Yankee Stadium neighborhood guide

All about the new Yankee Stadium: We were all sad to see the House that Ruth Built head the way of the dinosaurs, but it’s hard to complain when you feel like you’ve been upgraded to first class. Hear us out: wider seats, more legroom, cup holders for everyone and more concessions. So what if it cost $1.6 billion? The concession stands sell sushi, along with more standard fare like Brother Jimmy’s BBQ and Tommy Bahama’s tropical eats. For cheap tix, visit yankees.com; it’s currently offering obstructed-view seats for $5 and bleacher seats for $14.

While you’re in the neighborhood…

Drink your way to victory
Yankee Tavern, a neighborhood bar decked out in wall-to-wall Yankee paraphernalia, has been connecting fans with liquor since 1923. “I’ve been coming here for 30 years,” says local Dennis Terry. Brews start at $5; accordingly, the place is always crammed with patrons pre- and postgame. 72 E 161st St between Gerard and River Aves, Bronx (718-292-6130, yankeetavern.com). Daily 11am–midnight, with extended hours on game days.

See the City of Light—in the Bronx
The Grand Concourse may be three blocks from Yankee Stadium, but it just so happens to be modeled after the Champs-Èlysées in Paris. Ballplayers used to spend game nights at the Concourse Plaza Hotel (now a home for seniors), where Babe Ruth supposedly had his own three-bedroom suite. Hit up the bronxmuseum.org). Thu, Sat, Sun 11am–6pm; Fri 11am–8pm; $3–$5.

Throw some strikes—at a bowling alley
Strike three, you’re…probably the winner of this game. After a big loss, let out some aggression by knockin’ over pins at the 50-lane Ball Park Lanes. Here you can bowl any day of the week for less than $5 (Mon–Fri $4; Sat, Sun $4.50), order a burger for $3.25 and down $5–$6 beers ($3 in the off-season). Although the alley is bustling year-round, staffers insist that no one ever waits for more than 15 minutes for a lane. 810 River Ave at 158th St, Bronx (718-665-5800). Mon–Thu, Sun 9am–midnight; Fri, Sat 9am–2am.

Get fit, tan and inebriated
Whatever your pregame ritual, Joyce Kilmer Park can probably accommodate it. Situated along the tree-lined Grand Concourse, this small park is dotted with eye-candy monuments and three blocks of grassy knolls. Toss around a Frisbee, stare at the hottie who dared to show her face in a Red Sox cap, enjoy a picnic, loaf in the sun or subversively drink from a brown paper bag before leisurely strolling the two blocks to the stadium. To double the size of your playing field, head three minutes south along Grand Concourse to Franz Sigel Park. Here you’ll find more greenery, a nice view of the city, basketball courts and a baseball diamond—just in case you feel the need to exercise your inner A-Rod. Joyce Kilmer Park: E 161st St at Walton Ave, Bronx (nycgovparks.org). Franz Sigel Park: Mabel Wayne Pl at Grand Concourse, Bronx (nycgovparks.org).

Spice up your culinary life
Let’s face it: Half of the pleasures of baseball lie in what you’re going to eat before, after and during the game. Locals love Feeding Tree for everything curried, jerked and juiced. Citing hard economic times, Feeding Tree waiter Nevmar Martin has high hopes that the shiny stadium will “bring a new clientele and some money into the community.” The resto’s cheap Caribbean menu includes entrées like jerk chicken with bread for $4.50. 892 Gerard Ave between 161st and 162nd Sts, Bronx (718-293-5025).

Make it a date night
To sweeten the deal for your sophisticated better half, bring your girlfriend to Giovanni—a local favorite for fine Italian cuisine. Although the ambience isn’t exactly Tuscan romance, you and the SO can dine on $19 shrimp parmigiana or veal Giovanni—or, if you’re really cheap, $3.50 slices of pizza. The restaurant is a ten-minute hike from anywhere you’d catch a fly ball, but manager Chris Deseanu says they get “a lot of spillover from Yankee stadium”; reservations are recommended. 579 Grand Concourse at 150th St, Bronx (718-402-6996, giovanninyc.com). Daily 9am–midnight.

Belt a musical number outta the park
While it’s true that every Yankee fan celebrates a win differently, Vega Alta is counting on some fans’ penchants for turning up the falsetto. Every Thursday at 9:30pm, the lounge hosts a free karaoke extravaganza, in which fans can moonlight as Marc Anthony or Barry White. With beer and mixed drinks between $5 and $7, we just hope you don’t embarrass yourself. 880 Gerard Ave between 161st and 162nd Sts, Bronx (718-590-9436). Daily noon–4am.