Some of St. Louis’ most popular culinary staples will become mainstays at St. Louis CITY SC’s new Centene Stadium.
The team has unveiled CITY Flavor, an in-stadium food experience program designed to celebrate the authentic tastes and flavors of the St. Louis region, as well as support an industry still recovering from the pandemic.
St. Louis CITY SC president and CEO Carolyn Kindle says CITY Flavor has been in the making for more than three years, involving countless hours of curating a unique match-day culinary experience for fans.
“We are the only Major League Soccer team in the U.S. to have this, to represent everything the region has to offer,” she said.
On Monday, Kindle, alongside CITY program’s newly introduced “flavor officer,” James Beard Award-winning chef Gerard Craft, announced the initial food lineup at the stadium to include offerings from Steve’s Hotdog’s, Balkan Treat Box and BEAST Craft BBQ Co., as well as items from Craft’s Niche Food Group establishments. In all, more than 25 local eateries will be represented at the stadium, with 52 stations located throughout the venue to pick up food and drink.
Last summer, CITY SC asked fans to suggest their favorite culinary gems and menu items from St. Louis’ diverse neighborhoods. After receiving more than 10,000 submissions, the team, along with Craft and stadium hospitality partner Levy, began to identify local partners for the program.
Among those getting a good share of the vote is South Grand establishment Steve’s Hotdogs. Co-owner Steve Ewing says he and business partner Danni Eickenhorst are thankful to be part of CITY Flavor.
“To have our fans pick us out – we had an overwhelming response from people who said they wanted Steve’s Hotdogs at the stadium – that’s huge for us!” Ewing said. “We’re super-proud of our city and excited to be part of the birth of this amazing soccer team.”
Ewing notes it made sense for Steve’s Hotdogs to partner with the team.
“Their whole thing is that they want you to serve your food that way it’s served at the restaurant – they don’t want it to be ‘concession food,’ they don’t want it to be dumbed down,” he said.
Some of the menu items from Steve’s that will appear at the stadium are the St. Louis-Style Dog (aka St. Louis CITY Dog), Bacon Bacon Jamaican, Chicago Dog and Very Very Veggie Dog.
Also announced as CITY Flavor partners today are Loryn and Edo Nalic, the husband-and-wife team behind Balkan Treat Box. The restaurant, whose cuisine is inspired by flavors from Croatia, Bosnia and others in the Balkan region, will be serving Tantuni Kebab – made with beef, chicken or plant-based protein in a seasoned gravy, topped with tomato, onion and spices and served in durum as a wrap or in a hoagie-style bread – among other offerings on the menu.
David Sandusky’s BEAST Craft BBQ Co. will also be on site, serving up its renowned barbecue specialties, including the Legendary Pork Steak Sandwich, which is hickory-smoked and then torched to caramelize the sauce.
And Craft’s own Niche Food Group will have a few offerings of its own, including the Brass Burger, made popular at Brasserie by Niche, and Pastaria Deli & Wine’s Detroit-style pizzas.
Additional CITY Flavor food partners will be announced at a later date.
St. Louis CITY SC’s inaugural season kicks off in 2023. The team, owned by one of the few majority female-led ownership groups in professional sports, was named Major League Soccer’s 28th expansion team in 2019. Its new 22,500-seat stadium in downtown St. Louis, Centene Stadium, is receiving its finishing touches and is set to open to the public next year.
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