New eats at Commanders games include DC staples, a sushi push pop and more

Commanders fans are searching for answers this season.

How will quarterback Jayden Daniels fare after injuries plagued his second year in the NFL? Is head coach Dan Quinn on the hot seat?

Just slightly lower on the list of burning questions is the ever vital: What is there to eat and drink at Landover’s Northwest Stadium while watching this all unfold?

I can help on that front.

The team hosted a preview Tuesday night of the new food from local vendors that will be available during home games this season — the first of which will take place when the Seattle Seahawks come to town Sept. 27.

The menu includes sushi push pops, hot dogs and half-smokes galore from a range of capital region mainstays and newcomers that may be familiar to fans of other D.C. sports teams.

Preparing for D.C.

The Commanders have deep roots in the nation’s capital and plans to return to the RFK Stadium site by 2030, so it’s no surprise that many of the vendors are based in D.C. Many of the new food items are homages to the flavors of the city.

The DC BBQ Pocket in Section 120, stuffs a calzone with 17-hour-smoked brisket, beans, half-smoked sausage and provolone and mozzarella cheeses.

Although D.C. doesn’t necessarily have a strong barbecue foundation, the dish is executed well, even if it is a bit of an odd creation and concept, with a pleasant smokiness and crisp cheese.

A suggestion in the seasons ahead would be an ode to mumbo sauce, the tangy red sauce typically drizzled over chicken wings and fries or fried rice at Chinese carryouts in D.C. But, in the meantime, look closer to Landover for the area’s best BBQ, which is at Hyattsville’s 2Fifty Texas BBQ.

Elsewhere from the city

This season will see the return of Ben’s Chili Bowl. The D.C. institution, which opened in 1958, had a location inside what is now Northwest Stadium as recently as 2011. This year, head to sections 124, 415 and 441 for half-smokes, chili and chili cheese fries.

When you’ve been around as long as Ben’s, detractors are eager to cry overrated. But, after several (and I won’t be revealing how many several) visits over the years, as well as a few bites from Tuesday night, Ben’s deserves its reputation as a staple of D.C. dining.

But the stalwart will face a surprising challenger for hot dog and half-smoke supremacy at Commanders games: Whitlow’s.

Perhaps best known as a bar to watch games and make bad decisions, Whitlow’s will add to its two D.C. locations with a stall in Section 341.

Its version of the half-smoke, called The District, comes out strong. The sausage is made by Stachowski’s Market, one of D.C.’s finest butchers and sandwich shops, and chili, coleslaw, diced onion and yellow mustard are piled onto a New England-style roll. The half-smoke had a delightful snap and played nicely with the tangy slaw.

The other welcome addition to Northwest Stadium is Capo Deli in sections 320 and 405. The shop started in D.C. in 2016 and has expanded to Virginia and Maryland. I’m an absolute sucker for a big ol’ Italian sub, and Capo does it well with the Italian combo, which has Boar’s Head capicola, Genoa salami and provolone cheese, along with red onion and shredded iceberg lettuce.

Staying in Maryland

Although the move to D.C. awaits, the stadium still sits in Maryland. So there will be crabs.

The dish most geared for social media posts (it’s gone viral) is the new sushi push pop. At the Branson Lounge in Section 307, you can order a roll of Maryland blue crab, avocado, flying fish roe and fiery corn puffs in a burgundy-and-gold tube. It comes with a long vial of soy sauce that doubles as a utensil to push the roll out of the tube.

I am unlikely ever to crave sushi at a football game, but I must admit I was charmed by the whimsical presentation, and it was as serviceable as grocery store sushi.

Stuggy’s, a hot dog shop that started in Baltimore, will open up shop in Section 420 and also debuted this season at Nationals Park. I was not impressed in my April sampling, but for the sake of second chances, I gave the crab mac and cheese dog another go.

Meh.

In a crowded field, this hot dog is fairly limp and doesn’t get much better with a fine-enough macaroni and dollops of crab and Old Bay.

We’ll have to wait and see how things play out on the field, but at least you’ll have plenty of options to eat.

Have a tip for our Prince George’s County reporters? Tell us here.