NEW YORK -- The Mets have more than World Series aspirations in 2025; They expect their fans to have the experience of a lifetime the moment they enter Citi Field starting April 4 against the Blue Jays.
The food at the stadium is top-notch. In fact, for the third consecutive year, on Tuesday, the stadium was awarded the USA Today 10-Best Readers¡¯ Choice Award for the best baseball stadium food.
¡°No surprise to us, obviously, because we take a lot of pride in the food offerings,¡± said Katie Haas, the Mets executive vice president of ballpark operations and experience. ¡°This year, we have more emphasis on diversity, affordability and inclusion. What does that mean? That means we have all of your fan favorites.¡±
It¡¯s more than just hot dogs, peanuts and Cracker Jack. Fans can go to Pat Lafrieda¡¯s chop house near the Clover Home Plate Club for customized tomahawks with Yukon Gold waffle fries. The Seoul Bird, located on the Excelsior Level, is another place to visit. The Korean fried chicken with Kimchi fried rice will make you crave more.
For all Tuesday home games during the regular season, a value menu featuring food and beverage items priced at $5 each will be available around the ballpark. The $5 Tuesdays menu items will include 12 oz. Coors Light, 22 oz. Coca-Cola fountain sodas, 20 oz. Smartwater, Nathan¡¯s Famous hot dog (kosher, gluten-free and veggie hot dogs are available), regular soft pretzel and popcorn box. Offer is subject to availability, valid at select locations and not available for vending and mobile ordering.
It¡¯s more than just the food that is being offered to fans. The Mets will have 30 giveaways, from an Edwin D¨ªaz bobblehead on May 10 to a Pete Alonso replica jersey on Aug. 14.
This season, the Mets will have 13 theme nights, from the Black Legacy game on April 17 to Hispanic Heritage night on Sept. 16. In the Legacy Game against the Cardinals, the Mets celebrate the history of former Black Mets players and pay tribute to significant historical figures.
If one thought the Presidents Race at Nationals Park was a hoot and The Brewers¡¯ Sausage Race was competitive, the Mets are launching The 5 Borough Mascot Race, a new feature that will make its debut in the 3rd inning on Opening Day at Citi Field. The race will feature characters that represent iconic symbols of their respective boroughs: A subway car [Queens], a slice of pizza [Brooklyn], a ferry [Staten Island], a skyscraper [Manhattan] and a giraffe [Bronx].
Baseball isn¡¯t the only thing that will be played at Citi Field. Eight concerts are scheduled for this year. Billy Joel and Sting will perform together on Aug. 21, while The Lumineers will be on stage on July 11.
Before Tuesday¡¯s event, local reporters saw what Metropolitan Park could look like in the foreseeable future. Mets owner Steve Cohen and Hard Rock International have a vision for a sports and entertainment district around Citi Field.
The Mets hope to start construction in January 2026, provided everything is in order. The team hopes to have everything completed by late 2030, according to a Metropolitan Park spokesperson.
¡°We need to build replacement parking first. It¡¯s important to [Cohen] we don¡¯t disrupt this incredible fan base,¡± the spokesperson said.
The 25-acre park¡¯s design, by the local team of SHoP Architects (Domino Park) and Field Ops (The High Line, Domino Park), integrates input, ideas, and feedback collected from 15 community workshops, hundreds of meetings with local leaders and over 20,000 door-to-door conversations with people around the neighborhood.