As I write this, the Colorado Rockies are the worst team in Major League Baseball. It’s only April, the season's first month, so most seasoned fans would say it’s still early. But since they are in the highly talented and stacked National League West division, where the four teams ahead of them (the Padres, Dodgers, Giants and Diamondbacks) have some of the best records, the Rockies are already 11.5 games out of first place.

I’ve observed their slow-motion demise over a couple of decades. Sometimes, they do well enough early in the season before fading out around June or so. But these past few years, they have been chronically underperforming from March to September. The fan consensus is that their ownership doesn’t care about putting a winning team together, either because of a lack of money (doubtful), a lack of effective leadership and management (likely), or a combination of both.

But here’s another thing they lack: Coors Field, their home field for 30 years, has few interesting culinary offerings. Every other MLB park has items showcasing creativity with their food, which goes beyond the usual hot dogs, burgers and pizza. I will make a bold statement – just like the Rockies, Coors Field won’t even try in this regard.

The stand at Biker Jim's Gourmet Dogs, one of the more creative culinary options at Coors Field

What’s the problem?

Last year, I wrote about some of the food offered at Coors, and I discovered that some items were no longer available (like the walking Frito pie and the Elvis shake). I don’t think these foods didn’t sell and thus dropped from the ballpark menu. My assumption—which follows nearly anything that the team’s ownership and management do—is that they were too expensive to keep.

Taking that one step further, I believe extreme frugality has stifled food innovation that is common to other ballparks. The most exciting dishes at Coors are barbecue, pizza and Biker Jim’s Gourmet Dogs. The most unique and unusual is fried Rocky Mountain oysters, which haven’t changed in the last five years. Probably the most dependable thing is the mini Smashburger stand at the ultra-popular Rooftop, but that's a chain, not something unique to the ballpark.

By contrast, JRS and I have been to four different ballparks (Oracle Park in San Francisco, Chase Field in Phoenix, Dodger Stadium in L.A. and T-Mobile Park in Seattle) in the last few years, and each one serves creative, gourmet-worthy dishes. The best includes garlic fries, lumpia, the Sonora dog and chicken bao buns, sushi and katsu curry bowls. Coors cannot claim any superiority here.

One of the most reliable foods at Coors Field is the popular chain Smashburger

2025 Coors Field food update

So, the Rockies have declined to offer anything new for the 2025 season. The only change I can tell is that the former Mountain Ranch Bar & Grill is now called the Sandlot. JRS and I shared a plate of brisket and sides last year, and we assessed it to be decent—not great, just better than most things Coors offers. Another unique offering is Biker Jim’s, which has gourmet hot dogs and sausages. And I will always go for a margarita at the Casamigos bar above center field.

Since there are no true updates to the ballpark food, I can only recommend visiting places around the park. Two food halls worth trying – Denver Milk Market and McGregor Square- within blocks of Coors.  Another restaurant, Kachina, serves Mexican/Southwestern fare with excellent margaritas. I’ve heard from friends that Tom’s Watch Bar and The ViewHouse are a cut above for sports bars.

Normally, I’m not too critical about places, but I can confidently say that if you’re looking for great ballpark food, you won’t find it at Coors Field—that is until the ownership or management decides to prioritize it.