Ranking The Food At Augusta National

The food (and drink) at Augusta National is both extremely tasty and exceptionally well priced

Ranking The Food At Augusta National

A common complaint at live sporting events is the fact that food and drink can be extortionately expensive. The cost of a ticket, coupled with money spent on sustenance, mean it’s sometimes not a viable proposition.

At the US Masters, however, the food and drink is extremely well priced and the the quality is outstanding. Sandwiches cost between $1.50 and $3 and drinks are similarly well priced. How often can you find a pint of lager for less than the price of the Sunday Times?

I arrived in Augusta National on Tuesday morning and, since then, as well as reporting on the best tournament in golf, I’ve been sampling the best food on offer.

Below, I’ve rated all the items I've eaten out of ten…

Pimento cheese sandwich

First of all, the famous pimento cheese sandwich. I must have eaten two of these a day since Tuesday. The bread is slightly sweet and the cheese filling is substantial yet light, and the red peppers inside are an excellent complement.

Rating – 8/10

Breaded chicken bap

The chicken is southern fried in batter and very peppery, but it’s not at all greasy. It sits between two white bap-style pieces of bread, which aren’t too thick, but if I have any criticism it’s that it’s a touch dry.

Rating – 7/10

Grilled chicken wrap

The grilled chicken wrap features pieces of breast, cheddar cheese, lettuce and a ceaser-style sauce tucked neatly inside a white tortilla. It’s nice, but it perhaps lack the flavour of Augusta’s other offerings. Plus, I’ve struggled to work out how best to open the packaging, which means it looses another point.

Rating – 6/10

Egg salad sandwich

A tried-and-trusted classic. A common fault with the egg salad sandwich is overuse of mayonnaise, but the consistency is spot on here. Plus, there are nice chunky bits of egg, which is always a bonus.

Rating – 8/10

Cheeseburger

Now, this is something special, thanks principally to the quality of the meat, the generous helping of cheese (in the media centre restaurant, you are able to choose from three different types) and the bun. It’s lightly toasted and very lightly oiled – not dissimilar to fried break but much less greasy – and it’s just wonderful.

Rating – 9/10

Sausage biscuit 

As spectacular as the cheeseburger is, my favourite food item is probably the sausage ‘biscuit’. I had my first one on Saturday morning and I’m really quite annoyed that I didn’t discover it sooner.

The patty is great – think McDonald’s sausage McMuffin but better quality and infused with bits of red pepper – but what really makes it is the biscuit. Now, in the southern USA, a biscuit isn’t what it is in the UK. It’s hard to describe, but it’s slightly sweeter and harder than a typical breakfast muffin, and better at retaining moisture. The whole offering is delightful and the best thing I’ve eaten on this trip to the USA.

Rating – 9.5/10

Popcorn 

I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, but the toffee-infused popcorn is a taste sensation. The popcorn is crispy and there’s just the right amount of toffee, spread evenly.

Rating – 8/10

Doughnuts 

I’ve tried both the standard glazed and one with pink icing and sprinkles. Naturally, the pink-iced version takes it – how could it not. When you’re feeling a bit tired mid-afternoon, a doughnut and a cup of tea will sort you right out.

Rating – 8/10

So, for me, the sausage biscuit takes the award as the best food item at Augusta National, but all the food is top notch and very reasonably priced – yet another reason why The Masters is the best golf tournament of the year.

Attend The 2018 Masters with Your Golf Travel – visit  yourgolftravel.com/us-masters Experiences including flights, hotels & tickets are available. Nick Bonfield travelled to the 2017 Masters courtesy of Your Golf Travel.