Fried pickles, pickle-on-a-stick, pickle dog, pickle pizza, pickle pretzel—almost anything paired with a pickle can be found at the one and only Minnesota State Fair. As the second most attended State Fair in the United States (after Texas), the Minnesota State Fair doesn’t offer only pickle products, but also features game changers, wastes of money, and overhyped foods.
No trip to the fair is complete without a 45-minute wait for your favorite food to end summer. Although new only last year, pickle pizza—found only at Rick’s Pizza—is now considered the holy grail of pickle products at the fair, just ahead of fried pickles. Both feature mouth-watering salty pickles, delicious bread(ing), and tangy ranch.
On a sweeter note, one sip of a nostalgic root beer float and you feel like you’re 6 years old again. Weaving through swarms of people on an 80-degree summer day, nothing hits better than a cold, not too sweet, bubbly and creamy root beer float. Which takes me to the perfect combo: cold drink in one hand, hot dog in the other. With stands at every turn, the original and elite Pronto Pup takes the leading spot for corndogs; this saucy, salty, and sweet duo deserves a leading spot at the fair.
Some items at the fair just miss the mark, and with everything costing a fortune these days, one can’t help but feel disappointed. With so much potential yet poor execution, the Fresh French Fries fail to meet the expectations of thin, crispy, and salty fries. With no savory punch and a greasy aftertaste, these fries need improvement.
Another could-be fan favorite, Cheese Curd Tacos, are sadly a poor take on the original and delicious Mouth Trap Cheese Curds. The tacos leave your mouth dry, taste buds unsatisfied, and money wasted. Lastly, the new Birthday Cake Cookie Dough On-A-Stick is a cake lover’s worst nightmare; not only is it too sweet, but the dense texture and artificial flavor lend themselves to one bite and a quick toss in the garbage.
Latest on the menu at the fair includes The Dubai Chocolate Strawberry Cup and Hot Honey Pizza Balls. Following the raving Dubai chocolate trend, the strawberry cup is an exact replica of Zupa’s for just $2.00 more at the fair. That said, whether $18.00 or $20.00, it’s overpriced, and the deliciously successful strawberry and chocolate combo is better left alone. Viral on both TikTok and Instagram, hot honey bowls with ground beef and sweet potato are a new obsession. But adding hot honey to the pizza balls (cheese curds with pepperoni) is a fail, no matter how you slice it.
With over 200 street vendors, there’s no shortage of delicious foods; however, beware of the bad apples!