Marlins Home Opener Is April 14: Here are the Concessions at LoanDepot Park

The Marlins home opener is April 14, when the Fish take on the Philadelphia Phillies at LoanDepot Park.

Nothing quite compares to peanuts and Cracker Jack, but Miamians require their cafecito and croquetas, too, when you take us out to the old ballgame.

This year, the Marlins have your back with food from local vendors like Islas Canarias, Miami's Best Pizza, SuViche, and Pincho. Biscayne Bay Brewing has even created a special lager for the Marlins.

New Times was invited to preview some of the new food and drink items at LoanDepot Park this season.

LoanDepot Park executive chef Alex Paz says that while you'll still find traditional favorites like hot dogs and burgers, the ballpark wanted to incorporate more items that appeal to a Miami palate.

"Miami being such a melting pot, if you want to try to make everyone happy, you have to have more of a selection than many other ballparks do. By having local flavors, we give the ballpark that family feel," the chef explains.

Paz says all the food at the stadium is delicious, but he singles out the wares of the new Bites de la Calle for sampling. "Everything's super tasty there and there's a Miami twist to the food," he says.

Located in Section 7, Bites de la Calle offers a hot dog completo (topped with crispy potato sticks) and a salchipapa (hot dog chunks served on a bed of fries, topped with pink sauce). Pair either with glazed maduros.
Miami's Best Pizza has been a Coral Gables fixture for half a century and a ballpark mainstay for two seasons. At LoanDepot, the pizzeria will offer pepperoni, veggie, and plain pizzas. Miami's Best Pizza "Pizza Guy" Thad Winieckie assures that the pies are made with the same ingredients as at the restaurant, though the recipe was tweaked slightly to accommodate the special conveyor-belt ovens at LoanDepot Park. "I had to make the crust thinner," says Winieckie. "When you get it off the oven from us, it's going to be the best pizza you've had at any stadium," he promises.

Other new offerings include hamburger sliders from Pincho arepas from the Venezuelan brand Pan, and fresh barbecue from Magic City BBQ.
The most Miami addition to the roster has to be croquetas and cafecito from Islas Canarias. "They want the whole park to smell like cafecito," says Croqueta specialist Jonathan Andrade, who adds that the croquetas will be brought in fresh for every game, ensuring the high quality Islas Canarias is known for. Look for croquetas at the coffee counter at AutoNation Alley. If you're lost, just follow the intoxicating scent of coffee, he suggests.
Pair your favorite treats with a cold Marlins Lager, brewed for the ballpark by Biscayne Bay Brewing. Or, if beer isn't your thing, try a Miami mule, made with Tito's vodka, available throughout the ballpark. Whiskey lovers should check out the new Jim Beam bar in Section 24. And frozen cocktails, including a sunny mango margarita, can be found at the Sip Shine bar in section 2.

LoanDepot Park. 501 Marlins Way, Miami; 305-480-1300; mlb.com/marlins/ballpark.