u201cchicken\u201d bucket<\/p>\n

Where to buy: Sections 125 and 318<\/p>\n

Vendor: Legends Global<\/p>\n

Price: $10.99<\/p>\n

YSC+:\u00a0180<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n (Courtesy of the New York Yankees)<\/p>\n

This was the buzziest new item the Yankees introduced for 2026, and it plays off the chicken tender bucket, a concession staple at Yankee Stadium. It\u2019s a drumstick-shaped ice cream with a chocolate-covered pretzel center, a coating of white chocolate and candied corn flakes, served in a mini chicken bucket.<\/p>\n

I have a feeling these are going to be a big hit this summer. It\u2019s not just a viral food offering you take a picture of just to say you tried it. It\u2019s legitimately great. I\u2019m already looking forward to the videos of people pranking their friends who think they got them chicken, only to discover that it\u2019s ice cream when they bite into it.<\/p>\n

The Wind-Up<\/p>\n

Where to buy: Available at any bar<\/p>\n

Vendor: Yankee Stadium bars<\/p>\n

Price: $24.49, with souvenir cup<\/p>\n

YSC+: 175<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n (Courtesy of the New York Yankees)<\/p>\n

Mannnnnnnnnnn. This is the drink of the summer at the stadium. They\u2019ll have these watermelon margaritas on tap at the bars inside the ballpark. Some people may think the watermelon is too sweet; I didn\u2019t. I had several of them before leaving the stadium on Tuesday. Make sure you get one of these on that first hot weekend game of the year.<\/p>\n

Loaded fries<\/p>\n

Where to buy: Sections 109, 205, 331<\/p>\n

Vendor: Fuku<\/p>\n

Price: $17.99<\/p>\n

YSC+: 160<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n (Courtesy of the New York Yankees)<\/p>\n

Loved this. The sweet and spicy sauce on the chicken tenders was perfect. The waffle fries were crisp. I did want a bit more of the jalape\u00f1o dust for more heat, but alas. This is one of the items that I\u2019ll be venturing out of the press box for this season.<\/p>\n

MVP burger<\/p>\n

Where to buy: Section 227<\/p>\n

Vendor: Legends Global<\/p>\n

Price: $21.99<\/p>\n

YSC+: 155<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n (Courtesy of the New York Yankees)<\/p>\n

I\u2019m a fan of the 99 burger they\u2019ve sold at the stadium for the past few years. The MVP burger is better. Maybe that\u2019s because I\u2019m a big fan of having onion rings on burgers; I like the crunch they provide. Or maybe it\u2019s because, in addition to onion rings, this has caramelized onions, too. Give me all of the onions.<\/p>\n

The MVP burger comes with two wagyu beef patties, American cheese, the aforementioned onions, tomato-bacon jam, secret sauce and pickles on a brioche bun. It\u2019s quite expensive for a burger, so you\u2019ll have to be willing to splurge.<\/p>\n

Mozzarella en Carrozza<\/p>\n

Where to buy: Section 105<\/p>\n

Vendor: Christian Petroni<\/p>\n

Price: $13.99<\/p>\n

YSC+:\u00a0140<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n (Courtesy of the New York Yankees)<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll be candid here: I was pressured into redoing my initial score. The first bite I had was not great. It was cold, and the mozzarella had already hardened. You want your fried mozzarella to have a cheese pull.<\/p>\n

A Yankees staffer informed me that this was his favorite out of all the new dishes. A chef remade it for me, and I had my second one straight out of the oven. It was a critical difference \u2014 these are spectacular hot. The breading has a nice crunch to it, and the marinara is flavorful. If you\u2019re thinking of getting these at the stadium, you gotta ask if they\u2019re hot. If they aren\u2019t, you\u2019re going to be disappointed.<\/p>\n

The Hot ProspectsAngry Lobster Roll<\/p>\n

Where to buy: Sections 115, 334<\/p>\n

Vendor: King\u2019s Hawaiian<\/p>\n

Price: $24.99<\/p>\n

YSC+: 130<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n (Courtesy of the New York Yankees)<\/p>\n

The togarashi spice on top takes this lobster roll to another level. I feel like I\u2019d have been a bit underwhelmed without the togarashi, so if you\u2019ve never heard of it, don\u2019t be alarmed. The lobster tasted fresh, and the roll was buttery soft. It\u2019s a steep price, but it\u2019s a lobster roll at Yankee Stadium, so you kind of expect that.<\/p>\n

Thin-Crust, Bar-Style Hot Oil Pizza<\/p>\n

Where to buy: Sections 125 and 310<\/p>\n

Vendor: Colony Grill<\/p>\n

Price: $13.49<\/p>\n

YSC+: 125<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n (Courtesy of the New York Yankees)<\/p>\n

So hear me out: There are many world-class pizza places in New York City and several I still need to try, such as Lucali, Ceres, L\u2019Industrie and L&B Spumoni Gardens. Among those I\u2019ve had, my top three are Scarr\u2019s, Angelo\u2019s Coal Oven Pizzeria and John\u2019s of Bleeker Street. None of those spots is close to Yankee Stadium, and they\u2019re much different than this bar pie served by Colony Grill. But for stadium pizza, this is about as good as it gets. It\u2019s legit.<\/p>\n

I had the hot oil one, which is a cheese slice topped with serrano pepper-infused olive oil and \u201cstinger\u201d pepper. I didn\u2019t think it was spicy at all. If anything, the pepper elevates the standard cheese pie, giving it more flavor. If you\u2019re craving pizza, this is a great option.<\/p>\n

Apple Pie Nachos<\/p>\n

Where to buy: Sections 110, 125, 217 and 318<\/p>\n

Vendor: Mister Softee<\/p>\n

Price:\u00a0Unknown<\/p>\n

YSC+:\u00a0120<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n (Courtesy of the New York Yankees)<\/p>\n

By the time I had this, I had already consumed two \u201cchicken\u201d ice creams, an affogato and the apple pie dumplings. And yet, I wanted to eat this entire dish. The warm apples with the Mister Softee ice cream \u2014 yes, please. My one complaint is that the waffle chips break too easily. With a dessert called \u201cnachos,\u201d I\u2019d imagine the idea is to use the waffle chips as a scooper for the apples and ice cream, but it\u2019s impossible to eat it this way. Just get a spoon and go to town.<\/p>\n

Pasta Plates<\/p>\n

Where to buy: Section 105<\/p>\n

Vendor: Christian Petroni<\/p>\n

Price: $13.99<\/p>\n

YSC+: 115<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n (Courtesy of the New York Yankees)<\/p>\n

Christian Petroni will serve three different pastas: alla vodka, eight-hour marinara and arrabbiata. I only had the arrabbiata, and it was still good cold. I did wish that the arrabbiata had a bit more kick, but the pasta was cooked perfectly al dente. However, one thought crossed my mind: Who will want to eat this in the dead of summer when it\u2019s 90-plus degrees?<\/p>\n

Mac & Cheese Dumpling<\/p>\n

Where to buy: Sections 108, 213, 321 and Bleachers 201<\/p>\n

Vendor: Brooklyn Dumpling Shop<\/p>\n

Price: $14.49<\/p>\n

YSC+: 105<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n (Courtesy of the New York Yankees)<\/p>\n

Out of all of the new dumplings, I was convinced these were going to be the worst, but read on for my takes on the rest. These are essentially just fried mac and cheese, which I don\u2019t think you can ever go wrong with. I love mac and cheese bites so much they were among the hors d\u2019oeuvres at my wedding. Brooklyn Dumpling Shop describes their mac and cheese dumplings as \u201cditalini pasta smothered in three-cheese gooey goodness,\u201d which is an apt description.<\/p>\n

The ReplacementsAffogato<\/p>\n

Where to buy: Section 105<\/p>\n

Vendor: Christian Petroni<\/p>\n

Price: $6.99<\/p>\n

YSC+: 100<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n (Courtesy of the New York Yankees)<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t get me wrong: I enjoyed this. I\u2019m not even a coffee drinker; I may be the only sportswriter in America who does not consume copious amounts of coffee. I may have one or two lattes a month, but that\u2019s about it. But affogatos at a baseball game seems a bit silly to me. I know many people would prefer the Yankees have regular coffee at the stadium, but if you need a caffeine fix, this could do the job.<\/p>\n

Chicken Parm Sando<\/p>\n

Where to buy: Sections 115, 334<\/p>\n

Vendor: King\u2019s Hawaiian<\/p>\n

Price: $13.99<\/p>\n

YSC+: 90<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n (Courtesy of the New York Yankees)<\/p>\n

I have a feeling these are going to be hyped in food conversations that they do not belong in. Think of this sandwich as the Luis Arraez of concession items. Broadcasters talk about Arraez as if he\u2019s one of the game\u2019s greats because he doesn\u2019t strike out much. And then you look more closely at his numbers and realize the \u201conly\u201d thing he\u2019s good at is hitting singles. The only good thing about this sandwich is the pretzel bun. The chicken tastes like an unseasoned frozen chicken patty, which is then topped with congealed mozzarella. Yum.<\/p>\n

Italian Sausage Empanadas<\/p>\n

Where to buy: Sections 107, 232 and \u201cGrab & Go\u201d at Section 223<\/p>\n

Vendor: Nuchas Empanadas<\/p>\n

Price: $13.49<\/p>\n

YSC+: 85<\/p>\n

\"\"\/<\/p>\n

The potential is there for this to be good. But it gets dinged significantly because the dough for the empanada isn\u2019t great. I want my empanadas to be crispy and flaky. These are so doughy and gummy that it takes away from the flavor inside.<\/p>\n

Chicken Parm Dumplings<\/p>\n

Where to buy: Sections 108, 213, 321 and Bleachers 201<\/p>\n

Vendor: Brooklyn Dumpling Shop<\/p>\n

Price: $14.49<\/p>\n

YSC+: 80<\/p>\n

\"\"\/<\/p>\n

The Yankees released two chicken parm items, and somehow, both are mediocre. It\u2019s pretty hard to screw up chicken parm, one of the best dishes on the planet, but the Yankees found a way. I\u2019m not saying these are terrible, but they\u2019ve got to be hot and fresh to have any chance of being good. I want to give Brooklyn Dumpling Shop the benefit of the doubt, but if mine were cold at a tasting event, how will they be when mass-produced for a game?<\/p>\n

The DFA CandidatesApple Pie Dumplings<\/p>\n

Where to buy: Sections 108, 213, 321 and Bleachers 201<\/p>\n

Vendor: Brooklyn Dumpling Shop<\/p>\n

Price: $14.49<\/p>\n

YSC+: 75<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n (Courtesy of the New York Yankees)<\/p>\n

I wanted so badly to enjoy these, but they were underwhelming. If there are two apple desserts, it immediately becomes a competition between them. The apple pie nachos bested the dumplings by a lot. The apple pie dumplings are also high variance. If they\u2019ve been sitting out, avoid them.<\/p>\n

Bacon Cheeseburger Dumplings<\/p>\n

Where to buy: Sections 108, 213, 321 and Bleachers 201<\/p>\n

Vendor: Brooklyn Dumpling Shop<\/p>\n

Price: $14.49<\/p>\n

YSC+: 65<\/p>\n

\"\"\/<\/p>\n

I greatly enjoy bacon cheeseburgers, but inside a dumpling? Found out that I hated them. To me, these were nasty. I took one bite and instantly regretted my decision. Also, these have a \u201ctouch\u201d of ketchup inside the dumplings. Who enjoys hot ketchup?<\/p>\n

Pinto Bean Empanadas<\/p>\n

Where to buy: Sections 107, 232 and \u201cGrab & Go\u201d at Section 223<\/p>\n

Vendor: Nuchas Empanadas<\/p>\n

Price: $13.49<\/p>\n

YSC+: 0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n (Courtesy of the New York Yankees)<\/p>\n

Ummmmmmmmm. Yeah. I recommend Court Deli, which is up the hill from the stadium. Eat there before walking inside. These were an affront to empanadas.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"NEW YORK \u2014 The concessions are part of the experience of attending a baseball game, for diehard and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":184187,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[9,11,10,49,51,50,321],"class_list":{"0":"post-184186","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-new-york","8":"tag-new-york","9":"tag-new-york-headlines","10":"tag-new-york-news","11":"tag-new-york-state","12":"tag-new-york-state-headlines","13":"tag-new-york-state-news","14":"tag-new-york-yankees"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/184186","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=184186"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/184186\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/184187"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=184186"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=184186"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=184186"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}