The 2026 MLB season is here! South Side Sox kicked off the season at Rate Field (the most important part of the season?) with a menu review of new dishes coming to the ballpark.
The White Sox opened its doors to the media on March 18 to show off their new items. Returning favorites and some flashy new items highlighted what otherwise was a frigid March morning. We’ll give you an preview of our favorites, and where to find them.
There is no way that they could have provided samples of all the new offerings. Some of the highlights of things we didn’t get to try include a burger topped with sausage; a fajita hot dog topped with guacamole; a new beverage stand focused on floats and coffee, aptly named “Coffee and Cream”; and a Chicago bites box consisting of such items as a hot dog, italian beef, kielbasa, and Garrett’s Popcorn.
Chicken and waffles
Buttermilk fried chicken cutlet atop a Belgian liege waffle, served with fresh fruit and latkes; available on the club level
This was my first time having chicken and waffles, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Is it normal for the savoriness of the breading on the cutlet and the sweetness of the liege waffle to overpower the chicken? If the point is to emphasize the sweetness of the pairing with flaky sugar crystals and sweet syrup, then they nailed this dish. The fresh fruit and latkes weren’t available to try, but the fruit would’ve been a welcome addition to the sweet dish. (HF)
I am a huge breakfast person, so any excuse to have a waffle at a non-breakfast time of day is good in my book. The sweet and savory combo of this dish is what makes chicken and waffles so popular, and will surely be a hit on the club level. Both the waffle and the chicken had their own perfect crunch to them. If I had the money to attend club level games, I would take the opportunity to order this. (AW)
Never once have I had chicken and waffles, so this felt like the perfect time to finally try it. I can guarantee this edition will do well around the ballpark, as it is extremely tasty. The chicken was breaded perfectly, and was a solid portion size. This is personally one of my most favorite things on the food tour, and I’m assuming it will be even better with the fruit latkes. (HL)
Italian Scallion
Pepperoni, prosciutto, and ham, and seasoned lettuce and tomato between focaccia bread with mustard and scallion; available on the club level
While recreating Kyle Teel’s beloved meatball sandwich would’ve been a nice ode to our beloved backstop, Levy didn’t disappoint with its alternative. The sandwich was surprisingly light for having pepperoni, prosciutto and ham. The tomato cuts through the saltiness, and the herbs from the scallion focaccia really bring the meats together. The tiniest critique I have is that the mustard didn’t come through for me, but that’s a minuscule gripe. I would definitely buy this during a game. (HF)
I LOVE a deli sandwich, and a well-done deli sandwich is one of the finer things in life. I would call this a standard-issue Italian-style sandwich, and for that I cannot complain. The thing that makes this sandwich different is the focaccia it is served on. The herby bread was the perfect pair to the cured meats and toppings. Someone should invite me to a club level game (wink, wink) so I can have a feast for the ages. (AW)
Rainbow bubble waffle
Japanese bubble waffle with vanilla ice cream, gummy bears, Nerd clusters, and sprinkles; available in section 154
What you see is exactly what you get. Crafted specifically to satisfy Munetaka Murakami’s sweet tooth, this bubble waffle with vanilla ice cream topped with gummy bears, nerd clusters, and sprinkles lived up to its name. As someone who enjoys overly sugary treats occasionally, this was a little much. I think one, not two, gummy candies would’ve been sufficient. My favorite part was the light bubble waffle, which was the least sweet item in the concoction. I probably wouldn’t go for this on a hot summer day for the sweetness and potential stickiness. (HF)
This dessert was inspired by Mune’s sweet tooth and love for gummy candy. I can appreciate that, and so will all the eight-year-olds who are going to love it. Their parents are going to hate having to order it, however, mostly because of the stickiness. Things I enjoy for a sweet treat? Ice cream, nerds gummy clusters, sprinkles. However, the combination of the gummy candy with the ice cream is a no-go. It made the gummies hard to chew, and my jaw started to hurt from the effort. The bubble waffle and the ice cream are as good as they come, but I will be keeping the elements of this sundae separate as to enjoy them fully. (AW)
If you have a sweet tooth, or are looking for something that is almost guaranteed your kids will like, this is the way to go. The bubble waffle is the perfect addition to something like this and truly balanced it out well. It was also just plain tasty. Aside from the gummies and nerd clusters getting frozen from the ice cream, this was a good try, but personally not something I would order for myself. However, their vanilla ice cream is always delicious, and Lucky’s was a big hit last year, so I can see this item doing well in the summer. (HL)
Machete
Quesadilla with queso oaxaca, orange salsa, and option of chicken chorizo or vegetarian; available in section 111
The chicken chorizo option was tasty, but it missed something. The flour tortilla was a bit stiff. The chorizo brought a little heat, but it wasn’t enough to blow my taste buds. However, I did enjoy the light and creative touch the orange salsa provided. Having more chorizo, which provided the most flavor, and replacing the flour with a corn tortilla would raise this from single to a triple in my book. (HF)
This was the biggest pass of the day. I accidentally grabbed the veggie option, and it was fine. Granted, it is hard to serve lots of samples and keep everything warm, but my cheese had already gotten cold by the time I tried it. Plus, this was just lacking flavor. Someone needed to get in that kitchen and add more seasoning. I will likely pass on this during the upcoming season. (AW)
Turkey in the slaw
Roasted turkey, applewood smoked bacon, sharp cheddar cheese; available on the club level
This was an absolute home run. The Challah bread was airy but thick and supportive enough to hold everything together. Between the bread was slightly-roasted turkey with crunchy bacon, and coleslaw that wasn’t too creamy or rich. The sharp cheddar cheese brought out the turkey well. Finally, the Louie dressing brought it home without making the bread soggy or the coleslaw watery. I will definitely be getting this when I go on Opening Day weekend. (HF)
What can I say about a good deli sub that I haven’t said already? The choice of challah bread was the correct one, the cole slaw added a nice tangy crunch, and the turkey was very moist. I only wish I would have gone back for seconds. (AW)
Roast pork sandwich
Pork roast, seared garlic broccoli rabe, sharp provolone cheese, and au jus on a sesame hoagie roll; available on the club level
This is a tough one to review. I really wanted to like it, because it’s creative and is pulling together a bunch of interesting flavors. Sadly, it looks better than it tastes. The broccoli rabe is too bitter, and the sharp provolone is a bit too sharp and overpowering. These two ingredients make it hard to zero in on the roasted pork and au jus, which should’ve been the star of the show. This sandwich wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t my favorite. (HF)
If the machete was my biggest pass of the day, this was my second. The concept is creative and different, but it did not deliver. The pork itself was good, and I liked the addition of the sesame bun. The broccoli rabe ruined it for me. (AW)
Original carrot cake
Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and toasted coconut; available on the club level
An original recipe from DB Kaplan’s first restaurant, the carrot cake was a nice way to end my taste testing. The walnuts in the cake brought out its earthiness. The lightly toasted coconut on the touch had an interesting level of sweetness that tied in with the cream cheese frosting. If it had raisins, this cake would truly be the best new item on the menu. (HF)
Look, I am a savory over sweet kind of girl, but I grew up with a father who loved carrot cake. Therefore, I love carrot cake. This was a good carrot cake. The cream cheese icing was not overly decadent. The cake itself was soft and dreamy. I could have eaten a whole cake had I been offered. I am also excited to see what is to come of this new restaurant concept, DB Kaplan’s! (AW)
You know when you taste something and know it’s going to be a hit? That’s how I felt eating this. Carrot cake at the ballpark wasn’t something I was expecting, and I can’t tell you the last time I’ve actually eaten that dessert, anywhere. However, this carrot cake made me a fan. The frosting was some of the best I’ve had, and the cake itself was soft and melted in your mouth. This was one of my favorite items introduced, and I will be finding a way to get a piece of this at the park this year. (HL)
Crispy chicken wings & fries
Crispy chicken wings with fries, offered in buffalo, mango habanero, and garlic parmesan and lemon pepper dry rub; available in Section 105
I am unsure how wings translate to a baseball game, but these rocked. They had the garlic parmesan and lemon pepper options for tasting, and both were seasoned to perfection. The french fries were typical. Should I feel moved to get my hands messy and sticky at the ballpark this summer, I will keep this new stand in mind. (AW)
At first, I was nervous about the idea of eating wings at the ballpark, because it seems way too messy. However, after trying both of the wing flavors my mind changed. The dry rub lemon pepper was seasoned incredibly well, with a very strong lemon flavor. They were not that messy to eat, and the fries to accompany the wings were the perfect touch. The garlic parmesan wings were a little more saucy, but still tasted just as delicious. This is definitely something I can see myself getting this year for a dinner option. (HL)
Korean dog “papas freedom”
Vienna beef hot dog, hash browns, and chipotle ketchup; available in Section 154
When I learned the stadium was introducing Korean corn dogs last year, I was thrilled. I am excited to see them continue to grow this offering at the ballpark. But there was really nothing special about this one. Not everything has to be special to be delicious, though. Think corn dog, but instead of corn meal you get potato. What is there to complain about? Exactly: nothing. (AW)
I truly believe the Korean corn dogs from Lucky’s are some of the best ballpark foods in the league. I was thrilled to be able to try the items from last year, and loved that they added on this year. Of course, a Vienna beef hot dog will always catch my attention, no matter how it’s cooked or how it’s presented. What REALLY caught my attention was using a hash brown as the breading. It was very very good, and the chipotle ketchup was the perfect touch. It’s simple yet tasty, and offers variety. Definitely something to try at Lucky’s this season. (HL)
Tonkatsu dog
Vienna beef hot dog, panko, kewpie mayo, teriyaki sauce, and bonito flakes; available in Section 154
This was my home run of the day. They did not have to do much to elevate the Korean-style corn dog, but they did it in a way that was thoughtful. The panko was light and crunchy, the teriyaki and kewpie mayo played well together, and the bonito flakes (paper-thin shavings of dried, fermented, and smoked skipjack tuna) added that salty finish it needed. The Lucky Dog stand always has a line, but for this I would be willing to wait. (AW)
In addition to highlighting food at this event, during the food tour the White Sox also previewed their promotional giveaways for the season. Things to keep your eye out for? A Colson Montgomery hooded jersey tank that the first 15,000 fans will snag at the April 4 game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Also during that series, you can go home with a Jenks and AJ bobblehead if you are 21+ and one of the first 10,000 fans on April 5. In May, there is a women’s athleisure giveaway (May 9), a Chase Meidroth bobblehead (May 25), and a combo Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero bobblehead (May 30).
Mexican Heritage night on July 10 comes with a Los White Sox jersey giveaway. On July 25 you can snag a City Connect warmup if you are one of the first 15,000 fans, and you even get to watch the Astros play. Are you interested in something that is not clothes? On August 22, they are giving away a wooden domino set!
Promos round out the year in September with four currently scheduled. This starts with a “Finance Bro” vest on September 5, followed by the best White Sox game of the year (Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day) on September 19 accompanied by an Irish quarter zip. If you missed the Los White Sox jersey, you can try to snag a Los White Sox poncho on September 25 for Hispanic Heritage Night. And the year would not be complete without a sweatshirt giveaway: Just in time for the fall, fans can go home with a City Connect crewneck on September 26.
There are sure to be more giveaways added as the season continues, including the Hawaiian shirt announcement. But, the season is already stacked with sought after items. After you grab a coveted giveaway, you can head to the Team Store to check out all the new Murakami merch.