STEP UP TO THE PLATE

Take me out to the ballgame — but buy me dinner first. Before planting your bleacher-bum at an April season opener, check out this triple-header that serves beyond-the-ballpark fare.

Chicago: Heaven on Seven on Clark, 3478 N. Clark St.; (773) 477-7818
Chicago’s ebullient Cajun specialist Jimmy Bannos slings the spice two blocks from beloved Wrigley Field. Grab an outdoor table to watch the human parade heading for the friendly confines. A bowl of jambalaya, a dish of rock shrimp tamales, and a slice of coconut cake go a long way to salving Cubs fans’ inevitable woes.

Baltimore: Phillips Harborplace Restaurant, 301 Light St.; (410) 685-6600
Baltimore’s eat-and-drink-happy Inner Harbor lies only a few blocks from the neoclassic Camden Yards, allowing Orioles fans to grab a true taste of Chesapeake Bay at Phillips Harborplace. Crab cakes — in appetizer, entree, or super-size portions — are the must-have at this family-run fish house. But do save a little room for a seventh-inning pit beef sandwich from the right-field stand, operated by former player Boog Powell.

Seattle: FX McRory’s Steak, Chop & Oyster House, 419 Occidental Ave. South; (206) 623-4800< br/>Safeco Field borders Seattle’s Pioneer Square, placing the historic district’s gregarious tavern, FX McRory’s, within stumbling distance from the park. Wash down a dozen oysters and a slab of prime rib with one of the Pacific Northwest’s famed craft beers. The casual saloon setting makes McRory’s a favored stop before and after Mariners forays.