Tailgate tastes: What we’re eating and drinking this football season – The Martin Group
Nachos for breakfast. Beers between coffees. Donuts and chicken wings—on the same plate.
Welcome to another tailgating seas—, er, football season, where what you eat before gametime is nearly as important as the eventual action on the field. On Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays, and any other days now hosting college and pro football, grilling novices and YouTube-inspired chefs bring their aspirations to parking lots across the country and ply their trade for hungry fans.
And in Western New York, we know a little bit about tailgating.
Meats are grilled on engine blocks. Booze is sipped through bowling ball fingerholes. One poor fellow is covered in ketchup and mustard before kickoff; and whether the home team wins or loses, fans always score a W with a wide variety of habitual heartburn-inducing concoctions that are passed down from generation to generation.
But every fan has a tailgating style. Some fashion themselves as the next Mayor of Flavortown; others are happy with their favorite sandwich or bag of gas-station sustenance. Either way, everyone looks forward to the specific food and beverages they inhale—and cherish the tastes attached to their gameday experiences.
This month, we talked to some of our associates about what they’re planning to cook, serve, eat, or drink (or smuggle into their seats) this season. Here are the distinct gameday personas we identified, along with their case for why their approach to pregame dining and imbibing is so glorious.
The Foodie: Mikki Thompson
What to eat: Hot Honey Ol’ Bay Wings
Why it works: I love making something different for gamedays. Hot honey ol’ bay wings are a perfect balance of sweet and saucy that goes great with every sauce/dip on the table. Touchdowns and interceptions may not always go the way we want, so it’s important to have a nice sauced-up wing to comfort you. (And me.)
Best enjoyed with: A house full of family rooting for opposing teams, particularly on Sunday game days. Also, if you make enough, they can be enjoyed all week for a tailgate-ready experience every day.
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The Feeder: John Mackowiak
What to eat: Garbage plates
Why it works: Because it’s indicative of everything that makes tailgating in Western New York an unmatched experience. Yeah, there are home fries and mac salad and meat sauce and mustard and burgers (or dogs — or both) all smashed together, but the meal is also emblematic of Bills fans from nearby or far away coming together for a common purpose. Sure, there are a few things we don’t agree on, but none of that matters on game day. We join as one salty (and sloppy) populace to become greater than the sum of our parts. That’s the almighty garbage plate—and man, am I hungry.
Best enjoyed with: Mrs. Parker’s meat sauce, dumped atop the whole operation. (And if you’ve been to the famous Parker Brothers Tailgate in Buffalo, you know that I speak the truth.)
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The Comforter: Kelly Lucyszyn
What to eat: Pulled pork-stuffed potatoes
Why it works: The games can be stressful enough, so I like to keep the food prep as stress-free as possible. The pulled pork can be made ahead of time in the Instant Pot; and toppings—like sour cream, BBQ sauce, cheese, bacon, and jalapeños—can be prepped beforehand. The day of the game, all I need to do is warm the pork up in a crockpot (or microwave in a pinch) and pull out the toppings bar. It is an easy and comforting crowd pleaser, especially at good old Western New York snow games.
Best enjoyed with: People, of course—whether that’s around a tailgate with friends or curled up on the couch with family. I love that each potato can be customized to everyone’s taste. Picky eaters can stick to a plain tater with a pat of butter; friends who love spice can load up on the jalapeños; and carb-conscious family members can skip the potato all together and just dig into the pulled pork and veggies.
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The Practicalist: Steve Soroka
What to eat: A Wegmans Turkey Club sub in a bag
Why it works: Because it’s quick and easy. I don’t like to spend too much time tailgating. I’m always frantic before a Bills game. I want to get into the stadium, get settled, and not get stuck in any lines. That’s why I just order my cherished Wegmans Turkey Club sub, stuff it in a bag, and enjoy it at my seat. This way, I’m there for kickoff and fed before the first Josh Allen touchdown run.
Best enjoyed with: A lead the Bills don’t relinquish.
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The Minimalist: Collin Wittman
What to eat: Andy Capp Hot Fries and a bottle of Black Velvet
Why it works: Hot Fries are happiness in a bag and are the perfect addition to even the smallest tailgate table. Let the amateur chefs sweat out the success or failures of their labors of love. The salty, crunchy, and spicy goodness of Andy Capp—paired with a sip or three of an affordably priced bottle of Canadian whiskey—is ready to be enjoyed immediately, in the moment, as necessary fuel for your fandom fire.
Best enjoyed with: Those who believe in the communion between taste and team loyalty. As I make my way around any given tailgate, I like to pass the whiskey for a ceremonial glug to all who root for the home team. Before one takes a burning sip, they’re asked to name the player they hope dominates the day. It’s a simple act of speaking hope into existence, but it’s helped me form and strengthen friendships and bonds of fanhood for years.
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