Arizona Coyotes introduce new food items at Gila River Arena

If you plan on heading to Arizona Coyotes games at Gila River Arena this season, plan on bringing an appetite with you.

The team and Levy Restaurants announced Thursday that a wealth of new food items will be available for fans attending games in 2018-19. A statement from the team also highlighted some of the beverage options, as well as some fun facts and stats from last season’s food sales.

“A central focus of our organization is creating a phenomenal fan experience at every one of our games,” Coyotes president and CEO Ahron Cohen said in the release. “We spent countless hours this off-season exploring ways in which we could enhance the in-arena food and beverage offerings and provide our fans with an even more enjoyable time at our games.”

While Coyotes fans consumed 1,800 pounds of chicken wings and 5,000 pounds of Vienna Specialty hot dogs last year, executive chef Charles Kassels is helping bring even more to the table with the new food options.

Here are the new food items fans can expect at Coyotes games this season:

• Kachina Burger: Ground beef and chorizo sausage patty with guacamole, bacon and pepper jack cheese on a Cheddar jalapeno bun topped with a jalepeno popper. (Burger Burger and section 119)

• Hat Trick Dips: Shaved beef, turkey or pork on a hoagie roll with au jus. (Blue Line Deli, sections 110 and 120)

• Cantina Bowls: Chicken tinga, beef brisket or pork carnitas on Spanish Rice, black beans and cabbage salad with Pico de Gallo. (Sunrise Cantina, sections 102 and 230)

• Boneless Wings: Fans are given a choice of Buffalo, sweet chili or barbecue sauce. (Goal Line, sections 103 and 204)

• Smoke House Favorites: “Pork on a Fork” brisket and pork that comes as a sandwich or nachos with toppings. (Pork on a Fork, sections 122 and 214)

• Ahipoki Bowl: Fish on rice with sauce and toppings. (Ahipoke, section 118)

• Nitro Live: An ice creamery with a variety of flavors and toppings where fans fan watch cream turn into ice cream before their eyes. (Section 119)

• CHEETOS Popcorn: A popcorn-Cheetos crossover that’s available in a Coyotes helmet. (Section 116)

Many of the new food items arrive in tandem with new food stands, which include Streets of New York (sections 115 and 214), Nitro Live (section 119), Burger Burger (section 119), Pork on a Fork BBQ (sections 122 and 214), Ahipoke Bowl (section 118), Tap House Market (section 108) and a revamped suite level club.

Poutinerie, Rotating Chef’s Tables, Wetzel’s Pretzels and Dunkin’ Donuts return to Gila River Arena this year. There will also be some new beverages, like the Habanero Howler (Habanero-mango-infused vodka with lime juice and ginger beer) and the Puck Drop (peach vodka, cranberry juice and ginger ale).

The Coyotes’ first home game this season is on Oct. 6 against the Anaheim Ducks.

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