Classics are Angel Stadium fan favorites
We all crave our favorite snacks at Angel Stadium, but this season the name of the game is comfort food.
“There was nothing comfortable about seeing a baseball game with no fans,” said Eric Ursua, general manager of Legends Hospitality. “But with the fans back? Oh my gosh, it’s like we’re able to breathe again.”
Legends carefully tracks feedback from fans to cater to their tastes at restaurants and concession stands. Ursua has already noticed that this season fans want the basics.
“Honestly, that’s it. It’s beer, nachos, pizza, chicken tenders and fries. And of course peanuts, but it’s literally just what you would think of when you hear ballpark food, and it’s been wonderful having people back,” he said.
Crowds have happily returned and Ursua says they’re shopping for lots of merchandise — hats, T-shirts, rally monkeys — and they’re enjoying just walking around their home stadium.
“That’s the cool thing about having an older stadium,” he said. “I have two sons, and when we come to games I can walk them to the same concession stands that my dad walked me to when I was little to buy me a hot dog or popcorn.
The Short Rib Grilled Cheese is made with housemade short rib, mozzarella, provolone and cheddar cheeses served on a Texas-sized bun. You can find it at The Big Cheese on the third base terrace level. So that’s definitely part of it and that’s what was missing until all the stadiums opened up again.”
The game experience is a little different as we’re coming out of the pandemic: Beginning Thursday, the stadium will open to full capacity, though some COVID-19 protocols will remain.
“In accordance with the updated State of California and MLB health guidelines, guests will be required to wear a mask unless they are prepared to provide proof of full vaccination or a recent negative COVID test. Masks are not required when actively eating or drinking,” the team says. Go to Angels.com/Protocols if you want more details.
Some things will be easier. Mobile order from your seat, if you want; all transactions will be cashless. For those with cash, buy a gift card at the stadium and use it for all your purchases.
Then get ready to enjoy the game and the eats. The Diamond Club is open for Lexus Diamond Club or Suite ticketholders, and you can still do the buffet for $50. Instead of a getyour-own starters and dessert, servers bring a charcuterie board and an all-in-one dessert plate to each table.
Saint Archer Brewing Co. restaurant is open, too, and available to all ticketholders. Check out the menu with your cellphone or look at it on the iPad at the hostess stand. Reservations are definitely encouraged at both restaurants — especially if you want to sit on the patio — but not required.
For those who are still apprehensive about coming back to the park, there are extra safety options.
“If you can afford the club level, you can buy a ticket, sit down, order everything from your phone and then it’s all delivered to you safely,” Ursua said. “If you can’t afford the club level, throughout the stadium on all levels, you go on your phone and order from all of our Classic Hits locations. You pay in advance and go right up to a designated window that says ‘mobile order pickup.’ ”
Whatever you choose, chef Omar Almaraz and the rest of the food and beverage team have made sure there are plenty of treats. Some are new; others are returning favorites.
Here are some picks recommended by Legends, along with some made popular by fans. Most are about $6-$18.
On the menu
PRETZEL » Made fresh daily by the pastry team, each pretzel is hand-rolled and formed at the restaurant and paired with warm jalapeño-cheese sauce and
The Chopped Pork Sandwich features a 16-hour smoked shoulder seasoned with housemade barbecue rub, tucked into a potato bun and topped with apple cider vinegar, honey coleslaw, sliced onions, pickles and barbecue sauce.
Saint Archer Blonde Ale mustard. Each pretzel weighs almost 1 pound. Ursua says it’s eye-popping when you first see it and always a bestseller year after year. Find it at Saint Archer Brewing Co. restaurant, open to all tickeholders, on first base side of club level.
FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH » Sharp cheddar cheese is blended into a spread that’s slathered onto soft, sweet Portuguese buns from OC Baking Co. in Orange. Housemade spicy pickles are added for contrast. At Saint Archer restaurant.
ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE CHUNK AND JUMBO CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES » Made daily with 64% dark chocolate and a little malt powder to give it a rich, nutty taste without making it supersweet. Available at Corner Markets, suites and in seats.
ROTISSERIE CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICH » Hand-pulled chicken is dressed with lemon aioli on a soft brioche bun with mixed greens, vine-ripened tomatoes and chimichurri. Find it at the La Rotisserie concession stand on the third base field level.
CHOPPED PORK SANDWICH » Pork shoulder is smoked for 16 hours and seasoned with housemade barbecue rub, then tucked into a potato bun and topped with apple cider vinegar and honey coleslaw, thinly sliced onions, pickles and barbecue sauce. Available in seat.
LEGENDS DOG » Surprisingly sweet and smoky, a 1/3-pound, all-beef dog gets smothered with smoked pulled pork in barbecue sauce and onion strings. At the Crafty Dawg location, whose reopening has not been scheduled.
LOADED HELMET NACHOS » This is the one to share. Piled high with round chips for digging into all the good stuff: chipotle chicken, guacamole, beans, nacho cheese, pico de gallo and tangy pickled jalapeños. Find it at nacho carts throughout the stadium. Returns Thursday.
SHORT RIB GRILLED CHEESE » Big, thick, almost Texas toast-size bread with short rib and three melty cheeses. Find it at The Big Cheese, third base terrace level. Returns Thursday.
CHOCOLATE CAKE » Fancy, multilayer cake made with Republic de Cacao Ecuadoran chocolate, it’s more chocolatey than sweet and can suit grown-up as well as kid tastes. Find it on the Dessert Cart.