Now everyone knows about the classic food stations you’ll find at a football game – and i’m not hating on those, everyone loves a good stadium dog – but, they’re common knowledge.
The folks at Tim Hortons Field have been mixing up their food offerings quite a bit recently for all you Tiger-Cats fans, bringing in new eats like Saltlick Smokehouse with their own Stipley bar on the South end of the field. The Stipley SaltLick crew slings out tailgate style options like Whole Smoked Hog on a Bun and Local Sweet Corn, Mexican-street style.
But did you know you can purchase yourself some passes for the season that will open up a whole new foodie world at the stadium? That’s right, friends. SECRET FOOD!
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Season passes can be purchased for the Ticats premium seating areas, with unique food offerings in each. These areas are as follows:
Caretaker’s Club: The Caretaker’s Club is a fancy room that requires a season membership which gives you access to the Ticats team as they enter the field by running through the room right before the game, and field level access to your seats.
In addition to all those great perks, there’s an inclusive food and beverage experience, complete with a private bar, buffet style meal with a carving station (it switched over to a dessert buffet later in the night), and an oyster bar presented by the lovely people at the Mermaid and the Oyster! How can you go wrong with that?
Club Level: The Club Level is the largest food areas at the Tim Hortons Field, with 5+ food tables feeding over 1100 club seat holders, samples of Pinty’s Chicken Wings in the Pinty’s Club and feature beverage stations highlighting partner products or mixologists from local businesses like Bar Sazerac. When I visited, the feature drink was a Bourbon Apple Cider Sangria, mmm mmm.
Suite Level – If you really want to get yo’ fancy on, the FirstOntario Members Suite Level is where it’s at. This level has 30 suites that can fit up to 20 guests in each, with guests customizing their own menu in each suite. On suite level, guests can also order a special item from a different local restaurant that is featured during each game throughout the season. There is a games room and local entertainment (cue The Vaudevillian and Shari & Jonny!), which FirstOntario’s investment goes towards, and local art installations from Street Art Hamilton. And get ready for something that will make it that much sweeter, this level has a dessert cart (get it, suites and sweets?!) with locally sourced products from businesses like Bitten on Locke, Beanermunky Chocolates, Sweet & Simple Candy Co. and more.
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On top of all the delicious premium options, plus the Stipley bar and the classic Pinty’s Club, there is also a taqueira called La Balsama Taqueria – no special passes required, simply a game ticket – located in the Craft Garden (a beer garden with a focus on local brews from Bench Brewing). While we were there, we tried the Carne Asada and Blackened Chicken. The portions were huge (three big tacos each) and pretty darn tasty. Grab some napkins for this one!
Tim Hortons Field food & beverage company Levy, has recently hired a new Executive Head Chef, Matt Kenney. Believe it or not, almost all of the food found in the stadium comes from one huge kitchen where Chef Matt and his team work their magic to feed around 24,000 football fans plus the football team each Tiger-Cats game day. When I visited this massive kitchen, they had just finished glazing some fresh-outta-the-oven, Tim Hortons Timbits, which are available in the Tim Hortons concession stands during each game! What is more Hamilton than enjoying a box of Timbits at a Tiger-Cats game!?
So, Hamiltonians, what will you be trying at your next Ticats game?!
Thank you to Bob Young for meeting with me, Lyndsay for being such a fabulous tour guide, and to the team at Levy for welcoming me into their kitchens!
This post is unsponsored, but the food and tour were provided by Tim Hortons Field. Thoughts and opinions are my own.