With Allianz Field being plunked down into one of St. Paul’s most culinary diverse neighborhoods, you could eat at any one of the local establishments before you go to a Minnesota United Game.

But we’re here to tell you that the food inside the stadium is so good that you might not want to make an extra stop.

Culinary consultant Justin Sutherland and executive chef Bill Van Stee have curated a group of local vendors that are as skilled as they are eclectic.

Here are our 11 favorite bites from within the stadium, but you could always grab something at one of the rotating food trucks that will be parked on the grounds during every game, if that’s more your thing.

We’re not only impressed with the quality of the offerings, which were great on a media preview day, and nearly as good on opening day, but also with the way the food stands are built for speed. No tap beer lines to slow things down (cans only outside, tap beer available in the Beer Hall) and limited offerings at each stand, so that they can focus on doing just a few things quickly.

There were lines at a few stands but they moved swiftly.

Lamb Merguez Sausage from Kramarczuk’s ($11, The World’s Fare, Sections 12 and 29). All Kramarczuk’s sausage is good sausage, but this snappy, spicy, exotic little number might just take the cake. Topped with tzatziki, onions and tomatoes, it’s the fresher, more interesting version of a ballpark frank and we’re all for it.

Carolina Barbecue Sandwich from Handsome Hog ($14, The Hungry Loon, Sections 10, 13 and 22). You’re right to be skeptical of pulled pork in a stadium, but I’m here to tell you that chef Justin Sutherland knows what he’s doing, even in a mass-production setting. Full of flavor and blissfully lacking the syrupy sweet barbecue sauce that we’ve come to expect in a stadium, the sandwich is also topped with a vinegar slaw that offers the perfect amount of crunch. It comes with tasty seasoned chips, too.

Chicken Burrito from Brasa ($14, Brasa Stand, Section 10). Chef Alex Roberts said it’s a little known fact that employees at Brasa make burritos for themselves on the regular. And what a genius idea it is! The restaurant’s signature yellow rice, beans, and chicken might be even better wrapped up in a tortilla. They sold out fairly early, but hopefully they’ll make more next time, because this one tops our list.

Chicken Tikka Masala Rice Bowl from Hot Indian ($12, Hot Indian Stand, Section 16). We have always loved the chicken tikka from Hot Indian, which is really nicely balanced and always served with signature fruity coconut slaw. Served here in bowl style, it’s a nourishing, unexpected stadium treat.

Double Burger from MyBurger ($13.50, $2 to add bacon, Brew Hall, Section 5). Stadium burgers are usually a dry patty on a dry bun, but Allianz Field smartly partnered with fast casual restaurant MyBurger, which knows how to make a juicy burger on the fly. Get this with local Cloverdale bacon — you won’t regret spending the extra few bucks.

Cecil’s Pastrami and Pepper Jack Sandwich ($14, North Star Deli, Section 36). Rye bread, pastrami piled high, hot pepper cheese. Pretty close to what you get at the actual deli, and it even comes with a bag of chips and a snappy pickle. This is some good stadium food.

Vegetable Sambusas from Afro Deli ($12.50, The World’s Fare, Sections 12 and 29). A whole lot of yum in a crispy package, this hearty treat is stuffed with lentils and other vegetables, but we will warn you the serving is a little skimpy for the price.

Esquites from El Burrito Mercado ($7, Global Street Market, Section 7). I absolutely adore elotes, the Mexican corn that’s slathered with mayo, chili powder and cotija cheese, but it is a bit of a messy affair. (I’ve been known to take mine, with a pile of napkins and hide in the car while eating it to avoid the face-full-of-mayo embarrassment.) So this salad form of the dish makes perfect sense, and it tastes right outdoors.

Twinkie on a stick from Buttered Tin ($4, Cafe Beignet, Section 21). Who is ever mad at a Twinkie? This is Alicia Hinzes’ version of the discontinued Hostess treat, stuffed with real whipped cream for extra deliciousness, and served on a stick, because, Minnesota. We recommend getting there early, because they sold out well before the game was half over.

Jamaican Mini Me’s from West Indies Soul ($12, West Indies Soul Stand, Section 21). Jamaica’s answer to the empanada, the spicy beef patty, is rich and spicy, and West Indies Soul does the street food justice. It’s a great stadium treat, but we did wish there was a dipping sauce.

Gourmet Nachos from Los Ocampo ($13, Los Ocampo Express, Section 24). You can get those sad nachos that come in the tray with the Day-Glo orange cheese sauce anywhere, but Allianz has upped the ante. They’re topped with real meat, spicy queso and a giant scoop of luscious guacamole.