Red Sox baseball is coming back home, and the chef at Fenway Park has cooked up a lineup of concessions that goes far beyond the old Fenway Frank.
Not that there’s anything wrong with the classic, which Mayor Michelle Wu enjoyed during a tour of the park ahead of Opening Day Friday.
“There are all-new items all over the ballpark, all in concessions, so anyone can come and get this food,” said Fenway Park executive chef Ron Abell.
Aramark is behind all food and beverage offerings at the ballpark, and Abell’s team never disappoints — especially when it comes to innovations out of the Test Kitchen located on the Big Concourse.
This season, the Test Kitchen is rolling out the “Cheetos Dog,” which is essentially a savory junk foodie’s dream. The souped up dog features a Fenway Frank wrapped in chewy bacon, sprinkled with Cheetos dust and chopped onion. It’s topped off with pickled jalapeños and loads of nacho cheese.
Another dish called the “Dare to Pair” offers a twist on French Canadian poutine: sweet potato fries topped with peanut curry sauce, cilantro, and sriracha.
The Test Kitchen will also offer Doritos Tacos and Fluffernutter fries.
Less adventurous eaters can look forward to a healthy turkey gyro or crispy chicken sandwich, Abell promised, in addition to ballpark standards like hot dogs, hamburgers and Bavarian pretzels. The park also gained a new pizza sponsor, Sal’s Pizza.
Abell has also incorporated some new healthy, kid-friendly options, like apple fries.
“Granny Smith apples: we cook them with a little buttermilk. There’s a little cinnamon and sugar on them, not too sweet, but the kids love them on Sundays,” he said.
And another Fenway fan favorite will return this season: the lobster roll.
The process of buying concessions will be different for fans who may be returning to the park for the first time in a few years after weathering the pandemic. Fenway has transitioned to a completely cash-free building, meaning fans can only purchase food and drink with credit or debit cards. Red Sox executives promise there will be “reverse ATMs” set up throughout different areas of the park where fans can transfer their cash onto a temporary card to make their purchases.
“We’ve watched restaurants and other venues around the country go through that migration, and it will also speed up service for fans,” Red Sox president Sam Kennedy said.
