Last updated on December 7th, 2023 at 05:51 pm
Nationwide Arena is the NHL home of the Columbus Blue Jackets team. The venue opened in 2000 in downtown Columbus in the Arena District at 200 W Nationwide Blvd, Columbus, OH 43215. Outside of hosting the NHL team, the venue hosts plenty of concerts, performances, events, shows, and more year-round for fans in Ohio to enjoy.
Here is the Nationwide Arena food and drink guide for your next event!
Best Food at Nationwide Arena
Classic Nationwide Arena Food
- Beer Stands: Fans will find tons of craft beer and draft beer to enjoy throughout the venue’s main concourse and upper concourse.
- CBJ Concessions: Popcorn, hot dogs, pizza, kids’ meals, nachos, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, French fries, water, beer, soda, pretzels, and more can be found at many of the concession stands at the venue
- Tim Horton: Serving up coffee, hot chocolate, donuts, and more in section 210
- Pizza Stand: Cheese, pepperoni, and more pizza throughout the 100 and 200 levels at the hockey arena
- Bratwurst: Ohio-style bratwurst is at sections 108, 203, 213, and 218
New Food at Nationwide Arena
- Arena Smokehouse: Serving up brisket, pulled pork, and other BBQ favorites at the venue
- Land Grant Brewery + North High Brewing: Fans looking for craft beer with a wide selection of choices can head to section 117
- Cheesesteaks: Fans looking for that Philly cheesesteak to enjoy on gameday with generous amounts of cheese and peppers can go to sections 113 and 116
- Skyline Chili: Coney dogs, chili, cheese fries, water, beer, and more
Classic Dessert Choices
- Cotton Candy: Fans will find plenty of vendors walking up and down the aisles selling cotton candy. If fans want to head to a stand to pick up the treat, they can do so at sections 121 and 213
- Popcornopolis: Serving up caramel, cheese, and specialty popcorn out in sections 103 and 218
- Cold Stone Ice Cream: The perfect cold treat to enjoy during a hockey game can be found at multiple concession stands at the venue
Can You Bring Outside Food into the Venue?
Fans can’t bring any outside food or drinks into the stadium. However, there are plenty of restaurants and bars nearby the venue to check out with friends before a game. Those places include Wario’s Beef and Pork, Sunny Street Cafe, Whistle & Keg, Rodizio Grill, and Goodwood Columbus.
Also, be sure to check out the Nationwide Arena parking guide before driving to the hockey arena. By using that link, you can secure parking and save money too.
Finally be sure to visit the Nationwide Arena Bag Policy guide to see what bags can and can’t enter the facility.
Greg Kristan, owner of The Stadium Reviews, LLC and TM Blast, LLC, brings his extensive experience visiting over half of the MLB ballparks, along with numerous MLS, NHL, NBA, and NFL venues, to provide in-depth coverage on the bag policy, food options, and parking. He has also been interviewed about his experiences on several sports podcasts.