On opening day of the Minnesota State Fair Thursday, foodies from Twin Cities news publications fanned out to review this year’s new fair foods, sacrificing their stomachs so the rest of us don’t have to sample every last fried, sugary mass.
In an effort to help you decide what to try and what to skip, MinnPost has compiled a meta-review of major State Fair food reviews, including takes from the Star Tribune, City Pages, the Pioneer Press and Mpls.St. Paul Magazine.
Clear winners this year were the duck drummies from Giggles’ Campfire Grill, the Lavender Lemonade from the Farmers Union and the No Bologna Coney from Mancini’s al Fresco. Less unanimously popular among these reviewers were the Joey Mary, an iced coffee slushie from fair newcomer Brim and the Carolina pit-smoked brisket taco from Shanghaied Henry’s.
(Note, these are MinnPost’s interpretation of reviews, which weren’t always a straight thumbs-up or thumbs-down. When there were multiple reviewers, we tried to average opinions.)
| Food | Vendor | Star Tribune | City Pages | Pioneer Press | Mpls.St.Paul |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duck Drummies | Giggles’ Campfire Grill | Positive | Positive | Positive | Positive |
| Lavender Lemonade | Farmers Union Coffee Shop | Positive | Positive | Positive | Positive |
| No Bologna Coney | Mancini’s al Fresco | Positive | Positive | Positive | Positive |
| Nordic Waffles Al Pastor | Nordic Waffles | Positive | Positive | Positive | Neutral |
| Snow Cap Mini Waffle Sundae | Hamline Church Dining Hall | Positive | Positive | Positive | Positive |
| Shrimp & Grits Fritters | Funky Grits | Positive | Positive | Positive | Positive |
| The Hot Hen | RC’s BBQ | Positive | Negative | Positive | Positive |
| Feta Bites | Dino’s Gyros | Positive | Positive | Positive | Negative |
| Cuban Fusion Fajita | Juanita’s Fajitas | Neutral | Positive | Positive | Positive |
| Turkish Pizza | Blue Moon Dine-In Theater | Neutral | Positive | Positive | Positive |
| Jamm’in Brisket Grilled Cheese | RC’s BBQ | Positive | Neutral | Neutral | Positive |
| Bada Bing Sandwich | The Sandwich Shop | Positive | Positive | Neutral | Negative |
| Blueberry Key Lime Pie | Farmers Union Coffee Shop | Positive | Neutral | Positive | Neutral |
| Boozy Berries & ‘Barb Trifle | The Hideaway Speakeasy | Positive | Positive | Negative | Negative |
| Carnitas Taco Cone | San Felipe Tacos | Neutral | Neutral | Positive | Positive |
| Halo Cone | Rainbow Ice Cream | Neutral | Positive | Neutral | Positive |
| Irish Whiskey Boneless Wings | O’Gara’s at the Fair | Neutral | Negative | Positive | Positive |
| Peaches n’ Cream Nachos | Bridgeman’s Ice Cream | Neutral | Positive | Positive | Neutral |
| Stuffed Cabbage Roll | iPierogi | Positive | Negative | Neutral | Positive |
| Tipsy’s Pecan Tart | Sara’s Tipsy Pies | Positive | Negative | Positive | Negative |
| Warm Cheesecake Tart | Lulu’s Public House | Neutral | Neutral | Positive | Positive |
| Cheesy Sriracha Funnel Cake Bites | Funnel Cakes | Negative | Negative | Positive | Positive |
| Lamb T-Bone Chops | Holy Land | Neutral | Positive | Positive | Negative |
| Nordic Waffles Pebbles & Bam Bam | Nordic Waffles | Positive | Positive | Negative | Neutral |
| Deep-Fried Dilly Dog | Swine & Spuds | Neutral | Positive | Positive | |
| Grilled Sota Sandwich | Brim | Positive | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| Tailspin | The Hangar | Negative | Negative | Neutral | Positive |
| Breakfast Potato Skin | The Blue Barn | Neutral | Negative | Negative | Positive |
| Mini Donut Latte | The Anchor Coffee House | Neutral | Neutral | Positive | Neutral |
| Carolina Pit-Smoked Brisket Taco | Shanghaied Henri’s | Negative | Negative | Neutral | Neutral |
| Joey Mary | Brim | Neutral | Negative | Negative |
