The Most Important Lineup at Bridgestone Might Be the Food

Five Bridgestone Arena food picks for the friend who came hungry, the date who claims they aren’t, and anyone ordering ice cream with their jacket still on.

Nachos | @brooks.bites_ on Instagram

NASHVILLE — Fortunately, Bridgestone Arena’s menu offers options: birria nachos served in a Boom Box, a footlong hot dog wrapped in bacon, and a barbecue sampler that saves you from choosing just one meat. Dinner deserves some consideration before you’re standing in a concession line, hungry enough to agree to anything

I went through this season’s announced offerings and put together five picks for different appetites. I haven’t eaten my way through the building, so consider this an ordering shortlist rather than a taste-tested ranking. We’ll start with dinner. The ice cream people can keep their jackets on.

For the group: Birria Boom Box Nachos

The Birria Boom Box Nachos at the Walking Taco Stand on the 100 Level are meant to feed a family. In I Think You Should Leave, Tim Robinson’s date takes all the fully loaded nachos, leaving him picking through bare chips and scraps of meat. Rather than ask her to share, he recruits the waiter to announce a fake restaurant rule that forbids one person from taking all the good ones.

Ideally, your evening at Bridgestone won’t require outside mediation. But if your date systematically collects every chip with birria on it and leaves you the structural remains of dinner, I do think you’ve learned something.

For the person who skipped dinner: the BBQ Ultimate Sampler

If you arrive properly hungry, the BBQ Ultimate Sampler is worth considering. Delaware North’s announcement lists smoked chicken, brisket, and pulled pork with sides. The appeal is straightforward: you can try three meats without spending the entire ordering process deciding which one you’ll regret leaving out. This is my starting point for someone who wants dinner to feel like dinner. Check its location before heading out; the announcement names the sampler but doesn't say which stand it's at.

For the traditionalist with ambition: a bacon-wrapped footlong

At Sausagery, near Section 104, the footlong bacon-wrapped hot dog makes a persuasive argument for sticking with an arena classic. A hot dog is familiar territory. Wrapping a footlong in bacon suggests someone felt there was still room for improvement. The stand also offers bratwurst and Italian sausages, and the Predators report a special sauce that changes monthly. Asking about that sauce would be my first move. It’s the small detail that gives a repeat visitor something new to consider without requiring a completely different order.

For the person already thinking about dessert: funnel cake fries

Banjo Hot Chicken at Section 109 menu includes a funnel cake fry basket this season. This is the perfect fit for the friend whose attention shifts to dessert while everyone else is still discussing dinner. The basket gives us a second sweet option to consider alongside the soft serve, and it raises a useful question for the group: are we sharing dessert, or are we going to pretend that’s the plan until it arrives?

For the person undeterred by the temperature: Mister Softee

If you’ve made it this far and still want ice cream, Mister Softee is back. Vanilla, chocolate, and swirl are available in a cone, cup, or miniature Predators goalie helmet. The team identifies a location in the Nissan Atrium on the main concourse. Choosing something warm makes perfect sense, until someone walks past with soft serve and suddenly that conviction has a very short shelf life. And yes, the miniature helmet complicates things. You went looking for dessert, and now there’s a souvenir involved. That is a convincing little sales pitch, even to someone who was just complaining about being cold. Before choosing a route, consult the concession map described on Bridgestone Arena’s dining page. The arena directs guests to the Predators app, then Bridgestone Arena and Maps & Amenities, to search food options by type and location. Consider this the starting lineup. Now for the people who know exactly what they’re ordering before they even enter the building: What’s your nonnegotiable Bridgestone order? Give us the food and the section. If it belongs on this list, make your case.

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