Since its debut in 2023, St. Louis CITY SC has earned national attention not just for launching a new era of professional soccer in the region, but for what’s happening on the concourse. The club is widely regarded as the only stadium in global sports to feature a fully local food program at this scale, a distinction that continues into its fourth season.
Chief Flavor Officer Gerard Craft, owner of the nationally acclaimed Niche Food Group, spearheads the stadium’s culinary operations. For 2026, he’s tapped four new local partners to join the roster of roughly 20 vendors throughout the stadium.
New this season are Biscuit Town, Motor Town Pizza, Taco Buddha and Goshen Coffee. The first three will operate their own concession stalls, while Goshen joins as the club’s official coffee partner, with its beverages available at various locations throughout the stadium rather than at a standalone booth.
“We’re entering season four, and we look at every season like a Netflix show,” said Chief Experience Officer Matt Sebek. “It’s a similar storyline, but with new characters and plotlines. Food is a big way to do that because the industry changes so much. We’re moving some new faces and restaurants in and are really excited to introduce four new partners.”
Since season one, the club has partnered with more than 20 local food concepts. Most are fan-facing through concession stands, while others, such as G&W Sausage, supply products like locally farmed hot dogs and bratwursts for suites. Sebek described it as a “comprehensive local approach” that goes well beyond a token hometown nod.
“We are probably the only stadium in global sports that has 100% local food vendors,” Sebek said. “There are stadiums around the globe that have one or two local partners, but at this scale, to have it fully local is impressive.”
It’s also, he acknowledged, the harder path.
“It is the hardest way to do food in a stadium, no doubt. That’s why most places do peanuts, pretzels and popcorn. Those foods scale so well,” he said. “But our approach was way different. We describe it as a triple win: great for fans, a moment of pride for St. Louis, great for the club because fans show up early to eat dinner here, and really great for the community through our contracts with these restaurants.”
To date, more than $7 million has gone back to local restaurants through stadium partnerships, a figure the club points to as proof that the model works.
Sustainability is another key piece of the food program. The stadium operates as a zero-waste facility, with plates, cups and other serviceware sent to compost. The club has also leaned heavily into technology, with about 30% of orders placed through the CITY mobile app, reflecting a fan base that skews young and digitally savvy.
The home opener is set for Feb. 21. Tickets are available online, and fans can expect both new flavors and familiar favorites when the gates open.
We’ll be diving deeper into each of the new vendors in our March print edition, which will also be available online, including specific menu items and more on the local owners behind the concepts, so keep an eye out for that.