The US Open is known for its world-class tennis, people-watching, and, of course, its food.
I recently ate my way through nearly everything on offer at the US Open’s Food Village.
Some dishes stood out to me, but others aren’t worth the lines and hefty price tags.
Game, set, feast: These US Open food offerings are worth the trek to Queens.
I recently attended the US Open during Fan Week for a media preview of all the food on offer at this year’s tournament.
While there, I ate my way through nearly every dish on the menu and came away with a few favorites, including a $38 French dip sandwich that’s become almost as famous as the players themselves.
But they weren’t all champions — I also tried a few items that I don’t think are worth the long lines and hefty price tags.
Here are the eight best food items I tried at the US Open, and three I think could be skipped.
One of the best and simplest items I tried was the prosciutto pizza from San Matteo.
San Matteo NYC prosciutto pizza.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
Cost: $23
Offering a variety of Neapolitan-style pizzas, San Matteo has brought some of its favorite concoctions from its Upper East Side pizzeria to the US Open.
The prosciutto pizza, which is about the size of a personal pizza, features fresh mozzarella, truffle pâté, Rovagnati Parma ham, basil, and crushed black pepper. I thought the pizza was perfectly balanced, salty and sweet, and the dough was delightfully crispy.
It was also relatively affordable and a generous portion for the Food Village at the US Open.
However, I'd probably skip the pepperoni or margherita cheese pizzas from San Matteo.
San Matteo NYC pepperoni pizza.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
Cost: $22 (pepperoni) and $19 (margherita)
While I enjoyed both, I thought that they were a bit too simple for a special day out at the Open, especially compared to the more exciting prosciutto pizza or the variety of unique items on offer.
For kids attending, ordering a simpler pizza might be a perfect fit, but I recommend thinking a bit more outside the box with your concession orders.
One of my favorite items at the US Open was the OG Chicken Sando from Fuku.
Fuku OG Sando chicken sandwich.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
Cost: $19
It includes a crispy, habanero-brined fried chicken filet, Fuku Mayo, and pickles on a butter-toasted potato roll.
I thought the chicken was perfectly crispy, and I could really taste the slightly spicy kick of the brine. The pickles also had a nice crunch, and they were held together by the soft potato bun.
There are lots of chicken offerings at the US Open — including a $100 box of chicken nuggets and caviar — but I thought this was a relatively affordable option that tasted as good as it looked.
I also loved the tacos chilorio from Dobel Tequila Club.
Dobel Tequila Club tacos chilorio.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
Cost: $29 for three
Available at one of the main full-service bars on the US Open grounds, these tacos were a surprising favorite for me, especially after trying other Mexican dishes from stands like Dos Toros and the higher-end restaurant Cosme.
These street tacos were downright addictive. Each was packed with shredded local braised beef, pasilla and guajillo chiles, white onions, and cilantro, creating a rich, smoky, deeply savory bite that had me wishing I’d ordered a second plate.
The classic hot pastrami sandwich on rye from Carnegie Deli was delicious, too.
Carnegie Deli hot pastrami sandwich on rye.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
Cost: $30
The sandwich was piled high with thinly sliced hot pastrami and a smear of mustard. While you can find similar deli sandwiches across New York City, including at Katz’s Delicatessen, this one measured up to others I’ve had over my seven years living here.
It was salty, filling, and the meat melted in my mouth.
My one gripe, however, was that it was a bit much, especially on a hot day walking around the mostly outdoor tournament grounds. If I were to eat an entire sandwich, I’d no doubt have the meat sweats.
The most surprising menu item was the temomi ramen shrimp scampi from pastaRAMEN.
pastaRAMEN temomi ramen shrimp scampi.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
Cost: $27
Made with ponzu-garlic shrimp and homemade breadcrumbs, the dish was rich and buttery without being gloopy or too stick-to-your-bones for a late-summer day. The shrimp were extremely tender and flavorful, and the ramen noodles clung to every drop of the garlicky sauce.
This was the most unique item I tried, and I’d go back to the US Open just to eat it again. I thought the $27 price tag was a touch steep, but definitely worth it for the amount of flavor in each bite.
Even if you're craving seafood, I'd probably skip the Maine lobster roll from Red Hook Lobster Pound.
Red Hook Lobster Pound Maine lobster roll.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
Cost: $39
Made with succulent lobster meat and a light mayonnaise dressing, the roll retails for a whopping $39 in the Food Village. While I thought it was tasty, I wasn’t sure it was worth that price.
The roll was a little on the smaller side, and while it was a good deal compared to the pricing at RHLP’s stand-alone location in Red Hook, where a four-ounce lobster roll costs $41, I thought that, compared to some other items available at the Open, it just didn’t feel worth the money to me.
If I want a lobster roll, I want to be smelling sea air and kicking back by the water, not surrounded by people in a sports arena.
On the other hand, the sushi hand rolls from Morimoto impressed me.
Morimoto hand rolls.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
Cost: $42 for two handrolls
While $42 may seem like a high price to pay, I was blown away by the quality of the tuna and salmon inside — it might have been the freshest sushi I’ve eaten, which was a total shock considering we were at a sports event.
Speaking with a team member at Morimoto, I learned that their fresh tuna is flown in from Spain.
The handrolls were simple, but their portable, easy-to-eat format made them a great fit for the US Open.
My favorite item of the day was the French dip sandwich from Salt Hank's.
Salt Hank's French dip sandwich.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
Cost: $38
It’s become perhaps the most talked-about food item at the US Open for a reason.
The meaty sandwich is made with prime rib from New York City butcher Pat LaFrieda, sweet caramelized onions, gooey provolone, and horseradish aioli served on a baguette with housemade jus.
The sandwich was rich and messy in the best way, with tender prime rib and a soft-but-sturdy baguette that held up well against the deeply savory jus. The horseradish sauce added a slight kick at the end.
Surprisingly, the duck flautas and mole I tried from Cosme didn't knock it out of the park for me.
Cosme mole.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
Cost: $42
The duck was tender, and the flautas had a satisfying crunch, but the dish felt slightly underseasoned overall.
I was also expecting the mole to bring more depth and richness, especially from a restaurant known for its bold, polished Mexican flavors. Instead, it tasted a little muted.
For me, the taste couldn’t justify the price tag, nor the fact that it’s only available inside Cosme’s more upscale sit-down restaurant at the Open.
Instead of spending time on a full meal that didn’t live up to the hype, I’d recommend sticking to the Food Village, where you can grab something quickly and keep watching the action.
