Come for the Met Game, Stay for the Brisket: Citi Field 2026 Preview

Aside from Opening Day, playoff games, and a handful of can’t-miss giveaway days, there’s one date on the Mets calendar that doesn’t show up in the standings but still gets circled in red ink by those of us who cover the team. It’s the annual “What’s New at Citi Field” media event—baseball’s version of Christmas morning, if Santa traded his sleigh for a carving station and smelled faintly of smoked brisket.

Because while the wins and losses will come later, this is the day the New York Mets pull back the curtain and say, “Here’s how we’re going to wow you before you even look at the scoreboard.”

And in 2026, wow is not a strong enough word.

Mets President of Business Operations Lew Sherr set the tone early, and if you closed your eyes for a moment, you could almost hear the hum of a packed house already.

He spoke about ownership’s commitment—specifically the Cohen family—to turning a night at Citi Field into more than just nine innings. This isn’t just about baseball anymore; it’s about creating an experience that starts the moment you leave your house and doesn’t end until you’re halfway through telling your friends, “You should’ve tasted this thing I had…”

The numbers back it up. Citi Field welcomed over 3 million fans last season, a record for the ballpark, and 2026 is already pacing ahead. That’s not just a good team on the field—that’s a destination.

And getting there is becoming easier too. New transportation options, including expanded rail access and even a $5 Long Island Rail Road ticket, are aimed at eliminating one of the great New York traditions: complaining about how to get to Queens.

If you think Citi Field is just about baseball, you haven’t been paying attention.

Sherr highlighted a growing calendar that includes concerts—like two sold-out shows from Noah Kahan—as well as soccer events featuring New York City FC and even a major match involving NJ/NY Gotham FC that could become the most attended women’s soccer game in U.S. history.

In other words, Citi Field is turning into the kind of place where you might come for a ballgame and accidentally end up planning your next three visits before you leave.

Vice President of Ballpark Experience James Benesh took the baton next and reminded everyone that while new is nice, Mets fans have a soft spot for nostalgia.

And 2026 is going to lean into that in a big way.

It’s the 40th anniversary of the 1986 New York Mets, a team that still walks into a room like it owns the place—and honestly, it kind of does. The celebration will include giveaways, several 1986 Mets Bobble heads and a replica championship ring for early fans, and a full-scale reunion on August 1st.

There will also be a Mets Hall of Fame induction featuring Bobby Valentine and Lee Mazzilli, with Carlos Beltrán getting his moment later in the season as well.

Add in returning favorites like $5 Tuesdays, Family Sundays, and ballpark block parties, and suddenly your calendar starts to look very, very orange and blue.

Now let’s talk about the real reason this event exists: the food.

There was a time—gather ‘round, kids—when the culinary highlight of a trip to the ballpark was a Carvel ice cream in a little plastic Mets helmet. And don’t get me wrong, that helmet was treasured. You didn’t just eat the ice cream—you kept the helmet like it was a family heirloom, right next to your 1969 program and your belief that the Mets would win every game forever.

But folks…we are not in helmet-and-soft-serve territory anymore.

We are in a different universe.

Senior Executive Chef Jason Eksterowicz revealed that Citi Field will roll out 37 new food items across 27 partnerships—the largest culinary expansion the ballpark has ever seen.

And the lineup? Let’s just say it has more star power than a Subway Series.

Leading the charge is Mets legend Mookie Wilson, bringing his Legacy Barbecue to the ballpark—because apparently delivering the most famous ground ball in franchise history wasn’t enough. Now he’s coming for your appetite.

Returning fan favorite Adam Richman is back with what’s being described as an “Instagram-worthy” Home Run Burger, which likely means you’ll need both hands, a strategy, and possibly a waiver.

Joining them are culinary heavyweights like Kwame Onwuachi and Judy Joo, continuing Citi Field’s tradition of blending high-end cuisine with ballpark classics.

There are also returning and new partnerships that reflect the diversity of Queens itself—because if you can’t find something you like at Citi Field in 2026, the problem may not be Citi Field.

If you’re asking for personal favorites—and trust me, this was not an easy field to narrow down—Wok N Roll absolutely stole the show. Their concept alone deserves a standing ovation: 22 different egg rolls throughout the season, each inspired by the Mets’ opponent. On this day, the lineup featured a Cookies and Cream Egg Roll and a Clam Chowder Egg Roll, which sounds like something dreamt up during a doubleheader rain delay but somehow both were as close to pure heaven at game as you’ll find outside of 1969 or 1986.

Over at the Mr. and Mrs. Met Candy Shop, things got delightfully dangerous. The Outfield Oreo Dip, a New York cheesecake dipped in Oreo crunch on a stick, is the kind of dessert that makes you forget the score entirely, while the Mr. Met Whoopie Pie delivers exactly what its name promises: happiness.

Then there’s the wonderfully ambitious, or reckless depending on your perspective, 9/9/9 Challenge, nine Nathan’s mini hot dogs paired with nine Mets souvenir cups of your choice of Coors or Heineken for $60. The idea is one dog and one beer per inning, though if the starting pitcher doesn’t have it that day, there’s a very real chance the beer is gone by the second.

And just when you think you’ve hit your limit, Hildebrandt’s Ice Cream comes along with a Citi Field exclusive, the Blue and Orange Skies, a simple but outstanding mix of M&M’s and marshmallow in vanilla ice cream.

I also took a stroll around the room with my Meta glasses in hyperlapse mode, so you can get a real sense of just how many food choices were on display. Walking past table after table of creative dishes, new concepts, and fan favorites, it was impossible not to be impressed—and maybe a little overwhelmed. If you thought ballpark food was just hot dogs and pretzels, this little hyperlapse tour makes it clear: Citi Field 2026 is a feast for the eyes almost as much as it is for the taste buds.

I could go on and believe me I wanted to, but at some point you run out of room and stomach—and some of the other things I ate I probably shouldn’t tell you about because my cardiologist and my wife read my columns.

For three straight years, Citi Field has been recognized as having the best food in baseball, and if this preview was any indication, they’re not just aiming for a fourth—they’re trying to make the competition tap out somewhere around the third inning.

What stood out most wasn’t just the variety, but the intention. As Benesh noted, these aren’t last-minute additions. These are ideas developed over months—sometimes years—of research, travel, and, one assumes, a heroic amount of taste-testing.

The beauty of “What’s New at Citi Field” is that it reminds you of something easy to forget during a long season: baseball is supposed to be fun.

Yes, there will be debates about the lineup. Yes, someone will call into a radio show in May demanding a trade. That’s part of the deal.

But on this day, walking around Citi Field with the smell of barbecue in the air and the buzz of a new season just days away, you’re reminded why you fell in love with the game in the first place.

It wasn’t just the wins.

It was the experience.

And in 2026, the Mets are making sure that experience is bigger, better, and tastier than ever.

What about you, Mets fans? Which of these new food creations are you most excited to try, or do you have a favorite from past seasons that can’t be beat? Drop your thoughts in the comments below—we’d love to hear from you. And if you want to keep the conversation going (and maybe argue about the best egg roll or dessert in baseball), join our Kiner’s Korner Facebook group. It’s the perfect place to share stories, photos, and of course, a little healthy Mets debate.