Local

Columbus Clingstones games to offer creative food at Synovus Park. Our review

The Columbus Clingstones are set to have their home opener Tuesday in a state-of-the-art renovated stadium.

Fans will attend to watch the game when the Atlanta Braves’ Class AA minor league affiliate debuts in the Chattahoochee Valley, but what’s baseball without the food? The food they will serve at Synovus Park isn’t your grandparents’ peanuts and Cracker Jack.

The classics such as hot dogs and nachos still are present, but some new appearances pay homage to the team’s peach mascot with the fruity flavor incorporated into many of the dishes.

Some of the notable dishes with peach inspiration are the funnel cake, which comes with peach compote, peach caramel sauce and powdered sugar.

The funnel cakes at Synovus Park are topped with powered sugar, peach compote and a peach caramel sauce. 04/11/2025
The funnel cakes at Synovus Park are topped with powered sugar, peach compote and a peach caramel sauce. 04/11/2025 Mike Haskey mhaskey@ledger-enquirer.com

Other dishes such as the loaded pulled pork nachos and the beef brisket burnt end jalapeño sausage incorporate peaches through the house-made peach BBQ sauce.

The pulled pork nachos come with queso blanco, charred peach pico, pickled red onions, cilantro, house-made peach BBQ sauce and come served in a souvenir helmet.

The loaded pulled-pork nachos feature queso blanco, pulled pork, a house-made peach barbecue sauce, and pickled red onions in a souvenir baseball helmet. 04/11/2025
The loaded pulled-pork nachos feature queso blanco, pulled pork, a house-made peach barbecue sauce, and pickled red onions in a souvenir baseball helmet. 04/11/2025 Mike Haskey mhaskey@ledger-enquirer.com

The beef brisket burnt end jalapeño sausage is served on a bun with pickled red onions and house-made peach BBQ sauce.

“We are embracing our peach-themed mascot by infusing those flavors throughout the ballpark with peach ice cream, peach cocktails (and) peach BBQ sauce,” Alexandra Lilley, district general manager for Denver-based Oak View Group Hospitality, which provides the menu options at Synovus Park.

Our review of Synovus Park food for Columbus Clingstones games

I tried both — and these two options will excite the barbecue lovers in Columbus.

The sausage is smoky with a sweet tanginess from the red onions. The peach BBQ sauce manages to be smoky and sweet while still retaining hints of the peach flavor and not overpowering the other flavors.

The nachos also were delicious with a salty, cheesy, smoky and sweet mix, depending on what ingredients you pile onto your chip. And when you’re done you’ll have a helmet you can wear to pretend you’re a baseball player (without having a 90-mph fastball screaming by your head).

The loaded pulled-pork nachos at Synovus Park feature queso blanco, pulled pork, a house-made peach barbecue sauce and pickled red onions in a souvenir baseball helmet. 04/11/2025
The loaded pulled-pork nachos at Synovus Park feature queso blanco, pulled pork, a house-made peach barbecue sauce and pickled red onions in a souvenir baseball helmet. 04/11/2025 Mike Haskey mhaskey@ledger-enquirer.com

My favorite new dish by far was the Fountain City Burger. This burger comes with a beef patty, bacon, pimento cheese, red onion jam, crispy onions and house-made kettle chips on the side.

Pimento cheese on a burger is a beautiful idea, and I must thank whoever thought to add it. The pimento cheese was creamy and full of flavor. The bacon added a nice saltiness. The crispy onions added a crunchy texture and fried onion taste. The red onion jam provided a sweet and milder alternative to the overused white onions typically used on burgers.

All the ingredients combined together to form what I can best describe as a party on your tongue — a party you’ll want to experience again and again with each game you attend. The house-made kettle chips splendidly rounded out the dish with a crisp, salty and peppery flavor.

I also tried the Columbus street corn, which I any fan of Mexican street corn will enjoy. The corn comes with cilantro, Tajin, mayo, queso fresco and lime.

The last menu option I tried was “The Georgia Knot.” It’s a giant pretzel served with smoked cheese dip. The pretzel was soft, salty and buttery and tasted even better when dipped in the cheese.

The Georgia Knot at Synovus Park is a giant pretzel, served with smoked cheese dip. 04/11/2025
The Georgia Knot at Synovus Park is a giant pretzel, served with smoked cheese dip. 04/11/2025 Mike Haskey mhaskey@ledger-enquirer.com

Other options at the Synovus Park include the Italian sausage (served with peppers and onions on a bun), pepperoni flatbread pizza,cheese three-cheese flatbread pizza, pizza of the homestand (a rotating option) and the good old-fashioned hot dog.

Prices for Columbus Clingstones food menu at Synvous Park

How much does this all cost? Here are the prices for these menu items:

  • Beef brisket burnt end jalapeño sausage — $12

  • Italian sausage — $11

  • Ballpark hot dog — $5

  • Three-cheese flatbread pizza — $10

  • Pepperoni flatbread pizza — $11

  • Pizza of the homestand — $12

  • Loaded pulled pork nachos — $18

  • Fountain City burger — $16

  • Columbus grilled street corn — $10

  • The Georgia Knot — $12

  • Funnel cake — $12

Whether you’re a first-time fan at Synovus Park or someone who has grown up watching games when the city’s baseball stadium was named Golden Park, there’s something to eat for everyone. So, take me out to the ballgame, and I definitely plan on coming back for the food.

Lastly, no need to make a run to the ATM before the game as Synovus Park is a cash-free facility.

This story was originally published April 14, 2025 at 11:46 AM.

Follow More of Our Reporting on In the Spotlight

Kelby Hutchison
Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
Kelby Hutchison is the breaking news reporter for the Ledger-Enquirer. Originally from Dothan, Alabama, Kelby grew up frequently visiting Columbus to eat at Country’s BBQ in the old Greyhound bus station and at Clearview BBQ on River Road. He graduated from the University of Alabama with a B.A. in criminal justice and a M.A. in journalism. During his studies, Kelby specialized in community journalism.
Get unlimited digital access
#ReadLocal

Try 1 month for $1

CLAIM OFFER