MESA, AZ — Sloan Park, the home of the Chicago Cubs, is bringing a taste of Chicago to Mesa with new food items for this year's spring training season!
Chris Myers, Executive Chef, shared with ABC15 what he was most excited to debut this season at the ballpark.
“We’ll start with the most basic thing -even though I don't think it's basic -it's a brat, a Vienna beef brought from the Midwest on a pretzel bun, and that's a new item we have this year. We've kind of upped our brat game, so to speak. We have helmet nachos this year, so a nice souvenir item for the kids or even adults, to share. Then we have a Southwest Helmet Nacho. Also, it's a little bit heightened version with some pulled pork queso [and] it's got roasted corn on it. So that's another thing that's pretty exciting. One other item is the [Pork Wings and Waffle Fries], they're a little bit different; think chicken wings, but it's a pork shank and it comes with waffle fries and a Carolina barbecue mayonnaise on it.”
New food items on the roster: Cubs Helmet Nachos, Southwest Helmet Nachos, Chicago Dog, Pork Wings and Waffle Fries, Patty Melt, Bratwurst, and the Chicago Wrap.
This isn’t the first season for the chef is cooking up new food items for the Mesa ballpark; so, what was the inspiration behind this year’s debuting items at Sloan Park?
“Well, just keeping in the theme of Midwest Chicago, people coming here on vacation, trying to get you know the feel for the Cubs, the weather, but then also having some of the southwestern flavors […] just bringing marrying those two things together is pretty huge for us, because I think people that aren't from Chicago, they come here, they want to get something Chicago style [and] people that are from Chicago, they come here, they might want to get something that's from Arizona, or something inspired by the area here. So, we tried to do both. I think we do a good job with it,” shared Myers with ABC15.
RELATED: Check out these local restaurants near each Cactus League stadium
CHICAGO SPOTS IN AZ
If you can’t make it to the ballpark for a taste of Chicago, it’s okay — there’s several spots in the Valley that are serving up dishes of the beloved state.
- Address: 3749 E Indian School Rd in Phoenix
Spinato’s Pizza
- There are six Valley locations, find the nearest one to you right here.
- Address: 1602 E Indian School Rd in Phoenix
- Address: 6143 W Glendale Ave in Glendale
- Address: 8418 E McDonald Dr in Scottsdale
Barro’s Pizza
- There are more than 40 locations in our state, click here to find the nearest spot to you.
