Photos provided by the author, Levy & the Washington Commanders

If you ask me, football season should always come with great food—and the 2026 Flavors of the Season at Northwest Stadium definitely understood the assignment.

The Washington Commanders, Pepsi, and Levy invited guests to get an early taste of what’s coming to the stadium this season, and there is a lot for DMV food lovers to look forward to. The event brought together classic game-day favorites, creative new dishes, and some of the region’s most exciting local food names.

What stood out to me most was the strong sense of local flavor. This isn’t just stadium food; many of these dishes feel like a celebration of the DMV itself.

And, of course, I have to talk about my personal favorite: the Barbacoa Taco from Los Cinco Tacos. As a Latina, I was naturally drawn to the tacos—and this one did not disappoint. The house-braised beef barbacoa, onions, cilantro, and signature sauces came together beautifully. It was flavorful, fresh, and exactly the kind of bite I would want to enjoy while watching a game. Seeing authentic Mexican flavors represented at the stadium was definitely a highlight for me.

Another standout was the DMV Crab Cage, featuring a Crab Stuffed Pretzel filled with Chesapeake crab, mozzarella, provolone, garlic butter, and Parmesan. It takes familiar comfort food and gives it a delicious Chesapeake twist.

The local partnerships were another highlight. DC institution Ben’s Chili Bowl brings its famous chili and chili cheese fries to the stadium, while Baltimore favorite Stuggy’s offers Crab Mac & Cheese and a crab soft pretzel. Capo Italian Deli brings an Italian Combo Sandwich, Fuzzies Burgers serves its signature smashburger, and Whitlow’s puts its own spin on the classic hot dog and half-smoke.

And then came dessert. Bruster’s offered a tempting selection of ice cream flavors, while Peach Cobbler Factory brought the comfort of homemade desserts with warm peach cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream and classic banana pudding.

The drinks are getting attention as well, with the new Cocktail of the Game concept featuring specialty cocktails inspired by each week’s matchup. The Raise Hail Refresher and Aspen Espresso Martini were among the featured creations.

I also appreciate the focus on value, with the Season Ticket Member Value Menu offering 15 favorites under $10, including 10 options under $5.

Overall, Flavors of the Season was a fun and flavorful preview of the upcoming season. The biggest takeaway? Come for the football but definitely arrive hungry. With local favorites, creative new dishes, refreshing drinks, and plenty of sweet treats, Northwest Stadium is making food an important part of the game-day experience.

To make the evening even more special, we ended with a tour of the field, giving us the opportunity to experience Northwest Stadium from a completely different perspective. Being on the field where the action will take place this season was the perfect way to wrap up an evening celebrating food, football, and the DMV community.