Will the Twins stink this year? Almost certainly. As our pal Aaron Gleeman outlines via The Athletic, expectations and fan morale have plummeted along with the payroll; most forecasting models have the team hovering around 70 wins. (Gleeman will return to RacketCast this Thursday for a proper hour-long season preview pod.)
But enough Xs & Os! Let's move on to the most important scouting reports you'll need this season: grades on all the new food items available at the ol' ballpark. Earlier today our team dispatched itself to 1 Twins Way to *John Gordon voice* munch 'em all as part of wine/dine the media day. Twins brass seem aware of the diminished on-field expectations, and, as such, a premium is being placed on the ballpark experience in 2026, with regular beer and food specials galore. Those $2 Friday happy hour beers and hot dogs were on display Tuesday, and we heard tell of free Sunday ice cream for kids, but we came to taste the shiny new foodstuffs.
All italicized descriptions come courtesy of the team's PR apparatus; all items are subjected to our peerless, pitiless Home Run!, Walk!, and Strikeout! rating system. Accept no substitutes. Prices weren't made immediately available, but you've been to enough sporting events to know there ain't any deals to be had.
Elote at La Madre
Steamed corn on the cob slathered with mayonnaise and coated in a choice of cotija, Tajín or árbol spice, plus Flamin’ Hot Cheetos or hot blue corn chips, and served with lime wedges. Available at Section 110.
Corn slathered in condiments is a classic treat. But when you take it off the streets, it loses some of its magic. These buddies look awfully cute with their red, white, and blue coating, but the cobs were room temperature—you want them to be at least a little warm. The cheese-and-mayo mixture (we opted for the cotija-encrusted flavor) was oddly sweet, with a sugar-forward flavor dominating everything. And after squeezing our lime wedge over everything, it left an odd aftertaste reminiscent of Fruit Loops.
The call: Strikeout!
Burgers and Dogs at No Gluten Way
Beef burger with white American cheese, grilled onions, bacon and bistro sauce on a gluten-free bun. All-beef hot dog with grilled onions on a gluten-free bun. Gluten-free cookies from Minneapolis’ family-owned and operated Atuvava Bakery. A selection of gluten-free beers, seltzers, and nonalcoholic beverages. Available at Section 112.
Gluten! Countless digestive systems clench in fear when that menacing protein is mentioned. But celiacs should be able to gobble traditional ballpark fare as freely as anyone, right?
The burgers here are not quite on par with Red Cow's (see below). And while we don't pretend to understand the contractual hot dog realities of Target Field, where Schweigert long ago replaced the Metrodome's Hormel offerings, damnit if this juicy doggy didn't resemble product #12646, the quarter-pound Hormel link found in the ol' Dome Dogs. Both buns—round one, long one—felt a tad stale. Maybe that's just the cost of doing biz with GF baked goods.
It's the cookies, though, from south Minneapolis bakery Atuvava, that are the real standout—in particular the oatmeal cherry coconut cookie, though the chocolate chip is swell as well. Em loved Atuvava and we can see why. Even if you're a glutton for gluten, these cookies are a must-scarf.
Burger & dog call: Walk.
Cookie call: Home run!
Build Your Own Mac at Mac and Yes Please
Cavatappi pasta tossed in creamy white cheddar cheese sauce and toasted breadcrumbs. Fans can choose from toppings and proteins including Buffalo chicken, brisket, blue cheese crumbles, sliced hot peppers and fried onion crips. The dish is then completed with a Buffalo ranch or BBQ drizzle. A simple kids’ mac and cheese option is also available. Available at Section 113.
The only note committed to our notebook: SALTIEST THING I’VE EVER TASTED. And that’s not hyperbole—you’ll feel like a goddamn horse putting tongue to a salt block. We attempted to arrive at the curious and not-entirely-pleasant flavors at play, but you’ll mostly remember this one for its nuclear blast of sodium. Also, in the words of a great food podcaster: ungapatchka. Mac ‘n’ cheese works because it’s a simple comfort food. Throwing the kitchen sink (in this case, a Cisco-grade sink) at cheesy noodles ain’t an improvement.
The call: Strikeout!
Double Barrel Burger at Red Cow
Two beef patties topped with white American cheese, grilled onions, burger butter and a horseradish cream sauce. Available at Section 233.
Now that's a burger! Red Cow really comes through here—with both barrels, you might say. The onions and horseradish add just enough bite without overpowering the juicy patty; the white American cheese melts perfectly around everything tucked between the buns. What else is there to say? Sometimes the sign of a good burger is that there's really not much to say about it—burgers are for eating, not gabbing about, after all. Even we purists who think baseball is about dogs rather than burgs have to admit defeat here.
The call: Home run!
Mediterranean Bowl
Steamed rice topped with chicken shawarma, diced red onion, tomatoes, cucumber, feta cheese and tzatziki sauce. Available at Section 114.
Big asterisk next to this one since, purely by chance, the sample we grabbed arrived ice cold. Like, fridge-level. As you can see, the tub of shawarma plus fixins doesn’t photograph beautifully. The bright, bold flavors of the region tasted lifeless, although this might be partly due to the temperature issues at play. (A more committed food critic would've circled back for a hot one; gimme a break, I was gossiping with industry peers!) Speaking of temps and play: The Home Opener is really gonna be high 30s and flurries? Never forget those renderings of riverside Target Field with a retractable roof.
The call: Walk!
Wicked Corn Dogs
No PR info available! But the nice lady presenting them tells us they're "wicked" because they're made with whole jalapeño peppers.
We're big corn dog fans 'round these parts, and ya know something? Those humble cornmeal-dunked meat tubes might be the platonic ideal of ballpark eats—quick, tasty, portable, not too messy. Rare is the corn dog with plussed-up innards, but that's what we're working with here. These smoky, sausage-like links provide real snappy casings and real jalapeño heat. A refined corn dog for the ball knower who emphasizes OPS over batting average.
The call: Home run!
Herbivorous Butcher's Vegan Dog
Available at Market Grill, Section 126.
When we approached the buffet section offering labeled as two trays of vegan meats from Herbivorous Butcher we were dubious, as one looked way different than the other. But vegan sausage has come a long way over the past few years, and some even look just like the real thing, so we shrugged it off and scooped up a dog. On first bite I, Jessica, someone who has been on the vegetarian spectrum for 35-40ish years, knew something was off. This was no meatless dog. I tried to confirm WTF I just ate, but there were no reps for this portion of the buffet. Eventually, towards the end of the event, a new sign appeared, confirming that it was indeed a kosher beef hot dog.
Deeply annoyed, I accepted that I had fallen off the meat-free wagon, and decided to try the sadder, obviously meatless dog. It was long and skinny, kinda like a Cow Tale candy rope. Biting into it yielded no snap, and the meat had a potato-like texture. It tasted like Shredded Wheat cereal. The spice was reminiscent of sausage, so it has that going for it. Look, I love Herbivorous Butcher, but this thing ain’t it. And now I have heartburn and nausea and I blame that unlabeled kosher hot dog, goddammit.
The call: Strikeout!
MSP Kosher Dogs
Available at Market Grill, Section 126.
I ATE THIS ACCIDENTALLY AND NOW I AM MAD! That said, it's an OK kosher dog, but take my review with a grain of salt since the last hot dog I had was in the early 1990s.
The call: ... walk?
Justin’s Candied Popcorn Bar
Fresh-popped popcorn topped with a customizable selection including Reese’s Pieces; M&M’s; crushed Oreos; chocolate-covered pretzels; yogurt-covered pretzels; Nerds clusters; cookie crumble; miniature marshmallows; and chocolate, white chocolate, or caramel sauce. Available at Section 106.
A selection of miscellaneous sweet 'n' salty treats has the potential to offer real game-day fun. But this was kind of an assorted mess—chocolate syrup drizzled over smushed cookie and average popcorn, a few stray M&Ms and marshmallows, and the occasional chocolate-covered pretzel offering something you could really chomp. Nothing you wouldn't gobble handfuls of if offered. But it feels like you should be able to buy a giant bag of this at the gas station before a road trip for $3.
The call: Strikeout!
Chocolate Fish on a Stick
From prominent Minneapolis-based Chef Matthew Kazama of the forthcoming Izakaya Kazama, this Japanese-inspired dessert features a crispy fish-shaped waffle filled with sweet filling and served with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. Available at Truly On Deck and Keeper’s Heart Town Ball Tavern.
Baseball concessions, in this modern age of maximizing everything for social media, typically include one outrageous, zany, viral-by-design item. Last year the Saints debuted a six-foot hot dog loaded with crazy crap, for example; this year Red Sox are offering a “Lobstah Poutine” served inside a boat. The Twins played it very safe by comparison, with no real “talker” rookie food creation for 2026. The closest we get is this delightful fish-shaped dessert treat—they're called taiyaki, in Japan—from cool-ass chef Matthew Kazama (Ramen Kazama, Izakaya Kazama). And folks? She tastes as good as she looks. The warm ‘n’ spongey fish waffle crunches on the exterior, giving way to gooey deposits of chocolate. This treat from the deep is nuzzled next to a generous scoop of melty, higher-end vanilla ice cream.
The call: Home run!
Boba and Dirty Sodas from Niko Niko
Building on the successful 2025 introduction of boba tea at Target Field, Niko Niko expands the experience with new boba flavors, dirty sodas and boozy boba options for guests 21+. Available at Section 120.
Hey, these are a nice treat! People are hating on the overhyped dirty soda trend these days, but if you dig a root beer float, these cola-with-creamer concoctions are conceptually adjacent. The boba drinks are pretty bomb, too. We tried a milk tea with brown sugar boba that popped like plump raisins. A strawberry refresher was easy drinking, not overly sweet and highly refreshing, also with pleasantly poppin’ balls. No, we’re not going to order one during a game instead of a beer or hard seltzer, but we’d happily recommend one for a kid. Or maybe a Mormon.
Boba call: Home run!
Dirty soda call: Home run!
