Can you handle the new Renegade Dog at PNC Park?

After taking four wins against the Marlins in late March, the Pirates are sailing back to Pittsburgh for their Friday, April 5, home opener, bringing new merchandise and food to the old ball game.

At the top of that list is the Renegade Dog, a footlong hot dog piled with pot roast, potato pierogies, pickles and caramelized onions.

“If you don’t like it,” says Gabor Kovats, senior executive chef with the park’s food service provider Aramark, “I don’t care. I do.”

The Renegade Dog will be available near Section 133 until the All-Star Break, which starts on Friday, July 12. 

Once the regular season resumes on Tuesday, July 16, the hot dog will be subbed out for a Candied Bacon Sundae. The vanilla ice cream on a Belgian waffle topped with chocolate-covered pretzels, bacon and caramel sauce will be available near Section 119.

From personal experience, both are equal parts delicious and messy, with an appropriate touch of gluttony.

The park is partnering with local eateries to expand its menu. 

Caliente Pizza and Drafthouse — which already serves Sicilian pizza slices — will bring bone-in and boneless wings alongside onion rings near Section 109.

Coop de Ville-inspired Chicken on the Hill will sell a Hot Honey Fried Chicken Biscuit topped with honey butter, chorizo gravy and house pickles. Flock to Section 144 for this crispy, crumby creation.

The Renegade isn’t the only dog coming this spring. In Section 127, The Chicken Pitt will serve a Cheddar and Chive bratwurst with peppers, onions and deli brown mustard. In Section 135, Deli Dogs will serve the Pitt Dog — a capicola-wrapped hot dog topped with provolone, vinegar slaw and potato sticks on a Martin’s potato roll.

Also new are Big Mozz’s Mozzarella Sticks. It’s a big mozzarella stick, enough said. They’ll be at Section 127’s Chicken Pitt, Section 222’s Bridge’s Concession Stand and Section 147’s Cannonball Burgers.

If for some godforsaken reason that’s not enough cheese, Cannonball Burgers is adding Sweet Cheese Pierogies to the menu. The familiar dumplings are stuffed with farmer’s cheese and topped with chocolate sauce and powdered sugar.

The Coca-Cola patio in Section 138 will reopen for its second season with Nachorita Concessions, a new stand with a menu inspired by Robinson’s LowKey Taco. The spot will have Birria Beef Nachos, a Mexican street corn-inspired Roasted Corn on the Cob and caramel-stuffed churros.

Whether you’re grabbing gear ahead of the game or hunting for a bigger shirt after overindulging on park food, the 2024 merchandise adds depth to the current offerings, says Stephen Perkins, the Pirates’ executive vice president of marketing and fan engagement.

“Obviously, we’re all about black and gold, but if you walk around the store you’re going to see more color … on the apparel side,” Perkins says.

One new child-sized shirt features a pink unicorn decked out with a Pirates saddle and mitt. Hat racks are stacked with new St. Patrick’s Day, American flag, and red, green, purple and yellow Great Pierogi Race caps.

Many of the new shirts, coats and sweaters feature vintage designs. All of them are unisex, “fashion forward and wearable,” Perkins says. Also new to the clubhouse store is a create-your-own Topps baseball trading card station.