8 New Food Vendors to Try at Washington Football Team Games This Year

On Friday, August 20, FedEx Field will open at full capacity in Landover, Maryland, for Washington Football Team’s first home game of the preseason, against the Cincinnati Bengals. For the majority of the 2020 season, the team played in an empty stadium because of public health restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As part of an effort to improve the game day experience, WFT executives searched for small businesses they could recruit to open concessions stands in the stadium. In June, the football team invited a panel of local chefs, team executives, food writers, and influencers to the stadium to judge food vendors competing for a spot. As a result, the following eight restaurants will start selling mumbo sauce wings, quesabirria tacos, and fried shrimp and crab cake sandwiches during home games this season.

According to the WFT’s 2021 mask policy, everyone at the stadium will have to cover their faces in indoor areas when they’re not actively eating and drinking, and concessions will be completely cashless.

New food vendors at FedEx Field

• KitchenCray (section 447): Chef J.R. Robinson’s Cajun and Caribbean-influenced soul food spot, which has restaurants in Lanham, Maryland, and H Street NE, will sell a crab cake BLT, mumbo wings, and lobster macaroni and cheese.

Rey Lopez/Eater D.C.

• Casa De Ávila Tacos: The family-owned taqueria from Herndon, Virginia will serve quesabirria, al pastor, carne asada, carnitas, lengua, and chicken from a mobile cart.

• EllaRay’s Cafe (section 336): The Southern-style spot from District Heights, Maryland, will sell a North Carolina BBQ sandwich, macaroni and cheese, and a rotating third item.

Washington Football Team

• Fireman’s Cafe (section 323): Known for its fried “shrab” (shrimp and crab) cake served with a secret “Fireman’s Sauce,” this Clinton, Maryland, soul food spot will also serve shrab fries, fried catfish, and fried whiting at the stadium.
• Seafood at the Shack (section 337): The Caribbean-influenced truck, now parked in Silver Spring, will sell seafood, wings, a jerk chicken sandwich, and plantain fritters.

Fireman’s Cafe

Seafood at the Shack

• Suit2Cook (section 330): The catering company based in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, will serve jumbo lump crab rolls.
• South Mountain Creamery Ice Cream Shop (section 341): The Maryland farm, creamery, and ice cream shop will sell a Hog Wild Sundae (vanilla ice cream, peanut butter syrup, peanut butter candies, peanut butter cups, peanut butter-filled pretzels) and other frozen treats.

Washington Football Team

• Everything Legendary: The Prince George’s County-based brand of veggie burgers will be available in the suites menu and at concessions stands around the stadium.

• How Baseball Fans Will Eat at Nationals Park During a Pandemic Season [EDC]