Food: Busch stadium concession line-up knocks it out of the park for 2024 Cardinals games

By Suzanne Corbett, STLSportsPage.com Food/Travel Editor

Take me out to the ballgame and buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks is frankly passé, especially at Busch Stadium where the 2024 rooster of new concessions will be rolled out.  Food selections that have expand beyond the classics, including  nachos, hot dogs and brats. Still must haves, but don’t miss ordering up what’s new. Menu items Busch Stadium’s foodservice management have designed to delight and leave you hungry for more.

For starters, consider indulging a Wacho Custard Nacho– think sweet nachos made with waffle chips and Freddy’s Frozen Custard. Or how about a pair of  jalapeno popper sliders? Don’t forget the cotton candy. Not the prepackaged, matted stuff.

I’m talking about the new cotton candy vending machine in the Family Pavillion that mesmerizes customers as theywatch their cotton candy order get mixed, custom spun fresh on a stick, and delivered on demand. It really was fun to watch as the machine warmed up in anticipation of the main event which was the stick being wrapped with the sweet smelling sugary cotton candy.

While at the cotton candy machine, there is an entire area devoted to the kids. They have childrens menu with childrens prices.

There is an entire play area.  Along my grand tour of Busch, I was shown this area and when asked if most kids come before the game, the guide told us many parents use it as bribery for the kids to behave. “If you are good, we will go there in the sixth inning.”

The Family Pavillion is not the only place with vending machines. Other vending machines on site may not be as exciting to watch but still delivers great tasting foods. Case in point, The Farmers Fridge.

The Farmers Fridge offers a fresh selection of healthy salads, wraps and sandwiches, like the ones shown left.

Overseeing Busch Stadium’s latest foodservice menu innovations is Delaware North Executive Chef Norman Taylor.

2024 is set to yield a winning season for Chef Norman (shown at the top of this article), beginning with his two new star menu attractions. Supreme Nacho Fries, topped with nacho cheese, taco meant, salsa, jalapenos and sour cream, and Chef’s pride and joy, the Slinger Dog.

“You gotta try them all but start with the STL Slinger Dog,” Taylor said. “ We use a third of a pound beef dog, top it with hashbrowns, taco meat and two fried eggs.”

Slingers have long been a part of St. Lous’ culinary history. They started in area diners in the 1950’s and continue to be a favorite among the late-night dining crowd. his Slinger Dog is a nod to the popular sandwich.

Another thing St. Louisans love is their barbecue. Chef Norman has combined some barbecue favorites to make a special box. He uses his own recipe for the cornbread.

“And if you love barbecue,  you’re going to love our Triple Play BBQ Box that’s filled with a half-pound of house smoked brisket, pulled pork and turkey with a side of potato salad and cornbread. It’s a sharable box that you may decide to eat it all yourself.”

Chef Norman is especially proud of the barbecue. Each meat is custom-seasoned, smoked with mesquite wood and slow cooked for hours.

“We started smoking meats for the season weeks ago, so we’ll be ready for opening day.”

They smoke the meat for hours and then freeze it and it retains that slow-cooked, barbecue taste. Guests can purchase the box at Broadway BBQ near section 109.

If you don’t know where that is located, you can find it on your Ballpark App.

Another source of pride at Busch is its food vendors.

This year’s new addition is FarmTruk, owned by Samantha Mitchell  (shown left) who has made a reputation for scratch-made, locally sourced, comfort food.

“We’re excited to showcase what elevated concessions can be,” Mitchell said who bases her creations on foods she likes to eat made with seasonal ingredients.

Among the items FarmTruk is pitching to fans is their take on a traditional Reuben, brisket mac-n-cheese, chicken nachos ladled with homemade queso, candied jalapenos and pickled onions, and its masterpiece, jalapeno popper sliders.

“Jalepeno popper sliders are made with our house made pork belly, which is  a ten-day process. We smoke then confit  the pork belly with duck fat. Then, the slider is topped with  candied jalepeno  whipped  cream cheese, tomato jam and microgreens,”  Mitchell said.

“We’re doing classic vanilla and a variety of seasonal flavors of gooey butter for dessert.”

Keeping it fresh also includes going beyond the menu.  A goal of Cardinal President  Bill DeWitt.

“I like the idea of keeping Busch Stadium fresh for the fans. Offering something new every year is important to us,” DeWitt said.  “You want people to have the feeling of nostalgia when they come on opening day, celebrate the history, and experience the tradition. But you also want it to keep up with the trends.”

A reflection of what’s trending at major league ballparks is the new 703 Club. Sponsored by Budweiser and named in honor the Albert Pujols home run tally, 703 Club is a climate-controlled space, which sports an open modern design, a display kitchen with food offering  custom pizza, pasta with  grab and go food stations.

The 703 club, which was still being completed as recent as last week, is billed as an experience that’s packaged as an all-inclusive ticket.

The seats are unique, soft and woven so they are breathable and cooler for fans on a hot St. Louis Day.

A ballgame and food have become inseparable. We all have our own must have favorites we indulge in at the ballpark. That said, I asked  DeWitt III what his favorite food memory is at Busch Stadium. His reply, the Fannie burger. As DeWitt recounted, here’s the back story.

Gussie Busch loved Steak n Shake burgers and he wanted a grill in the owner’s suite that would match the Steak n Shake. A lady named Fannie would always make the burgers, which were morphed into this thing called the Fannie burger.

“When the new stadium opened, she was still with us, and we replicated that idea into  owner’s suite where you still call them the Fannie-burgers. They’re my favorite,” he said noting he prefers regular burgers, without cheese. Dressed with lettuce, tomato and ketchup.

Fannie-burgers are available on request in some suites; however, they won’t be found on the official Cardinal Baseball  app’s food guide.  Everything else that is  food and drink related is listed with the location one where to find them.

To find the food you crave at Busch, get the app and check the food guide at mlb.com/cardinals/apps/ballpark.