8 Underrated Minnesota State Fair Foods (2024)

As much attention as the Minnesota State Fair’s annual slate of new foods gets, so many of the Fair’s best bites come from vendors that deftly crank out the same items year after year. That said, the greatest hits — Fresh French Fries; Pronto Pups (our hometown heroes); cheese curds at the Mouth Trap; fried pickles; Sweet Martha’s of course — aren’t going anywhere, and it’s worth exploring beyond the highest grossing vendors and seeing what you find. Like these gems, for example, listed in no particular order, straight from an Eater editor’s State Fair diaries.

London broil at the Butcher Boys, $16

There’s a special place in my heart for Fair foods that function as a solid meal. Warning to split this sandwich so it doesn’t totally fill you up, but it’ll keep your stomach strong and steady as you chase it with mini doughnut beer, Kiwanis malts, and the like. The Butcher Boys load this London broil with ribbons of rosy, tender steak; douse it in a melty cheese sauce; and finish it with onions and banana peppers. You can ask for it in a dish if you don’t want the bun, too. North side of Dan Patch Avenue between Nelson and Underwood streets, just east of the Grandstand

Corn fritters, $8

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These corn fritters take the cake for the Fair food that surprised me the most this year. My expectations weren’t high on first glance, but these are near-perfect fritters — they’re pillowy and chewy without being at all tough or dry, almost like mochi; they’re gently sweet and studded with little gold kernels; and, to bring it all together, they’re served with a scoop of chilled, salted honey butter on the side. South side of Dan Patch Avenue between Underwood and Cooper streets

Pickle dog at Pickle Dog, $10

It surprises me that there aren’t even more takes on Minnesota sushi (a.k.a. ham-and-pickle roll-ups) at the State Fair. Shine on, though, pickle dog! The fried pickle stand gets so much hype, and perhaps it’s deserved, but I love the simplicity of this dish. What makes it truly great is the substitution of thick-cut, quality pastrami for the typical lunch meat ham. South side of Carnes Avenue between Liggett and Chambers streets

Nitro ice cream (and birch beer) in the Food Building

The line at the Nitro Ice Cream Booth in the Food Building never seems quite proportional to how good it is. I’m not going to pretend I know how these folks work their liquid nitrogen magic, but the effect is that the ice cream is far denser and smoother than any I’ve tasted elsewhere — it has the texture of creamed honey, approximately. It’s served with salted caramel or chocolate sauce, but the real move is to get it plain and head next door to the Walleye on the Stick stand for birch beer (a lighter, toffee-like sibling of root beer) and make it a float. In the Food Building, northeast corner

Wood-fired elote at Tejas Express, $5

The elotes at Tejas Express were a big-hit new Fair food item when they debuted in 2018, but I’m recycling them here for anyone who missed them on the first go-around. The State Fair’s uber-popular corn roast stand is an irreplaceable classic, but it’s worth opting for a cob that’s coated in cotija cheese and chile and lashed with lime at least once a year. Note that St. Paul legend El Burrito Mercado is a new vendor at the State Fair this year, and in addition to quesabirria taquitos, one of the best new foods this year, they’re also serving stellar esquites. In The Garden, north wall

Fruit and booch at the Produce Exchange, $10

The Produce Exchange is beloved for its custardy grilled peaches, served variously with herbed goat cheese, whipped cream, or drizzled in honey. But don’t sleep on the kombucha, which is served on draft. There’s usually between five to seven flavors (think blackberry peach; raspberry lime ginger; etc.) — crucially, this kombucha has none of the vinegary, almost medicinal taste you often find in bottled brands. It’s light and effervescent and served by the glass or in “fruit and booch” form, pictured here, with chunks of fresh peach or watermelon. Northwest corner of Carnes Avenue and Underwood Street

Jerk pork chop at West Indies Soul Food, $15

I’m far from the first to write about the jerk pork chop on a stick at West Indies Soul Food in the International Bazaar, but considering how popular Peterson’s is, I’m adding to the chorus for this decadently fatty, deftly grilled best-pork-chop contender. ​Chef Sharon Richards-Noel’s version is satisfying in the smoky, savory, finger-licking way that baby back ribs are, though this skewered version creates much less mess; the jerk sauce, which offers a sweet, slow-building heat, is pretty inimitable. At the International Bazaar, south wall

Australian battered potatoes, $15

I’ve had my eye on the Australian Battered potatoes stand for a while. These crispy potato scallops are bigger than hockey pucks; they’re sliced fairly thin, but the batter adds a little heft. They’re served with cheese, ranch, a creamy chipotle sauce, or a cheese-bacon-ranch combo — I panicked and got straight ranch. It’s pretty hard to beat Fresh French Fries in the potato category, but if you’re bored of the classic fry department and are feeling curious, these are salty and starchy and satisfying in all the necessary ways. North side of Judson Avenue between Liggett and Clough streets