Safeco Field boasts even more delicious food as Mariners baseball kicks off

After launching The Pen and rejuvenating the general concessions menu, Ethan Stowell is opening yet another new food option at Safeco Field.

Stowell partnered with Edgar Martinez to open Edgar’s Cantina. The highlights include authentic tacos, like beef tongue, and a line of Martinez’s own mezcals, known as ‘Zac.’

Enjoying dinner at Safeco Field is certainly different than dining at other ballparks across the country.

“There are a couple different mentalities, routes to go in baseball or in all stadiums. One is just the traditional, ‘give them a hot hot dog and cold beer.’ The other one, that the Mariners and the food partners Center Plate believe in, why they brought me in is: To be the best stadium that serves the best food in major league sports,” Stowell tells Seattle’s Morning News.

The strategy is to use local ingredients and keep the food authentic.

Stowell says he buys products from local farms, the same farms that he and other local restauranteurs use for their smaller-scale dining experiences. It helps grow their business and above all, the customer response is “out of this world.”

Locally sourced stadium food might sound like it’s a recipe for spending big dollars at the game, but Stowell says they manage to keep prices fairly low.

“In a stadium, everything is always a little bit more expensive because you have to have staff on board to handle the big, crushing business.”

Stowell says the grass fed burger is $8.50 and comparable restaurant burgers are $15. Most of the food prices, he says stay around $9 a plate.

While he loves most of Safeco’s options, Stowell will pass on the the stadium’s infamous garlic fries.

“It’s great for the stadium and fans love them, but it’s a little strong for me.”

Instead, Stowell recommends fries served with aioli down at Hamburger + Frites in The Pen. “I’d take those over garlic fries.”

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Quick clip: Suggested dishes for Safeco Field