Where should you\u2026eat in an NHL city?<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, former San Jose Sharks beat writer Corey Masisak<\/a> released his NHL food guide<\/a> for the Colorado Avalanche\u2019s 2025-26 schedule.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve ate with Corey over the years, and he knows his restaurants. I\u2019d like to think that he\u2019d say the same about me!<\/p>\n Whenever I travel, the first thing I do when I get to my hotel or AirBNB is fire up the Yelp app to see the Most Reviewed restaurants in the area.<\/p>\n So here\u2019s my food guide for the San Jose Sharks\u2019 2025-26 schedule!<\/p>\n San Jose<\/p>\n Let\u2019s start at home!<\/p>\n Hat tip to Corey, he\u2019s the one who turned me on to Rosario\u2019s Tacos on Almaden<\/a>. It\u2019s my favorite Mexican food in San Jose, which is no small statement, because like many Angelenos, I take my Mexican seriously.<\/p>\n As Corey said, the quesabirria tacos are excellent, but I like to go off the menu with a surf-n-turf burrito, which is a quesabirria and quesacamaron burrito.<\/p>\n There\u2019s tons of great food in San Jose: A few more standouts include the goat cutlet and sambusa at Somalian restaurant Jubba<\/a>, the carne asada torta and flan at Mexico Bakery<\/a>, and the bun bo he at Vietnamese restaurant B\u00fan B\u00f2 Hu\u1ebf An Nam<\/a>.<\/p>\n Salt Lake City (Oct. 17)<\/p>\n I\u2019ve only been in Utah for one San Jose Sharks game, so what I can tell you is more what I wasn\u2019t impressed by.<\/p>\n Mexican restaurant Red Iguana is the most Yelp-reviewed restaurant in SLC. I will say, in their defense, that mole is their trademark, and that\u2019s not something that I\u2019d usually order.<\/p>\n But when in Rome\u2026<\/p>\n I had the Mole Coloradito, and didn\u2019t really like any of it. But try it, let me know! It could be me, mole is generally more subtle, I like bolder flavors. For example, I prefer pho and beef noodle soup to ramen.<\/p>\n New York\/New Jersey (Oct. 21-24)<\/p>\n I lived in New York City for five years, so I can rattle off an hour of restaurants that I loved there (and an hour of restaurants that have closed since I lived there).<\/p>\n But my musts when I go back?<\/p>\n I used to live in East Village, so I always go back there to Italian restaurant Supper for their spaghetti al limone. It\u2019s a rare vegetarian dish on this list, I\u2019m definitely a carnivore-first, that\u2019s how good it is. Next, I have to have a slice of cheesecake from Ukrainian restaurant Veselka.<\/p>\n I also try to get out to Katz\u2019s Delicatessen in Lower Eastside for pastrami on rye. Yup, it\u2019s a touristy spot, but it\u2019s still the best pastrami around for my money.<\/p>\n If I have a midnight craving in Manhattan, I get lamb and chicken over rice with white sauce and a smattering of hot sauce (it\u2019s spicy!) from one of the many halal carts dotted around the island. Halal Guys is the famous lamb and chicken spot, they franchised all over the country, but I\u2019ve had it at the original truck on 53rd and 6th, and I don\u2019t think they\u2019re particularly remarkable.<\/p>\n On Long Island, go to Peter Luger in Great Neck (it\u2019s also in Williamsburg) for the steak for two and the sizzling bacon. I\u2019m actually not a huge bacon fan, but I can say this is the best bacon I\u2019ve ever had in my life.<\/p>\n In Newark, the paella valenciana at Fornos of Spain is terrific.<\/p>\n St. Paul (Oct. 26)<\/p>\n This is the only NHL city that I haven\u2019t traveled to yet\u2026that\u2019ll change this year!<\/p>\n Seattle (Nov. 5)<\/p>\n Touristy, but the New England Clam Chowder at Pike Place Clam Chowder is excellent.<\/p>\n Calgary (Nov. 13)<\/p>\n It\u2019s been three years since I\u2019ve been there, but I\u2019m still thinking about the pulled pork and brisket from Hayden Block Smoke & Whiskey. I had it twice on one trip!<\/p>\n Denver (Nov. 26)<\/p>\n I\u2019ve lived in Tokyo, and Tokyo Premium Bakery in Denver wouldn\u2019t be out of place in Japan.<\/p>\n Corey will tell you, he went there to get us lunch last year, on my recommendation.<\/p>\n Everything I\u2019ve ordered here has been excellent, from savory (beef curry pastry, ham and egg sandwich) to sweet (peach pastry, sunrise bun, fruit sandwich).<\/p>\n Las Vegas (Nov. 29)<\/p>\n I\u2019m not into (read can\u2019t afford) fine dining all the time, which Vegas is rightly known for.<\/p>\n But there\u2019s plenty of fantastic food besides that.<\/p>\n Some of my favorites in the season that I lived there?<\/p>\n I still have love for the steak sandwich (not so much the regular steak) at steakhouse Echo & Rig. The souvlaki combo at Yassou Greek Grill Caf\u00e9 was a go-to. Everything is good at Roma Deli & Restaurant, but my regular order was the meatball and marinara sandwich. Drunk or sober, Tacos El Gordo on the Strip always hits the spot.<\/p>\n Dallas (Dec. 5)<\/p>\n Get the carne asada plate at Meso Maya Comida y Copas. Or the sugar burger at Rodeo Goat!<\/p>\n Raleigh (Dec. 7)<\/p>\n Still looking for a go-to Raleigh restaurant\u2026I did order the Carolina ribs and chopped BBQ Brunswick stew from the Pit, it was good, but I don\u2019t miss it.<\/p>\n Philadelphia (Dec. 9)<\/p>\n I wouldn\u2019t highly recommend either, but I prefer Geno\u2019s over Pat\u2019s for my cheesesteak.<\/p>\n John\u2019s Roast Pork is a mess of a sandwich, but it\u2019s tasty!<\/p>\n Toronto (Dec. 11)<\/p>\n Get the five-spice pork belly sandwich at Banh Mi Boys!<\/p>\n Pittsburgh (Dec. 13)<\/p>\n Primanti Bros. was good, but I prefer a recommendation from Dan Rusanowsky, S&D Polish Deli.<\/p>\n Get the smoked kielbasa sandwich and some pierogies!<\/p>\n Vancouver (Dec. 27)<\/p>\n One of the best food cities in the NHL, I like the yaki pan-fried udon at Kitanoya Guu with Garlic and beef luc lac on rice at Phnom Penh Restaurant.<\/p>\n Anaheim (Dec. 29)<\/p>\n After a San Jose Sharks-Anaheim Ducks game at Honda Center, there\u2019s a good chance that you\u2019ll probably find me at Slurpin\u2019 Ramen, taking down some tsukemen with egg and extra chashu.<\/p>\n Los Angeles (Jan. 7)<\/p>\n I grew up in the LA area, so I can talk about food here for hours.<\/p>\n The best burrito that I\u2019ve had in America is the chile relleno with carne asada burrito at La Azteca Tortillera.<\/p>\n Go to Armenian spot Mini-Kabob and get the chicken thigh plate.<\/p>\n The Chinese\/Taiwanese food in Los Angeles rivals China and Taiwan: If I had to pick one dish, it\u2019d be the House Special Lobster over double noodle from Boston Lobster.<\/p>\n Washington D.C. (Jan. 15)<\/p>\n I wasn\u2019t a fan of Ethiopian food, but I might be after the beef tibs at Chercher Ethiopian Restaurant & Mart.<\/p>\n Detroit (Jan. 16)<\/p>\n I love BBQ, a theme that I\u2019m sure that you\u2019ve noticed here.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve had the pulled pork, chicken, and brisket from the very popular Slows BBQ, but wasn\u2019t floored.<\/p>\n I need to find a great Detroit-style pizza in Detroit.<\/p>\n Fort Lauderdale (Jan. 19)<\/p>\n I love the Cubano sandwich at Little Cuban Caf\u00e9 Restaurant close to the airport.<\/p>\n Tampa Bay (Jan. 20)<\/p>\n Okay, I have a weakness for Cubanos.<\/p>\n Get it at La Segunda Bakery & Caf\u00e9 and add some plain cheese quesitos.<\/p>\n Edmonton (Jan. 29)<\/p>\n Another Rusanowsky recommendation: I enjoyed the wiener schnitzel at Bistro Praha.<\/p>\n Chicago (Feb. 2)<\/p>\n I\u2019ve been to my share of acclaimed Chicago restaurants, Au Cheval, Pequod\u2019s Pizza, Lou Malnati\u2019s Pizzeria, Portillo\u2019s Hot Dogs, Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse, and Giordano\u2019s\u2026and I don\u2019t know if I have a go-to. Don\u2019t worry, I keep eating.<\/p>\n If I had to pick one? Maybe Pequod\u2019s deep-dish pizza, though that\u2019s not my favorite style of pizza.<\/p>\n Buffalo (Mar. 10)<\/p>\n I\u2019ve been on a beef on weck bender, I\u2019ve had that basically everyday the last two combines.<\/p>\n Go to Gabriel\u2019s Gate (the wings are great too), Charlie the Butcher, or Wellington Pub (thanks for the recommendation, Rachel Lenzi!).<\/p>\n Boston (Mar. 12)<\/p>\n Get the lobster roll at Neptune Oyster!<\/p>\n Montreal (Mar. 14)<\/p>\n I\u2019m not going off the board here, but the smoked meat sandwich at Schwartz\u2019s Deli and the sesame bagel at St-Viateur Bagel are as good, if not better, than anything you get in NYC.<\/p>\n Ottawa (Mar. 15)<\/p>\n Kanata \u2014 not downtown Ottawa \u2014 is the worst NHL food area in the league.<\/p>\n The downtown arena can\u2019t come soon enough!<\/p>\n BeaverTails are decent though.<\/p>\n Nashville (Mar. 24)<\/p>\n It\u2019s now the most popular in town, but I loved Hattie B\u2019s hot chicken sandwich when they had just one location. Tons of great BBQ in town, the pulled pork from Martin\u2019s Bar-B-Que Joint might be my favorite.<\/p>\n St. Louis (Mar. 26)<\/p>\n The pulled pork at Pappy\u2019s Smokehouse is also excellent!<\/p>\n Columbus (Mar. 28)<\/p>\n I almost passed out with how much food that I ate in my trip to Schmidt\u2019s Sausage Haus.<\/p>\n I had the pretzel nuggets and the Old World sausage sampler, my favorite was the Bahama Mama.<\/p>\n Winnipeg (Apr. 16)<\/p>\n I admit, I haven\u2019t been to Winnipeg in seven years. But I do remember liking Famena\u2019s Famous Roti & Curry.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Where should you\u2026eat in an NHL city? 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