Ranking the top 5 foods served at Reds games this season

Keith Pandolfi, Cincinnati Enquirer
Updated ·3 min read

Each year, Great American Ball Park invites media types like me to attend a tasting event so we can sample the new foods and concessions the stadium is offering for the upcoming Reds season.

For the past few years, those tastings have been presented by the park’s executive chef, Gary Davis. And lucky for us, Davis is back for another at-bat in the kitchen.

Davis grew up in Cincinnati and went to Purcell Marian High School before attending culinary school at the prestigious Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. He’s a nice guy with a calm demeanor, which must be required when you’re overseeing food service to literally thousands of customers in a two or three hour stretch of time.

This year, Davis' offerings include several new items, as well as some old favorites. I’m sure you’ll get to try them all soon, but in the meantime, here’s a rundown of my top-five favorites, ranked.

1. Hempler’s Jalapeno Cheddar Sausage

The Helmpler’s jalapeño cheddar sausage is a grilled jalapeño cheddar sausage, ballpark kraut and mustard served on a bun.
The Helmpler’s jalapeño cheddar sausage is a grilled jalapeño cheddar sausage, ballpark kraut and mustard served on a bun.

If you’re going to subject your stomach to an afternoon or evening of ballpark food, you may as well do it right. For this dish, Davis takes a big, fat, spicy jalapeno-cheddar sausage from the Seattle-based Hempler’s sausage company and jacks it up with sauerkraut and a heavy pour of mustard.

It sounds like a mess, but you can get it served on a sizable toasted pretzel bun, which keeps things contained enough to avoid any embarrassing spills.

2. Big Red Dog

The Big Red Dog is a Big Red Smokey wrapped in bacon and topped with pimento cheese and signature sauce. It's served on a toasted pretzel bun.
The Big Red Dog is a Big Red Smokey wrapped in bacon and topped with pimento cheese and signature sauce. It's served on a toasted pretzel bun.

This dog came in a very close second to the Hempler's sausage. Here, a grilled Big Red Smokey is wrapped in bacon (something I usually find ridiculous, but in this case, the flavors meld nicely). It’s topped with creamy pimento cheese and a sweet “secret sauce” that Davis told me was inspired by a sauce at Chick-fil-A.

The added sweetness does a great job tempering all those big, meaty flavors.

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3. Montgomery Inn Brisket Hoagie

Montgomery Inn Brisket Hoagie is made with brisket and topped with peppers, onions, banana peppers, queso cheese and barbecue sauce served on a potato sub roll. It will be sold at the Montgomery Inn Smokehouse at Great American Ball Park.
Montgomery Inn Brisket Hoagie is made with brisket and topped with peppers, onions, banana peppers, queso cheese and barbecue sauce served on a potato sub roll. It will be sold at the Montgomery Inn Smokehouse at Great American Ball Park.

It’s the toppings that matter most with this Philly cheesesteak-like sandwich. The sweet caramelized onions, peppers and banana peppers, specifically. Yes, the smoked brisket is good, too, especially since it's covered with queso and Montgomery Inn barbecue sauce.

4. Penn Station Fresh-Baked Cookie Sundae

I can’t remember the last time I ate dessert at Great American (even at the Graeter's stand). But this sundae from Cincinnati-based Penn Station subs might become a new ritual for me.

It speaks to the best ice cream sundaes I ate as a kid, with vanilla ice cream and a choice of toppings that include crumbled Oreo cookies, chocolate chips, chocolate sauce, sprinkles, nuts and, of course, a cherry on top. If that’s not enough to pique your interest, keep in mind that it’s served with one of those famously soft Penn Station chocolate chip cookies, too.

5. Skyline Nacho Helmet

The Skyline Nacho Helmet is filled with nacho chips, topped with Skyline chili and shredded cheese. You can find them at the Skyline locations at Great American Ball Park.
The Skyline Nacho Helmet is filled with nacho chips, topped with Skyline chili and shredded cheese. You can find them at the Skyline locations at Great American Ball Park.

No, this one isn't new. But when you top anything with Skyline or Cincinnati-style chili, it's bound to make my list of favorites. In this case, tortilla chips are topped with Skyline chili, nacho cheese sauce and a plop of shredded cheddar. It's served in an oversized souvenir Reds hat, making it the most Cincinnati-focused dish GABP is offering this season.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Top 5 foods served at Cincinnati Reds games in 2024