Preview the 2023 Minnesota State Fair New Foods

Today is dedicated to the overuse of exclamation points. Because: The official new foods list for the 2023 Minnesota State Fair has been released!!

The hype machine is in FULL! MOTION! and you know what? Let it roll! Help it churn! Put down the ennui and just bask in the glory, because it feels like last year's mega hit of pickle pizza is having its trickle down moment. So we have upwards of 34 official new foods this year, and who had Lutefisk steam buns on their bingo card?!?!?! Not me, dear god, not me. 

Of course you'll remember that this isn't the full list of new foods, there will be those Bonus Foods that pop onto the list just before the gates open on Thursday, August 24. And we'll be there with our nearly patented Get-It-Skip-It-Your-Call Guide (brook no imitators!) and Dara's Top Five to help you plan your work and work your plan.

Here's the list! Scroll down for the MSP Food Team Hot Takes!

Al Taco Baba: Traditional hummus, harissa (pronounced hr-ee-suh) barbacoa, corn, queso fresco, chili dust, shatta (hot sauce) (pronounced shat-ta), crema, cilantro and pita puffs. At Baba’s, located on the east side of Underwood Street between Lee and Randall avenues, just south of Little Farm Hands

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 Bakery & Cafe, located on the north side of Carnes Avenue between Nelson and Underwood streets

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, south section

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. (Hummus is vegan and gluten-free; chips are vegetarian-friendly with gluten-free option available.) At Holy Land, located at the International Bazaar, southeast corner

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 Ice Cream, located on the northeast corner of Judson Avenue and Liggett Street

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 and Lee avenues

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 Street between Randall and Wright avenues, at Family Fair at Baldwin Park

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, south of Schilling Amphitheater

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 Midtown Global Market’s MomoDosa*, located in the Taste of the Midtown Global Market booth at the International Bazaar, east wall  (Available Aug. 24-29 only) *New Vendor

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 (new location)

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 Shanghai Henri’s, located at the International Bazaar, north wall

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 The Herbivorous Butcher, located in the Food Building, west section, south wall

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 Richie’s Cheese Curd Tacos, located on the north side of Judson Avenue between Liggett and Clough streets, outside the Sheep & Poultry Barn

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 on the southeast corner of Carnes Avenue and Liggett Street

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, east wall

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 Minnesota Farmers Union Coffee Shop, located on the north side of Dan Patch Avenue between Cooper and Cosgrove streets

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, south of Schilling Amphitheater

Galabao (pronounced gah-lah-bow - bow rhymes with cow): 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 (pronounced kuwah-tsaw) Hot Pepper Sauce or Lemongrass Scallion Dressing. At Union Hmong Kitchen, located at the International Bazaar, south wall, west corner

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 Avenue between Underwood and Cooper streets

Hot Honey Cheese Sticks: Fried Halloumi (pronounced hal-lou-mi) cheese topped with hot honey and honeycomb crunch. (Vegetarian) At The Blue Barn, located at West End Market, south of the History & Heritage Center

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 on the northeast corner of Carnes Avenue and Chambers Street

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 Sara’s Tipsy Pies, located in the Food Building, northwest wall

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 Jammy Sammies by BRIM, located at the North End, northwest section, across from the North End Event Center

“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, south section

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: Lemonade/Bottled Water, located on the south side of Dan Patch Avenue between Nelson and Underwood streets

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 on the south side of Carnes Avenue between Chambers and Clough streets

Maui - Sota Sticky Ribs: Slow-smoked St. Louis-style ribs, caramelized with RC’s Sticky Huli Huli sauce and seasoned with furikake (pronounced fur-uh-kaa-kay), green onion and cilantro. At RC’s BBQ, located on the north side of West Dan Patch Avenue between Liggett and Chambers streets

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

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 Avenue between Nelson and Underwood streets

Paletas in Two Flavors – Dill Pickle Lemonade and Mini Donut (pronounced pah-lay-tuhs): Mexican frozen treats on-a-stick in two flavors made locally by La Michoacana Rose (pronounced meech-oo-a-kahn-a): 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 Avenue between Underwood and Cooper streets

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 Avenue and Nelson Street

Smoked Beef Arepa (pronounced ur-ay-puh): Smoked roast beef, avocado puree, fresh tomatoes, red onions and arugula in a baked Venezuelan crispy corn pocket. (Gluten-free) At Midtown Global Market’s Arepa Bar, located in the Taste of the Midtown Global Market booth at the International Bazaar, east wall (Available Aug. 30-Sept. 4 only)

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 Pizza Pies, located in the Warner Coliseum, north side

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 a lemon slice. At Giggles’ Campfire Grill, located on the southeast corner of Lee Avenue and Cooper Street, at The North Woods

NEW FOOD VENDORS:

Afro Deli: Serving 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). Located in the Food Building, east wall  

Bandstand Concessions: Serving the Bandstand Burger, Brucy Lucy bratwurst, Chicken Press sandwich, Lil Smoky Hot Dog, Pretzel Nugs, Facepunch Pretzels, Deep-Fried Baked Potato, nachos, popcorn, peanuts, assorted candy and a variety of beer, wine, soda, Red Bull drinks, lemonade and bottled water. Located in the Grandstand concert venue (separate concert ticket required)  

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 on the northeast corner of Lee Avenue and Underwood Street  

MomoDosa: Serving official new food Chicken Momo With Tomato Chutney (blend of ground chicken, cabbage, onion, ginger and other spices steamed in a dough wrapper and served with tomato chutney). Plus, Masala Dosa (South Indian crepe of rice and lentil batter, ghee, and served with tomato chutney and coconut chutney); Veggie Pakora (shredded cabbage and onions dipped in chickpea batter, fried and served with mint and cilantro chutney and tamarind chutney, vegan and gluten-free); and Mango Lassi (smoothie made with mangoes, yoghurt, powdered cardamom and cloves). Located in the Taste of the Midtown Global Market booth at the International Bazaar, east wall  (Aug. 24-29 only) 

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, a fresh-brewed tea sweetened with cane sugar. Located on the north side of Randall Avenue between Cooper and Cosgrove streets, in front of the Progress Center  

Tasti Whip: Serving Dole Soft Serve in pineapple, mango, strawberry and lemon flavors; Dole Floats with pineapple, mango, strawberry and lemon-flavored Dole Whip in pineapple juice; Dole pineapple juice; and bottled water. Located on the northwest corner of Dan Patch Avenue and Underwood Street

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. Located in the Creative Activities Annex, south wall 

HOT TAKES // What are we MOST excited to eat on Day One? 

Steph March / Chief Snax Officer

1. You had me at the beautiful marriage of Hamloaf + Breakfast Sandwich.
2. Feels like the Walleye Fritter Pops are going to slap. 
3. The Everything Cream Cheese Ba-ssant is going to bring chaotic lines to French Meadow. Again. 

Dear Dara / Food Sprinter and Top Fiver

People really put on their thinking-caps this winter, I’m seeing new flavors I can’t remember ever seeing at the fair before – hot honey! Hmong bao! Lutefisk! Lutefisk. Lutefisk lutefisk lutefisk. Crazy. I am really looking forward to all of this. That said, my top three picked-to-click: 

1. Bridgeman’s Bee-Sting SundaeBee Sting Sundae: Bridgeman’s vanilla ice cream topped with hot honey, spicy peanuts, whipped cream and a cherry. For my money, the sweets-with-smarts bit of the fair has been lacking the last few years. If Bridgeman’s can actually pull off some hot honey that tastes distinct and good? What a welcome hot summer day break that will be.
2. Spinning Wylde Cloud Coolers Cloud Coolers in Three Flavors: Three choices of lemonade served with a cotton candy cloud spun onto the drinking straw. Violet lemonade? Yes please. The legit kid-pleasers have been light at the fair lately, I’m super excited to see something for the littles, and the goth teens who grew up on Violet Baudelaire in Lemony Snicket. Violet lemonade with a cotton candy cloud! Love it. 
3. Hamline Church Dining Hall Holey Hamloaf Breakfast Sandwich: hamloaf, tangy glaze, caramelized onions and cheese in a sandwich made with fried egg-in-a-hole toast. I have an extreme soft-spot for egg-in-a-hole toast, it was my little-brother’s favorite growing up and … look I didn’t expect to get emotional over the new fair foods but here I am, thinking about my childhood birthdays and watching the egg harden in the little hole in the frying pan. As a fierce and serious culinary critic, I’ve also been saying for a while that both Ham Salad and Ham Loaf are underrated and up for revival—is this how?

Alex Lodner / Professional Fair Eater, Sophomore Status MSP

Ok, seriously, what’s with the picklefication of the Minnesota State Fair? Verdict’s out on those items, but if you’re not a pickle fanatic, here are a few other stand outs from this year’s new foods list. 

1. Al Taco Baba, Baba’s: I have eaten my way through the Baba’s menu and I am madly in love. So excited to try their new entry - hummus topped with harissa barbacoa, corn, queso fresco, chili dust, shatta (hot sauce), crema, and cilantro. Those pita puffs are worth the price of admission alone. 
2. Galabao, Union Hmong Kitchen: Once a day – yes, I go to the fair every day, what of it? – I need a real meal. Although a traditional steamed bun filled with ground pork, egg and spices may not sound like a fairish food, Chef Yia Vang’s new offering will fit the bill when it’s time to sit for a minute and chow on something real. 
3. Strawberry Jalapeño Jam’nade, Brim: I am here for gimmicky drinks at the fair, and this one intrigues me. One of my favorite eats at the fair is the nut butter and jam sandwich at Brim, so I am stoked to see that house made jam plopped into tangy lemonade and finished with kicky jalapeño slices. They say spicy food on a hot day is actually cooling. We’ll see. 

Peter Diamond / Digital Editor With Opinions

1. Pickle Everywhere: I'm loving the pickle flavors as a focal point. While cooling down with a big Dill Pickle Lemonade sounds nice in theory, but potentially too sour and pickle juicy in practice, as a Fried Pickle Chip devotee I’m most excited to try the humble Pickle Fries from Mike’s Hamburgers.
2. Afro Deli: I’m really excited that Afro Deli is bringing their sambusas—fried hot pockets of pastry filled with chicken, beef, or veggies—to the Fair as a new vendor. Like the best Fair food, it’s transportable, easy to eat, and deliciously fried. 
3. Churros Live to See Another Day: I was disappointed to see cherry as the winner of the Midwest Dairy poll for this year’s sundae and malt flavor, but to those of us in Team Churro who lost the battle, we’re still in this. Another promising new vendor, Churros & Aguas Frescas, looks like it’ll add a sweet and refreshing mix.
4. Hamloaf Breakfast Sandwich: With its egg-in-a-hole toast, this is making me feel nostalgic in the best way.