Opening Day for the Washington Nationals is Thursday, March 27, and hungry and thirsty fans have a handful of new options to look forward to during the duration of the 2025 Major League Baseball season Navy Yard.
A new food hall at Center Field Plaza features a rotating lineup of hot dogs and nachos.
Amanda Bowen/Nationals Park
There’s plenty to eat and drink while taking in a full-capacity game or show in the 41,000-seat ballpark (1500 S. Capitol Street SE). The updated concessions roster for 2025 includes debuts from local favorites like Cotton & Reed, Lucky Danger, Phowheels, and more. This year, Nationals Park says goodbye to pupusas and street corn from La Casitas, Virginia barbecue from Emerald Amor Cafe, and stalls for funnel cakes and tater tots.
There’s a returning beer incentive to get fans inside the ballpark sooner. Right when gates open until the first pitch, 12-ounce cans of Budweiser, Bud Light and Michelob Ultra are $5 and Budweiser Hard Seltzers are $6. And Tuesday game days continue to include deep discounts such as $5 hot dogs, pretzels, popcorn, nachos, fountain sodas, and 12-ounce domestic beers.
Last year, baseball fans noticed a crystal-clear pixelated scoreboard, LED field lighting, and audiovisual upgrades upon entering Nats Park — with facial recognition software to get in even faster, should they opt in. The MLB Ballpark App and other high-tech features are designed to get fans back to their seats to catch the latest inning as fast as possible. An expanded lineup of grab-and-go marketplaces scattered around the ballpark invites diners to walk up, pick, and purchase food and drink via a touch-less checkout system equipped with cameras.
District Drafts, back for its 14th year, slings beer from area breweries at six stands spread around the ballpark. Other bars scattered around the stadium are headlined by big booze brands like D.C.’s Pratt Standard Cocktail Co., which pours cherry blossom cocktails and bourbon smashes to start, along with Virginia’s Devil’s Backbone, Stella, and Cutwater Spirits. Gamblers can go to BetMGM, a massive sports book attached to the park with six betting windows, 17 kiosks, sleek lounge seating, and a 40-foot bar (1500 S. Capitol Street SE).
D.C.’s 2019 World Series-winning team hosts the home opener at 4:05 p.m. against the Philadelphia Phillies, with a T-shirt giveaway for 20,000 fans and cameo from Budweiser’s famed Clydesdale horses. Non-baseball attractions at Nationals Park this year include a DC Beer Fest in April and a summer concert series welcoming big headliners like Shakira, Billy Joel and Sting, and the Lumineers.
Here’s a taste of what ticket holders can expect inside Nationals Park this year.
New food vendors
Cotton & Reed: Situated in the Union Market district since 2016, D.C.’s first rum distillery gifts the ballpark a stand serving its best-selling cocktails. Vet mixologist Lukas Smith’s neon-green Cocomotion slushie (white rum, lacto-coco, pineapple, and pandan) joins a spot-on strawberry daiquiri, dark and stormy, and rum-fueled Old Fashioned. Section 109
Dog Tag Bakery: Georgetown’s veteran-run bakery that gives back to the military serves brownies, blondies, raspberry bars, cookies, and more. Suites and select Marketplace locations
Electric Cool-Aid: Shaw’s color-soaked, all-outdoor bar brings its popular lineup of boozy slushies to the ballpark. Sections 102, 147
Kam & 46: The DMV-wide Hawaiian food truck with Filipino flair specializes in tuna tartare nachos, Kalua pork sisig nachos, and more. Section 105
Lucky Danger: Chef Tim Ma’s hip American Chinese eatery in Arlington, which expands to Penn Quarter soon, brings the ballpark its takeout-friendly boxes of veggie lo mein, orange chicken bites, and dumplings. Section 238
Maracas Ice Pops: Georgetown’s roving destination for Mexican ice pops in flavors like rice pudding, tamarind, hibiscus, and spicy pineapple imports its frozen treats to the ballpark. Mobile bicycle on each stadium level
Moore Crunch: Mini crunchy pretzels seasoned with all sorts of ingredients. Sections 110, 129, 141, 205, 229, 306, 314
Mush: Brentwood, Maryland’s vegan hot spot for po’ boys, bowls, and jerk sandwiches built with oyster mushrooms makes its D.C. debut in tandem with cauliflower tacos courtesy of Melissa’s Produce. Section 137
Party of: Popcorn gets a Thai twist with chile-lime and pad Thai flavors. Sections 110, 129, 141, 205, 229, 306, 314
Phowheels: D.C.’s beloved Vietnamese street food truck sets up a Nats Park stall slinging egg rolls, tacos, and banh mi. Section 140
Taqueria Picoso: Alexandria’s revered taco shop from two Mexico City natives sets up a stall with spicy salsas, tortillas made with heirloom Oaxacan corn, and tortas built on freshly made telera bread. Section 117
Eater favorites
Capo Italian Deli brings its overstuffed subs back to the ballpark.
Photo by Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Ben’s Chili Bowl serves its iconic half-smokes in three sections this year.
With 40 area-owned businesses part of the ballpark’s concessions and beer programs, it’s easy to eat and drink local (check out the full list of Nats Park vendors). Returning favorites include:
Capo Italian Deli: The D.C.-born deli with locations in Shaw, Foggy Bottom, and Tysons brings the ballpark its sizable Italian subs and cold pastas (but sadly, none of its famous Fauci Pouchy cocktails). Section 136
Los Cinco Tacos: Capo Italian Deli’s next-door taco shop in Shaw busted into the ballpark last year, with chef Jose Candelero slinging the same Mexican street foods he grew up around in Veracruz. Section 136
Little Miner Taco: The DMV-wide favorite with an all-halal menu specializes in gloriously cheesy birria tacos. Section 231
Swizzler: The D.C. food truck known for environmentally conscious versions of American cookout classics debuted its first standalone store in Navy Yard in 2020. For its third year at the ballpark, three stands serve its grass-fed beef smash burgers, grilled and crispy chicken sandwiches, and fries cooked in non-GMO sunflower oil. Sections 106, 132, 318
Haute Dogs & Fries: The globe-trotting hot dog shop in Arlington maintains a widespread presence at Nationals Park. Sections 105, 232, 315
Haute Dog’s menu mashup include a Vietnamese-style banh mi variety.
Washington Nationals
South Mountain Creamery is back with a bunch of more stalls.
Washington Nationals
South Mountain Creamery: Maryland’s family-owned, farmer-operated creamery is back with six ice cream stops this year, which is four more than last year. Spill-preventing cups with caps are filled with mint chip, sea salted caramel, and vanilla flavors. (Section 107, 115, 135, 141, 237, 313).
Ssong’s Hotdogs: The Columbia, Maryland mall stall specializes in saucy Korean dogs built with regular, premium, or spicy sausages, freshly fried snacks, creative corn dogs, and canned bubble teas. Section 130
Rita’s Italian Ice & Custard: The decades-old national chain with a big DMV presence is back for its second season to cool down fans with cups of its treasured Italian ice, frozen custard, and other summery treats. Section 106
Ssong’s debuted at Nats Park last year.
Washington Nationals
District Drafts: Local pours from Atlas, DC Brau, Denizens, Fair Winds, Old Ox, Port City, Right Proper, Solace, Aslin, and Other Half. Find the homegrown lineup at various dedicated sites around the stadium. Sections 110, 119, 130, 141, 223, 309
Arepa Zone: The decade-old Venezuelan fast-casual restaurant, on 14th Street NW, with outposts in Foggy Bottom, Fairfax, inside Union Market district’s La Cosecha market, and another en route to Marylandbrings the ballpark pork, chicken, and beef arepas (with gluten-free options, too). Section 148, 304
Ben’s Chili Bowl: A beef-and-sausage half-smoke from Ben’s, served “all the way” with brown chili, mustard, and onions, might be D.C.’s most iconic dish. Sections 110, 141, 307
Roaming Rooster: The fast-growing local chain imports its wildly popular buttermilk fried chicken sandwiches to Nationals Park. The Ethiopian-owned business got its start in 2015 as a food truck, and now has a dozen standalone stores across D.C., Virginia, and Maryland, with a Silver Spring location opening soon. Section 239
Hard Times Cafe: Founded in 1980, the reliable chili chain across Maryland and Virginia brings its crowd-pleasing chili, nachos, and chili dogs back to Nationals Park this year. Section 133
Roaming Rooster’s cult chicken sandwiches have a home in Section 239.
Rocklands BBQ: Serving wood-smoked meats to Washingtonians since 1990, this year’s ballpark menu stars Texas brisket, pulled chicken, and chopped pork sandwiches, barbecue-topped nachos, and a portable bowl of mac and cheese, baked beans, and chopped pork slathered in its best-selling barbecue sauce. Section 118
Eli’s Crepes: A variety of soft crepes swing sweet (Nutella and strawberry) or savory (turkey, egg, and cheese) to offer fans a taste of France. Section 114
Crepes at Nationals Park.
Washington Nationals
Internal concessions
The pro baseball team and hospitality company Levy Restaurants has a few in-house stalls, including a new “food hall” concept inside Center Field Plaza.
The Change-Up Food Hall features a rotating menu of players’ favorite foods.
Nationals Park
A crab cake sandwich pays homage to the Maryland favorite.
Washington Nationals
Chesapeake Crab Cake Co.: This stand celebrates the Bay’s seasonal crustacean with crab cake sandwiches, crabby dogs, crab pretzels, and Chesapeake nachos. Section 109
Steak of the Union: Devour sliced meats in the Gallery Level. Section 308
Tried and True
Shake Shack: Prepare to burn an inning or two waiting in line, but the smash burgers and soft potato buns from Danny Meyer’s chain are worth it. Section 240
Budweiser Brew House: The beer-fueled hangout is filled with nostalgic baseball decor, a built-in bar, and patio seating with a breathtaking view of the field. Center Field Plaza
Casamigos Sky Deck: This agave-fueled hangout, which debuted during the 2023 season, pours high-end tequila pours, mezcal, cocktails, and frozen margaritas. Section 222
Budweiser makes limited-edition cans for each MLB team.
Budweiser
Soft serve in take-home helmets at Nationals Park.
Washington Nationals
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