Andrew Zimmern Names 10 Outstanding Minnesota State Fair Foods

You're running out of time to pay a visit to the 2026 Minnesota State Fair, so when you go, it's best to have a plan rather than roam around hoping to find the best food to try.

Why not make it easy and trust the advice of Andrew Zimmern, an Emmy-winning and four-time James Beard Award–winning American chef, television personality, writer, and teacher best known for hosting the hit Travel Channel series Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern?

He's tasted the strange and the sublime on nearly every continent, but he's no stranger to state fair cuisine. If anyone has eaten his way through more state fairs than you or I have, it's this guy.

He's also a Minnesotan, which means the Great Minnesota Get-Together isn't just another stop for him — it's home turf. And every year, the man who has sampled it all shares the fair foods he actually plans his days around.

His running list of favorites is basically a treasure map, and for 2026 he's added a fresh batch of what he calls his "new classics."

These are the ones, in his words, that "haven't been around long enough to be hall of fame-level classics, but aren't considered new any longer."

Andrew Zimmern's 10 Favorite Minnesota State Fair Foods For 2026

This is the stuff worth walking an extra mile of asphalt for. Here are all ten, and where to point your appetite.

• Galabao with Kua Txob — Union Hmong Kitchen, International Bazaar. Chef Yia Vang's stand made history as the fair's first Hmong restaurant, and the pillowy steamed bun stuffed with savory pork and finished with a punchy chili sauce is a standout in a building full of them.
• Nashville Hot Chicken On-a-Stick — The Blue Barn, West End Market. A genuine cult favorite that's moved tens of thousands of orders — crispy, spicy fried chicken on a stick for one-handed eating while you navigate the crowd.
• Kielbasa and Sauerkraut — iPierogi, Food Building. The Minnesota-based Polish specialists bring a snappy, smoky sausage and tangy kraut that's a hearty break from the sweets.
• Pork Schnitzel Sandwich — Minnesota Farmers Union Coffee Shop, north side of Dan Patch between Cooper and Cosgrove. A crispy, golden cutlet tucked into a bun at one of the fair's most laid-back sit-down spots.
• Grilled Peaches — The Produce Exchange, northwest corner of Carnes and Underwood. Peaches grilled until jammy and caramelized, then topped with goat cheese and fresh herbs — a rare savory-sweet fruit dish in a sea of fried everything.
• Pumpkin Hand Pie — Minneapple Pie, south side of Judson between Nelson and Underwood. A seasonal spin from the folks famous for the deep-fried apple version, served warm with cinnamon sugar — fall in a napkin.
• Sweet Corn Ice Cream — Blue Moon Dine-In Theater, corner of Carnes and Chambers. Zimmern calls it a "sweet-and-salty mix" he's always craving, especially with the optional bacon-maple drizzle on top.
• Nitro Ice Cream — Nitro Ice Cream, Food Building. Custard flash-frozen to order with liquid nitrogen for an ultra-smooth scoop, made right in front of you in a theatrical cloud of vapor.
• Tasti Whip — northwest corner of Dan Patch and Underwood. The showstopper is the Chili Mango Whip: Dole mango soft serve rimmed with chamoy and Tajín and finished with a tamarind candy straw. It's vegan and gluten-free, with pineapple, strawberry, and lemon versions too.
• Frozen Cider Pop — Minnesota Apples, Agriculture Horticulture Building. Made with Minnesota apple cider and, in Zimmern's own words, "the best deal at the fair" — a nostalgic freezer-pop for a hot afternoon.

What makes Zimmern's list worth trusting is that it isn't chasing the wildest gimmick of the year — it's a working chef telling you where the flavor actually is. If you want to compare his picks against the full field, we ranked this year's new foods too, based on public reviews.

SEE NOW: The Items Now Banned From The 2026 Minnesota State Fair

The 2026 Minnesota State Fair runs through Labor Day, Monday, September 7, so there's still time to knock out the list. Do yourself a favor and arrive hungry.