Garlic fries have long been associated with Oracle Park ever since the stadium opened in 2000—in fact, they’re such a prominent element of the San Francisco Giants experience that they’re featured in the team’s new “Nothing Like It” advertising campaigns.
But the food options at 24 Willie Mays Plaza go far beyond the simple hot dogs and fries, as the Giants demonstrated Thursday at their annual Media Open House in advance of the 2023 season.
New concession offerings in 2023 include crab fries, Italian beef sandwiches and churwaffles—as the name suggests, a hybrid between a churro and a waffle.
The crab fries can be found at the Murph’s Pub stand along the first base line on the main concourse, or Promenade Level, as it’s officially known, as well as in the Field Club. As of now, they won’t be at the same spot as the expensive but popular Crazy Crab sandwich. While Philadelphia’s Crabfries are simply french fries with crab seasoning, these come with Dungeness crab on them, as well as a garlic-lemon aioli. Considering there’s no fishy smell, the crabs are so fresh they may have been pulled straight out of McCovey Cove.
The Chicago Dog cart, located on the Promenade Level between home plate and third base, approximately behind Section 118, has added an Italian beef sandwich, which is sure to be a hit when the Cubs visit town in June. It’s heavy on the giardiniera, which has no shortage of tangy peppers and olives. The sandwich isn’t completely soaked in au jus, which may sacrifice a bit of the flavor but makes it far easier to carry around the stadium.
Orlando’s Caribbean Grill, named for Orlando Cepeda and known for its famed Cha Cha Bowl, has added a jerk chicken and Swiss cheese chimichanga to its menu for the season, with considerable portions of shredded cabbage and pico de gallo on the side.
Fans who purchase Club Level tickets won’t just have access to a heated concourse and shorter waits to use the bathroom; they’ll also be able to enjoy a new Grilled Cheese Cart, which offers a three-cheese melt and an Italian melt with mozzarella and havarti cheese, alongside prosciutto. Other offerings at the stand include a Garden Melt with brie and apricot preserves, as well as a classic tomato soup that’ll sell like wildfire on cold nights.
The apricot preserves won’t be the only new garden-related offerings this year. The Garden, located beyond the center field wall, is now offering a veggie dog topped with tomato, a roasted red pepper chutney and arugula. There will also be a seasonal rotating flatbread available, and the one that was offered at Media Open House was one of the fastest-moving items on the day. The initial offering has a cauliflower crust, roasted spring garlic to give a hint of pesto flavoring, pepperoni and a fennel salsa verde.
Sacramento-based Burgess Brothers BBQ made its debut at the ballpark in August 2022 at a stand behind Section 110, near first base on the Promenade Level. The stand will be present throughout the 2023 season, featuring “Ultimate Grand-Slam Sliders” with a choice of pulled pork or brisket and mac and cheese on a sweet, spongy brioche roll.
Burgess Brothers is also the site for the churwaffle. Special dessert foods have popped up regularly at Major League ballparks in recent years—the Arizona Diamondbacks got the ball rolling with the Churro Dog, and the mini donuts are among the best culinary offerings at Minnesota’s Target Field, and now the Giants are getting in on the fun. The churwaffle, made from Burgess Brothers’ cornbread dough, is a firm and slightly crispy mini waffle tossed in cinnamon sugar and topped with whipped cream, caramel and chocolate sauce.
