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A Culinary Tour of PNC Park | A Food Map of the Ballpark
Your guide to finding Pittsburgh flavors, local craft beer and ballpark staples
Updated for 2023
With iconic views, fireworks nights and Buccos baseball, PNC Park is consistently named one of the best ballparks in America for a reason. In 2023, the ballpark upgraded their scoreboard as well as the main concourse, adding a walk-in market, new beer markets and tons of tech to make easy ordering and getting back to your seat quickly a top priority.
What follows is two yinzers’ quest to eat their way around PNC Park and recap their favorite finds and flavors. Looking for a comprehensive guide to everything in the park? Check out this blog.
Riverwalk Area (Outfield)
Our journey begins at the Riverwalk, once a more closed off region of the park and expanded in 2022 into a vibrant collection of new concession areas, seating right along the outfield, selfie spots, kids areas and gigantic Pirates bobbleheads of all-time greats.
This revitalization also led to the park infusing this area with authentic Pittsburgh cuisine, partnering with local restaurants to develop next-level ballpark food with Only In Pittsburgh inspiration. Chicken on the Hill (section 144/145) features a menu inspired by Coop de Ville in the Strip District, and Cannonball Burger (section 145/145) features Station in Bloomfield’s creations, transforming this stretch into one of PNC Park’s best food spots.
Jared: The Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich is a great new addition to the menu in 2023. Light on heat, but full on flavor as the sweet tea brine makes each bite of chicken delicious, with the added layers of the aioli and sweet pickles. It's so nice that this is served on a Martin's roll, too. Even with so many toppings, this was super easy to walk and eat.
Jeremy: These BBQ bacon waffle fries from Cannonball Burger are the perfect ballpark snack. The seasoned waffle fries hold the rest of the toppings easily and that first bite is a showstopper. The pickled onion and the bacon give this a great balance with a slightly sweet aftertaste, and it’s easy to share or attack with a fork yourself.
Bonus Tip: Don’t go back to your seats yet. Enjoy your meal at one of the seats right against the outfield railing for an amazing view of the game while you chow down.
New Food Roundup (Throughout PNC Park)
Looking to try everything new in the park this summer? Me too! Here's a quick recap on where to find everything new this season:
Caliente Pizza (113, 123, 313, 304)
Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich (144)
Bucco Crunch Dog (127)
Fried Cheese Curds (127, 146)
Mrs. T's Topped Pierogies (142)
All-star and other new burgers (108, 120, 133)
Jared: The fried pickle curds are very much a me food, but this is easily my favorite new addition to the park this year. I just wish I could take a cup of this ranch aioli home...
Jared (Stop 2): Every ballpark needs a great local pizza, and PNC Park now has one of my favorite slices in the city with Caliente on deck. The slice is gigantic, the crust is crispy and it tastes just like the slices I'd get in the city. Absolute perfection.
Deli Dogs and Nachoritas (Left Field)
Making our way into left field, two new food options immediately made us stop and load up before we got to our seats. Deli Dogs (section 135) features upscale takes on the classic ballpark hot dog, with high-quality dogs and buns served Reuben, Chicago and chili style. Nachoritas (section 137) again elevates the simple nachos and cheese we love and adding queso and crema to satisfy the most sophisticated taste buds.
Jeremy: If you love nachos that are drowned in toppings, this is the place for you. These Nachos Nachorita come topped with queso, beef, black beans, jalapenos, sour cream and salsa. The nachos have a little kick, but aren’t too spicy, and the queso mellows out the salsa very nicely.
Jared: Full disclosure I grabbed Jeremy’s nachos and finished them, too. I went simple on my Deli Dog and got the chili cheese, but what a difference a deli-quality hot dog and bun make. The crisp snap of perfectly grilled dog in every bite is going to make me a Deli Dogs fan every time I come to the park.
Local Beer (Center Field and Left Field Rotunda)
Watching pitchers warm up is always fun at PNC Park, but there was never anywhere to sit. Enter the Bullpen Tap Bar, which offers eight of local brewer Fat Head's signature beers on tap along with a rotating selection of other breweries such as North County, Cinderlands Beer Co and even Threadbare Cider. Seats are available on the railing overlooking the bullpen, making this a perfect way to pass a few later innings.
2023 is a revelation for both lovers of craft beer and people that don't want to miss an inning to get one. Walk-Thru Bru locations throughout the park let you pick a can (Cinderlands and Iron City were available in every cooler I saw) but the true gem is right under the left field rotunda, where Cinderlands is set up with drafts and cans you won't find anywhere else in the park.
Jeremy: I think it’s awesome that the Pirates are doing their part to promote local breweries, and Fat Head’s has plenty of awesome selections. My favorite is this Lime Feein’ Good Mexican-Style lager. With a 4.9% ABV, it has a fruity taste that I thought was really unique. It’s a great beer to day-drink too.
Jared: I went to the new Cinderlands Corner Bar location and don't want to leave. It's the perfect mix of IPAs and other lighter beers that pair perfect with ballgame weather. Between here and Fatheads, I could stay here all afternoon and discover new beers for my Untapped profile.
Something Sweet
Jeremy: For those of us with a sweet tooth, the cookie sundae is the best dessert option in the park. You can find it at the Sweet Spot (section 106) or The Cookie & Creamery (section 119) in the infield concourse. Every ice cream/cookie combination goes great with each other, especially during a hot afternoon game, and comes served in a Pirates batting helmet.
Healthy Options
Error. This is not that type of article.
Seriously though, there’s some fresh, innovative salads at the Market behind home plate, but the only vegetables we touched were the celery than came with the wings.
Primanti's, Manny's and Quaker Steak & Lube LocationsMore Pittsburgh Flavors
We were stuffed after our culinary tour, but it’s still worth mentioning a few other spots for great grub in the park. Grab some Only In Pittsburgh Primanti Bros. sandwiches, piled high with coleslaw and french fries, and a bucket of Quaker Steak & Lube hot wings (both located behind section 108).
My personal PNC Park tradition is to always make sure I stop by Manny’s (also sporting a newly-designed space) in left field, where you can often find Pirates great Manny Sanguillén seated near the end of the line, who is always happy to chat with fans and relive some of his greatest moments.
