Don’t end the baseball season without trying the best food at Nationals Park. Here’s a roundup of the best eats offered at the stadium that were born right here in the DMV.
Since its opening in 2008, Nationals Park has slowly built a reputation for offering food that goes beyond clichéd ballpark fare and becomes a memorable experience in its own right. Fresh ingredients and expert preparation can go a long way in elevating a meal, but for an extra guarantee of quality, search for the local companies within the park. Whether it’s an up-and-coming doughnut company or a diner that’s been slinging chili dogs for nearly six decades, the best food at Nationals Park was born right here in the DMV. Here’s a look at the top five restaurants at the ballpark:
- Haute Dogs – Section 106: No matter how you prefer your frankfurter, Alexandria-based Haute Dogs has you covered – their menu includes their traditional take on the Chicago-style dog, as well as the innovative Vietnamese banh mi dog with sriracha, cucumber, carrots, jalapeno, and cilantro. If you’re not sure what type of hot dog you’re looking for, the namesake Haute Dog, featuring warm house-made onion relish, yellow mustard, mayo, and celery salt, is guaranteed to please. Each sausage is served in a unique New England-style roll, split down the top instead of the side to allow for maximum topping coverage and deliciousness.
- Catchfly Kitchen & Kapnos at the Park – Section 301: D.C.-based superstar chef Mike Isabella has brought a number of concepts to Nationals Park, but Catchfly Kitchen and Kapnos at the Park are his two most delicious, and entirely different, cuisines currently available. Catchfly offers southern-style comfort food and barbecue, like slow-cooked pork sandwiches with coleslaw and barbecue ribs, while Kapnos offers Greek fast-food like the lamb or pork gyro and fried potatoes. Both restaurants are a bit pricier than the other food at Nationals Park, but the size of the sandwiches should leave all but the most insatiable foodies satisfied. Don’t be surprised if you have to share!
- Ben’s Chili Bowl – Sections 110, 141, & 317: This quintessential D.C. restaurant chain has flourished in recent years at the ballpark, offering its classic half-smokes with chili and cheese just like they have at their landmark U St. location for the past 59 years. Their unique chili also pairs so perfectly with french fries; the only problem is that the food is too hot to immediately scarf down. With multiple locations in different sections, Ben’s Chili Bowl not only offers some of the best food at Nationals Park, but with shorter lines compared to many other food stands.
- District Doughnut – Section 107: District Doughnut, one of the DMV area’s best doughnut shops, has blossomed from a small pop-up in Union Kitchen to two full-sized storefronts in D.C., as well as offering goods at various Georgetown partners. In 2016, DD opened a doughnut stand at Nationals Stadium, offering favorites like powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, and glazed cake-style doughnuts to the thousands of fans of both baseball and dessert, especially those who have tired of funnel cake. Be sure to stop by the stand early in your trip – fresh doughnuts are available before the game begins, but by the bottom of the 7th inning, the line can grow too long to get in before the vendors close for the game!
Which of the above restaurants is your top pick? Did we forget your favorite local food at Nationals Park? Let us know in the comments below!
