NBA Arena Food Has Gotten Serious
NBA arenas used to be the worst food venues in sports. Short games, smaller buildings, and menus that never seemed to change. That's flipped in the last few years. New arenas and major renovations have brought real restaurant partnerships, craft beverage programs, and food worth eating.
The Top NBA Arenas for Food
Chase Center, San Francisco
Chase Center opened in 2019 and immediately set the bar for arena food programs. The Warriors recruited from San Francisco's restaurant scene, and it shows. You can get a proper burrito between quarters.
- Best item: Barbecue from Big Nate's BBQ
- Worth noting: Prices are high, even by NBA standards. This is San Francisco, after all
Madison Square Garden, New York
MSG's food program has improved dramatically in recent years. The recent renovations brought in New York food names, and the arena now offers legitimate options beyond the old-school pretzel-and-beer combo. The challenge is that everything is New York-priced.
- Best item: Pat LaFrieda steak sandwich
- Local pick: Hot dogs from TopDog
- Tip: Eat before the game in Koreatown or near Penn Station. Better food, lower prices
Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee
This one surprises people. Milwaukee's arena has a food program that punches way above its market size. There's a cheesesteak brat, a taco pizza, and a food court area that's well-designed and not too chaotic. And prices are reasonable by NBA standards, which is refreshing.
- Best value: Fiserv Forum's food-and-drink cost sits below the NBA average on the Best Food Value Rankings
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles
The arena that hosts the Lakers, Kings, and Sparks has invested in its food program over the years. LA's food culture shows up in the Mexican fare at Trois Familia. The LA Live district outside has even more options if you want to eat before the game.
- Outside option: LA Live has restaurants from chains to high-end. Eat before you go in
- Beer: Golden Road Brew House at Section 118
Kaseya Center, Miami
The Heat's waterfront arena has leaned into Miami's food scene. Cuban sandwiches and empanadas sit alongside more standard arena fare.
- Best item: Cuban sandwich from Havana Eats at Section 117
- Local pick: Empanadas, from the same stand
Ball Arena, Denver
Denver's arena stands out for its beer program more than its food, which makes sense given Colorado's craft brewery density. But the food has gotten better too. Green chile items and solid BBQ options round it out.
- Best item: Hatch green chili sausage from Colorado Social
- Best beer: Arguably the best craft beer selection in any NBA arena
- Pro tip: Hit LoDo (Lower Downtown) before the game for better food at lower prices
Quick Hits: Other Arenas Worth Mentioning
- TD Garden in Boston sells clam chowder at its Boston Common stand. Still expensive
- FedExForum in Memphis has BBQ from Rendezvous inside the arena. It's good
- Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix has Spinato's pizza and cantina fare from Cantina del Sol
- United Center in Chicago has Italian beef and deep dish. Neither is the city's best, but both hit the spot at a game
How to Eat Well at an NBA Game
- Check the arena map on the app. Find which sections hold the stands you want before you leave your seat.
- Go early. Lines build fast at NBA games because the arenas are smaller. First quarter is your window.
- Look for the local stuff. Skip Dippin' Dots and find the regional vendor. That's where the good food is.
- Compare prices first. The Game Day Price Index sorts all 30 NBA teams by food and beer prices. The differences are significant.
Every NBA arena has a full food guide on its Visit Your Team page. Check the NBA Best Food Value Rankings to find the arenas where your money goes furthest.