Where to find and eat kosher food around the World Cup

The World Cup has landed in our backyard and it is staying here for a while. Through July 19, MetLife Stadium (which has been temporarily rebranded “New York New Jersey Stadium” for the tournament) is hosting eight matches, including the final itself, effectively bringing one of the biggest sporting events on the planet a very short train ride away from Manhattan.

Here’s the good news if you keep kosher: you’re in better shape than fans at almost any other host city in the world. The Meadowlands sits inside one of the densest concentrations of kosher food in the country and the area around the stadium is loaded with options.

The not-so-good news: getting there is genuinely complicated this year and the kosher situation comes with a few moving parts. So here’s everything you need to know: from how to get to the stadium to where where to eat once you’re out there.

How to get to the World Cup from NYC

The single most important thing to know: there is no general parking at MetLife this year. FIFA repurposed the lots and showing up by car the way you would for a Giants game is not an option so you’re going to want to take public transportation options.

The recommended route from Manhattan: Take an NJ Transit train from Penn Station to Secaucus Junction, which is about a 10-minute ride. At Secaucus, transfer to the dedicated Meadowlands Rail Line shuttle that runs straight to the stadium, roughly another 10-15 minutes. Door to door, it’ll take you between 45 minutes and an hour to get to the stadium from midtown Manhattan.

If you’re coming from Brooklyn or Queens: Take the subway to Penn Station first (A/C/E or 1/2/3), then follow the NJ Transit route above.

Rideshare is allowed, but Uber and Lyft can only drop at the Meadowlands Racetrack, which is more than a mile from the gates, and surge pricing on match days is steep.

The smartest kosher move: eat at American Dream first

American Dream, the giant mall-slash-amusement-park next door, connects to the stadium by a pedestrian bridge, a walk of roughly 15-20 minutes. Ideally, you’ll want to eat at American Dream early then walk over to the bridge to the match and then skip the worst of the post-game crush once it’s over by walking back to your car at American Dream.

Kosher spots at American Dream:

These are the food destinations that American Dream currently lists as certified kosher:

• Chickies: glatt kosher chicken fingers, fries and fast-food staples (inside Foodies, Garden Court, Level 1).
• Dunkin’: coffee, donuts, breakfast (Parks Court).
• Cinnabon: cinnamon rolls and coffee (Parks Court).
• Geoffrey’s Café: Cholov Yisroel soft serve, inside the Toys”R”Us space near the amusement and water parks (Parks Court, Level 1).
• Mrs. Fields: cookies and brownies (Court A, Level 1). Pro tip: ask the staff and they’ll warm them up.
• Oreo Café: a dairy Oreo-themed café (Parks Court, Level 3).
• IT’SUGAR: a candy store with a dedicated kosher section (Parks Court, Level 1).
• Cotton Pop Shop: sweets and treats.
• Häagen-Dazs: the shop isn’t certified, but the ice cream is OU-D (Court A, Level 1).
• Theme-park concessions: stands inside Nickelodeon Universe and DreamWorks Water Park carry limited kosher options (Fresko-prepared, Star-K certified).

There’s also a dedicated kosher food court on Level 3 (Coca-Cola Eats, Court C), home to Bravo Pizza (pizza and pasta), Fish Grill (sushi, poke, fish tacos), Smash & Grab (smash burgers and loaded fries) and a kosher Wetzel’s Pretzels (reportedly one of the only kosher Wetzel’s locations anywhere). A kosher Miznon, the Israeli street-food brand from chef Eyal Shani, will also open here soon..

What about kosher inside the stadium?

During the regular NFL season, MetLife runs several certified kosher stands under the Vaad HaRabonim of Queens (VHQ), serving hot dogs, knishes and more, but the World Cup is not an average football game.

In fact, FIFA controls all food and beverage at participating venues and can swap out the regular concessions for its own program. As of now, the kosher stands are not confirmed for World Cup match days. Nothing is guaranteed until FIFA and the local host committee publish their specific concession plans, so don’t assume that you’ll be able to stroll in and snag a kosher hot dog.

For a sitdown kosher meal, check out nearby Teaneck and Englewood

If you’ve got time before the match or you’re making a day of it, the kosher restaurant corridors of Teaneck and Englewood are roughly a 15-20 minute drive from the Meadowlands, depending on traffic depending, so you might want to check out the following kosher restaurants:

• Etc. Steakhouse and Nobo: for an upscale, special-occasion kosher dinner.
• Middle Feast: a sleek Middle Eastern spot that opened this spring on the West Englewood Ave strip, from the team behind Jerusalem Express.
• Chopstix and Dougie’s BBQ: longtime West Englewood Ave meat institutions.
• Sushi Metsuyan: a Bergen County sushi staple.
• Mocha Bleu: a polished dairy bistro for something lighter.

The whole West Englewood Avenue stretch is walkable and packed with options, so you really can’t go wrong.