Rocket Arena Unveils New Playoff Menu With Local Chef Collabs

Rocket Arena is elevating its dining lineup ahead of the NBA Playoffs, which begin 1 p.m. Saturday, when the Cleveland Cavaliers host the Toronto Raptors to open their first-round series.

Chef Richard Arnoldi, executive chef of Rocket Arena through Aramark, has collaborated with six local vendors to create a lineup of bold, limited-time dishes designed specifically for the playoff run.

The menu was developed in partnership with the arena’s concept chefs, who contributed some of their favorite dishes and signatures. Arnoldi and his team then adapted those ideas into scalable versions, translating restaurant-quality recipes into high-volume offerings that can be executed for thousands of fans without losing their core flavors.

“We take a lot of pride in working with the concept chefs to bring these recipes to life at scale,” says Arnoldi. “What might serve 50 to 100 people in a restaurant, we’re executing for thousands, so maintaining that quality while delivering a fun experience is always the challenge.”

New playoff menu highlights include:

• Sauce the City (Loudville near Portal 68): Club Deluxe Chicken Sandwich, crispy chicken tenders with lettuce, tomato, house-made chipotle ranch and Colby cheese on a brioche bun.

• Flour Pizza Co. (Street Level near Portal 22): Spicy “Meatballer” Pizza with house-made meatballs, crushed tomatoes, grana, aged provolone and Calabrian hot honey.

• P. St. Market Cafe (Street Level near Portal 18): White Cheddar Turkey Burger with barbecue glaze, fried onion rings, pickles and house sauce.

• Pearl’s Kitchen (Street Level near Portal 18): Cajun Chicken Soul Rolls filled with seasoned chicken, peppers, onions, yellow rice and cheese, served with Cajun ranch aioli.

• Elmore’s Smokehouse (Street Level near Portal 26): Chicken Bacon Ranch Pop–A–Tot topped with pulled chicken, bacon, jalapenos, pickled onions and ranch.

• Rocco’s (Street Level near Portal 3): Short Rib Steamed Buns with cucumber, pickled carrots and apple syrup.

Cocktails:

• Wine and Gold Rush: Bourbon, cherry juice, bitters, orange juice and Sprite with a gold sugar rim.

• Spida Bite: Tequila, passionfruit, jalapeno simple syrup, lime and Sprite.

If the Cavs advance, more collaborations are expected to roll out in later rounds.

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