A Guide to the New Food Options at SunTrust Park

As the number of days until the opening of SunTrust Park dwindles down to 2, and with the team playing rather poorly in its first 7 games I decided to use my original content spot on something a little happier - food.

I got an invite from the team for the second year in a row to check out their new menu item and I am absolutely thrilled to report to you that it is far less gimmicky, and much better tasting than what was debuted last year (think Burgerizza - yikes and sorry for those of you that enjoyed it, it was just a bit too much for me). Instead of going over the typical food you could find at Turner Field, think H&F and burgers, I will go over some of the newer options that may intrigue you.

One thing was clear and that was that the Braves wanted to increase the variety of food available - as in you will no longer be forced to eat your typical ballpark food should you not to. First and foremost would have to be the new taco themed concession stand called the Taco Factory. From here you can get your choice of three different types of tacos: chicken, barbacoa, or blackened catfish and being the pig that I am I of course tried all three and the obvious winner is the barbacoa taco. Each taco comes with an overwhelming amount of toppings so feel free to be picky, however the barbacoa tacos with the salsa verde and the cheese they top it with is probably the best ballpark food I’ve eaten from a concession stand. The Taco Factory will definitely be my go to concession of choice and it can be found in sections 151, and 313 however if you want the blackened catfish tacos they will only be available in the outfield in section 151.

Near the Taco Factory is a small little vendor that specializes in noodles and dumplings called Intentional Wok. Again, it’s very non-traditional ballpark food and the obvious inspiration were the noodle and sushi spots at Safeco Field, but that didn’t deter me from seeking out this location immediately. The noodles were a bit salty, but the dumplings hit it out...of..the..park (I’m so sorry), and it is something I would definitely recommend. Intentional Wok is found in the outfield pavilion.

Right next to the Taco Factory is a spot called “The Slice” which is just a typical slice of pizza, however what stood out for me was their menu included a fairly decent cannoli, and new breadsticks along with a vegetarian option (salad).

Before our vegetarian cuisine enthusiasts become discouraged - there is, unfortunately just one but at least there is something this time, stand dedicated to your lifestyle and that is the Field of Greens located at section 156 in right field. The options include: veggie dog, veggie sausage, veggie burger, salad, a fruit cup, and a veggie cup. There will also be gluten-free beer located at this stand at well.

An option I thought was pretty cool was a new market concept found behind section 149, left-center field. There is a large collection of beverages and snacks, including beef jerky, that you simply pick up yourself and check out at the cashier.

Near the Centerfield Market there is also a chickfila, a place called 1871 Grille which provides standard ballpark food and one of the final two unique(ish) food options - the Potato Cutter. Here you can get several types of fries with various different seasonings, most notably the garlic fries (sorry AT&T Park).

The final stop on our tour was the Terrapin Taproom, which is located right across from the Chophouse in right field. You can enjoy your favorite Terrapin beer, or perhaps a flight of beer along with incredibly good bourbon ice cream. It’s a fun spot if you want to escape the heat, and I believe it is open before games as well because it is accessible from the outside of the stadium.

Other notable new food items: Mega Mega Hotdog, and the Fried Tomahawk Porkchop (feeds 4) are found at the Braves Big Bites stand located in section 113. Wafflehouse is found in section 311. Nashville hot chicken is found in the Fry Box located behind section 320. A stand dedicated to sausage will debut, aptly named Sausage Haus, behind section 347.

If none of these options sound appetizing to you, do remember the Braves rescinded their food policy and you can now bring food into the stadium as long as it fits in a clear, gallon-size container.