My Minnesota State Fair Favorites

Everyone has their must-have food items at the State Fair.

People from other states are always surprised to see the diversity of foods at the Minnesota State Fair. While some of my favorites are extremely classic, I also love some of the more exciting and unique offerings, from foods that celebrate the many immigrant communities in Minnesota to over-the-top expressions of fair cuisine on steroids. These are the items I absolutely must eat at the Minnesota State Fair.

Fresh French Fries

The best fries on earth. I won’t debate this. Thick cut, fried to perfection. Crispy outside, fluffy inside. 

Duck bacon wontons, dill pickle kolsch, and walleye cakes from Giggles’ Campfire Grill

The duck bacon wontons are a revelation - deep fried cream cheese wontons with duck bacon and corn inside, served with a beautiful orange sweet and sour sauce. The kolsch is wonderfully savory and just the amount of lightness I want my beer to be (remember, I love Hamm’s). And the walleye cakes are simply classic: it’s a beautiful representation of our state fish and the remoulade-style dipping sauce is creamy and just a tiny bit sweet. Bonus: You can watch the lumberjack show while you eat at Giggles’.

Rosted Corn

It's the best corn, and you can learn about why it's the best corn in this video.

Cider freeze

Local MN apple cider frozen into a tube! It’s only like $3 and so, so, so, so refreshing.

Pronto Pup

I'm a Pronto Pup lady, not a corn dog lady. (They're not the same!!!!) A Pronto Pup has a more savory batter which I find more delicious. And yes, I frequently get it with both ketchup and mustard. Sue me.

Galabao from Union Hmong Kitchen

The fluffiest steamed bun filled with meat and an egg with a divine spicy herby dipping sauce. They sell out of these frequently which is no surprise.

Cheese curds from the Mouth Trap 

These are the only cheese curds you should get at the fair. Don’t waste your time with curds from another vendor. These are the ones.

Rick’s Pickle Pizza

Yes, the line is two blocks long. This pizza is divine. NY style crust with ranch, cheese, pickles, and dill. What’s not to love? Sprinkle red pepper flakes on top to make it even more perfect. I’m going to gatekeep the best time to get a slice with a short line, though, because I hate lines. If you come to the fair with me, I’ll probably tell you.

Giant egg roll on a stick from Que Viet

It's gigantic and extremely crispy. I honestly don't think I've ever had a more shatteringly crisp egg roll anywhere. Their cream cheese wontons are also a delight.

Big Fat Bacon on a stick

A thick slice of bacon cooked to perfection, which for me is a crispy outside and a tender inside. It’s glazed with some sort of maple situation and served on a stick for ease of consumption.

Bang bang chicken tenders and deep fried ranch from Lulu’s Public House

Normally I want more interesting foods than tendies at the fair, but these tendies SLAP. The meat is expertly seasoned and has a little (Minnesota-level) spice and perfectly crispy breading. The sauce is the real standout, though. It’s a little sweet, a little creamy, and a little spicy - perfectly balanced. And then the deep fried ranch. I don’t think I even need to say anything about it. It’s deep fried ranch. It’s perfect. I recommend bringing your own homemade ranch in a ranch thermos to dip the fried ranch into.

Chicken in a waffle cone from Blue Barn

Tiny chicken nuggets doused in sausage gravy served in a waffle cone. It's creative and over-the-top and perfect for the fair. Bonus: there's a malted milk ball at the bottom of the cone that gets melty from the gravy. Malted milk ball and sausage gravy is an unexpectedly delicious combination.

Malt from the Dairy Building

There are a lot of places to get ice cream, shakes, and malts at the fair. The best of these is the dairy bar INSIDE the Dairy Building (across from the Haunted House). This is a fact and is not up for debate. I always get a malt, usually with raspberries or strawberries. It's a perfect refresher on a hot day.