CLEVELAND, Ohio — Whether you prefer traditional ballpark fare or are looking for something a bit more adventurous, Progressive Field has plenty of concessionaires serving up a wide array of choices.
But which foods are worth your hard-earned money?
cleveland.com reporters Brenda Cain and Yadi Rodriguez spent a recent Indians homestand tasting and ranking the top-selling item at each concession stand.
Now, they’re back with rankings of the 25 best Progressive Field foods based on their personal selections off the menu boards. They were free to choose anything — whatever tempted their eyes and taste buds.
See the Top 25 rankings below, starting with No. 25. Hometown Sausage’s stuffed sausage was their No. 1 favorite food.
No. 25 Bavarian Pretzel, multiple locations
No. 25 Bavarian Pretzel
Which stand: These pretzels are sold all around the ballpark. We tried ours at Great Lakes Brewing. Location: Section 107 Price: $6. Side of cheese is $1.50.
Rodriguez is a huge fan of hot pretzels and this one, unfortunately, was disappointing. The pretzel did not taste fresh. It had a buttery taste, but was very dry. On the plus side, the amount of salt was just right. Not too much. The cheese cup was served warm enough to help soften the pretzel.
These pretzels are available throughout the ballpark so perhaps at a different stand or a different time the outcome would have been better.
No. 24 Cheese Pizza, Major League Pizza
No. 24 Cheese Pizza
Which stand: Major League Pizza Location: Section 554 Price:$5
Rodriguez says: This pizza had lots of cheese but lacked any flavor. It did have a thicker crust if that is your preference.
Cain says: Not that impressed. The crust was thick, but a bit on the doughy side. Plenty of cheese topping, but no taste.
No. 23 Bacon on a Stick Which stand: Gluten Free Location: Section 153 Price: $4
Cain says: Not crispy. Wish it was because it had good taste.
Rodriguez says: Very tasty but a little chewy. Perhaps because it isn’t made to order.
Bacon the newest mascot was introduced in May 2018
No. 22 Smoked BBQ Mac N Cheese, Throwing Smoke
No. 22 Smoked BBQ Mac N Cheese
Which stand: Throwing Smoke Location: Section 159 Price:$10.50
Cain says: Hearty dish but mac doesn’t have great taste and my bite of meat was all fat.
Rodriguez says: The noodles were dry and not cheesy. The BBQ was difficult to eat because it was sliced and not shredded but the Montgomery Inn sauce was good.
No. 21 Vanilla Shake, Dynomite Burger
No. 21 Vanilla Shake
Which stand: Dynomite Burger Location: Section 114 Price:$6
Cain says: Thick and creamy, mild taste, not too sweet.
Rodriguez says: Very thick and sweet vanilla shake. You really need the bigger straw it comes with. Reminded me of a vanilla Frosty from Wendy’s.
No. 20 Walking Dorito Taco Which stand: Locos Nachos Location: Section 157 Price:$6.50
Rodriguez says: Doritos with cheese and jalapenos. I prefer regular nachos, although the bag keeps these from falling all over the place.
Cain says: The bag is convenient, but I prefer my nachos made with corn chips instead of Doritos.
No. 19 Short Rib Poutine, The Fat Rooster
No. 19 Short Rib Poutine Which stand: The Fat Rooster Location: Section 182 Price:$9
Cain says: Meat was tender and tasty but a bit fatty. The fries were nice and crisp.
Rodriguez says: Way too much gravy. Lots of fat on the meat, but flavorful. Small bits of onions and needs more cheese.
No. 18 Double Cheeseburger, Rally Burger
No. 18 Double Cheeseburger Which stand: Rally Burger Location: Section 155 Price:$6
Rodriguez says: I wish the cheese was melted more but this is a good option and value.
Cain says: I appreciate that they make your burger when you order, it is just not laying around. It was a tasty burger, with plenty of cheese. A solid burger.
No. 17 Chorizo Taco, Barrio
No. 17 Chorizo Taco Which stand: Barrio Location: Section 109 Price:$7.25
Described as house-made Mexican sausage with peppers and onions, Ohio sweet corn salsa, queso fresco and chipotle crema.
Cain says: Messy and spicy! Veggies temper the spiciness, but just a bit.
Rodriguez says: There is spice to the chorizo, but not overpowering. There are lots of toppings and a good amount of meat on this taco. Grab napkins.
No. 16 Fat Italian, Fat Heads
No. 16 Fat Italian Which stand: Fat Heads Brewery Location: Section 158 Price:$14.50
Described as ham, salami, capicola, pepperoni and crumbled hot sausage topped with provolone cheese, banana peppers, hard-boiled egg, lettuce, tomato, red onion and rosemary mayo. Comes with chips.
Cain says: I love all of the ingredients, but it was spicy and fell apart as I tried to eat it.
Rodriguez says: Too many ingredients make it hard to eat. It is a hearty sandwich though.
No. 15 Chicken Nuggets Platter, Build a Burger
No. 15 Chicken Nuggets Platter Which stand: Build a Burger Location: Section 174 Price:$12.50
Cain says: Crispy and crunchy chicken, good-sized pieces. The fries were crispy but soft inside.
Rodriguez says: Not your typical chicken tenders. These chicken pieces were huge and cooked well. Nice and crispy on the outside. The fries also were cooked perfectly.
No. 14 Loaded Kraut Dog, Cleveland Kraut
No. 14 Loaded Kraut Dog Which stand: Cleveland Kraut Location: Section 113 Price:$8.75
Rodriguez says: No shortage of kraut on this dog.
Cain says: I liked it, but you have to be a fan of kraut to enjoy it.
No. 13 Chicken Quesadilla, Momocho
No. 13 Chicken Quesadilla Which stand: Momocho Location: Section 149 Price:$13.50
Cain says: Salty! The shell does have good texture though.
Rodriguez says: Big! Lots of chicken, although it was very watery. You need to grab lots of napkins to absorb the liquid on the bottom of the container.
No. 12 Mushroom Melt, Melt Bar and Grill
No. 12 Mushroom Melt Which stand: Melt Bar and Grill Location: Section 113 Price:$10.50
Described as garlic mushrooms, caramel ports, fresh spinach and provolone cheese.
Cain says: Rich meaty taste without the meat. I loved the addition of the fresh spinach.
Rodriguez says: No shortage of really good mushrooms. Cheese wasn’t completely melted but the spinach was fresh. No. 11 Johnsonville Bratwurst, Ballpark Classics
No. 11 Johnsonville Bratwurst Which stand: Ballpark Classics Location: Section 109 Price:$7.50
Cain says: Flavorful, slight spice.
Rodriguez says: Good brat, fresh, good temperature.
No. 10 Pizza Logs, Burgers and Fries
No. 10 Pizza Logs Which stand: Burgers and Fries Location: Section 559 Price:$8
Cain says: Crunchy shell, lots of cheese and pepperoni. The marinara didn’t add to the flavor.
Rodriguez says: These are like pizza egg rolls! Crunchy on the outside and cheesy on the inside.
No. 9 Chicken Cheesesteak, Cheesesteak
No. 9 Chicken Cheesesteak Which stand: Cheesesteak Location: Section 117 Price: $12
Rodriguez says: Chicken was flavorful. Wish there were more onions, mushrooms and peppers.
Cain says: A pretty good alternative to the traditional cheesesteak. The chicken was tasty and there were plenty of toppings.
No. 8 Italian Sausage, Sausages and Dogs
No. 8 Italian Sausage
Which stand: Sausages and Dogs Location: Section 119 Price:$7.25
Rodriguez says: A well-cooked sausage, and no shortage of onions and peppers. A good alternative to the standard hot dog.
Cain says: I really liked this sausage. It was nicely spiced, not too overwhelming, and was grilled to that perfect crispy skin.
No. 7 Slider Dog, Happy Dog
No. 7 Slider Dog Which stand: Happy Dog Location: Section 159 Price:$11
Described as fresh grilled all-beef hot dog topped with Froot Loops, pimento mac and cheese and bacon.
Cain says: Weird combination but the dog was very good.
Rodriguez says: Don’t let the look of the toppings scare you. This is a very colorful dog and it was surprisingly really good. This one is like breakfast and lunch/dinner rolled into one. No. 6 Chocolate Shake, Cleveland Dogs and Shakes
No. 6 Chocolate Shake Which stand: Cleveland Dogs and Shakes Location: Section 111 Price:$6
Cain says: Very thick and sweet. Maybe a touch too sweet?
Rodriguez says: Thick and tasty, not overly chocolate.
No. 5 Carnitas Bowl, Ohio City Burrito
No. 5 Carnitas Bowl Which stand: Ohio City Burrito Location: Section 160 Price:$13.50
Described as flour tortilla or bowl filled with rice, black beans, pulled pork carnitas, cheese, lettuce, your choice of salsa, guacamole and sour cream.
Cain says: Very good, with lots of flavor.
Rodriguez says: The meat was cooked well and had a good flavor. Generous serving.
No. 4 Ballpark Sundae, Sweet Moses
No. 4 Ballpark Sundae
Which stand: Sweet Moses Location: Section 111 Price:$9.25
Described as salted french caramel ice cream topped with Sweet Moses caramel corn, Spanish peanuts, homemade hot fudge, whipped cream and a cherry.
Cain says: This is one of my all-time favorites. I love the sweet creaminess of the ice cream and the hot fudge coupled with the salty, crunchy peanuts and the caramel corn. YUM!
Rodriguez says: This is a must-try sundae. So many delicious ingredients that work perfectly together.
No. 3 Spaghetti and Meatball Pizza, Dante’s Pizza
No. 3 Spaghetti and Meatball Pizza Which stand: Dante’s Pizza Location: Section 121 Price:$12.50
Cain says: I was surprised I liked it, but the first bite won me over!
Rodriguez says: A must try. Carb overload but worth it. Who would have thought spaghetti would work on a pizza?
No. 2 Antipasta Salad, Pasta Al Dante
No. 2 Antipasta Salad Which stand: Pasta Al Dante Location: Section 158 Price:$7
Described as cavatappi, salami, provolone, pepper jack, pepperoni, pepper rings, kalamata olives and giardiniera tossed in extra virgin olive oil.
Cain says: Really packed with meat (especially pepperoni), cheese and fresh veggies. Perfect alternative on a really hot day at the ballpark.
Rodriguez says: One of the best antipasta salads I have had. I wish this was all we ate that day because I would have eaten the entire container. It was fresh, light and had a great balance of flavor.
No. 1 Stuffed Sausage, Hometown Sausages
No. 1 Stuffed Sausage Which stand: Hometown Sausages Location: Section 107 Price: $7.25
Cain says: Rich meat flavor! And embedding the peppers and onions into the sausage is ingenious because you get so much more flavor that way. I want another!
Rodriguez says: Yum! Lots of peppers and onions that were cooked perfectly. The sausage itself was outstanding. No need for added toppings on this one. The taste throughout was delicious. Well worth a visit to this stand regardless of where your seats are.
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