Talk about last licks.
The New York Yankees unveiled the stadium’s newest food options for the 2024 season, and paisans are batting cleanup by way of Food Network personality and Bronx native Christian Petroni’s crispy fried meatballs.
These latest additions come only a few months after New York Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito inspired a deep love between sports and scrumptious Italian Sunday-style chicken cutlets.
Now, the wake of cutlet mania has given new Yankee executive chef Robert Flowers — who replaced Matt Gibson at the culinary helm this season — lots of confidence to introduce the extra-virgin olive oil fried meatballs amid the Tommy Cutlets explosion.
“I think it’s gonna go huge,” he told The Post of the meatballs, served in a portable box alongside a cup of eight-hour bubbling marinara sauce and cheesy garlic bread.
“Especially with Christian, he’s an unbelievable chef, the product itself is phenomenal,” the western New York native and Don Mattingly die-hard fan added.
Out of all the new additions on 161st Street — there are a great many new flavors from lots of barbecue to porchetta and carne asada — nothing hits home like Petroni’s pecorino romano, blasted fried, beef and pork mixed meatballs.
The Bombers have also introduced another Italian favorite: fried zeppoles with cannoli cream and chocolate and strawberry sauces served in a mini souvenir helmet at Section 127.
Petroni, who grew up a little north of Yankee on White Plains Road and 241st Street, is just as stoked to see snacks from the homeland make this year’s Opening Day roster. (Find the meatballs in Sections 125 and 310.)
Last season, he introduced a cheesy garlic bread to Yankee fans and wanted to raise the bar taller than right fielder Aaron Judge for 2024. He said doing fried meatballs — ones with “enough pecorino cheese to take out a flock of sheep” — plus a slow-cooked sauce is “not an easy ask.” However, bringing the elevated Italian food to a big venue is Petroni’s dream.
“Sitting at the stadium, eating nonna-level meatballs and garlic bread, pinch me bro.”
Petroni, who was sporting a Mattingly jersey, recognized DeVito’s influence on Italian food in the sports world and took it a step further for his own.
“If I was a betting man, I’d say meatballs are what’s gonna take us to the championship,” he joked.
However, there’s lots more on this food roster that’s worth a lap or some around the diamond.
NYC butcher Lobel’s, which delivers a cornerstone steak sandwich from its left-field booth, is also offering filet mignon crispy tater tots for the first time.
“Everybody does french fries, let’s go a little old school with tater tots,” co-owner Mark Lobel told The Post of the barbecue-flavored bits served with cheddar cheese and crispy onions.
“The flavor profile is amazing,” he added.
Lobel’s is also responsible for last season’s coveted Waygu beef 99 burger named in honor of the fan-favorite Judge. Although last year only 99 were made, this season the Yankees will have “no limit” on volume as it moves to a new home in Section 107.
“It was ultra-successful and this year you’re going to see an expanded footprint for the 99 burger and down the line Lobel’s steak sandwich,” Lobel added.
Also worth putting in your starting lineup this season are the Streetbird wings spicy yet sweet by Yankee-friendly chef Marcus Samuelsson (Section 112), City Winery’s porchetta sandwich with broccoli rabe and provolone (Section 105) and Mighty Quinn’s chipotle barbecue chicken sandwich (Section 132). Grand slam, Butterfinger or black and white cookie shakes also wash down easily (Sections 112, 125 and 324).
Goose Island is also introducing a golden beer called New York’s Legendary Ale that replaces the signature, longtime-loved Pinstripe Pilsner from Blue Point to be sold across concourses.
