Your 2007 Ballpark Cuisine Guide

Diamond Hoggers works to provide it’s readers with the best coverage on the net towards everything baseball. Today, we take a look at some stops you could make before or after your visit to the ballpark in a few Major League Cities:

Seattle- Shiro’s Sushi, 1.6 Miles from Safeco Field

This little corner eatery serves some of Seattle’s best sushi and provides a stage for one of the city’s best-known sushi chefs. Shiro Kashiba left his heralded Nikko restaurant, then installed himself and his considerable talents in this simple but elegant Belltown storefront. He turns out crisp cuts of fish and hand rolls as much flourish as food. The chef’s-choice Sushi Dinner covers the basics, but it’s also rewarding to sample from the sushi list. The restaurant serves sake, beer and wine. Diamond Hoggers strongly reccomends the California Roll and Seaweed Salad. If you’re lucky, you’ll get to chat it up with Shiro himself like we did, who is close personal friends with Ichiro Suzuki. He’s got some good stories about Seattles centerfielder.

Cincinnati- Skyline Chili, 2.0 miles from Great American Ball Park

A favorite of Adam Dunn and Austin Kearns, and Diamond Hoggers’ editors. We reccomend our usual order of 2 Cheese Coneys (with mustard and onions) and a large 3 way. Don’t come here if you are on a diet, or if you have heart problems. Excellent with, before, or after beer comsumption. There’s something about that damn cheese. Cincinnati-style chili is a sauce usually used over spaghetti or hot dogs, containing a unique blend of spices that gives it a very distinct taste. Officially, the recipe for Skyline Chili is a well-kept family secret among Lambrinides’ surviving children. However, many Skyline patrons and Cincinnatians believe that the unique taste of Skyline Chili comes from chocolate and cinnamon.

Chicago- Harry Caray’s, 4.5 miles from Wrigley Field

This legendary Italian Steakhouse serves the finest prime, aged steaks and chops in a truly warm “Chicago” atmosphere. Harry Caray’s has won numerous awards including “Best Steakhouse” by the Chicago Tribune’s Dining Poll, Wine Spectator’s prestigious “Award of Excellence” every year since 1989, and has been ranked continuously in the top 100 highest grossing restaurants in America. The friendly, energetic atmosphere embodies the amiable personality of the restaurant’s namesake. The combination of mahogany paneling, white tablecloths and a veritable museum of baseball history creates a warm and casual elegance. Located in the heart of Chicago’s River North, Harry Caray’s Chicago, designated the “Official Home Plate of the Chicago Cubs,” is within walking distance of numerous major hotels and office buildings. We also dig the fact that it has a sandwich cart rolling around the classy joint all day long. Somehow, we imagine it was Harry’s idea for that.

Philadelphia- Geno’s Steaks, 2.95 miles from Citizens Bank Park

If you attend a Phillies game, and don’t eat one of these piles of meat and cheese, you aren’t American. You have to have a Cheesesteak, and you need Geno’s. The walls (outdoor) are littered with famous endorsements from hometown hero athletes like Joe Morgan, and Mike Schmidt–which you’ll enjoy looking at while you’re waiting sometimes up to an hour and half standing. You walk up there and tell the guy you want tomatoes, or some other condiment. You’ll be sent to the back of the line empty handed. All they wanna know is ‘wit or wit out onions’.

New York- Yankee Tavern, 1 block from Yankee Stadium

Located just one block from Yankee Stadium, folks love the pastrami sandwiches and other pub food available at the Yankee Tavern. Nearly everything on the menu is less than $10. If you don’t wanna pay New York sky-high prices inside the House that Ruth built, stop by here first and dine on some good food and enjoy good spirits. It’ll get you in the mood for the game, and you better not forget to mention ‘The Mick’ sent you.

Boston- Turner’s Fisheries, 1.5 miles from Fenway Park

The best chowder in Boston. This stuff would make Peter Gammons cream in his pants. Turner Fisheries has reopened after a 3 million dollar renovation. Award winning Turner Fisheries, located in historic Back Bay features traditional and creative Cuisine. “One of Boston’s top rated American-style seafood restaurants” (USA Today) Chef Christoph Leu presents innovative menus that will make your dining experience a culinary event to remember. Don’t miss Turner’s Clam Chowder, awarded Best of Boston by Boston Magazine. If it’s clams or oyster flights that you are craving, visit the acclaimed Turner Fisheries. Call or e-mail for more information or to request program schedule.

Cleveland- Panini’s Gateway Bar and Grill, Less than 1 mile from Jacobs Field

Listen, you won’t confuse this place with a 5-star restaurant. If you’ve been to Cleveland, you probably understand why. This place fits the blue collar mold perfectly of the city, and is a stone’s throw (literally) from the front gates of the Jake. We reccomend the Overstuffed-Oversized fat ass deluxe sandwich.

“Panini’s is a great after work or before a ballgame gathering place with
great drink prices and specials. They also serve a variety of sandwiches,
pizza and wings until the late hours of the night.”

Read that last line of the snippet. That sends off off radar for ‘get real drunk here’. That alone makes us like the place.

Make sure we didn’t miss anything. List your own favorite hotspots in the comments section, so we can try it out when we venture there in other big league cities.