Minnesota State Fair Announces New 2023 Foods and Vendors

Originally published July 11th, 2023

Updated August 24th, 2023 at 6:26 a.m.

(KNSI) — The Minnesota State Fair opens today and, the list of 34 new foods and seven new vendors shows pickles seem to be the hot new thing.

Perhaps vendors are capitalizing on the runaway success of the out of nowhere smash hit pickle pizza last year?

Nordic Waffles announced the addition of a bacon-wrapped waffle dog. It’s a griddled bacon-wrapped hot dog from the legendary Kramarczuk’s Sausage Company served on a Nordic waffle alongside cheddar cheese, pickle slices and crispy onions, then drizzled with burger sauce. They’re also introducing the Kind of a Big Dill Pickle Lemonade, exactly what it sounds like. Lemonade mixed with tangy dill pickling spices, craft-brewed by Urban Growler. This nonalcoholic beverage is also garnished with a crunchy slice of pickle.

Soul Bowl has Miami Mango Pickles, which are dill pickles infused with Miami mango punch. The Hamline Church Dining Hall is introducing Paletas, a Mexican frozen treat on a stick with a dill pickle lemonade flavor.

Mike’s Hamburgers has Pickle Fries, thin-cut pickle slices coated in cornmeal and seasoned mustard batter and served with chipotle dipping sauce.

Giggle’s Campfire Grill is offering Walleye Fritter Pops. They are smoked walleye mixed with a blend of cheeses, dill pickle relish, garlic and spices rolled in panko and deep fried.

Richie’s Cheese Curd Tacos developed a dill pickle version with fried white cheddar cheese curds and sandwich stacker dill pickles with cream cheese and raspberry chipotle sauce served in a fried flour tortilla.

A new kid on the block, Wow Fudge has 70 varieties of gourmet, hand-crafted, old-fashioned copper kettle fudge, and St. Paul Pickle is one of the flavors for the fair.

Of course, there are plenty of cheesy treats from which to pick.

The Ba-Sants come in two varieties from French Meadow Bakery & Cafe. It is a crispy caramelized pastry that combines a bagel and a croissant. The Everything Cream Cheese Ba-Sant is rolled in poppy seeds, sesame seeds and onion flakes, plus garlic flakes, black pepper and sea salt with a scallion cream cheese filling. The other is a Sweet Corn Ba-Sant filled with fresh sweet corn custard garnished with crunchy caramel corn.

Green Mill will feature Cheese Curd Stuffed Pizza Pretzels. Green Mill’s scratch-made pizza dough is made into a pretzel that’s hand twisted and stuffed with Ellsworth Creamery’s cheese curds, pepperoni, and a blend of spices. That goodness is then brushed with garlic butter and topped with diced pepperoni, more herbs and parmesan cheese and served with Green Mill’s pizza sauce for dipping.

If that’s not cheese enough for you, Eli’s Cheesecake at Lulu’s Public House has dreamed up cheesecake curds. It’s Eli’s Cheesecake wrapped in funnel cake batter, then fried and dusted with powdered sugar and a hint of salt. It’s served with strawberry dipping sauce on the side.

Back at the Hamline Church Dining Hall is the Holey Hamloaf Breakfast Sandwich. The hall’s ham loaf is covered in a tangy glaze and topped with caramelized onions and cheese in a sandwich made from egg in a hole toast.

The ever popular Blue Barn will feature Hot Honey Cheese Sticks. It’s fried Halloumi Cheese topped with hot honey and honeycomb crunch.

Sara’s Tipsy Pies has two Italian-themed hand pies with seasoned parmesan crusts. One will be stuffed with mozzarella cheese, sausage and pepperoni in a red wine-infused pizza sauce. The other has chicken, mushrooms and spinach in a garlic alfredo sauce with garlic butter dipping sauce.

Can’t forget the sweet treats.

Bridgeman’s has created a Bee Sting Sundae with its original vanilla ice cream topped with hot honey, spicy peanuts, fluffy whipped cream, and, yes, a cherry on top.

Mini Donuts and Cheese Curds will serve Birthday Cake Mini Donuts, a birthday cake-flavored mini donuts coated with vanilla sugar, drizzled with icing, and dusted with sugar crystals and sprinkles.

If you enjoy bacon-wrapped things, head to Coasters for the Donut Delights. Bacon-wrapped mini donuts on a stick deep fried, topped with a layer of peanut butter and drizzled with raspberry dessert sauce.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so why not start with a Fruity Cereal Milk Biscuit at Lulu’s Public House? It’s a biscuit with fruity cereal milk and cereal bits, drizzled with icing flavored with fruity cereal and topped with more cereal bits. Don’t tell your dentist.

This year, the Blue Moon Dine-In Theater has Irish butter ice cream over brown sugar cinnamon toast. That’s drizzled with butter syrup and sprinkled with sea salt flakes.

Minneapple Pie’s Minne Cookie Dough Pie is a flaky pie crust stuffed with homemade chocolate chip cookie dough dusted with powdered sugar and offered with vanilla or cinnamon ice cream.

New vendor Tasti Whip serves up Dole soft serve in pineapple, mango, strawberry or lemon. Get it in a Dole float in the same flavors in pineapple juice.

Another new vendor, Peachey’s Baking Company, has Amish doughnuts made on-site with traditional Amish recipes.

Churros & Aguas Fresca is new to the fair this year with bags of churros with caramel or fudge sauce or stuffed with strawberry, Nutella or Bavarian cream. Want to cool off? Get a churro sundae with vanilla bean or cinnamon ice cream. Aguas frescas come in watermelon, mango, pineapple, or strawberry lime.

Spinning Wylde will have Cloud Coolers, refreshing drinks with a cloud of cotton candy on the straw. There are three flavors: Flower Power, Happy Huckleberry, and Summer Strawberry.

See the entire list and get a map to find all of the deliciousness by clicking here.

The Minnesota State Fair runs though Labor Day.

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