Smash burgers, duck pasties, craft beer: What’s new at Michigan Stadium concessions

Smash burgers with local flavor, cheesesteak fries smothered with thinly sliced Chicago beef, and a Great Lakes smoked white fish dip.

Toss in a nod to Michigan’s pasties with a duck pasty and a local custard shop’s not-to-miss macarons with creamy custard in between, and you’re ready for some football at the Big House in Ann Arbor.

When Michigan football gets underway later this month, hungry fans will have plenty of food options to cheer about.

Alcohol sales are allowed for the first time at the stadium after rolling out last year at Crisler Center and Yost Ice Arena.

On Tuesday, the University of Michigan and its hospitality partner, Sodexo Live, gave the media a tasty preview of new food options available to fans at concession areas throughout the Big House, including at the club and suite levels.

Bret Donaldson, Sodexo Live’s senior executive chef, comes to Michigan Stadium after several years with the Chicago White Sox.

“(The Big House) is roughly three times the size of the White Sox stadium, there’s definitely a bit of a learning curve just in growing into the scale of this,” he said.

A focus of the new items, Donaldson said, was current trends, such as its new hot honey chicken as well as working with new and current local partners. Its new smash burger is made with a customer blend of beef brisket, short rib and beef chuck from Detroit’s third generation-owned Fairway Packing Co. and returning partner Dearborn Sausage and its all-beef hot dog.  

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“Over the coming years, we certainly want to start incorporating more Michigan locally produced and Michigan central food,” Donaldson said.

For fans of barbecue, Donaldson brings Carolina burnt ends served with a peach barbecue sauce and toppings such as crispy fried haystack onions. The burnt ends are chunks of tender beef that have smoked over hardwood charcoal.

A favorite of Donaldson’s is the Founder’s Bratwurst for its balance of flavors and at one-third pound, “it’s huge, bold and big.”

For those leaning more toward vegetarian fare, there’s a jackfruit sandwich and cilantro rice bowl with a cauliflower sofrito option and cauliflower and quinoa burgers.

Sweet tooth fans can indulge in local newcomer to the stadium Custard Hut custard with locations in Dearborn and Dearborn Heights. There’s vegan custard in cups and creamy custard sandwiched between macarons with flecks of maize and blue. Also new to food concessions is Detroit Wing Co. (DWC).

Local food options returning to the Big House are Big Boy’s, Buddy’s Pizza and Olga’s Kitchen.

One of the highlights this season at Michigan Stadium is alcohol sales. The University announced in May they would implement a class C liquor license starting Aug. 31 with the home game against Fresno State. Being able to sell booze on Michigan’s biggest campuses at football, hockey and other games was made possible by a bill signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

While no details of which specific brands will be served, Dave Ablauf, associate athletic director for football communications, said fans can expect Michigan craft beers, domestic and import beers and canned cocktails.

Adding alcohol sales pushed the stadium’s point-of-sale areas to more than double. This year, there are 750, up from last year’s 350, areas for concessions stadium wide for food and alcohol sales. Those buying alcohol will, of course, be required to show ID to staff who have been Tips Alcohol certification trained.

Here’s what to know about alcohol sales, according to Michael Jordan, Sodexo Live general manager.

• Sales will begin one hour prior to kick-off and complete by the start of the fourth quarter.
• You will be asked for picture identification by concessions selling alcohol.
• You can’t purchase more than two at a time.
• Those purchasing alcohol will be given a wristband.
•  A compliance team will monitor throughout the stadium, checking that those who have alcohol, also are wearing a wristband.

What’s new at food concessions:

• Classic smashburger: Griddle-seared blend of beef short rib, brisket and chuck, hand-pressed and griddle-seared on a classic bun served with crispy fries
• Bacon Jam burger:  Smashburger topped with sweet and savory bacon jam.
• Flock sandwich: Crispy breaded whole-muscle all-natural chicken breast, topped with house-made spicy creole sauce.
• Hot honey tenders: crispy chicken tenders tossed in sweet and spicy hot honey sauce.
• 4th and Bowl: Cilantro rice topped with lettuce, black bean, corn, shredded cheese, fresh pico de gallo, sour cream with choice of spicy chicken tinga or cauliflower sofrito.
• Elotes corndog: Battered and fried all-beef corndog smothered in creamy roasted street corn with poblano, spices, and cream cheese.
• Founder’s Bratwurst: Founder’s beer braised bratwurst topped with caraway sauerkraut and spicy mustard.
• Cheesesteak fries: Savory Italian-style shaved beef and creamy cheese sauce over crispy fries.

Club level

• Smokehouse sandwiches: Brisket, chicken and jackfruit options smoked over hardwood and served with sweet and spicy BBQ sauce.
• Vegan cauliflower and quinoa burger: seasoned with turmeric, coriander and cayenne.

 Suite level:

• Smokehouse Great Lakes Fish Dip: House-smoked white fish, charred hatch pepper, lemon served with assorted crackers and baguette.
• Pasty Duck: Moulard Duck confit, vegetables, spice enveloped classic crispy pasty pastry and house mustard dip.
• Carolina burnt ends “slider”:  Served on mini brioche bun, chunks of beef are served with sweet pickles, haystack onions side and big house barbecue sauce.
• M Street Bakery Maize and Blue Cake Pops.

Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter. Subscribe to the Free Press.