Anyone who has spent any time at the Minnesota State Fair knows that food is a big part of the experience! We’re in luck as the new State Fair Food list was just released. With over 500 foods to choose from 300 concession locations throughout the fairgrounds, there is certain to be something for everyone. If you love food on a stick, you are in luck! There are EIGHTY food options that come on a stick. We all know that eating food on a stick is all part of the state fair experience!
The Minnesota State Fair will kick off on August 24 and will run through September 4. In 2023, there are 34 new foods and 8 new food vendors to check out. Make sure to check out our Guide to the Minnesota State Fair! We’ll be updating that resource as information becomes available.
34 New Foods to Try
- BABA’s — Al Taco Baba: Traditional hummus, harissa barbacoa, corn, queso fresco, chili dust, shatta (hot sauce), crema, cilantro and pita puffs.
- FRENCH MEADOW BAKERY & CAFÉ — Ba-Sants in Two Varieties: Everything Cream Cheese and Sweet Corn: A buttery, crisp and caramelized pastry – a combination of a bagel and croissant: Everything Cream Cheese Ba-Sant is rolled in poppy seeds, sesame seeds, onion flakes, garlic flakes, black pepper and sea salt with a scallion cream cheese filling; Sweet Corn Ba-Sant is filled with fresh sweet corn custard and garnished with crunchy caramel corn.
- NORDIC WAFFLES — Bacon-Wrapped Waffle Dog — Griddled bacon-wrapped Kramarczuk hot dog served on a Nordic Waffle with cheddar cheese, pickle slices and crispy onions and drizzled with burger sauce.
- HOLY LAND – Basil Hummus with Spicy Walnut Topping —Holy Land hummus blended with fresh basil and topped with a mix of crushed walnuts, crushed red chili pepper, garlic and olive oil. Served with homemade garlic parmesan chips. (Hummus is vegan and gluten-free; chips are vegetarian-friendly with gluten-free option available.)
- BRIDGEMAN’S ICE CREAM — Bee Sting Sundae: Bridgeman’s vanilla ice cream topped with hot honey, spicy peanuts, whipped cream and a cherry. (Vegetarian, gluten-friendly)
“Kind of a Big Dill” Pickle Lemonade from Nordic Waffles - MINI DONUTS & CHEESE CURDS — Birthday Cake Mini Donuts: Birthday cake-flavored mini donuts coated with vanilla sugar, drizzled with icing, and dusted with sugar crystals and sprinkles.
- GREEN MILL — Cheese Curd Stuffed Pizza Pretzel: Scratch-made jumbo pizza dough pretzel, hand-twisted and stuffed with Ellsworth cheese curds, pepperoni, and a Green Mill blend of Italian spices. Brushed with garlic butter and topped with diced pepperoni, herbs and parmesan cheese. Served with Green Mill pizza sauce.
- LULU’S PUBLIC HOUSE — Cheesecake Curds: Eli’s Cheesecake pieces covered in funnel cake batter, fried and dusted with powdered sugar and salt. Served with strawberry dipping sauce.
- MIDTOWN GLOBAL MARKET’S MOMODOSA — Chicken Mom with Tomato Chutney: Blend of ground chicken, cabbage, onion, ginger and other spices steamed in a dough wrapper. Served with tomato chutney. (Available Aug. 24-29 only)
- SPINNING WYLDE — Cloud Coolers in Three Flavors: Three choices of lemonade served with a cotton candy cloud spun onto the drinking straw: Summer Strawberry – strawberry lemonade topped with strawberry fields cotton candy; Happy Huckleberry – huckleberry lemonade topped with blackberry jam cotton candy; and Flower Power – violet lemonade topped with lavender love cotton candy.
- SHANGHAI HENRI’S — Crispy Lutefisk Steam Bun: Steamed lotus bun filled with a blend of cabbage, carrots, cilantro and yum yum sauce, plus Olsen Fish Company lutefisk brined in salt water for 12 hours, covered in sweet hoisin sauce, then baked and topped with sesame seeds.
- THE HERBIVOROUS BUTCHER — Crunchy Balboa: Deep-fried tortilla filled with vegan roast beef, bacon and cheese sauce, plus peppers, onions and a hashbrown patty. Served with vegan Follow Your Heart seasoned sour cream. (Vegan)
- RICHIE’S CHEESE CURD TACOS — Dill Pickle Cheese Curd Taco: Fried white cheddar cheese curds, sandwich stacker dill pickles, cream cheese, lettuce and raspberry chipotle sauce in a fried flour tortilla. (Vegetarian)
- COASTER’S — Donuts Delights: Mini donuts wrapped in bacon, on-a-stick, then deep-fried, topped with a layer of peanut butter and drizzled with raspberry dessert sauce.
- OODLES OF NOODLES — Fried Butternut Squash Ravioli: Deep-fried butternut squash ravioli sprinkled with maple cinnamon sugar. Served with a side of whipped ricotta. (Vegetarian)
- MINNESOTA FARMERS UNION COFFEE SHOP — Fried Green Tomato Sandwich in Two Varieties, BLT & Vegetarian: Two deep-fried locally grown green tomato slices in a crust of Whole Grain Milling Co. High Lysine Cornmeal, with mustard mayonnaise, made with Lost Capital Economics Coarse Spicy Ale Mustard, and local lettuce on a toasted brioche bun from The Good Bread Company. BLT is served with bacon from Pastures a Plenty & Hidden Stream Farm. Vegetarian option is served with locally produced charred sweet corn relish.
- LULU’S PUBLIC HOUSE — Fruity Cereal Milk Biscuit: A Betty and Earl’s biscuit made with fruity cereal milk and cereal bits, drizzled with icing flavored with fruity cereal, and topped with more cereal bits.
- UNION HMONG KITCHEN — Galabao: Traditional Hmong-style steamed bun stuffed with ground pork, egg and spices – a recipe from Chef Yia Vang’s mom. Served with choice of Krunchy Chili Oil, Kua Txob Hot Pepper Sauce or Lemongrass Scallion Dressing.
Hot Honey Cheese Sticks from The Blue Barn - HAMLINE CHURCH DINING HALL — Holey Hamloaf Breakfast Sandwich: Hamline Church Dining Hall hamloaf, tangy glaze, caramelized onions and cheese in a sandwich made with fried egg-in-a-hole toast.
Italian Duo Dunkers from Sara’s Tipsy Pies - THE BLUE BARN — Hot Honey Cheese Sticks: Fried Halloumi cheese topped with hot honey and honeycomb crunch. (Vegetarian)
- BLUE MOON DINE-IN THEATER — Irish Butter Ice Cream Over Brown Sugar Cinnamon Toast: Ice cream made with European-style butter served on brown sugar cinnamon toast, drizzled with butter syrup and sprinkled with sea salt flakes.
- SARA’S TIPSY PIES — Italian Duo Dunkers: Two Italian-themed hand pies with seasoned parmesan crusts: one with sausage, pepperoni and mozzarella cheese in a 7 Vines Winery red wine-infused pizza sauce; and one with chicken, mushrooms and spinach in a creamy garlic alfredo sauce. Served with garlic butter dipping sauce.
- JAMMY SAMMIES by BRIM — Jam’nades in Two Varieties – Blueberry Mint & Strawberry Jalapeño: Organic lemonade infused with locally made jams in two varieties: Blueberry Mint Jam’nade with a spoonful of blueberry jam and topped with mint sprigs; Strawberry Jalapeño Jam’nade with a spoonful of strawberry jam and jalapeño slices. Served with a boba tea straw. (Vegan, gluten-free)
- NORDIC WAFFLES — “Kind of a Big Dill” Pickle Lemonade: Lemonade mixed with tangy dill pickling spices, craft-brewed by Urban Growler and garnished with a crunchy slice of pickle. (Non-alcoholic)
Chicken Thigh (ginger, lemongrass), or Lemongrass Turmeric Tofu (marinated in a lemongrass and turmeric blend). All items are gluten-free; vegan options available. - QUENCH’D: LEMONADE/BOTTLED WATER — Lemonade Sorbet: Lemon sorbet made with fresh-squeezed lemon juice, lemon zest and mint garnish, served in a frozen half-lemon shell. (Vegan, gluten-free)
Maui – Sota Sticky Ribs from RC’s BBQ - CAFE CARIBE — Loaded Lobster Fries: Lobster in garlic and herb butter, served on a bed of french fries sprinkled with OLD BAY® Seasoning, topped with bacon, drizzled with homemade chipotle mayonnaise, and garnished with green onion and a lemon wedge.
- RC’s BBQ — Maui-Sota Sticky Ribs: Slow-smoked St. Louis-style ribs, caramelized with RC’s Sticky Huli Huli sauce and seasoned with furikake, green onion and cilantro.
- SOUL BOWL — Miami Mango Pickles: Dill pickles infused with Miami mango punch.
- MINNEAPPLE PIE — MinneCookieDough Pie: Homemade chocolate chip cookie dough in a flaky pie crust dusted with powdered sugar. Served with choice of vanilla or cinnamon ice cream.
- HAMLINE CHURCH DINING HALL — Paletas in Two Flavors – Dill Pickle Lemonade and Mini Donut: Mexican frozen treats on-a-stick in two flavors made locally by La Michoacana Rose: Dill Pickle Lemonade Paleta is lemon-flavored, water-based and includes dill pickle slices (vegan); Mini Donut Paleta is vanilla ice cream with mini donut bits and a whole cinnamon mini donut inside (vegetarian).
- MIKE’S HAMBURGERS — Pickle Fries: Crispy, tangy thin-cut dill pickle fries lightly coated in a cornmeal and seasoned mustard batter. Served with a side of chipotle dipping sauce.
- MIDTOWN GLOBAL MARKET’S AREPA BAR — Smoked Beef Arepa: Smoked roast beef, avocado puree, fresh tomatoes, red onions and arugula in a baked Venezuelan crispy corn pocket. (Gluten-free) (Available Aug. 30-Sept. 4 only)
- SABINO’S PIZZA PIES — Sota-cuterie Board: Sweet potato waffle fries topped with cheese curds, Beyond chorizo sausage, turmeric gravy, pico de gallo and fresh cilantro. Vegetarian.
- GIGGLES’ CAMPFIRE GRILL — Walleye Fritter Pops: Smoked walleye mixed with a blend of cheeses, dill pickle relish, fresh garlic and spices, rolled in panko breadcrumbs and deep-fried. Served on-a-stick with a side of comeback sauce and a lemon slice.
New Food Vendors
Each year, the Minnesota State Fair announces new food vendors. This year, there are SEVEN new food vendors to try!
Afro Deli
Afro Deli serves Sambusas in three varieties – beef, chicken or veggie, fried triangle-shaped pastries with choice of meat or lentils, mixed with onions, garlic and cilantro, and served with “Basbaas,” a spicy Somali dipping sauce made with fresh chili peppers, jalapeños, cilantro, onions and lemon juice; Sweet Plantains, pieces of ripe plantains fried until golden brown (vegetarian); Somali Tea, a fragrant, spiced infusion of tea leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg, served hot or iced (vegetarian); and fresh mango juice (vegetarian).
Bandstand Concessions
Bandstand Concessions serves the Bandstand Burger, Brucy Lucy bratwurst, Chicken Press sandwich, Lil Smoky Hot Dog, Pretzel Nugs, Facepunch Pretzels, Deep-Fried Baked Potato, nachos, popcorn, peanuts, assorted candy and a variety of beer, wine, soda, Red Bull drinks, lemonade and bottled water.
Churros & Aguas Frescas
Churros & Aguas Fresca serves bags of churros with caramel or fudge sauce; churros filled with strawberry, Nutella® or Bavarian cream; churro sundaes with vanilla bean or cinnamon ice cream; and aguas frescas in watermelon, mango, pineapple and strawberry lime flavors.
Midtown Global Market’s MomoDosa
MomoDosa serves official new food Chicken Momo With Tomato Chutney (blend of ground chicken, cabbage, onion, ginger and other spices steamed in a dough wrapper and served with tomato chutney). Plus, Masala Dosa (South Indian crepe of rice and lentil batter, ghee, and served with tomato chutney and coconut chutney); Veggie Pakora (shredded cabbage and onions dipped in chickpea batter, fried and served with mint and cilantro chutney and tamarind chutney, vegan and gluten-free); and Mango Lassi (smoothie made with mangoes, yoghurt, powdered cardamom and cloves). (Aug. 24-29 only)
Peachey’s Baking Company
Peachey’s Baking Company serves Amish doughnuts made on-site using old Amish recipes, topped with vanilla glaze and served warm; Peanut Butter Cream Doughnut, an over-sized Amish doughnut topped with house-made vanilla custard, peanut butter crumbles and whipped cream; and Southern Sweet Tea, a fresh-brewed tea sweetened with cane sugar.
Tasti Whip
Tasti Whip serves Dole Soft Serve in pineapple, mango, strawberry and lemon flavors; Dole Floats with pineapple, mango, strawberry and lemon-flavored Dole Whip in pineapple juice; Dole pineapple juice; and bottled water.
Wow Fudge
Wow Fudge serves more than 70 varieties of gourmet, handcrafted, old-fashioned copper kettle fudge, including new custom Minnesota State Fair flavors – Strawberry Rhubarb, Blueberry Cheesecake and St. Paul Pickle.
