T-Mobile Park, the home of the Mariners, unveiled a big revamp of the stadium’s food offerings this year with exciting additions including Marination, the business behind local Hawaiian food spots Marination Ma Kai and Super Six, and new spots for poke and acai bowls. There’s also a new menu of ballpark favorites, all priced at $3 each, part of of a new initiative to make Mariners games more affordable.Items include hot dogs, Coca-Cola fountain soft drinks (with free refills), popcorn, nachos, peanuts, and Red Vines. Below are some highlights of the new food options.
In the food and drink department, consulting restaurateur Ethan Stowell and corporate partner Centerplate continue to up the ballpark’s game, bringing in ever more local producers so the concessions at the stadium reflect the quality food movement happening everywhere in Seattle. Few ballparks in MLB are competing at this level. Read on for notes on new items, as well as a breakdown of major venues in the ballpark.
New Food This Year
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Marination [Section 119]
Marination, the local business behind Marination Ma Kai and Super Six, is perhaps the most exciting addition to the ballpark this year, serving big spam musubis, huli huli chicken with a satisfying char flavor on plates along with macaroni salad, slaw, and rice, as well as Kalua pork sliders.
Catch, by Just Poké [Section 132]
The owners of Just Poke and Sugo Handroll Bar are behind this new poke spot in the stadium. The ahi tuna bowls, seasoned simply with tamari, sesame oil and seeds, some red pepper, and onion and scallions, are a light, satisfying addition to the ballpark food offerings. You can also order spicy tuna rolls topped with poke, for something a little different.
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Pure Acai [Sections 132 and 328]
The Just Poké owners are also behind T-Mobile Park’s first acai spot, which should be refreshing during hot summer games. Along with a variety of acai bowls with different toppings, the shop will be offering Nutella toast topped with banana, coconut, and granola and a sweet matcha drink.
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Fuku [‘Pen]
Celebrity chef David Chang’s much-hyped ghost kitchen spicy chicken business Fuku, which has seen mixed reviews since coming to Seattle last year has come to the ballpark. Perhaps the lack of delivery time at T-Mobile park (people complain of soggy buns on Yelp) will leave game-goers happier than those who’ve ordered delivery from the Seattle ghost kitchen.
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Major Venues to Hit
There are several major concessions venues at T-Mobile — some with multiple locations — plus additional stands scattered throughout the park. Here are some of the best bets.
Ballard Pizza Co. [The ‘Pen]: Ethan Stowell’s foldable New York-style slices include funghi (fresh, seasonal mushrooms), ham and pineapple, and salsiccia (Italian sausage, fennel, and fennel pollen).
Din Tai Fung [Section 132]: Seattle’s Chinese dumpling expert serves vegetable and pork wonton soup, vegetable and pork wonton with spicy sauce, chicken-fried rice, spare ribs, steamed traditional bao buns filled with pork, or a vegetarian option with bok choy, tofu, mushrooms and vermicelli noodles.
Hit It Here Café: The sit-down restaurant in right field has a new menu from Chef Ethan Stowell this year, including nachos made with pulled chicken, onion rings, wings, chicken tenders with waffle fries and a habanero maple butter sauce, and spicy and regular burgers made with grass-fed beef.
Lil’ Woodies [The ‘Pen and Section 218]: Seattle’s mini burger chain grills Painted Hills grass fed beef patties in it two standard burgers, the bacon-topped Big Woody and the Li’l Woody. There’s also a vegetarian option with an Impossible patty, plus chicken tenders and fries with a side of Full Tilt ice cream shake for dipping.
Way Back Crab Shack [Section 187]: Chef Ethan Stowell’s toasted Dungeness Crab sandwich, crab fries, Old Bay fries, and clam chowder pairs with the rotating selection of draft beers including local and craft brews.
Where and What to Drink
Magenta Mojo: Created by Rob Roy owner Anu Apte, this new cocktail combines Lillet liqueur, Pamplemousse rose liquor, hibiscus, Peychaud’s aromatic bitters, soda water, and vodka. It’s served in The ‘Pen, Terrace Club lounges, and Lookout Landing.
1st Base Vine [Main Concourse, Section 126]: Here, find a selection of varietals from Columbia Winery and Chateau Ste. Michelle, available by the glass and full-bottle carafe. Chateau’s 14 Hands label will pour chardonnay, cabernet, sauvignon blanc and rosé, at 1st Base Vine and concession stands, clubs, and restaurants throughout the ballpark.
Club Lounge [3rd Base, Club Level] Named for Heritage Distilling’s Brown Sugar Bourbon, the lounge features the extensive lineup (including vodka, flavored vodkas, gin and whiskey) from Gig Harbor’s highly awarded distillery.
Cask Ale Station [Section 129, Main Level]: These days it's rare to find traditional cask-conditioned suds even at craft beer bars, but for the past few seasons T-Mobile has featured rotating "real ale," as it's known, from local brewers. The line-up includes beers from Reuben’s, Maritime Pacific, Sumerian, Diamond Knot, Double Mountain, Stoup Brewing, and Machine House, and there’s even a rotating cast of barrel-aged beers from several Northwest brewers.
The Chateau by Chateau Ste. Michelle Wine Bar [Section 126] A new addition to T-Mobile Park this year is a partnership with Washington’s Chateau Ste. Michelle, with the largest selection at its new wine bar in the stadium. It’s an important addition to a ballpark that’s previously been without a dedicated spot for wine. Along with Chateau Ste. Michelle Wines, there will be wines from the winery’s sister businesses like Domaine Ste. Michelle.
Elsewhere at the ballpark, there are beers from Washington State producers like Bale Breaker Brewing, Georgetown Brewing, gluten-free Ghostfish Brewing, Reuben’s Brews, Pike Brewing Co., and more as well as wines from the Chateau Ste. Michelle Portfolio. The ‘Pen opens two-and-a-half hours before game time, a half-hour earlier than other gates, and up to an hour before first pitch for each game.