Last night, members of the media—and fans decked out in Atlanta Falcons and United gear—arrived at the Gathering Spot on the Westside to get a sneak peek (and taste) of Mercedes-Benz Stadium’s future concession fare. Just after Thanksgiving the stadium, set to open next year, released a list of (mostly local) restaurants that will have concession stands at the venue, and many passed out samples. Here are five of the highlights, plus the complete sample menus from the event.
1. The Iberian Pig
Photograph by Myrydd Wells
The Decatur restaurant’s Haute Dog is not your average stadium frank. The $11 dog is wrapped in bacon and smothered in Manchengo cheese sauce, fried shallots, and spicy red pepper aioli. (A menu noted the Haute Dog will be served in a poppy seed bun, but we only saw plain buns.) The Iberian Pig will also serve crispy pork cheek tacos (an item you might recognize from their restaurant menu) for $10.
Photograph by Myrydd Wells
Other menu items:
- Bocadillo (a Spanish ham & cheese sandwich), $10
- Ensalada Marcona (butter lettuce, Marcona almonds, dried cherries, Manchego cheese, crispy shallots, and champagne vinaigrette), $5
- Spanish Fries, $5
2. Golden Brown and Delicious
Photograph by Myrydd Wells
The new Southern concept from Concentrics Restaurants (ONE Midtown Kitchen, Two Urban Licks) showed off two football-friendly dishes: a juicy, thick-battered Cheddarwurst Corn Dog ($9) which came with a side of smoked ketchup; and a fried bologna sandwich ($10) topped with sorgum mustard, dill pickles, and caramelized onions.
Other menu items:
- Hot-lanta Nashville Fried Chicken Biscuit (with hot sauce, chow-chow, and ranch dressing), $9
- Fish and Chips (fried grouper with mustard tempura batter, crispy fried potato chunks, and pickle remoulade), $12
- Chicken Fried Burger (served on ciabatta with sliced red onion, cheddar, and spicy ranch dressing), $11
- Dirty Bird Fries (skin-on fries topped with spicy jerk chicken gravy, spicy diced tomato, and shredded cheddar), $11
- Fried Mac & Cheese and Bacon, $8
3. Snackology 101
Photograph by Myrydd Wells
Looking for a healthier option at Mercedes-Benz? Snackology 101, which specializes in organic, gluten-free, and vegan nibbles, has you covered. The stand will serve a kale salad drenched in vinaigrette and flecked with red peppers, onion, carrot, and thick cornbread croutons ($10), and a curry chicken salad with cranberries and nuts ($10). If you want to satisfy a sweet tooth, snag a a chewy gluten-free cheesecake brownie ($3) or red velvet cupcake ($4).
Other menu items:
- Hummus and Organic Veggies, $6
- Caribbean Jerk Chicken Salad, $12
- Superfood Cobb Salad (cornbread croutons, apple cider vinaigrette or vegan roasted Vidalia onion dressing, feta cheese), $10
- Organic Vegetable Hummus Wrap, $10
- Smoked Turkey Salad, $10
- Organic Sprouted Grain Chips, $3
4. Kevin Gillespie’s Gamechanger
Photograph by Myrydd Wells
When it was announced that Chick-fil-A would operate a concession stand at Mercedes-Benz, football fans were amused. How would the business fare when most Falcons games take place on Sundays? Kevin Gillespie is hoping to feed chicken-loving fans with the C.O.S—”Closed On Sunday”—sandwich, which features fried chicken, hot sauce, and pickled mayonnaise on a honey butter sweet roll ($12).
Other menu items:
- Pork Belly Buffalo Wings (a slider filled with slow-cooked pork belly, fried crispy and tossed in buffalo sauce, and served with “blanch”—a.k.a. blue cheese and ranch dressing), $12
- Joey’s West Coast Burger (a smashed and grilled beef patty, topped with mustard, grilled onions, special sauce, and American cheese), $12
5. Sublime Doughnuts
Photograph by Myrydd Wells
Dirty Birds devotees can snag a Dirty D Doughnut, iced in chocolate and covered in crumbled chocolate cookies; or a Fresh Strawberries & Cream Doughnut, a powdered sugar yeast pastry with sweet strawberries and thick cream tucked in the middle (both $3). Wash it down with a cold-brew coffee ice cream float.
Other menu items:
- A Town Cream Doughnut, $3
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Doughnut, $3
- Dulce de Leche Doughnut, $3
- Vanilla Bean Glazed Ring Doughnut, $3
- Chocolate Glazed Ring Doughnut, $3
Here are the other menus featured at the event:
Farm Burger
- No. 1 FB Burger (Georgia grass-fed beef, aged white cheddar, caramelized onions, Farm Burger sauce), $9
- FB Fries (spicy garlic, local herbs, Parmesan), $5
- Naked Grass-fed Cheeseburger, $8
- Basket of Hand Cut Fries, $3
Photograph by Myrydd Wells
Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q
- Big Tex Sandwich (sliced brisket with mustard, pickles, and onions on Texas toast), $9
- Frito Pie, $5
- Pulled Pork Sandwich, $8
- Wings, $12
- Totchos (tater tots with chopped brisket, queso, fresh jalapenos, and sour cream), $12
- Pork Taquitos, $7
- Chicken Salad Sandwich, $8
- Pimento Cheese Sandwich, $7
Chick-fil-A
- Chicken Sandwich, $5
- Spicy Chicken Sandwich, $5
- Large Waffle Fries, $3
Photograph by Myrydd Wells
Jim ‘N Nick’s Community Bar-B-Q
- Loaded Mac ‘N Cheese with Pulled Pork or Chicken, $9
- Pulled Pork or Chicken Bar-B-Q Nachos, $9
- Slow-Smoked Hand-Pulled Pork or Chicken Sandwich, $7
- Sandwich Combo Plate (choice of hand-pulled pork or chicken sandwich with one made-from-scratch trimming), $10
- Jim ‘N Nick’s Dog (made with Fat Back Pig Project Chorizo Sausage), $5
- Made-from-Scratch Trimmings (Mac ‘N Cheese, Creamy Cole Slaw, JNN Bar-B-Q Chips), $3
Delia’s Chicken Sausage Stand
- The Hot Mess (chicken sausage, chili, cheddar cheese, pickled jalapenos, Comeback Sauce), $8
- The Prime Time (chicken sausage, sauteed onions and peppers, Comeback Sauce), $8
- The Real Deal (chicken sausage, ketchup, mustard, sweet pickles, diced onions, Comeback Sauce), $7
Antico Pizza Napoletana
- Margherita Pizza, $14
- Pepperoni Pizza, $16
The Varsity
- Chili Cheese Dog, $3
- Naked Dog, $2
- Frosted Orange, $4
King of Pops
- Pops will retail for the normal price of $3, and “pop-tails,” similar to those served at Ponce City Market, will be served at the club level
Photograph by Myrydd Wells
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (general concessions)
- Portobello Mushroom Burger, $6
- Chicken Tacos (Chihuahua cheese, cilantro aioli, citrus slaw, cilantro onion mix), $6
- Vegetarian Cobb Salad Flatbread, $7
- Southwestern Chicken Wrap, $6
- Classic Cheeseburger, $5
- Chicken Sandwich, $6
- Crispy Chicken & Fries, $6
- Margherita/Pepperoni Pizza Slice, $3
- Classic Hot Dog, $2
- Waffle Fries, $3
- Cheese Nachos, $3
- Popcorn, $2
(Servers also passed around jerky pieces and soft pretzel bites with mustard dip.)
