For years, MinnPost aggregated critical reactions to new Minnesota State Fair food offerings. Before that public-service tradition's sad pandemic demise, the City Pages review chew crew was reliably the toughest to satisfy. CP's own pandemic demise sidelined us for a couple years, but we came chompin' back here at Racket in '22, '23, '24, and '25 with the only new fair food reviews you can trust.
To preemptively rev our wannabe Jonathan Gold-ian engines this go-round, we decided to scout the 36 new fair food items and nine new vendors for 2026, which were revealed this morning to standard local media fanfare. No news outlet has yet sampled these fairground delicacies, so we figured: Why not call some shots, churn some excitement, and even talk a lil shit? And we’ll happily eat crow if—when our teeth finally meet Butter Brew Mustache Pretzel—the forecasted duds prove to be delightful surprises. (Fried crow-on-a stick when?) Or, in the language of our proprietary Scarf!, Shrug!, Skip! system, prove to be Scarfs!
If you have a hot take about the new foods, call the Racket tip line (619-RACKTIP aka 619-722-5847) and leave a short message—we'll play it on an upcoming RacketCast podcast episode!
The fair runs from August 27 through September 7. Let’s get hungry.
All italicized descriptions and images come courtesy of the fair’s PR team.
NEW FOODS/DRINKS
Pickle Pie
Pie crust filled with a blend of chopped pickles, pickle juice and cream cheese. Topped with homemade savory whipped frosting made with ranch and Cholula Hot Sauce. Garnished with a gherkin and a sprinkle of dill. (Vegetarian)
Prediction: Good god, that description is nausea-inducing. Look, pickles are great, and adding cream cheese makes this a little reminiscent of Lutheran sushi, but the ranch whipped cream and hand pie format feels like a joke. A cruel, cruel joke. The presentation looks very cute though—because it’s intended to fool you! LuLu’s, we love ya, here’s hoping you pull off a Hail Mary.
At LuLu’s Public House, located at West End Market, south of Schilling Amphitheater
Cracklin' Corn Ribs
Corn cob quarters dipped in tempura batter, then fried. Brushed with seasoned butter and topped with bacon ranch, green onion and candied jalapeños. Served on a bed of pork rinds.
Prediction: Corn ribs were a fad years ago. All the way back in 2021, Eater was griping about their ubiquity on restaurant menus, and the dish—a roasted strip of corn kernels that’s been shaved from the cob, grilled, slathered in oil or butter, and topped with something or other—has been around in some form since around 2016. But though we reside in corn country, few local takes on corn ribs exist, and the fair seems like the ideal setting for ‘em, no?
At The Blue Barn, located at West End Market, south of History & Heritage Center
Longanisa Cheese Curd Lumpia
Homemade Filipino longanisa pork sausage combined with garlic and Wisconsin cheese curds, stuffed and rolled in a lumpia wrapper and deep-fried. Served with a side of sweet chili sauce.
Prediction: Gotta love Filipino sausage. Gotta love curds. Gotta love lumpia—the most perfect food from every culture, after all, is fried dough filled with a savory treat. And gotta love last year’s new vendor Lumpia City. In fact, we did love them. They were maybe the tastiest new addition to the fair in 2025. With all that in mind, it’s hard to imagine how this doesn’t wildly succeed.
At Lumpia City, located on the west side of Liggett Street between Carnes & Judson avenues
French Chouxnut Sundae
Bridgeman's Salted Caramel Espresso ice cream piled atop a choux pastry donut filled with milk chocolate mousse and topped with dark chocolate fondant icing and chocolate curls. Finished with caramel drizzle, whipped cream and a cherry. (Vegetarian)
Prediction: There’s never anything exactly wrong with Bridgeman’s annual new food. But every year they try too hard, piling ingredient on top of ingredient rather than devising a simple new dessert concept. Sounds like they’re up to their old (new) tricks here—mousse and caramel and fondant and espresso? Prove us wrong, Bridgeman’s!
At Bridgeman’s Ice Cream, located on the northeast corner of Judson Avenue & Liggett Street
Korean BBQ Bao Buns
Vegan Chunk plant-based shredded "meat" tossed in hot Korean barbecue sauce. Topped with pineapple slaw and served on folded, steamed bao buns. (Vegan)
Prediction: Despite what meatatarians might try to tell you, BBQ translates pretty well to vegan dishes. And plant-based people know how to do a solid slaw. All of this sounds like a recipe for success if they land the fluffy bao bun element.
At Rooted & Wild by Snack House, located in the Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum, south side
Surf 'N' Turf Burger
Lobster tossed in garlic-herb butter stacked on a 1/3-pound seasoned grilled beef patty topped with pepper jack cheese. Drizzled with homemade chipotle mayo, served on a toasted brioche bun with a lemon wedge.
Prediction: In the past we’ve doubted Cafe Caribe’s mission statement of bringing seafood to our dusty, landlocked, barn-animal-overridden fair. But ya know what? They’ve turned us skeptics into believers, routinely delivering lobster dishes that have no business being so good in this screamingly non-coastal setting. (See our glowing review of 2023’s Loaded Lobster Fries here.) So with the benefit of doubt on Caribe’s side, we’ll approach this gimmick burger with hearts as open as the noble lobster’s, which we’ve just learned is a single-chambered organ located near the top of the shell. It can’t possibly be worse than last year’s gimmick burger, the uneatable Uncrustable Burger from Coasters.
At Cafe Caribe, located on the south side of Carnes Avenue between Chambers & Clough streets
Butter Brew Mustache Pretzel
Handmade soft pretzel dough rolled in the shape of a mustache and baked. Coated in melted butter and tossed in a butter brew sugar mixture flavored with caramel, vanilla and butterscotch. Served with a side of vanilla soft-serve dip. (Vegetarian)
Prediction: Oh, my, GOD. What a cursed callback to one of the cringiest millennial obsessions: putting quirky mustaches on everything and posting the pics to early Instagram like chuckling stomp-clap idiots. If the fair is slow to move on from trends (it is; see corn ribs above and pickle cookie below), this is like stepping into a haunted Obama-era time machine. I pray Gen Z and Gen Alpha are laughing at us when they see this smirking, doughy facial hair. We deserve it.
At Blue Moon Dine-In Theater, located on the northeast corner of Carnes Avenue & Chambers Street
Bao Belly
Smoked barbecue pork belly drizzled with RC's hot sauce and yum yum sauce. Topped with pickled vegetables and cilantro and served on folded, steamed bao buns.
Prediction: Flavor is never an issue at RC’s, but texture frequently is. The question here, as the BBQ joint wades into uncharted cultural waters, is how chewy they will render the pork belly. Are we curious about this one? Apprehensive? A little of both, honestly.
At RC's BBQ, located on the north side of West Dan Patch Avenue between Liggett & Chambers streets
Blue Moon Crunch
Fluffy shave ice infused with blue moon flavor, dusted with Fruity Pebbles™ cereal and drizzled with sweetened condensed milk. Inspired by the flavors of blue moon ice cream. (Gluten-free and Vegan upon request)
Prediction: I'm biased here, but the first time I had blue moon ice cream was during a multi-day bike tour during the summer, when, as we pedaled through the oppressive heat, an ice cream shack appeared to us like a glistening mirage. Shops that serve the Upper Midwest classic closely guard its ingredients, but Blue Moon basically has a very sweet, marshmallow-y, vanilla-y, almond-y thing going on. And it’s blue. Anywhoo, I’ve loved the stuff ever since, and I’m sort of a sucker for the shave ice stand in general—which might appear to you like a mirage during a grueling late summer day spent stumbling up and down Dan Patch Avenue.
At Minnesnowii Shave Ice, located on the west side of Nelson Street between Dan Patch & Carnes avenues
Walking Chopped Italian Grinder
Chopped Italian grinder sandwich-style blend of sliced salami, pepperoncinis, green olives, artichokes, roasted red peppers and fresh mozzarella pearls, tossed in Italian dressing. Layered over a bag of Dutch Crunch® Parmesan & Garlic Kettle Chips and drizzled with Calabrian chili aioli.
Prediction: We’ve recently celebrated Mancini’s on this site for its cultural importance, but now let’s say a nice word or two about its old-school Italian fare. Here they’re serving up salami with all the right fixins, and if they balance the tastes right (several of these ingredients are potentially overpowering) this could be a (slightly sloppy) keeper.
At Mancini's al Fresco, located on the north side of Carnes Avenue between Nelson & Underwood streets
Shakshuka Lamb Meatballs
Seasoned lamb and pork meatballs stuffed with whipped garlic herb goat cheese and flash-fried. Served atop shakshuka – a blend of tomatoes, chili peppers, onions and spices – garnished with parsley and served with a side of chimichurri-spiced sourdough crostini. (Gluten-free upon request)
Prediction:
At French Meadow Bakery & Cafe, located on the north side of Carnes Avenue between Nelson & Underwood streets
Dubai Whoopie Pie
Dubai chocolate-inspired whoopie pie made with pistachio cream sandwiched between two dark chocolate cakes. Rolled in Dino's Dubai crunch topping of shredded filo, crushed pistachios, honey and brown sugar. (Vegetarian)
Prediction: Hmm. On the one hand, love a whoopie pie. On the other hand, seen enough of the viral Dubai chocolate fad to last a lifetime. (Also, not that it’s Dino’s fault, but I’m still pissed off about last year’s TWENTY DOLLAR Dubai chocolate strawberry cup.) Has the stink of a TikTok fad food that’ll rest on fad-ness alone.
At Dino's Gyros, located on the north side of Carnes Avenue between Nelson & Underwood streets
Chorizo Manchego Croquettes
Spanish-style potato croquettes filled with manchego cheese and Spanish chorizo. Lightly breaded, fried and garnished with chives. Drizzled with homemade lemon garlic aioli. (Gluten-free)
Prediction: See below for our reservations about potatoes at the fair. And then ignore them because these little guys sound mouth-poppably enticing. Are we just provincial pseuds swayed by the promise of international delicacies like “croquettes,” “manchego,” and “chorizo”? Could you bring us down to Earth with the workaday translation “potatoes with cheese and sausage”? Let us dream, you monsters.
At Paella Depot, located on the south side of Judson Avenue between Clough & Nelson streets
Honey Brisket Battered Potatoes
Deep-fried Australian Battered Potatoes topped with beef brisket, smothered in nacho cheese and drizzled with hot honey.
Prediction: Let’s talk taters. We of Racket are a simple people who head to the fair with the intention of eating as many different foods as possible. Potatoes, however, have a way of saying, “You have eaten me, there shall be no others.” So they’ve gotta be something special. These down-under spud-slingers are a few years late with the hot honey, and there’s something a little “ah, fuck it” about smothering brisket in nacho cheese. We’ll take our stomachs elsewhere. But also here, because we're duty-bound to eat all this stuff.
At Australian Battered Potatoes, located on the south side of Judson Avenue between Nelson & Underwood streets
Hmong Corndog
Pork Hmong sausage flavored with ginger, garlic, fish sauce, chili and lemongrass made in collaboration with Kramarczuk's. Skewered, dipped in a cornmeal batter and fried. Served with a side of citrus Kua Txob sauce.
Prediction: If godforsaken prediction apps like Kalshi took State Fair odds, you’d have to think the Hmong Corndog is the betting favorite for Best New Food. Union Hmong Kitchen has dominated at the fair since its 2022 debut, but chef Yia Vang stumbled in 2024 with his Grilled Purple Sticky Rice. As expected, that hiccup only sent him on his Campbellian hero’s journey; last year’s dish, Shrimp & Pork Toast On-A-Stick, rocked. This year, we’ve got UHK + Kramarczuk's? C’mon, man. Not even a fair fight. Take our money!
At Union Hmong Kitchen, located at the International Bazaar, south wall, west corner
Tacos de Mole
Flour tortillas filled with shredded chicken, cheese and house-made mole sauce. Deep-fried, drizzled with more mole sauce and garnished with queso fresco.
Prediction: Immediately yes; emphatically yes; enthusiastically yes. El Burrito Mercado is wonderful, though I’ve never had the Mole con Pollo Platter, the one dish on the menu in St. Paul that lists EBM’s mole sauce. The menu explains, as the State Fair blurb does not, that El Burrito’s house-made mole is a blend of over 32 ingredients, and if you’ve ever had a good mole elsewhere you know that it’s complex, rich, and almost decadent as sauces go. This has potential to be in the top tier of 2026 fair foods.
At El Burrito Mercado, located at the International Bazaar, south wall
Jamaican Jerk Chicken Loaded Fries
Battered french fries topped with Jamaican jerk chicken, melted cheese and green onions. Drizzled with ranch and jerk sauce. (Aug. 27 to Sept. 1 only)
Prediction: Last year was a tale of two loaded fries. The Somali Street Fries from Oasis Grill were perhaps our favorite new offering, and their buzz sent lines snaking around the International Bazaar. Soul Bowl’s Chicken Fried Bacon Fries, meanwhile, tasted worse than dog food. We’re confident Midtown Global Market curated a winner in Irie, whose jerk fries sound pretty damn failsafe.
At Midtown Global Market's Irie Jamaican Express, located in the Taste of the Midtown Global Market booth at the International Bazaar, east wall
When Pigs Fly
Flight of pork sausages wrapped in puff pastry and served on-a-stick. Varieties include: Chorizo Sausage with chimichurri; Texas Two-Step Sausage with sweet pepper coleslaw; Oktoberfest Sausage with melted cheddar and chili crunch; and Porketta Italian Sausage with pickle aioli.
Prediction: Now this is the shit people think of when they think State Fair: a series of sausages, swaddled in pastry and served on a stick. Sausage Sister & Me, which boasts of serving specialty sausages by special women, might have something special here in the harmony between each sausage and its corresponding dip; porketta and pickle aioli has my interest particularly piqued. And you gotta think it’s a numbers game—at least a few of these available varieties should kick ass.
At Sausage Sister & Me, located in the Food Building, east wall
The Fried and the Furious: Cubano Drift
Deep-fried Cubano-style sandwich made with a crunchy tortilla filled with vegan Cuban pork, vegan Swiss cheese, dill pickle relish, vegan garlic mayo and mustard. Served with a side of jalapeño citrus sauce. (Vegan)
Prediction: God bless Herbivorous Butcher for supplying the veggie crowd with options amid the factory farmed-sourced animal welfare horrors of, well, basically every other vendor. Sensing a “but”? Now, now, we’re not that predictable: However, the super-fried meat simulacrums HB dials up for the fair tend to hit like gut-bombs, and we have to question whether attempting to recreate one of the world’s meatiest sandwiches is a wise endeavor. We’re rooting for the Cubano Drift—your move, vegans!
At The Herbivorous Butcher, located in the Food Building, west section, south wall
Strawberry Ube Sundae Tart
Swirled strawberry and ube marshmallow cream mixed with chocolate chips, chilled and scooped into a fudge-filled gluten-friendly shortbread crust. Topped with whipped cream, strawberry sauce and edible glitter sprinkles. (Gluten-friendly)
Prediction: Ube, for the uninitiated, is a bright purple yam from the Philippines, and it’s having a moment here stateside. But like any other yam, it doesn’t have a lot of flavor—maybe a whisper of vanilla? In this case, the main draw here is the unique color it gives to this very pretty unicorn of a dessert. (Those glitter sprinkles are taking things into Instagram territory for sure.) In the end, no matter what strawberry is paired with it’s gonna steal the show, so we expect it to be the dominant flavor. Strawberry with shortbread is a delicious combo so, stunt casting aside, it’s gonna be hard to screw this up.
At Sara's Tipsy Pies, located in the Food Building, northwest wall
Peri-Peri Bowl
Fried peri-peri hot chicken, seasoned with African Bird's Eye chili peppers, garlic, lemon and herbs. Combined with mini beef sambusas and fried sweet plantains, all topped with peri-peri sauce and choice of: basbaas (spicy Somali green chili pepper sauce) or spicy red chili sauce.
Prediction: It stinks when ugly stereotypes prove correct. In this instance, we’re talking about trends hitting podunk flyover country years later than on the snobbish coasts. Lyn-Lake is soon getting a toothsome-seeming peri-peri chicken operation, and the buzzy dish from South Africa and Portugal that Nando’s made famous will also be at the fair. This reads like a damn meal with mini sambusas and plantains accompanying the chicken, all of it swimming with a triforce of sauces. Better late than never.
At Afro Deli & Grill, located in the Food Building, east wall
Sligo Slider Bites On-A-Stick
Handmade dumplings stuffed with a cheeseburger blend made of beef, cheddar, pickle and onion. Skewered on-a-stick and deep-fried. Served with homemade Thousand Island dressing.
Prediction: So we meet again, O’Gara’s. Look, it’s nothing personal, but the bar’s new foods always seem designed for fair attendees who want the “same old” delivered in a new package. That certainly appears to be the case with these cheeseburger dumplings. The Irish have contributed plenty to our great melting pot of a nation. Flavorful food has not been among those contributions. Don't even get us started on Flogging Molly.
At O'Gara's at the Fair, located on the southwest corner of Dan Patch Avenue & Cosgrove Street
Brandy Old Fashioned Cookie Dough
Edible cookie dough infused with nonalcoholic brandy flavor and combined with orange zest, cinnamon, dark chocolate chips and tart dried cherries. Served on-a-stick, hand dipped in brandy-flavored bittersweet chocolate, and rolled in Biscoff® cookie crumbs. (Vegetarian)
Prediction: How do you make something taste like brandy when it doesn’t have alcohol in it? Usually when a dessert claims to be a booze-free booze-flavored treat, that’s just a fancy way of saying there are notes of caramel. Or, in the case of brandy, maybe a little fig. What this probably tastes like is Christmas on a stick. The real question here is: Will orange zest prove tasty in cookie dough? And will this dessert make you long for a real Old Fashioned?
At Kora & Mila's Cookie Dough, located on the south side of Dan Patch Avenue between Cooper & Cosgrove streets
Apple Donut Ham Grinder
First Kiss® apples from Pleasant Valley Orchard, sliced into rings, battered, deep-fried and tossed in cinnamon sugar. Stacked with sliced uncured ham from Hidden Stream Farm, dressed arugula and drizzled with Crybaby Craig's Hot Honey, made with honey from Bolton Bees. Served with herb-whipped ricotta spread on a toasted hoagie roll from Emma Krumbee's Bakery.
Prediction: Last year, before the weight of fraud scandals crushed his political future, we enlisted Gov. Tim Walz to chow down at the Farmers Union Coffee Shop, earning the guv a coveted Racket byline. (He loved the bison sandwich.) We don’t anticipate Walz will join us for these tantalizing grinders, which come from a stand whose new-food hit rate is unmatched. Mr. Governor, if you’re reading this, we’ll happily review this locally sourced combo of savory, sweet, and heat with you.
At Minnesota Farmers Union Coffee Shop, located on the north side of Dan Patch Avenue between Cooper & Cosgrove streets
Banana Butterscotch Barnraiser
Vanilla pound cake layered with roasted bananas, butterscotch sauce and caramelized croissant croutons made by Patisserie 46. Topped with whipped cream from Stony Creek Dairy and garnished with nut-free cereal mix made with Corn Chex®, Biscoff® cookie butter, chocolate chips, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt. (Vegetarian)
Prediction: This looks fun! You can’t go wrong with torched bananas in torched sugar sauce topped with a metric ton of whipped cream. And those little Chex squares look like puppy chow, which is a delight. The Minnesota Farmers Union rarely pulls a stunt; they just serve us consistent good eats. Our only concern is that warm bananas can sometimes get a little soggy-sad if they sit in that state for too long, but we have faith they’ll be preserved in that butterscotch like a mosquito in amber (sounded tastier before I typed that out...).
At Minnesota Farmers Union Coffee Shop, located on the north side of Dan Patch Avenue between Cooper & Cosgrove streets
Bucket of Chicharrones
Freshly deep-fried chicharrones (pork rinds) sprinkled with chili pepper and lime seasoning. Served with a trio of dipping sauces: hot sauce, creamy chipotle sauce and chamoy.
Prediction: Those of us who identify as savory bitches just don’t get frenzied over sweets at the fair—yes, even Sweet Martha’s, though we have been known to paw at a bucket with a group of friends, and even the mini donuts, though it’s not like we’d turn one down. HOWEVER: a bucket of chicharrones? Oh buddy, now we are TALKING. I’m already penning a petition to replace at least half of the Martha’s stands with San Felipe Tacos.
At San Felipe Tacos, located on the southwest corner of Dan Patch Avenue & Underwood Street
Sweet Peach Lemonade Sparkler
Fresh-squeezed lemonade layered with peach syrup and peach sweet cream cold foam. Topped with a sprinkle of popping candy and garnished with a peach slice. (Gluten-friendly, vegetarian)
Prediction: Sounds refreshing… and fine! I mean, what would a lemonade have to do to make me think of it more than seven minutes after drinking it? Do a little song and dance? Literally rescue me from the brink of dehydration? Of course, having said that, it does get painfully hot at the fairgrounds, and peach sweet cream cold foam does sound awfully nice.
At Quench’d: Lemonade/Bottled Water, located on the south side of Dan Patch Avenue between Nelson & Underwood streets
Elote Tots
Deep-fried tater tots tossed in Tajín and topped with an elote-style sauce made with roasted corn, diced peppers, cheddar cheese, crema and cream cheese. Finished with cotija cheese and more Tajín. (Vegetarian)
Prediction: We have questions about this elote sauce. Generally, elote is roasted corn slathered in a mix of mayo, cotija cheese, and lime and topped with a sprinkle of Tajín. This feels more like a southwestern corn dip dumped on top of a serving of tater tots. It could be delicious—it sounds like something people will like—but don’t go trying to steal elote valor with this, Tot Boss.
At Tot Boss, located on the east side of Underwood Street between Wright & Dan Patch avenues, south of Kidway
Caramel Apple Iced Tea
Black tea brewed with natural tart apple flavor and topped with caramel-infused cold foam. Garnished with a Caramel Apple Pops® lollipop. (Gluten-friendly, Vegetarian)
Prediction: We talk so much about what to eat at the fair, and even what beers to imbibe, we maybe overlook the humble non-alcoholic beverage. When it’s time to sip, do you want something simple and refreshing or something that stands as a flavorful invention on its own? If you answered the latter, it sounds like the Loon Lakers have what you’re thirsting for.
At Loon Lake Iced Tea, located on the west side of Underwood Street between Wright & Dan Patch avenues
Strawberries & Blueberry Creme Parfait
Fresh whole strawberries layered with blueberry non-dairy whipped topping and garnished with gluten-free waffle chips. (Gluten-friendly, vegan)
Prediction: Simple, sweet, and relatively healthy, the Strawberries ‘N Creme booth has been a favorite of ours for over a decade. They basically serve up a ton of fresh fruit topped with a Cool Whip-type topping. Adding blueberry to that whip seems like a solid idea, though we’d probably be even more into it if they had added actual blueberries to the mix. Change doesn’t happen overnight, and we’re glad to see the Strawberries ‘N Creme gang step a little out of their comfort zone. However, there’s no way those waffle chips aren’t gonna get stale and/or soggy real quick.
At Strawberries 'N Creme, located on the west side of Underwood Street at Wright Avenue
Dockside Poppers
Seasoned cream cheese, bacon, artichoke hearts and jalapeño peppers combined, breaded and lightly fried. Served with a side of homemade tomato chili jam.
Prediction: OK, let’s get into the wonky rigamarole of what constitutes an official new food vs. a new vendor. While every new vendor is, by definition, selling new foods at the fair, a smoke-filled room determines which of those vendors—if any—scores an official new food. For 2026, Summer Lakes Boat House has that Venn diagram honor, and we know too little about the operation to summon confident predictions. Deep-fried bar food seems like a safe, albeit unadventurous, best food forward.
At Summer Lakes Boat House (new vendor), located on the southwest corner of Randall Avenue & Underwood Street
Mango Sticky Rice Refresher
Coconut milk, evaporated milk, condensed milk, mango flavoring and half and half poured over ice and topped with fresh and dried mango. Finished with a dried mango sugar rim. Inspired by the flavors of mango sticky rice. (Gluten-friendly, Vegetarian)
Prediction: Americans are slowly warming up to chunky things in our drinks, and this bevvy sounds like a total chunky monkey. Its description also reminds us a little bit of a mango lassi, minus the spice. We suspect this is going to be much sweeter thanks to the sweetened condensed milk, and richer thanks to all that half-'n'-half, but that’s how it goes at the fair.
At Chan's Eatery, located on the east side of Underwood Street between Murphy & Lee avenues
Strawberry Crunch Mini Donuts
Strawberry donuts dusted with vanilla sugar, drizzled with vanilla icing and topped with homemade strawberry streusel crunch. Served in a bucket rimmed with vanilla icing and more streusel crunch. (Vegetarian)
Prediction: So Nature Valley makes these “crispy creamy wafer” strawberry bars that are just… so good. Like a wafer cookie, but with icing and little freeze-dried berries on top. They almost certainly have no nutritional value, which contributes to their deliciousness, but they’re made by Nature Valley, so you feel like you’re eating a granola bar. What was I saying? Oh, yes: If these mini donuts can approximate that flavor, they’ll be really, really good.
At Solem's Mini Donuts, located on the east side of Underwood Street between Murphy & Lee avenues
Pumpkin Bar Funnel Cake
Real pumpkin, cinnamon, sugar and vanilla blended with original funnel cake batter, then deep-fried. Lightly brushed with melted butter and topped with homemade cinnamon cream cheese frosting. (Vegetarian)
Prediction: Here’s the thing with the best new fair food. It’s rarely some wild, overblown concept. Instead, what works is most often a slight twist on an old favorite. Funnel cake purists might disagree, but Taulelle’s sounds like they’ve come up with a way to rework this fried dough standby without going overboard. Doesn’t sound essential, but could just fill that funnel cake-sized hole in your life. Also: Where else do you get funnel cakes? The treat only exists at theme parks and fairs, making it all the treatier.
At Taulelle's Jurassic Corn Dogs, located on the east side of Underwood Street between Murphy & Lee avenues
Dill with it, Cookie!
White chocolate chips, finely chopped dill pickles and fresh dill baked into a cookie. Finished with a sprinkle of sugar and Maldon sea salt. Created by Holman's Table. (Vegetarian)
Prediction: STOP IT. It’s getting embarrassing. Like… what are we even doing here, man? Rick’s Pickle Pizza sparked the State Fair dill craze in 2022, way back when the corpse of Joe Biden was still a presidential rookie, and subsequent fairs have seen late-to-the-party trend chasers attempting to capture that pickle dragon. Urban Glow Mocktails? You listening? IT’S 2026! We’ll eat this thing, and we might even enjoy it, but if there’s a dated pickle stunt in 2027… well, we might just skip the fair entirely.
At Urban Glow Mocktails, located at the North End, northeast section, across from the North End Event Center
Two-Tone Bloody Mary Mocktail
Homemade tomatillo salsa layered with a zero-alcohol blend of tomatoes, herbs, spices and olive brine. Garnished with a skewer of pickle, cheese, tomato, olive and an Urban Glow Cheweenie™ sausage.
Prediction: An NA bloody Mary? I'm sorry, but you're describing soup. And with the amount of salt being consumed via foodstuffs, do you really want to guzzle your sodium, too?
At Urban Glow Mocktails, located at the North End, northeast section, across from the North End Event Center
NEW FOOD VENDORS
Dodopop
Dodopop serves dirty sodas in six flavors: megalodon (Dr Pepper® – diet available, raspberry syrup and coconut cream); golden yeti (orange pop, vanilla syrup and vanilla cream); liger (lemonade, Starry™ and cherry syrup); big red dog (Pepsi – diet available, cherry, vanilla syrup and vanilla cream); sasquatch (root beer, vanilla syrup and vanilla cream); and babe's lemonade (sparkling lemonade, blue raspberry syrup and raspberry popping pearls).
Prediction: It was only a matter of time before the Mormon-originating dirty soda trend made its way to the fair. Whether or not you like these things hinges on if you’re OK with cream (be it whipping or coconut) added to your pop. I happen to like ‘em—they remind me of soda punch bowls with sherbet added—but many do not, and I gotta wonder how a drink that often curdles is going to play during the fair in extreme summer heat (soda and dairy don’t play nice with each other chemistry-wise). People sure do come up with weird ideas when they don’t drink.
Located on the northeast corner of Dan Patch Avenue & Cooper Street
Lemochi Japanese Confections
Lemochi Japanese Confections serves Tanghulu (fruit skewered and coated in a hard candy shell) in four varieties: strawberry, green grape, Mandarin orange and dual-mix with strawberries and grapes. All Tanghulu is gluten-free.
Prediction: There's a reason why these are a staple of street fests everywhere but the U.S.: It's hard to mess up fresh fruit encased in a glossy sugar coating. They sure look pretty, and we're betting they'll be tasty, too.
Located at the International Bazaar, south wall
Jive Turkey BBQ
Jive Turkey BBQ serves Crack-n-Cheese® Bowl (homemade macaroni and cheese, hickory-smoked turkey barbecue, deep-fried turkey cracklins and signature sauce); Soul Rolls (macaroni and cheese with collard greens deep-fried in an egg roll); Soul Punch (muscadine lemonade); and Stuffed Turkey Legs in two varieties: Cajun Shrimp and Alfredo (stuffed with cajun shrimp and dirty rice, topped with alfredo sauce) and Thanksgiving Stuffed (stuffed with choice of three fillings: macaroni and cheese, stuffing, gravy, yams, collard greens or cranberry sauce). Plus, hickory-smoked turkey legs and turkey barbecue sandwiches.
Prediction: Minnesota is a turkey state, the nation’s top producer of the bird that Benjamin Franklin valued over the bald eagle. That’s why the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association (who may be evil, we’ve not checked) have trotted out the tasty Turkey to Go stand at the fair for as long as we can remember. Looking at the offerings from the delightfully named Jive Turkey, we’re hoping there’s room for two gobble-forward booths. Excited to try that Cajun Shrimp Stuffed Turkey Leg.
Located on the north side of Lee Avenue between Underwood & Cooper streets
Midtown Global Market's El Taco Torro
Midtown Global Market's El Taco Torro serves Birria Crunch Bombs (deep-fried tortilla balls filled with birria beef, Oaxaca & mozzarella cheese rolled in a tortilla chip coating and drizzled with lime crema, served with a side of consommé dip); Fairground Fiesta Tacos (deep-fried flour tortilla cone filled with al pastor pork, pineapple pico, queso and finished with cilantro & onion); and Horchata and Mangonada drinks. (Sept. 2 through Sept. 7 only)
Prediction: To steal a concept from the Doughboys podcast, tacos are a "penthouse food." Meaning: They’ve got a high, high floor—you just don’t encounter many shitty tacos. And these badboys from El Taco Torro sound fantastic. Tacos are built for portability during hot weather, they’re easy to scarf down by hand, and we welcome as many newcomers as possible. Execution-wise, this Birria Crunch Bomb seems like a tricky needle to thread; major points for ambition.
Located in the Taste of the Midtown Global Market booth at the International Bazaar, east wall
Minnesota's Original Apple Fries
Minnesota's Original Apple Fries serves Apple Fries (fresh-cut apples, fried, tossed in cinnamon sugar and served with a side of caramel); Apple Fries Deluxe (larger portion of Apple Fries served with a side of caramel and whipped cream); and apple cider. All gluten-friendly and vegetarian.
Prediction: One year a booth at the fair made a savory funnel cake (it wasn’t good), so we see no reason why we can’t have dessert fries. It’s all going to hinge on whether or not these are sturdy enough to actually dip in caramel sauce. Challenge issued, apple fries.
Located on the north side of Dan Patch Avenue between Underwood & Cooper streets
Roon’s Savories
Roon's Savories serves hand-rolled waffle cones flavored with parmesan, cheddar and herbs. Savory Cones are available with four choices of fillings: BBQ Pulled Pork Mac (slow-smoked pulled pork layered with macaroni and cheese), Chicken Tinga & Rice (chicken and smoky tomato-chipotle sauce layered with seasoned rice – gluten-free), Classic Chicken Salad (house-made chicken salad with fresh herbs – gluten-free) and Three Cheese Mac (three cheese macaroni and cheese – vegetarian).
Prediction: Though Roon’s truck has been popping up at events and breweries for a while now, we haven’t yet sampled their delight-laden cones. That’s likely to end soon. Each of these offerings sounds like a potentially tasty twist on a comfort-food fave. And there’s just something about the word “savories” that’s hard to resist.
Located on the west side of Liggett Street between Carnes & Judson avenues
Saturday Dumpling Co.
Saturday Dumpling Co. serves Chinese Sausage & Cheese Poppers (fried dumplings with savory & sweet Chinese sausage and provolone cheese); Ube Cheesecake Wontons (deep-fried filled wontons, drizzled with sweetened condensed milk and sprinkled with crushed Biscoff® cookies – vegetarian); and Salted Mango Yuzuade (mango puree, yuzu juice, salt, simple syrup – vegan).
Prediction: Saturday Dumpling Co. has more than established its bona fides in that great, messy non-State Fair realm we call “the real world.” You’ve maybe lined up for their concoctions ourselves. But they made an inauspicious fair debut last year, collaborating with the dreaded O’Gara’s. Still, there’s every reason to suspect they can deliver on their own. No self-respecting Minnesotan is gonna turn down a cheesecake wonton.
Located in the Food Building, east wall
Solem's French Fries
Solem's French Fries serves fresh-cut French fries in four sizes with a dedicated sauce bar offering a variety of self-serve spices and dipping sauces. Plus, fresh-squeezed, frozen lemonades, fountain sodas and bottled water. Fries are gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan.
Prediction: Every year we bitch ‘n’ moan about new donut peddlers, offering up the same refrain of, “Tom Thumb perfected the donut… just get those!” Same deal for State Fair institutions like Mouth Trap (cheese curds) and, haters be damned, Sweet Martha (cookies). We’ll apply that same honor to Fresh French Fries, which has been slicin’ and fryin’ spuds at the fair since 1973. Solem, you’re coming for the king—you best not miss. (Even the font and color scheme are giving Fresh French Fries... hmmmmmm.)
Located on the east side of Underwood Street between Murphy & Lee avenues
Summer Lakes Boat House
Summer Lakes Boat House serves a variety of food options: Official New Food Dockside Poppers; Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp Skewers; Crispy Chicken Sandwiches; Riblets 'N' Chips; Hand-cut Chips and Dips; and sliders in two varieties: slow-roasted ribeye and wild rice walleye. Plus, hard seltzer-based cocktails and mocktails made with Summer Lakes Beverage mixes in eight flavors (all gluten-free and vegan) and a full beer menu. Also, bottled cocktail mixes available for purchase. In a brand-new building, with live entertainment daily.
Prediction: Nice branding, but is anyone itching to try this pretty standard-issue menu of concession fare? If you’re a mega-fan of Minnesota-based Summer Lakes Beverage pre-mixed cocktails, which we’re just learning about but look agreeable, the stand could fulfill your chilling/drinking needs, at the very least.
Located on the southwest corner of Randall Avenue & Underwood Street
