Chipped Ham Fries? Pirates Unveil New Yinzerfied Concessions for 2026 Season

PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER

As someone who puts chipped ham on pizza, I’m excited to try the new Chipped Ham Fries at PNC Park this baseball season.

Starting at the April 3 home opener, the Pittsburgh Pirates and Aramark Sports + Entertainment will offer crispy spuds topped with Pittsburgh’s favorite luncheon meat, sauce, cheddar sauce and garlic butter. I would’ve called them Frisalys. (Maybe Isaly’s will run with this idea when they open a storefront in the Strip District this summer.)

THE BORICUA DOG / PHOTO COURTESY OF THE PITTSBURGH PIRATES

In the meantime, there are a bunch of new menu items on the North Shore that include yinzer staples:

• Cold Pierogi Salad — dumplings with sour cream dressing, green onion, garlic powder ranch seasoning, onion powder, shredded cheddar and diced bacon
• Kettle Nachos — kettle-cooked potato chips with kielbasa, caramelized onion, pico de gallo and sriracha ketchup
• The Boricua Dog — a Puerto Rico-inspired hot dog with sofrito beef, Smallman Street Deli kraut, yellow mustard, American cheese, ketchup, braised onion and potato sticks served on a roll

The stadium is also introducing chicken and vegan empanadas and Nutella Beignets, a New Orleans favorite with caramel and whipped cream. Batter up with an enormous Smoked Turkey Leg served with Gouda mac and cheese, BBQ sauce and coleslaw.

RENEGADE DOG FROM 2024 / PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER

In my heart, nothing will ever beat the Renegade Dog Aramark dropped in 2024, but the new Heavy Hitter, a footlong corndog slathered in yellow mustard and pico de gallo, is served in an awesome baseball bat boat.

What I really want is one of those adorable ice cream souvenir helmets. They’re in the lineup this year and fans can try to collect all three Pirates logo cups. I need them so I can pretend I’m 10 years old again and inhaling dessert at the Ground Round! An ice cream headache didn’t hurt as much when you were eating from a tiny helmet at a raucous chain restaurant littered with peanut shells.

PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER

Since I was feeling nostalgic about America’s pastime, I unearthed the ticket stub from my first baseball game on June 9, 1989. The Pirates beat the New York Mets 4-3 at Three Rivers Stadium.

I don’t remember what I ate that night — probably nothing since I was too busy screaming for Andy Van Slyke — but I totally would’ve chowed dahn on some Frisalys if they had been available.