You probably aren’t going to Saratoga Race Course solely for the food, but if you’re going to be there for upwards of five or six hours, chances are, you’ll need to eat at least once. And thanks to a new chef, your trackside meal just leveled up.
Executive Chef Matt Negron comes to the New York Racing Association with experience both in sporting venues (Citi Field) and fine-dining restaurants (the Tin Building by Jean-Georges). “We feel he has a tremendous mix that’s perfect for Saratoga,” NYRA Director of Food and Beverage Gian Rafaniello told members of the media on Wednesday.
What’s new on the Saratoga Race Course menu? Well, it depends on where at the track you’re sitting and the menu at which you’re looking. At the Surfside Chowder Shack, you can get Loaded Chowder Fries, Clam Chowder, or a Shrimp Roll. At the High Noon Clubhouse Grill, there’s a BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwich and a vegan/gluten-free ELT Press (a play on the traditional BLT using eggplant bacon). At the Finish Line Grill, you can order a Caroline Pulled Pork Sandwich or a Toga Chicken Tender Bucket. And the list goes on: Brauhaus Pretzels at the Porch, Maryland Lump Crab Dip at Turf Terrace, Summer Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta at the Porch and Turf Terrace…Essentially, you need to go everywhere to try everything.
Other food options will be available at various carts and concession stands throughout the track grounds, including Capital Q (slow-smoked BBQ), Toga Gyros (falafel bites with a cucumber yogurt sauce), and the popular Carnegie Hot Dog Cart (you can probably guess what they’re selling).
And then there are the drinks. Fan-favorite canned cocktails Surfside and NÜTRL are back, with Subourbon Life—a brand of bourbon-based ready-to-drink cocktails—joining the lineup. Whitman Brewing will be serving up locally made craft beer, and Keuka Spring Vineyards will bring the taste of the Finger Lakes to the track. The Saratoga Sunrise, the official cocktail of Saratoga Race Course, has also gotten a facelift, and this summer will be made throughout the track grounds with lemonade instead of the traditional orange juice.
“When I first came to Saratoga, I realized how deeply engrained this entire racetrack is to the culture of this entire city,” Negron says. “We wanted to respect that. We launched this [menu] last week at our 4th of July Racing Festival, and it really took off in our first week. We’re really hoping to continue that success.”
The Saratoga racing season kicks off on Thursday, July 10, and runs Wednesdays–Sundays through Labor Day.
