Once you have your U.S. Open tickets sorted, it’s time to turn your attention to more gastronomic plans. There’s no shortage of food and drink options at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center; in fact, there are so many choices that planning a menu might feel overwhelming. Not to worry we’re here to help.
David Dow/USTA
There are numerous pop-up stands for snacks, ice cream, and drinks around the concourse.
From what snacks are worth waiting in line for to where you need to make reservations for a meal, here’s T&C’s guide to eating and drinking at the U.S. Open.
What to eat
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A sampling of Dobel Tequila cocktails and tacos at the brand’s onsite club.
A true reflection of New York City’s restaurant scene, the U.S. Open continues to offer a culinary options to suit every taste. This year’s food program includes a mix of returning favorites and new additions from local and international celebrity chefs, including José Andrés, Alex Guarnaschelli, Masaharu Morimoto, and Kwame Onwuachi, with menus highlighting everything from traditional stadium food like hot dogs and hamburgers to Michelin-star quality dining.
David Nemec/USTA
Diners can get a birds-eye view of the plaza from Fare’s outdoor seating area.
Making its U.S. Open debut, Pasta Ramen of Montclair, N.J. offers Wafu (Japanese-Italian fusion) dishes like Temomi Shrimp Scampi Ramen with ponzu, garlic, and shrimp. Simon Kim, the restaurateur behind COTE Korean Steakhouse and COQODAQ, is bringing a more casual concept to the food village at CQDQ Stall, and inside Ashe, COQODAQ will serve the original’s signature chicken nuggets topped with Petrossian caviar.
Oyamel, José Andrés’s Mexico City-inspired eatery in Hudson Yards, is collaborating with the Dobel Tequila Club, where diners can feast on the Taco Cochinita, made with Yucatán-style pit-barbecued pork, achiote, Mexican sour orange, and pickled red onion. The pop-up also features Tacos de Chilorio with onion, cilantro, and lime on corn tortillas.
Aces, located on the club level in Arthur Ashe Stadium, is a reservations-only restaurant with sushi prepared by Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto. Chef Ed Brown also serves a jumbo lump crab cake with shaved summer vegetable slaw and grain mustard, while Morimoto and Kwame Onwuachi are collaborating this year on Laos Wagyu ribeye skewers with pineapple chili jam, maitake mushrooms, and toasted sesame.
Champions Bar & Grill
Champions is available to courtside box seat holders and luxury suite guests.
Champions Bar & Grill, also on the club level inside Ashe, is slightly more casual, but still white tablecloth-grade dining. This steakhouse also has lots of TVs (and air-conditioning) if you want to catch some of the matches while eating inside. The house special here is a USDA Prime dry-aged porterhouse steak with creamed spinach and house steak sauce. (Note that all guests in the party must be courtside or luxury suite ticket holders, or have restaurant passes for Aces or Champions.)
And, American Express cardholders can also access the Amex Centurion Lounge, located on the second level of Louis Armstrong Stadium. Same-day reservations are required via Resy.
Champions Bar & Grill
Champions serves premium steaks, hearty salads, and fresh seafood prepared by Benjamin Steakhouse.
However, the Food Village in the central plaza is where you can sample the most items at once. Some highlights include:
David Chang’s Fuku has its O.G. Spicy Chicken Sando mad with a crispy chicken breast, signature Fuku mayo, and pickles on a potato roll. Michelin-starred chef Alex Guarnaschelli’s Fare menu this summer will include a cavatappi pasta with yellow tomato sauce, heirloom cherry tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese. At Mojito by David Burke, the menu includes sea scallop and shrimp Veracruz with arroz moro, charred broccolini, aji amarillo, criolla onions, and salsa Veracruz. Flyfish by chef Josh Capon offers bay scallop ceviche with chile, lime, Bermuda onion, and celery. Pat LaFrieda serves a Black Angus steak sandwich with Monterey Jack cheese, caramelized onions, and au jus. While Eataly is more of a department store for Italian cuisine back in Manhattan, here tournament goers are getting a mere taste. But it’s a good one, with trofie al pesto featuring housemade pasta with basil pesto and Pecorino Romano DOP.
Carnegie Deli
Carnegie Deli’s famous pastrami sandwich at the U.S. Open.
Carnegie Deli, a New York institution, is bringing its world-famous, sky-high hot pastrami sandwiches on rye bread with mustard to Queens. You can also head here for hot dogs, french fries, roasted turkey sandwiches, and classic New York cheesecakes. The Midtown diner is also bringing two new items this year: First is a New York rye chocolate chip cookie, described to be a nostalgic tribute to 1930s deli baking, blending dark chocolate with a touch of rye and sea salt. Second is a giant black and white cookie, but reimagined with custom tennis-themed labels for the event.
King Souvlaki serves chicken and lamb gyro sandwiches with tomato, onions, and King Sauce. You can also pick up a Greek Salad with spinach pie or loaded Greek fries. San Matteo NYC offers Neapolitan-style pizzas, notably a crowd-pleasing Margherita with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, basil, and extra virgin olive oil. (Vegetarian, vegan, and dairy-free pizza options are also available.) Hill Country BBQ’s pulled pork sandwich is made with post oak smoked pork shoulder, spicy pickled cabbage and vinegar sauce. This outpost of Brooklyn’s own Red Hook Lobster Pound features a classic Maine lobster roll, served chilled with lemon mayo.
Mike Lawrence/USTA
The lines at the Food Village are longest usually around lunchtime.
For lighter fare, several vendors across the grounds are offering bowls, rolls and refreshers. Dos Toros Taqueria is known for its customizable burrito bowls with rice, black beans, peppers, corn salsa, and pico de gallo. The Migrant Kitchen, which serves Middle Eastern and Latin American comfort food, is a good spot for vegans and vegetarians with a number of bowls and salads, especially the falafel bowl and halloumi fries. Poke Yachty’s spicy tuna poke bowl includes sushi-grade tuna, cucumber, pickled daikon, wonton crisps, and creamy togarashi. Korilla BBQ also has customizable rice bowls topped with protein (chicken, spicy pork, bulgogi, or tofu), kale salad, kimchi, fire-roasted corn and housemade Korilla sauce. If you want something a little healthier, The Nourish Spot has smoothies, cold-pressed juice, and salads.
For a sweet treat, which sometimes feels necessary given temperatures can soar up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit at the end of August, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream is debuting a U.S. Open-exclusive flavor called Honeycomb Fudge Slam, made with sweet cream ice cream, honeycomb candy pieces, and swirls of fudge.
What to drink
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The Honey Deuce is the official cocktail of the tournament.
Since its creation in 2005, the Honey Deuce has evolved from a simple cocktail to a symbol for the U.S. Open. The brainchild of restaurateur and former Grey Goose ambassador Nick Mautone, the official cocktail of the tournament is a refreshing vodka, lemonade, and raspberry liqueur drink, served with honeydew melon balls that are meant to evoke tennis balls.
Aperol
You won’t have to look far for an Aperol Spritz.
But there are plenty of other cocktails to be had, including the Aperol Spritz. The summertime favorite can be found at Aperol bar carts on the club level, promenade, South Plaza, the Chase Terrace and Lounge, the Italian Apé Truck near Court 5, and the Aperol Bar, an indoor-outdoor patio located off the grounds’ primary esplanade near Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Tequila brand Maestro Dobel, a newer sponsor of the U.S. Open for a few years now, serving its signature Ace Paloma drink at pop-up carts and the Dobel Tequila Club.
For those looking for bubbles, Moet & Chandon also has champagne carts serving glasses of Imperial Brut and Rosé Imperial. The sparkling wine is served in acrylic golden goblets that are nice to save for picnics or future outdoor events. Wine lovers who want a simple glass of still white, red, rosé can also look toward traditional concession stands.
IHG Hotels & Resorts
The Watermelon Slice is touted as equal parts elevated refreshment and collectible item.
IHG Hotels & Resorts is debuting its first-ever cocktail available at this year’s U.S. Open: the Watermelon Slice, a blend of Moët & Chandon, watermelon juice, elderflower liqueur, and lime, garnished with a signature watermelon wedge and served in a tennis-themed collectible cup. It’s available at the IHG Racquet Bar onsite and at select IHG hotel properties in New York City.
Coffee brand Lavazza will be serving up Espresso Martinis as well as regular espresso and other craft coffee beverages such as nitro cold brew or even a Tiramisu Latte.
David Dow/USTA
The Heineken Red Star Patio Cafe is open daily during the tournament.
Last, if you’d rather have a beer, Heineken also has various pop-ups throughout the Billie Jean King Tennis Center as well as its Red Star Patio Cafe. The Dutch brewery has several options on tap: regular Heineken, Heineken Light, Heineken Silver (its newer low-ABV brand), and non-alc Heineken 0.0.
Rachel King (she/her) is a news writer at Town & Country. Before joining T&C, she spent nearly a decade as an editor at Fortune. Her work covering travel and lifestyle has appeared in Forbes, Observer, Robb Report, Cruise Critic, and Cool Hunting, among others. Originally from San Francisco, she lives in New York with her wife, their daughter, and a precocious labradoodle. Follow her on Instagram at @rk.passport.
Dining and Cooking