Reviewing All the New Minnesota State Fair Foods

We went to Pickle City and we took no prisoners. Day One of the 2023 Minnesota State Fair is in the books, and we ate and drank as many new foods and beverages that we could handle without completely destroying our gut biome. 

Everyone said it was going to be hellishly hot, and we can report that we watched cotton candy melt in our hands. But we have one rule on the MSPMAG food team (besides stretch your hammies), and that’s: sally forth. We didn’t shy away from dew points, and we’re not gonna not sit under the misters at. the Ball Park Café and get our beers on. We knew you needed us, needed the annual decades-long running GET IT / SKIP IT / YOUR CALL guide to be able to put your money where your mouth is. Truly. 

There were close to a hundred new foods in the end, when you combine the Official New Foods with the Bonus Foods, and we may have skipped a few that didn’t feel like more than a flavor change. We downright couldn’t find one or two and finally gave up. Maybe that’s because we also tried nearly 60 new bevvies and sips along the way. Oops.

So here you go. Besides the obvious pickle trend, we found a little PB&J thing happening all over the place, and so much pineapple in so many variations, that you might start to hear Spongebob at the table next to you. Hit it.

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Hot Honey Cheese Sticks: Fried Halloumi cheese topped with hot honey and honeycomb crunch (vegetarian). At The Blue Barn, located at West End Market, center section.

Stephanie March: YOUR CALL: I know there's cereal on it, but I think this is a drinky cheese moment that wants beers, so get it at night. Not that you can't have beers for breakfast, what am I, your mom? There is a stickiness to hot honey that you must abide.

Alex Lodner: YOUR CALL. Oofta, this one's a bit spicy for the morning, no? While the texture of the cheese fries might surprise some, and the cereal bits might get soggy, the flavors were spot on.

Cowboy Texas Toast: Thick-cut ciabatta, scrambled eggs, sausage gravy, Cheeto crunch. At The Blue Barn, located at West End Market, center section.

Stephanie March: GET IT I'm not mad at this, it's an early bird special that stops being served at 10:30am. You are for sure getting a huge hunk of toasty bread, some eggs, a bit o' gravy and crunch to fuel your steps of the day.

Alex Lodner: GET IT. Eggs are always a risk at the fair, and this dish was executed perfectly. Loved digging in to hot, fluffy eggs first thing in the morning.

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. At LuLu's Public House, located at West End Market, west side.

Stephanie March: GET IT Honestly this one is a bit o' a sugar bomb for me personally, but I feel like if you are drawn to a food item that channels fruity cereal and Saturday mornings spent chain-smoking bowls of cereal while sitting on the carpet five inches from the Magnavox, they got you.

Alex Lodner: GET IT. Betty and Earl's strike again. I loved the biscuits last year and love them again this year. The icing and crunchy cereal was fun and colorful.

Cheesecake Curds: Eli’s Cheesecake pieces covered in funnel cake batter, fried and dusted with powdered sugar and salt. Served with strawberry dipping sauce. At LuLu's Public House, located at West End Market, west side.

Stephanie March: GET IT: These surprised me at how elemental and just simply good they were. Little crispy blocks of fancy.

Alex Lodner: GET IT. Did not expect to like these, but they were melt in your mouth yummy. Strawberry sauce was a little tart, which prevented the whole thing from being too sweet. TOP FIVE FOODS.

Bonus Food: Not Your Madre's Biscuit & Gravy. At LuLu's Public House, located at West End Market, west side.

Stephanie March: SKIP IT. Feels like an afterthought.

Alex Lodner: SKIP IT. I felt bad for the biscuit drowning in this weirdly vibrant cheese (?) gravy.

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. At Nordic Waffles, located at West End Market, center section.

Stephanie March: YOUR CALL. Love the Kramarczuk dog, and this was so much closer to a win for me than other years, but there are so many great dogs on campus and I'd rather just get the other great Nordic Waffs while I'm there.

Alex Lodner: YOUR CALL. Usually Nordic Waffles protein choices are baffling (how does one eat a bone-in chicken leg in a waffle?) but a Kramarczuk dog makes a lot more sense. Still, the cheese could have been meltier and the bacon could have been much crispier.

“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). At Nordic Waffles, located at West End Market, center section.

Stephanie March: GET IT: This WORKED for me. Briny, citrusy and refreshing in the way that I don't get from drinking the pickle juice in my fridge.

Alex Lodner: GET IT. Don't ask me how this works, it just does. And now I can't get the image of Steph standing in front of her fridge drinking brine from a glass jar out of my head.

OMaui - 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. At RC's BBQ, located east of West End, top of Adventure Park.

Stephanie March: GET IT. Probably the most completely meaty meal we had all day, if you're meat-oriented. You gotta be ok with licking fingers and gnawing off bones, but if you are, then these are smoked so that they still have chew and aren't just pot-roast for the toothless.

Alex Lodner: GET IT. Not as syrupy as they sound. A lovely mix of sweet and kicky.

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. At Blue Moon Dine-In Theater, located at the NE corner of Carnes Ave. & Chambers St. 

Stephanie March: GET IT. ONE OF MY FAVES. Where was my flask of bourbon to pour over this glorious situation? WHERE?

Alex Lodner: GET IT. Let's get this out of the way: the only flavor I do not like is cinnamon. I can hear your judgement from here. But the butter ice cream drizzled with more buttery goodness was divine.

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. At Cafe Caribe, located at the south side of Carnes Ave. between Chambers & Nelson streets.

Stephanie March: GET IT: Look. I am most scared of seafood at the Fair, and it seems like lobster is one of those things people would overcook out of caution, leading to rubbery bullets of lob-knuckle. And yet. My college kid HOUSED this pile of soft shellfish with crispy fries and I can't deny there was an appropriate amount of Old Bay in play. It's actual fun.

Alex Lodner: SKIP IT. Seafood is another food group that just doesn’t seem like a good idea at the fair. This dish was in my bottom five: a super salty mess topped with - gasp - mayo. But College Kid licked the plate clean so what do I know.

Donut 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. At Coasters, located at the southeast corner of Carnes Ave. & Liggett St.

Stephanie March: SKIP IT: Just, move along.

Alex Lodner: YOUR CALL. If it wasn't for the limp bacon, these would have been delightful with a coffee. Or beer. Micro Trend Alert: PB and J, and we're here for it.

Bonus Food: Banana Cream Pie Donut, Dill Pickle Donut. At Fluffy's, between Liggett and Chambers streets and West Dan Patch and Carnes avenues, south section.

Stephanie March: GET IT KINDA: The Banana Cream Pie donut is huge and donutty in the typical huge donut way, but the Dill Pickle Donut was kinda shockingly ... restrained? That's cream cheese! And some dill pickle slices, and a bit of dill! No crazy sauces, no amped up dilly icing, it's closer to a bagel than a donut and of all the new citizens of Pickle City, it was just: neato.

Alex Lodner: SKIP IT. First of all, these donuts are HUGE, and not easily sharable. The Banana Cream Pie had just barely an itty bitty little bit of cream in the middle, but over all the flavor was nice and suble. I was terrified of the Dill Pickle Donut, and I was right to be.

Bee Sting Sundae: Bridgeman’s vanilla ice cream topped with hot honey, spicy peanuts, whipped cream and a cherry. (Vegetarian, gluten-friendly). At Bridgeman's, located at the northeast corner of Judson Ave. & Liggett St.

Stephanie March: GET IT. This ice cream is legendary, and I love that the hot honey came across as almost a caramel swirl in our bowl. The peanuts gave it a nice crunch.

Alex Lodner: GET IT. Yes yes a thousand times yes. Kicky, sticky, creamy and crunchy, all the good things in one bowl. I love that they kept the ice cream plain vanilla, there was already a lot going on here.

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). At Cheese Curd Taco's, located at the north side of Judson Avenue between Liggett and Clough streets, outside the Sheep & Poultry Barn.

Stephanie March: GET IT. Whatever, this is fun at the fair. Can't abide the raspberry sauce with a pickle sitch, that's nast. But if you get the ranch sauce, this is a face stuffer. Eat it in two bites, I dare you.

Alex Lodner: YOUR CALL. First, do not get it topped with the raspberry sauce if you can avoid it. Second, if the pickle was chopped at the bottom, instead of being presented in one ribbon, eatability would have been better. Over all, I do love me some cheese curd tacos.

Bonus Food: Chicken Bacon Ranch Waffle Stick. At Waffle Chix, located on Judson Ave. between Liggett & Clough streets.

Stephanie March: SKIP IT : Man I love me some chx bac ranch, so I was a wee bit sad at this.

Alex Lodner: SKIP IT. There was no actual chicken in any of the bites I tried. Just kind of crumbly dough with ranch and flaccid bacon. So no.

Sota-cuterie Board: Collection of Minnesota-made meats, cheeses, pickles and other charcuterie board favorites – served on an edible herb-crusted cracker “board.” At Sabino's, located in the Warner Coliseum, north side.

Stephanie March: YOUR CALL. It's not bad, it's just not fair food. Props for the cracker-based board, but everything on the platter feels like it came from the deli case at Cub, which is where you eat the other 353 nights of the year.

Alex Lodner: YOUR CALL. There was much discussion around this one. Here's the thing, it's a very niche choice. If, and only if, you are a parent of a child about to show their horse at the Warner Coliseum and you have a couple of hours to kill, grab one of these and nosh to pass the time. NOT walking friendly.

Bonus Food: Luigi's Italian Motzza Frittas. At Luigi Fries, located on the north side of Carnes Ave. between Chambers & Nelson streets, across from the DNR Building.

Stephanie March: YOUR CALL: Mozzie sticks, but make them triangles. Sometimes a girl needs a tri-side of cheese, and I'm not here to argue that.

Alex Lodner: YOUR CALL. Had to look it up in my notes so it wasn't very memorable. Get it if you love the appetizer variery platter at cheap Italian restaurants.

Bonus Food: Cherry Limeade. At 3B Fresh Squeezed Lemonade and Corn Dogs, located on the west side of Liggett St. between Carnes & Judson avenues.

Stephanie March: YOUR CALL: You might just need a massive cup of not beer. I did.

Alex Lodner: GET IT. Reminded me of swimming lessons as a kid when your mom lets you get a fountain Sprite and you sneak some cherry and lime flavoring in there just 'cause you can.

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. At Mike's Hamburgers, located on the northeast corner of Carnes Ave. & Nelson St.

Stephanie March: GET IT: MORE PICKLES for me! Hot, salty, crispy, stayed in their little crisp jackets (for the most part) and the sauce was good!

Alex Lodner: YOUR CALL. It's only 11 a.m. and I am OVER pickles. These stayed nicely crispy and the dipping sauce was nice.

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. At French Meadow, located on the north side of Carnes Ave. between Nelson & Underwood streets.

Stephanie March: SKIP IT. Sad emoji, I had high hopes. Maybe if you get these right away in the morning they'd be better, but ours around noon were dry and impossible to bite. There was a sad tiny dollop of cream cheese in the very center, not so much a "stuffed" sitch. Would not wait in that line for those.

Alex Lodner: SKIP IT. Too hard and too hard to eat. Also too much butter, which is not something I complain about often.

Bonus Food: PBJ crepe, peanut butter banana crepe. At French Crepes, located on the north side of Carnes Ave. between Nelson & Underwood streets.

Stephanie March: YOUR CALL: We didn't see the pb and banana crepe, but the PB&J one felt like a return to middle school and that time we learned about crepes and then made a powder jacket in home-ec. It's hard to ignore the Nutella crepe just staring you in the face over there.

Alex Lodner: YOUR CALL. Why not combine the PB & J with bananas? Seems like a missed opportunity. It was good but also something I can make at home for 30 cents.

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). At Herbivorous Butcher, located in the Food Building.

Stephanie March: GET IT: And get a friend, because you might need a spotter to lift this hefty snack. There is a lot of good flavors in there and you won't even miss the cow parts.

Alex Lodner: GET IT. Huge portion and the tortilla stayed crispy even after lots of photos. The seasoned sour cream was delish.

Bonus Food: Lord of the Bings (ground beef mix, caramelized onion, carrot, bean thread noodles, cheese sauce, egg roll, vegan). At Herbivorous Butcher, located in the Food Building.

Stephanie March: SKIP IT. This one didn't really win the day like its buff next door vegan friend. Don't bother to do the double order.

Alex Lodner: SKIP IT. Don't call it ground beef when it's not. Please and thank you. Mushy and meh.

Fried Butternut Squash Ravioli: Deep-fried butternut squash ravioli sprinkled with maple cinnamon sugar. Served with a side of whipped ricotta. (Vegetarian). At Oodles of Noodles, located in the Food Building.

Stephanie March: GET IT: Hi, is it sweater weather yet? This is giving pumpkin pie but hotter and with side-eye towards your PSL "problem".

Alex Lodner: YOUR CALL. Way too much cinnamon for me, but the butternut squash was delicately whipped and paired nicely with the crunchy wrap.

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. At Sarah's Tipsy Pies, located in the Food Building.

Stephanie March: GET IT: I'm here for the Hot Pockety.

Alex Lodner: YOUR CALL. I usually love Sarah's, but neither of these worked for me. While the dough was nice and flaky, the whole thing was just too Hot Pockety.

Miami Mango Pickles: Dill pickles infused with Miami mango punch. At Soul Bowl, located in the Food Building.

Stephanie March: GET IT: I truly love and miss kool-aid pickles, and these deliver. Get past the packaging and the alien fingers autopsy vibe, they are delish.

Alex Lodner: YOUR CALL. Not gonna lie, these looked a bit scary, and maybe don't package them in what appears to be a blood bag. But the crunch was nice and the flavor subtle.

Bonus Food: Plant-based Soulsicle. At Soul Bowl, located in the Food Building.

Stephanie March: YOUR CALL: But, there are a lot of vegan things at the fair this year that might be calling you.

Alex Lodner: SKIP IT. I don't know what this was and I was afraid to ask. Hard pass.

Bonus Food: Triple OG Beef Rib. At Soul Bowl, located in the Food Building.

Stephanie March: YOUR CALL: Here's what. It's a spendy bit for two ribs, and ours were a bit dryed out. But I saw another order that looked more luscious, so I might go back and try again. There's just not much solid beef out there, so I would love that snack to be great.

Alex Lodner: YOUR CALL. Twenty bucks is a hefty price tag for a fair food, and while the seasoning was a bit heavy on the black pepper, the ribs were nicely cooked and paired well with the 271 beers we tried at Ball Park Café.

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). At Afro Deli, located in the Food Building.

Stephanie March: GET IT: I'm betting that the average fair eater does not have a sambusa habit, so maybe it's time to develop one. They are crisp and light but then filled with that rich lentil or chicken or beef situation. It works on all accounts. I'm an unabashed Afro Deli fan.

Alex Lodner: YOUR CALL. The chicken variety had a very strong flavor profile, peppery and salty, which can be good or bad. The plantains were perfectly caramelized.

Bonus Food: Apple Crisp Ice Cream (A to Z Creamery). At Granny's Apples, located in the Food Building.

Stephanie March: GET IT: There's this cult of ice cream in Hopkins where people have to try to get into a lottery to win pints. That ice cream is this ice cream and you're an automatic winner when you post up to the counter. Find out what all the fuss is about.

Alex Lodner: YOUR CALL. I liked it but I think mostly because it was very melty. The "crisp" didn't stay crispy, and while it was overly sweet, the apple flavor was nice.

Bonus Food: Porkette Breakfast Sandwich. At Peters Hot Dogs, located in the Food Building.

Stephanie March: SKIP IT: A hot dog is not a sandwich.

Alex Lodner: SKIP IT. False advertising alert: this was neither a porkette not a sandwich. It was a hot dog with eggs. I felt sorry for Peter and his limp wiener.

Bonus Food: A Rockin' Sausage Roll. At Sausage Sister & Me, located in the Food Building.

Stephanie March: GET IT: Sometimes this stand gets a little caught up in the frippery with their new foods, but this one is simple and perfect as it is. Tasty as hell, flaky crust moments, a portable protein in a jacket.

Alex Lodner: GET IT. Did not expect to like this one but dang. A lovely, flaky crust with moist (sorry, I hate that word too) sausage. It's giving Thanksgiving, as the kids say.

Bonus Food: Chilaquiles with Chimichurri Chicken (crema, cotija, pico de gallo). At Tejas Express, in the Garden, north wall.

Stephanie March: SKIP IT: Where my eggs at?

Alex Lodner: SKIP IT. I'm so sad. Chilaquiles is one of my favorite food groups, and this was a disappointing mess.

Bonus Food: Grilled Steak Taco with Pumpkin Seed Butter and Mango-Habanero Salsa. At Tejas Express, in the Garden, north wall.

Stephanie March: GET IT: LOVED that this brought authentic heat to the table, and the steaks were not overdone, it was a thing I wanted with the many beers at neighboring Ball Park Cafe, and maybe the fire that finally gets you up on the Garden karaoke stage.

Alex Lodner: YOUR CALL. Not Minnesota Nice spice. I liked it but it kinda kills your taste buds for any further eating, but also sorta worth it?

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. At Hamline Church Dining Hall, located on the north side of Dan Patch Ave. between Underwood & Cooper streets.

Stephanie March: GET IT: Genius to bring our beloved state loaf, the ham loaf, up to the head of the class with this brekkie sandwich. And that there's a toad-in-the-hole topper to the cheesy, loafy, griddled magic? Yes please.

Alex Lodner: GET IT. Ding ding ding! Winner winner hamloaf dinner! Loved loved loved everything about this. Melty, cheesy, gooey, tangy… and that egg was so perfectly cooked it made me a little weepy. Top Five Foods.

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). At Hamline Church Dining Hall, located on the north side of Dan Patch Ave. between Underwood & Cooper streets.

Stephanie March: GET IT: If you have been wary of the pickle trend, this popsicle is a nice way in. Easy and refreshing. The mini donut one is a no-brainer.

Alex Lodner: GET IT. The Dill Pickle one was actually refreshing and tart (I know they say lemon but tasted more like lime to me.) The pickle bite added interest. The Mini Donut paleta nice and creamy, but, you know, cinnamon...

Bonus Food: Cinnamon Affogato. At Hamline Church Dining Hall, located on the north side of Dan Patch Ave. between Underwood & Cooper streets.

Stephanie March: GET IT: DO YOU NEED A 2PM BOOST? This is it. Strong coffee poured over cinnamon ice cream makes for a little cup of silken gold.

Alex Lodner: GET IT. We got this as an after thought and it turned out to be the perfect afternoon pick-me-up. Coffee from Ginko's was strong enough I didn't notice the cinnamon. Affogato makes me happy, especially when it's 700 degrees at 2 p.m.

Bonus Food: Dill-iscious Grilled Cheese Bites. At O'Gara's, located on the southwest corner of Dan Patch & Cosgrove, Main Gate.

Stephanie March: GET IT: Sorry not sorry but O'Gara's continues to do what they do best: pour beers and offer salty snacks that leads to the pouring of more beers. These little fried cheesy dilly poufs are poppable. Where's that Wild State cider?

Alex Lodner: YOUR CALL. I was in the minority with the crew on this one, but I found these too greasy and not dilly enough. But I am told THIS is what fair food should be. So your call.

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. At Tasti Whip, located on the northwest corner of Dan Patch Avenue and Underwood Street.

Stephanie March: HMMMM: mine was on the ground.

Alex Lodner: GET IT. We got the lemon soft serve, which was nice and delicate, but met an untimely end on the ground. I have had the pineapple float before and highly recommend that choice instead, and also holding the cup tighter.

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). At Quench'd, located on the south side of Dan Patch Ave. between Nelson & Underwood streets.

Stephanie March: GET IT: Damn refreshing, and fairyland cute in that half lemon.

Alex Lodner: YOUR CALL. This is an adorable little treat if you really, really love lemon. Like really love it. Pucker up!

Fried Green Tomato Sandwich in Two Varieties – BLT and 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. At Farmer's Union, located on the north side of Dan Patch Ave. between Cooper & Cosgrove streets.

Stephanie March: YOUR CALL: This one should be a slam dunk for me, but it didn't hit the high notes. We didn't get good bacon, and we didn't get a good swipe of the sauce. Also: hard to not order that pork tenderloin from last year.

Alex Lodner: YOUR CALL. Please, can we at least agree on this: no limp bacon at the fair. The rest of the sandwich was a nice hearty moment in the sea of salty snacks that is the fair.

Bonus Food: Farmer's Berry Crumble. At Farmer's Union, located on the north side of Dan Patch Ave. between Cooper & Cosgrove streets.

Stephanie March: GET IT: I really liked this, better than a donut, more portable than pie, berryliscious and sturdy all at once.

Alex Lodner: YOUR CALL. Maybe first thing in the morning with their nitro maple coffee.

Bonus Food: MN Sweet Corn Danish. At Farmer's Union, located on the north side of Dan Patch Ave. between Cooper & Cosgrove streets.

Stephanie March: YOUR CALL: I liked all the flavors in this, but if I'm here for sweet corn, I'm heading down the block with my precious gut space.

Alex Lodner: SKIP IT. Everything about this was not enough. Not enough sweet corn, pastry not soft enough, not enough oomph.

Bonus Food: Rosemary Lemonade. At Farmer's Union, located on the north side of Dan Patch Ave. between Cooper & Cosgrove streets.

Stephanie March: YOUR CALL: Refreshing!

Alex Lodner: YOUR CALL. Super lemony and super rosemary-y.

Wow Fudge: Serving 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. At Wow Fudge, located in the Creative Activities Annex, south wall.

Stephanie March: YOUR CALL: HA! They have a zany amount and variety of flavors at this new fudge booth, so I got the THREE pickle flavors for the team. It was so weird, and so fantastical, and such a trip. They do offer samples at the booth!

Alex Lodner: YOUR CALL. No. More. Pickles! The fudge had a nice texture so I might try one of the non-pickle varieties instead.

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. At Shanghaied Henri's, located in the International Bazaar, north wall.

Stephanie March: SKIP IT: Or go try it, just get right with your God.

Alex Lodner: SKIP IT. Absolutley not. How many R&D meetings did this idea go through and no one said anything?!

Chicken Momo With Tomato Chutney: Blend of ground chicken, cabbage, onion, ginger and other spices steamed in a dough wrapper. Served with tomato chutney. At Momodosa in the Taste of the Midtown Global Market booth at the International Bazaar, east wall.

Stephanie March: GET IT: Love these momos, and prepare to find yourself licking the tomato chutney off the paper boat.

Alex Lodner: GET IT. Delicate chew with just enough flavor to be interesting but not over powering for a fair food. The "chutney" is really more of a a sauce but it's delish.

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. At Holy Land, located in the International Bazaar, southeast corner.

Stephanie March: YOUR CALL. What Alex said.

Alex Lodner: YOUR CALL. The basil is a nice touch, and the topping was unapologetically kicky. But the pita chips were a let down.

Bonus Food: Toasted Chicken Shawarma Wrap (with Lebanese garlic dip). At Holy Land, located in the International Bazaar, southeast corner.

Stephanie March: GET IT: I actually found this wrap to be quite delightful, and there was SOME sort of pickled veg in there that counted toward the fervor. Also we didn't get the Lebanese garlic dip with it, but if we did it would slap.

Alex Lodner: YOUR CALL. We didn't get the dip, and it needed it. Meh.

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. At Union Hmong Kitchen, located in the International Bazaar, south wall, west corner.

Stephanie March: GET IT: I love clouds stuffed with ground pork and egg. Who doesn't? Can we just have a sauce party while we're at it?

Alex Lodner: GET IT. Snacking at the fair is fun and all, but I love getting one good meal per day while I'm there. This dish was simple, satisfying and delicious. Vang's sauces are the stuff of dreams. Top Five Foods.

Bonus Food: Nqaij with chilled rice noodles (Hmong Sausage, Hilltribe Chicken, Lemongrass Turmeric Tofu). At Union Hmong Kitchen, located in the International Bazaar, south wall, west corner.

Stephanie March: GET IT: Almost loved this MORE. Fresh cold noodles are a damn gift and then you top them with sausage?

Alex Lodner: GET IT. After what felt like 80 hours of eating, one of us (ahem, Carl) finished the whole thing. Light, refreshing, beautifully balanced deliciousness.

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. At Minneapple Pie, located on the south side of Judson Ave. between Nelson & Underwood streets.

Stephanie March: GET IT: I kept thinking I was gonna put this down, and then I didn't. I couldn't. It's weird with the softly warm cookie dough in the middle, but the pie crust, with the cookie dough, pulled though the scoop of vanilla ice cream is just marching band good.

Alex Lodner: GET IT. Ok so this was a bit confusing texture wise. Perfectly flaky crust, but the inside were melty cookie dough, so it registered as under baked to my tired brain. But the warm chocolate chips with the cool ice cream was a dream.

Bonus Food: Cheers for Cherries malt (cherries, dark chocolate syrup). At the Dairy Building.

Stephanie March: GET IT: It has been a LONG time since I've cheered for one of the Dairy Building special flavors, but this one has a very dark cherry sultry vibe I can't pass up. Richer and more serious than years past, and a win.

Alex Lodner: GET IT. Cheers indeed! We got the sundae, with layers of tart, dark cherries, chocolate and simple, creamy vanilla soft serve. I loved it, but I would have a hard time passing up my usual strawberry rhubarb choice next time (which is tomorrow.)

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. At Spinning Wylde, located north of Wright Avenue between Cooper and Cosgrove streets, at Family Fair at Baldwin Park.

Stephanie March: GET IT: It was steamy hot when we got there, and the cotton candy started getting a bit ... hairy? It was melting! Don't know that I've ever seen that! These are fun, I liked the huckleberry and wore the flower pick for the rest of the day.

Alex Lodner: SKIP IT. Sugar water for the under 10 crowd. For twelve bucks.

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. At Green Mill, located on the east side of Cooper St. between Randall & Wright avenues, at Family Fair at Baldwin Park.

Stephanie March: GET IT: Here's what, if you are walking up to the Great Sing A Long or headed to a patio seat at The Hanger, this little road snack will sustain you. It's another, heftier, pizza pocket pretz and that's what should be carrying your forth at the GMTG.

Alex Lodner: YOUR CALL. Maybe it's me. Maybe I have a late-onset aversion to salt, because this was very salty. But, but! The dough was surprisingly delicious and the crew mostly liked it.

Peachey’s Baking Company: Serving Amish doughnuts made on-site using traditional 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, afresh-brewed tea sweetened with cane sugar. Located on the north side of Randall Ave. at Cosgrove St., outside the Progress Center.

Stephanie March: YOUR CALL: Perhaps a bit too sweet for me, but I like the density of the dough.

Alex Lodner: GET IT. Top Five Food. For years, when I was obsessed with donuts, there were no yeast ones to be had at the fair. Now here comes Peachey Baking Co with these heavenly, pillowy, chewy, yeasty concoctions and all is right with the world. Maybe next year, something with peaches? 'Cause, you know, the name?

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 lemon slice. At Giggles’ Campfire Grill, located on the southeast corner of Lee Ave. & Cooper St. at The North Woods.

Stephanie March: YOUR CALL: I wanted to love these, and I didn't, but it might have been me and that part of the day. I might go back and try again, because I was abnormally abnormal about them.

Alex Lodner: YOUR CALL. Honestly the walleye cakes at Giggles is the one exception I make to my self-imposed no seafood at the fair rule, so I expected to like these. But the texture was off and they lacked dill flavor, I would stick with the cakes.

Jam’nades in Two Varieties – Blueberry Mint and 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). At BRIM, located at the North End, northwest section.

Stephanie March: SKIP IT: Jam in my teeth, no thanks.

Alex Lodner: GET IT. These were on my "Most Excited to Try" list and they did not disappoint. Pro tip: stir vigorously before sipping.

Bonus Food: Kona Joe Iced Latte. At BRIM, located at the North End, northwest section.

Stephanie March: SKIP IT: There's coconut flakes sitting on top of a latte, which doesn't really make sense to me.

Alex Lodner: YOUR CALL. I wanted the coffee to be flavored with coconut. It was not.

Birthday Cake Mini Donuts: Birthday cake-flavored mini donuts coated with vanilla sugar, drizzled with icing, and dusted with sugar crystals and sprinkles. At Mini Donuts & Cheese Curds, located on the east side of Underwood Street between Murphy & Lee avenues.

Stephanie March: SKIP IT: Keep walking

Alex Lodner: YOUR CALL. Got 12 kids? Do they love sugar? Did you bring enough wipes to clean a small village? Then get these.

Churros & Aguas Fresca: Serving 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. Located at the northeast corner of Lee Avenue and Underwood Street.

Stephanie March: GET IT: We should have grabbed the filled ones, Nutella would rock. But I liked them on their own, dipped in a little bit of caramel. Crisp and a nice departure from the regular fried chips. Would dip in my Swedish Egg Coffee from Salem Church down the block.

Alex Lodner: YOUR CALL. Again with the cinnamon. The churros were a little hard and pale. We didn't get the filled ones, which may have been better. The Aguas Fresca was refreshing, could have served a bigger flavor punch though.

Taco Baba: Traditional hummus, harissa barbacoa, corn, queso fresco, chili dust, shatta (hot sauce), crema, cilantro and pita puffs. At Baba's, located on the east side of Underwood Street between Lee & Randall avenues, just south of Little Farm Hands.

Stephanie March: GET IT: This hummus is smoove, and the dollop of harissa boosted barbacoa is a welcome high-five. Those damn pita puffs take up gut space, but are so so so good.

Alex Lodner: GET IT. I love everything these guys schlep out of their adorable trailer, and this entry is no exception. Didn't think the crema would work with hummus but it absolutely did. Top Five Foods (and no, I haven't actually counted how many are in my top five. I am very tired.)