A Culinary Journey at the US Open: Hits and Misses from the Food Village













Attending the US Open is not just about tennis; it's also a unique culinary experience. This year's tournament showcased a wide array of food options, ranging from gourmet delights to more casual bites. While some dishes truly impressed with their flavor and value, others fell short of expectations, leaving attendees to carefully navigate the extensive menu. This comprehensive review categorizes the best and least impressive food choices, offering a guide for future visitors to maximize their gastronomic journey at this prestigious sporting event.
Among the many offerings, several dishes stood out for their exceptional taste and quality, transforming a simple meal into a memorable part of the US Open experience. Highlights included an impeccably crafted prosciutto pizza, a surprisingly addictive shrimp scampi ramen, and the much-talked-about French dip sandwich. These selections provided a delightful blend of rich flavors and satisfying textures, justifying their cost and the occasional wait times. Conversely, some items, despite their promise, failed to deliver on taste or value, serving as a reminder that not every culinary venture at such a large event hits the mark. These less favorable choices, such as basic pizzas and an overpriced lobster roll, ultimately detracted from the overall dining experience, prompting a recommendation to explore other more rewarding options.
Top Picks: The Culinary Triumphs of the US Open
During the US Open's Fan Week, a culinary exploration of the event's food village revealed a selection of dishes that truly excelled. One standout was the prosciutto pizza from San Matteo, a Neapolitan-style creation featuring fresh mozzarella, truffle pâté, Parma ham, basil, and black pepper. Its perfect balance of salty and sweet flavors, combined with a crispy crust, made it a remarkable and relatively affordable option for a personal pizza. Another unexpected delight was the temomi ramen shrimp scampi from pastaRAMEN, a rich and buttery dish with tender, flavorful shrimp and garlicky ramen noodles. Despite its slightly high price, the unique taste and satisfying quality made it a must-try. The OG Chicken Sando from Fuku also earned high praise for its crispy, habanero-brined chicken, pickles, and butter-toasted potato roll, offering a flavorful and reasonably priced alternative to other chicken dishes. These items collectively showcased the diverse and high-quality options available for discerning palates at the tournament.
The culinary journey continued with several other noteworthy selections that contributed to an exceptional dining experience. The tacos chilorio from Dobel Tequila Club, filled with shredded braised beef, pasilla, and guajillo chiles, proved to be an unexpectedly addictive choice, boasting a rich, smoky, and deeply savory profile. While some Mexican offerings at other stands were less impressive, these street tacos were a clear winner, leaving a lasting desire for more. The classic hot pastrami sandwich on rye from Carnegie Deli, generously piled with thinly sliced pastrami and mustard, delivered a taste reminiscent of New York City's best delis, with the meat melting in the mouth despite its substantial size. Lastly, the sushi hand rolls from Morimoto, though priced at $42 for two, offered an unparalleled freshness, especially the tuna flown in from Spain. Their simple yet high-quality ingredients and portable format made them an ideal choice for enjoying during the matches, truly surprising with their excellence at a sporting event.
Dishes to Reconsider: Overpriced and Underwhelming Options
While the US Open offered numerous culinary gems, some dishes, despite their enticing descriptions or popular appeal, ultimately fell short of expectations or failed to justify their cost. The simpler pizza varieties from San Matteo, specifically the pepperoni and margherita, while enjoyable, were deemed less exciting than their prosciutto counterpart. For an event like the Open, where unique and high-quality options abound, these basic pizzas didn't offer enough to warrant a special order, especially considering the variety available. Similarly, the Maine lobster roll from Red Hook Lobster Pound, priced at a hefty $39, was tasty but comparatively small and didn't provide the distinct ambiance typically associated with enjoying such a dish. Its value proposition was questionable when compared to other more satisfying choices, particularly given the setting of a sports arena rather than a seaside environment.
Further disappointments included the duck flautas and mole from Cosme, an upscale restaurant offering, which, despite its premium pricing of $42, did not fully deliver. The dish, while featuring tender duck and crispy flautas, was noted for being slightly underseasoned, and the mole lacked the depth and richness expected from a restaurant renowned for bold Mexican flavors. This particular offering felt muted and failed to live up to its hype, suggesting that a sit-down meal at this venue might not be the most rewarding use of time or money during the tournament. Instead of investing in options that didn't fully resonate, attendees would be better served by exploring the more dynamic and consistently satisfying choices found in the bustling Food Village. These less stellar dishes highlight the importance of careful selection, ensuring that every culinary expenditure contributes positively to the overall US Open experience.