Pickle pie, dill cookies: Minnesota State Fair reveals new foods, vendors for 2026

The food vendors have been a main attraction at the Minnesota State Fair for a number of years.  But the offerings have evolved well beyond cheese curds, turkey legs, and everything-on-a-stick.

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Pickle Pie at LuLu’s Public House.  Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair

Just when you thought every possible variation of pickle cuisine had been invented, along comes the latest list of new foods to watch for at this year’s Minnesota State Fair.

Among the new offerings for 2026: Pickle Pie at LuLu’s Public House — described as “pie crust filled with a blend of chopped pickles, pickle juice and cream cheese. Topped with homemade savory whipped frosting made with ranch and Cholula Hot Sauce. Garnished with a gherkin and a sprinkle of dill.”

Dill with it, Cookie! at Urban Glow Mocktails  Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair

And that’s not all. Urban Glow Mocktails will be offering “Dill with it, Cookie!” — a bakery concoction created by Holman’s Table that combines white chocolate chips, finely chopped dill pickles and fresh dill, finished with a sprinkle of sugar and Maldon sea salt.

Both of those offerings are vegetarian.

They’re among 36 official new fair foods this year, and nine new vendors who’ll be making their debut at the annual Great Minnesota Get-Together.

In addition to the two new foods listed above, the new official fair food offerings are:

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  Cracklin' Corn Ribs at The Blue Barn  Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Cracklin' Corn Ribs at The Blue Barn:   Corn cob quarters dipped in tempura batter, then fried. Brushed with seasoned butter and topped with bacon ranch, green onion and candied jalapeños. Served on a bed of pork rinds.

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  Longanisa Cheese Curd Lumpia at Lumpia City   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Longanisa Cheese Curd Lumpia at Lumpia City:   Homemade Filipino longanisa — pronounced “lohng-guh-NEE-sah” — pork sausage combined with garlic and Wisconsin cheese curds, stuffed and rolled in a lumpia wrapper and deep-fried. Served with a side of sweet chili sauce.

  
  
  French Chouxnut Sundae at Bridgeman’s Ice Cream   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• French Chouxnut Sundae at Bridgeman’s Ice Cream:   Pronounced “SHOO-nut” — Bridgeman's salted caramel espresso ice cream piled atop a choux pastry donut filled with milk chocolate mousse and topped with dark chocolate fondant icing and chocolate curls. Finished with caramel drizzle, whipped cream and a cherry. (Vegetarian)

  
  
  Korean BBQ Bao Buns at Rooted & Wild by Snack House   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Korean BBQ Bao Buns at Rooted & Wild by Snack House:   Vegan Chunk plant-based shredded “meat” tossed in hot Korean barbecue sauce. Topped with pineapple slaw and served on folded, steamed bao buns. (Vegan)

  
  
  Surf ‘N’ Turf Burger at Cafe Caribe   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Surf ‘N’ Turf Burger at Cafe Caribe:   Lobster tossed in garlic-herb butter stacked on a 1/3-pound seasoned grilled beef patty topped with pepper jack cheese. Drizzled with homemade chipotle mayo, served on a toasted brioche bun with a lemon wedge.

  
  
  Butter Brew Mustache Pretzel at Blue Moon Dine-In Theater   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Butter Brew Mustache Pretzel at Blue Moon Dine-In Theater:   Handmade soft pretzel dough rolled in the shape of a mustache and baked. Coated in melted butter and tossed in a butter brew sugar mixture flavored with caramel, vanilla and butterscotch. Served with a side of vanilla soft-serve dip. (Vegetarian)

  
  
  Bao Belly at RC's BBQ   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Bao Belly at RC's BBQ:   Smoked barbecue pork belly drizzled with RC's hot sauce and yum yum sauce. Topped with pickled vegetables and cilantro and served on folded, steamed bao buns.

  
  
  Blue Moon Crunch at Minnesnowii Shave Ice   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Blue Moon Crunch at Minnesnowii Shave Ice:   Fluffy shave ice infused with blue moon flavor, dusted with Fruity Pebbles cereal and drizzled with sweetened condensed milk. Inspired by the flavors of blue moon ice cream. (Gluten-free and Vegan upon request)

  
  
  Walking Chopped Italian Grinder at Mancini's al Fresco   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Walking Chopped Italian Grinder at Mancini’s al Fresco : Chopped Italian grinder sandwich-style blend of sliced salami, pepperoncinis, green olives, artichokes, roasted red peppers and fresh mozzarella pearls, tossed in Italian dressing. Layered over a bag of Dutch Crunch Parmesan & Garlic Kettle Chips and drizzled with Calabrian chili aioli.

  
  
  Shakshuka Lamb Meatballs at French Meadow Bakery & Cafe   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Shakshuka Lamb Meatballs at French Meadow Bakery & Cafe : Seasoned lamb and pork meatballs stuffed with whipped garlic herb goat cheese and flash-fried. Served atop shakshuka – pronounced “shahk-SHOO-kah,” a blend of tomatoes, chili peppers, onions and spices – garnished with parsley and served with a side of chimichurri-spiced sourdough crostini. (Gluten-free upon request)

  
  
  Dubai Whoopie Pie at Dino’s Gyros   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Dubai Whoopie Pie at Dino’s Gyros : Dubai chocolate-inspired whoopie pie made with pistachio cream sandwiched between two dark chocolate cakes. Rolled in Dino's Dubai crunch topping of shredded filo, crushed pistachios, honey and brown sugar. (Vegetarian)

  
  
  Chorizo Manchego Croquettes at Paella Depot   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Chorizo Manchego Croquettes at Paella Depot : Spanish-style potato croquettes filled with manchego cheese and Spanish chorizo. Lightly breaded, fried and garnished with chives. Drizzled with homemade lemon garlic aioli. (Gluten-free)

  
  
  Honey Brisket Battered Potatoes at Australian Battered Potatoes   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Honey Brisket Battered Potatoes at Australian Battered Potatoes : Deep-fried Australian Battered Potatoes topped with beef brisket, smothered in nacho cheese and drizzled with hot honey.

  
  
  Hmong Corndog at Union Hmong Kitchen   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Hmong Corndog at Union Hmong Kitchen : Pork Hmong sausage flavored with ginger, garlic, fish sauce, chili and lemongrass made in collaboration with Kramarczuk’s. Skewered, dipped in a cornmeal batter and fried. Served with a side of citrus Kua Txob sauce — pronounced “goo-ah-CHOH.”

  
  
  Tacos de Mole at El Burrito Mercado   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Tacos de Mole at El Burrito Mercado : Flour tortillas filled with shredded chicken, cheese and house-made mole sauce. Deep-fried, drizzled with more mole sauce and garnished with queso fresco.

  
  
  Jamaican Jerk Chicken Loaded Fries at Midtown Global Market's Irie Jamaican Express   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Jamaican Jerk Chicken Loaded Fries at Midtown Global Market's Irie Jamaican Express : Battered french fries topped with Jamaican jerk chicken, melted cheese and green onions. Drizzled with ranch and jerk sauce. (Aug. 27 to Sept. 1 only)

  
  
  When Pigs Fly at Sausage Sister & Me   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• When Pigs Fly at Sausage Sister & Me : Flight of pork sausages wrapped in puff pastry and served on-a-stick. Varieties include: Chorizo Sausage with chimichurri; Texas Two-Step Sausage with sweet pepper coleslaw; Oktoberfest Sausage with melted cheddar and chili crunch; and Porketta Italian Sausage with pickle aioli.

  
  
  The Fried and the Furious: Cubano Drift at The Herbivorous Butcher   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• The Fried and the Furious: Cubano Drift at The Herbivorous Butcher : Deep-fried Cubano-style sandwich made with a crunchy tortilla filled with vegan Cuban pork, vegan Swiss cheese, dill pickle relish, vegan garlic mayo and mustard. Served with a side of jalapeño citrus sauce. (Vegan)

  
  
  Strawberry Ube Sundae Tart at Sara's Tipsy Pies   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Strawberry Ube Sundae Tart at Sara's Tipsy Pies : Swirled strawberry and ube marshmallow cream mixed with chocolate chips, chilled and scooped into a fudge-filled gluten-friendly shortbread crust. Topped with whipped cream, strawberry sauce and edible glitter sprinkles. (Gluten-friendly)

  
  
  Peri-Peri Bowl at Afro Deli & Grill   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Peri-Peri Bowl at Afro Deli & Grill : Fried peri-peri hot chicken, seasoned with African Bird's Eye chili peppers, garlic, lemon and herbs. Combined with mini beef sambusas and fried sweet plantains, all topped with peri-peri sauce and choice of: basbaas (pronounced “BAHS-bahs,” spicy Somali green chili pepper sauce) or spicy red chili sauce.

  
  
  Sligo Slider Bites On-A-Stick at O’Gara’s at the Fair   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Sligo Slider Bites On-A-Stick at O’Gara’s at the Fair : Handmade dumplings stuffed with a cheeseburger blend made of beef, cheddar, pickle and onion. Skewered on-a-stick and deep-fried. Served with homemade Thousand Island dressing.

  
  
  Brandy Old Fashioned Cookie Dough at Kora & Mila’s Cookie Dough   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Brandy Old Fashioned Cookie Dough at Kora & Mila’s Cookie Dough : Edible cookie dough infused with nonalcoholic brandy flavor and combined with orange zest, cinnamon, dark chocolate chips and tart dried cherries. Served on-a-stick, hand dipped in brandy-flavored bittersweet chocolate, and rolled in Biscoff cookie crumbs. (Vegetarian)

  
  
  Apple Donut Ham Grinder at Minnesota Farmers Union Coffee Shop   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Apple Donut Ham Grinder at Minnesota Farmers Union Coffee Shop : First Kiss apples from Pleasant Valley Orchard, sliced into rings, battered, deep-fried and tossed in cinnamon sugar. Stacked with sliced uncured ham from Hidden Stream Farm, dressed arugula and drizzled with Crybaby Craig's Hot Honey, made with honey from Bolton Bees. Served with herb-whipped ricotta spread on a toasted hoagie roll from Emma Krumbee's Bakery.

  
  
  Banana Butterscotch Barnraiser at Minnesota Farmers Union Coffee Shop   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Banana Butterscotch Barnraiser at Minnesota Farmers Union Coffee Shop : Vanilla pound cake layered with roasted bananas, butterscotch sauce and caramelized croissant croutons made by Patisserie 46. Topped with whipped cream from Stony Creek Dairy and garnished with nut-free cereal mix made with Corn Chex, Biscoff cookie butter, chocolate chips, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt. (Vegetarian)

  
  
  Bucket of Chicharrones at San Felipe Tacos.   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Bucket of Chicharrones at San Felipe Tacos : Freshly deep-fried chicharrones (pork rinds, pronounced “chee-chah-RROR-nehs”) sprinkled with chili pepper and lime seasoning. Served with a trio of dipping sauces: hot sauce, creamy chipotle sauce and chamoy.

  
  
  Sweet Peach Lemonade Sparkler at Quench'd Lemonade/Bottled Water.   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Sweet Peach Lemonade Sparkler at Quench’d : Fresh-squeezed lemonade layered with peach syrup and peach sweet cream cold foam. Topped with a sprinkle of popping candy and garnished with a peach slice. (Gluten-friendly, Vegetarian)

  
  
  Elote Tots at Tot Boss.   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Elote Tots at Tot Boss : Deep-fried tater tots tossed in Tajín and topped with an elote-style sauce made with roasted corn, diced peppers, cheddar cheese, crema and cream cheese. Finished with cotija cheese and more Tajín. (Vegetarian)

  
  
  Caramel Apple Iced Tea at Loon Lake Iced Tea.   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Caramel Apple Iced Tea at Loon Lake Iced Tea : Black tea brewed with natural tart apple flavor and topped with caramel-infused cold foam. Garnished with a Caramel Apple Pops lollipop. (Gluten-friendly, Vegetarian)

  
  
  Strawberries & Blueberry Creme Parfait at Strawberries 'N Creme.   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Strawberries & Blueberry Creme Parfait at Strawberries ’N Creme : Fresh whole strawberries layered with blueberry non-dairy whipped topping and garnished with gluten-free waffle chips. (Gluten-friendly, Vegan)

  
  
  Dockside Poppers at Summer Lakes Boat House, a new vendor.   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Dockside Poppers at Summer Lakes Boat House   (new vendor): Seasoned cream cheese, bacon, artichoke hearts and jalapeño peppers combined, breaded and lightly fried. Served with a side of homemade tomato chili jam.

  
  
  Mango Sticky Rice Refresher at Chan's Eatery.   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Mango Sticky Rice Refresher at Chan’s Eatery : Coconut milk, evaporated milk, condensed milk, mango flavoring and half and half poured over ice and topped with fresh and dried mango. Finished with a dried mango sugar rim. Inspired by the flavors of mango sticky rice. (Gluten-friendly, Vegetarian)

  
  
  Strawberry donuts dusted with vanilla sugar, drizzled with vanilla icing and topped with homemade strawberry streusel crunch. Served in a bucket rimmed with vanilla icing and more streusel crunch. (Vegetarian) At Solem's Mini Donuts.   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Strawberry Crunch Mini Donuts at Solem’s Mini Donuts : Strawberry donuts dusted with vanilla sugar, drizzled with vanilla icing and topped with homemade strawberry streusel crunch. Served in a bucket rimmed with vanilla icing and more streusel crunch. (Vegetarian)

  
  
  Pumpkin Bar Funnel Cake at Taulelle's Jurassic Corn Dogs.   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Pumpkin Bar Funnel Cake at Taulelle’s Jurassic Corn Dogs : Real pumpkin, cinnamon, sugar and vanilla blended with original funnel cake batter, then deep-fried. Lightly brushed with melted butter and topped with homemade cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

  
  
  Two-Tone Bloody Mary Mocktail at Urban Glow Mocktails.   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Two-Tone Bloody Mary Mocktail at Urban Glow Mocktails : Homemade tomatillo salsa layered with a zero-alcohol blend of tomatoes, herbs, spices and olive brine. Garnished with a skewer of pickle, cheese, tomato, olive and an Urban Glow Cheweenie sausage.

The new vendors at this year’s fair are:

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  dodopop   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• dodopop   — pronounced “DOH-doh-pahp” — which will serve dirty sodas in six flavors: megalodon (Dr. Pepper — diet available, raspberry syrup and coconut cream); golden yeti (orange pop, vanilla syrup and vanilla cream); liger (lemonade, Starry and cherry syrup); big red dog (Pepsi — diet available, cherry, vanilla syrup and vanilla cream); sasquatch (root beer, vanilla syrup and vanilla cream); and babe’s lemonade (sparkling lemonade, blue raspberry syrup and raspberry popping pearls). Located on the northeast corner of Dan Patch Avenue and Cooper Street.

  
  
  Iemochi Japanese Confections   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Iemochi Japanese Confections   — pronounced “ee-eh-MOH-chee” — which will serve Tanghulu (“tahng-hoo-loo”),fruit skewered and coated in a hard candy shell in four varieties: strawberry, green grape, mandarin orange and dual-mix with strawberries and grapes. Gluten-free. Located at the International Bazaar, south wall.

  
  
  Jive Turkey BBQ   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Jive Turkey BBQ , which will serve Crack-n-Cheese Bowl (homemade macaroni and cheese, hickory-smoked turkey barbecue, deep-fried turkey cracklins and signature sauce); Soul Rolls (macaroni and cheese with collard greens deep-fried in an egg roll); Soul Punch (muscadine lemonade); and Stuffed Turkey Legs in two varieties: Cajun Shrimp and Alfredo (stuffed with Cajun shrimp and dirty rice, topped with alfredo sauce) and Thanksgiving Stuffed (stuffed with choice of three fillings: macaroni and cheese, stuffing, gravy, yams, collard greens or cranberry sauce). Plus, hickory-smoked turkey legs and turkey barbecue sandwiches. Located on the north side of Lee Avenue between Underwood and Cooper streets.

  
  
  Midtown Global Market’s El Taco Torro   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Midtown Global Market’s El Taco Torro , which will serve Birria Crunch Bombs (deep-fried tortilla balls filled with birria beef, Oaxaca and mozzarella cheese rolled in a tortilla chip coating and drizzled with lime crema, served with a side of consommé dip); Fairground Fiesta Tacos (deep-fried flour tortilla cone filled with al pastor pork, pineapple pico, queso and finished with cilantro & onion); and Horchata and Mangonada drinks. Located in the Taste of the Midtown Global Market booth at the International Bazaar, east wall. (Sept. 2 through Sept. 7 only)

  
  
  Minnesota’s Original Apple Fries   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Minnesota’s Original Apple Fries , which will serve Apple Fries (fresh-cut apples, fried, tossed in cinnamon sugar and served with a side of caramel); Apple Fries Deluxe (larger portion of Apple Fries served with a side of caramel and whipped cream); and apple cider. All gluten-friendly and vegetarian. Located on the north side of Dan Patch Avenue between Underwood and Cooper streets.

  
  
  Roon’s Savories   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Roon’s Savories , which will serve hand-rolled waffle cones flavored with parmesan, cheddar and herbs. Savory Cones are available with four choices of fillings: BBQ Pulled Pork Mac (slow-smoked pulled pork layered with macaroni and cheese), Chicken Tinga and Rice (chicken and smoky tomato-chipotle sauce layered with seasoned rice, gluten-free), Classic Chicken Salad (house-made chicken salad with fresh herbs, gluten-free) and Three Cheese Mac (three cheese macaroni and cheese, vegetarian). Located on the west side of Liggett Street between Carnes and Judson avenues.

  
  
  Saturday Dumpling Co.   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Saturday Dumpling Co. , which will serve Chinese Sausage and Cheese Poppers (fried dumplings with savory & sweet Chinese sausage and provolone cheese); Ube Cheesecake Wontons (deep-fried filled wontons, drizzled with sweetened condensed milk and sprinkled with crushed Biscoff® cookies, vegetarian); and Salted Mango Yuzuade (pronounced YOO-zoo-aid — mango puree, yuzu juice, salt, simple syrup, vegan). Located in the Food Building, east wall.

  
  
  Solem’s French Fries   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Solem’s French Fries , which will serve fresh-cut French fries in four sizes with a dedicated sauce bar offering a variety of self-serve spices and dipping sauces. Plus, fresh-squeezed, frozen lemonades, fountain sodas and bottled water. Fries are gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan. Located on the east side of Underwood Street between Murphy and Lee avenues.

  
  
  Summer Lakes Boat House   Courtesy of Minnesota State Fair
  
  

• Summer Lakes Boat House , which will serve a variety of food options: Dockside Poppers (included in new foods list above); Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp Skewers; Crispy Chicken Sandwiches; Riblets ‘N’ Chips; Hand-cut Chips and Dips; and sliders in two varieties: slow-roasted ribeye and wild rice walleye. Plus, hard seltzer-based cocktails and mocktails made with Summer Lakes Beverage mixes in eight flavors (all gluten-free and vegan) and a full beer menu. Also, bottled cocktail mixes available for purchase. In a new building, with live entertainment daily. Located on the southwest corner of Randall Avenue and Underwood Street.