Minnesota State Fair announces new foods, vendors for 2025

A cheeseburger served between two deep-fried peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches. Dill pickle iced tea. Falafel served from a waffle iron.

This year’s list of new food offerings at the Minnesota State Fair was released Wednesday, featuring food combinations you never imagined — and flavor mash-ups you never knew you’d want to try.

This year’s list includes 33 official new fair foods, and eight new food vendors for the fair that begins on Aug. 21.

New official fair food offerings are:

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• Afro Bean Pops at Afro Deli: Savory deep-fried bites of ground black-eyed peas, onions, jalapeños, cilantro and seasonings. Served with a spicy red chili sauce atop a bed of mixed greens. (vegan, gluten-free)

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• Athena’s Whipped Feta at Dino’s Gyros: Whipped feta topped with schug — a Middle Eastern green sauce made with jalapeños, garlic, cilantro, parsley and fresh herbs — drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with crunchy toasted wild rice. Served with deep-fried pita bread. (vegetarian)

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• Birthday Cake Cookie Dough On-A-Stick at Kora & Mila’s Cookie Dough: Cake batter cookie dough covered in a crunchy cake confetti shell. Topped with rainbow sprinkles and served on-a-stick. (vegetarian)

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• Bison Meatball Sub at Minnesota Farmers Union Coffee Shop: Bison and bacon meatballs topped with bison gravy, quick-pickled cucumbers, crispy fried onions and sour cream. Served on a toasted wild rice hoagie bun.

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• Cannoli Gelato Nachos at Mancini's al Fresco: Cannoli chips topped with a scoop of cannoli-flavored gelato. Finished with chocolate sauce, rainbow sprinkles and a cherry. (vegetarian)

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• Caprese Curds at LuLu’s Public House: Mozzarella cheese curds breaded with Italian seasoning and deep fried. Served over a bruschetta-flavored blend of tomatoes and basil, and drizzled with balsamic glaze. Served with a side of crostini.

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• Cherry Bigfoot Limeade Float at Tasti Whip: Limeade juice topped with cherry Dole soft serve, garnished with a lime slice and a cherry. (vegan, gluten-free)

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• Chicken-Fried Bacon Fries at Soul Bowl: Beef bacon strips double-breaded in tempura flour and fried. Garnished with fresh parsley and served in a cup. Choice of dipping sauces: Cashville Hot, a brown sugar Nashville-style hot sauce; or 24k Gold BBQ, a passion fruit Charleston gold barbecue sauce.

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• Cinna-sugar Crust Tidbits at Sara’s Tipsy Pies: Freshly baked flaky pie crust strips covered in cinnamon and sugar. Served with a side of whiskey-flavored caramel dipping sauce. (vegetarian, vegan upon request)

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• Croffle Cloud at Spinning Wylde: Croissant pressed in a waffle iron and topped with fresh whipped sweet cream, a drizzle of fruit puree and a cloud of cotton candy. Choice of three flavors: banana caramel, yuzu meringue or coconut cream. (vegetarian)

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• Deep-Fried Tofuego Bites at Rooted & Wild (Snack House): Bites of breaded tofu, deep fried and tossed in a tangy, spicy sauce. Served on a bed of pineapple and napa cabbage slaw. Topped with sesame seeds and scallions. (vegan)

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• Dill Pickle Iced Tea at Loon Lake Iced Tea: Brewed black tea infused with dill pickle flavor and served with a dill pickle spear. Garnished with a rim of chamoy, Tajín, salt and dill. (vegan, gluten-free)

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• Fawaffle at BABA’S: Falafel — a traditional Middle Eastern fritter of chickpeas and herbs — pressed in a waffle iron, topped with tahini butter, and served with cherry tomatoes, traditional hummus, green shatta, mint and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. (vegetarian)

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• Flauta Dippers at El Burrito Mercado: Seasoned shredded chicken stuffed in rolled corn tortillas and fried. Served in a cup filled with mild tomatillo salsa, sour cream and crumbled cotija cheese.

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• Freaky Fryday at The Herbivorous Butcher: Chicken-fried vegan bacon served with vegan fried chicken strips infused with bacon flavor. Optional toppings include mini donut cinnamon sugar & maple syrup, pickle seasoning & ranch dressing, spicy buffalo sauce & dragon dust. (vegan)

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• Grandma Doreen’s Dessert Dog at West End Creamery: Vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two pieces of Grandma Doreen’s coffee cake made by Wrecktangle Pizza. Skewered on-a-stick and drizzled with house-made strawberry rhubarb jam. Garnished with cinnamon toast-flavored crispy treats, whipped cream and sprinkles.

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• Green Apple Sucker Ice Cream at Granny’s Apples + Lemonade: Tart green apple ice cream with swirls of sweet caramel — flavored like a caramel apple lollipop. Served in a cup. (vegetarian, gluten-free)

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• Hot Honey Jalapeño Popper Donut at Fluffy's Hand Cut Donuts: Hand-cut yeast-raised donut frosted with homemade jalapeño cream cheese. Topped with crumbled bacon, pickled jalapeños and drizzled with hot honey.

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• Hot Honey Pizza Ballzz at Green Mill: Three pizza dough balls stuffed with cheese curds, pepperoni, herbs and Parmesan cheese. Brushed with garlic butter and topped with more pepperoni, herbs and Parmesan cheese. Finished with a drizzle of hot honey sauce.

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• Hula Kalua Pork at RC’s BBQ: Slow-smoked pork collar caramelized with Hawaiian barbecue sauce, inspired by the flavors of traditional Hawaiian Kalua pork. Served atop a charred banana leaf with banana chips and Japanese quick-pickled cucumbers on the side. Finished with a sprinkle of coarse red sea salt.

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• Land of 10,000 Cakes at Bridgeman’s Ice Cream: A Bridgeman’s marble sundae of butter brittle ice cream layered in a cup with a trio of mini Nadia Cupcakes — creme brulee, loaded pistachio and chocolate bliss. Topped with whipped cream and a cherry. (vegetarian)

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• Patisserie Sweets at Minnesota Farmers Union Coffee Shop: Two pastries from Patisserie 46: Apple glaze, a pull-apart donut dough baked with Honeycrisp apples, topped with brown sugar pecan streusel and orange blossom maple glaze. Banana s’more, baked brown-butter crumb cake with bananas, marshmallows and chocolate chunks. Topped with a graham cracker streusel. (both vegetarian)

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• Pimento Cheese Puffs at Shanghai Henri’s: Pimento cheese — a blend of cheddar cheese, mayo and pimento peppers — wrapped in puff pastry and deep fried. Served with a side of pepper jelly. (vegetarian)

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• Pizza Cheese Curd Tacos at Richie’s Cheese Curd Tacos: Pepperoni, sausage and pizza-flavored fried cheese curds in a crispy flour shell, topped with marinara sauce and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

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• Pot of Gold Potato Dumplings at O’Gara’s at the Fair: Cheesy garlic mashed potatoes folded into flaky dumplings, by Twin Cities-based Saturday Dumpling Co., and deep fried. Served with a side of Top the Tater. (vegetarian)

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• Shrimp & Pork Toast On-A-Stick at Union Hmong Kitchen: A mixture of ground pork and shrimp combined with Hmong aromatics — lemongrass, ginger, garlic, shallots and Thai chilis — seasoned with fish sauce, spread on Texas toast and deep fried. Served on-a-stick with a side of apricot jelly hot sauce.

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• Smashadilla at Gass Station Grill: Smashed seasoned ground beef and Gouda cheese grilled on a flour tortilla. Served folded and dressed with caramelized onions, lettuce, pickles and homemade burger sauce.

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• Somali Street Fries at Midtown Global Market's Oasis Grill & Hoyo Sambusa: A blend of Somali beef suqaar — spiced beef, vegetables, cheese and herbs — piled atop a bed of french fries. Topped with white garlic sauce and green jalapeño hot sauce.

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• Sweet Squeakers at The Blue Barn: White cheddar cheese curds coated in a funnel cake batter, deep fried, and topped with a scoop of fresh lemon whipped cream. Finished with a drizzle of berry sauce.

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• Tandoori Chicken Quesaratha at Holy Land: Spiced tandoori chicken layered with a blend of Monterey jack & mozzarella cheese and a mixture of sauteed onions, mixed bell peppers, jalapeños, corn, cilantro and green chilis. Folded inside paratha bread and griddled on a flat top grill. Served with a side of avocado cilantro lime sauce.

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• Timber Twists at Giggles' Campfire Grill: Savory mixture of Italian sausage, mozzarella, cream cheese and barbecue rub piped into three large manicotti shells, then wrapped in bacon. Cooked in a wood-fired smoker. Served with a side of barbecue sauce.

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• Triple Chocolate Mini Donuts at Solem’s Cheese Curds & Mini Donuts: Chocolate mini donuts dusted with powdered sugar, drizzled with chocolate icing, and topped with chocolate sprinkles and mini milk chocolate chips. Served in a bucket rimmed with more chocolate icing and sprinkles. (vegetarian)

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• Uncrustaburger at Coasters: A hamburger patty with cheese, pickles and special sauce, sandwiched between two deep-fried peanut butter & grape jelly Uncrustables.

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The new vendors at this year’s fair are:

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• Beans & Beignets, which will serve freshly made beignets (deep-fried pastry dough topped with powdered sugar), plus a variety of iced and hot beverages.

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• Chocolate Strawberry Cup, serving fresh strawberries in a cup with toppings in four flavors: Dubai chocolate, matcha white chocolate, chocolate, and chocolate and cream. All are gluten free, except the Dubai flavor.

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• Greater Tater, which will serve Tater Kegs — jumbo deep-fried tots stuffed with savory fillings — in five flavors: bacon jalapeño; bacon cheddar; breakfast skillet; cheese bomb; and reuben. All options are gluten free.

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• Lumpia City, serving lumpia — traditional Filipino fried spring rolls — in two fusion flavors: pizza (mozzarella, pepperoni, Italian sausage, pizza sauce and Italian herbs); and ube butter banana french toast (French toast strips soaked in ube butter syrup with caramelized bananas, dusted with powdered sugar).

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• Magdalena’s Chimney Cakes, serving Chimney Cakes (rotisserie-baked Hungarian pastry shaped like a cone) filled with vanilla ice cream and choice of Nutella or caramel spread and toppings.

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• Midtown Global Market’s Irie Jamaican, which will serve oxtail (jerk or barbecue) with festival (sweet, fried bread); sweet plantains; coconut shrimp skewers; and a ginger & hibiscus drink. (Aug. 27 to Sept. 1 only)

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• Midtown Global Market’s Oasis Grill & Hoyo Sambusa, serving Somali Street Fries; cones of mini sambusas & full-size sambusas (beef or lentil) with choice of sauce; and slushies in two flavors (Vimto and watermelon). (Aug. 21-26 only)

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• Urban Glow Mocktails, serving craft mocktails including Dirty NoTini, Nojito, CosNo, Grilled Peach No Fashioned, Autumn Mule, Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Bonspiel Blue and Nitro Cold Brew. Also serving Cheweenies (mini Kramarczuk’s all-beef hot dogs in sweet Hawaiian rolls with mocktail-inspired mustards).

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Fair officials have created a list of the new fair foods and vendors — that also includes a map showing where they can be found on the fairgrounds.

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