It was a beautiful first day at the Minnesota State Fair, and as usual, the Pioneer Press crew and friends started bright and early to taste through all 33 official new foods and dishes from most of the new vendors.
We've ranked the best, the worst and everything in between. Some foods didn't make the top 15 or the bottom 10, so those are your call and listed alphabetically.
Family, friends and fairgoers offered their tastebuds and opinions for our rankings, too.
Here's what we tried and what we think. What was your favorite new food? Think we screwed up? Let us know at eat@pioneerpress.com.
Counting down to our No. 1 favorite 2024 Minnesota State Fair new food.
Jess Fleming, food editor: That's nice and fluffy. I've had worse beignets at fancy restaurants! It's hard to find a good beignet around here.
Jared Kaufman, food and features reporter: A delightful coffee snack! What a good way to start the day.
Clare Fleming, Jess' daughter: I've never had a beignet before and I'm pleasantly surprised.
What is it: Vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two pieces of Grandma Doreen's coffee cake. Skewered on-a-stick and drizzled with strawberry rhubarb jam.
Our verdict: Hey, this is pretty good!
Jared: This tastes like redemption. Last year's focaccia/ice cream sandwich was terrible. This is what it should have been.
What is it: Savory deep-fried bites of ground black-eyed peas, onions, jalapenos, cilantro and seasonings. Served with a spicy red chili sauce.
Our verdict: Spicy food at the Fair? Say it isn't so! More good food for vegans, too.
Jared: I like these! The flavor is great. They feel better for you than mini-donuts but have that comforting, warming-spice, deep fried goodness.
Jess: Pretty good. I can't quite place all the flavors, but I like the flavors.
Stacie: I like the sauce drizzled on top and I really wish there were more of it.
Find it: in the Food Building, east wall
What is it: Spiced tandoori chicken layered with a blend of Monterrey Jack and mozzarella cheeses and a mixture of sauteed onions, bell peppers, jalapeños, corn, cilantro and green chilis, all folded inside paratha bread and griddled. Served with avocado cilantro lime sauce.
Our verdict: A departure from Holy Land's typical flavor profile that we're all on board with.
Jess: We love shareable food!
Jared: That flavor is amazing, and I like the stretchiness of the paratha bread.
Joey: It's got a nice kick and tastes fresh. And I'd put that green sauce on everything.
What is it: Three pizza dough balls stuffed with cheese curds, pepperoni, herbs and parmesan cheese, brushed with garlic butter and topped with more pepperoni, herbs and parmesan. Finished with a drizzle of hot honey.
Our verdict: Despite plenty of pre-Fair mockery, a surprisingly delicious value.
Jared: This is the kind of thing that's so, so easy to get so, so wrong, and they actually do a pretty good job. I wish they were cheesier.
Anna Fox, fairgoer from Brooklyn Park: It's... interesting. I think I'd rather just have a piece of pizza. The cheese-to-bread ratio is off.
Find it: on the east side of Cooper Street between Randall and Wright avenues, at Family Fair at Baldwin Park.
What is it: Pepperoni, sausage and pizza-flavored fried cheese curds in a crispy flour shell, topped with marinara sauce.
Our verdict: We love pizza. We love cheese curds. We love tacos. There ya go.
Jared: Yeah, that's super solid. Marinara and cheese curds are already a great match, so I'm super on board with this.
Joey: Oh, I like the sausage. I wasn't expecting it. This is like a crispy version of a good slice of pizza.
Find it: on the west side of Chambers Street between West Dan Patch and Carnes avenues
What is it: Slow-smoked pork collar caramelized with Hawaiian barbecue sauce, inspired by the flavors of traditional Hawaiian Kalua pork. Served with banana chips and Japanese quick-pickled cucumbers on the side.
Our verdict: Tender and delicious, but tone down the salt big-time.
Jess: That's pretty tasty. Too salty, but really flavorful. Why is there extra salt on top? The banana chips don't make sense; I could do without those.
John Autey, Pioneer Press photojournalist: They probably over-salt it so they can sell more beer!
Find it: located on the north side of West Dan Patch Avenue between Liggett and Chambers streets
What is it: Bites of breaded tofu, deep-fried and tossed in a tangy, spicy sauce. Served on bed of pineapple and napa cabbage slaw.
Our verdict: If you're a vegan/vegetarian at the Fair, run, don't walk.
Jess: That's really nice. Kind of a standard sweet-sour sauce, but if you're a vegan at the Fair, it's worth seeking out.
Joey: This would make being vegan a lot more pleasant.
Jared: I like how crispy they are. They've got a good kick, too. I'll stand up and say they're good even for the non-vegans among us, too.
What is it: White cheddar cheese curds coated in a funnel cake batter, deep-fried and topped with a scoop fresh lemon whipped cream. Finished with a berry sauce.
Our verdict: This was shockingly good and made a great breakfast.
Clare: This is so good. The whipped cream is so light and lemony. I could eat this whole thing.
Jared: That's very good, and a solid Fair breakfast. I was expecting it to be too sweet, but it's good.
Find it: at West End Market, south of the History & Heritage Center
What is it: Whipped feta topped with schug -- a Middle Eastern green sauce made with jalapenos, garlic, cilantro and parsley -- drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with crunchy toasted wild rice. Served with deep-fried pita bread.
Our verdict: This is a great snack for drinking. Good thing Dino's has a lot to choose from.
Jared: I love whipped feta! This rocks, and the cheese and schug balance each other out perfectly. The wild rice on top is clearly meant to give some crunch but honestly makes the dish worse. It's unpleasant.
Cathy Kaufman, Jared's mom: Ooh, that's nicely spicy!
Jess: Salty, but good salty. If you get a bite with the green business, it's really nice.
Joey: I like that the fried pita is crispy but isn't hard.
Find it: on the north side of Carnes Avenue between Nelson and Underwood streets
What is it: A blend of Somali beef suqaar (spiced beef, vegetables, cheese and herbs) piled on French fries, topped with white garlic sauce and green jalapeño hot sauce. (Only Aug. 21-26)
Our verdict: Watch out, Ball Park Cafe garlic fries -- a new bombshell has entered the villa.
Jess: I love the spices here. Yes, it's $15, but it could feed a family, so I'd call it a good value.
What is it: Tart green apple ice cream with swirls of sweet caramel -- flavored like a caramel apple lollipop.
What is it: A mixture of ground pork and shrimp combined with Hmong aromatics like lemongrass, ginger, garlic, shallots and Thai chilis, seasoned with fish sauce and spread on Texas toast and deep-fried. Served with apricot hot sauce.
Our verdict: Perfect. Chef Yia Vang knows how to do Hmong Fair food right.
Jess: An umami bomb in the best way. It's delicious. The toast is so buttery-crisp, and the shrimp and pork -- chef's kiss. This is just perfect.
Joey: Yeah, the pork is so good. I don't taste the shrimp as shrimp, but it definitely adds a good flavor.
Andrew Sims, friend of Jared and Stacie: It's light and crispy. The sauce adds a nice tangy touch, and it's cooked to perfection.
What is it: Limeade juice topped with cherry Dole Soft Serve, garnished with a lime slice and a cherry.
Our verdict: Tart and fruity and refreshing, perfect for a hot Fair day.
Clare: Ooh, refreshing! The cherry and lime complement each other really well.
Kathy Berdan, retired Pioneer Press arts editor: That's yummy.
Jess: I don't think there'll be any left of this. And that's real cherry flavor, which is good.
Jared: Perfect texture. The limeade softens the frozen whip stuff, so it cools you down really well.
Find it: on the northwest corner of Dan Patch Avenue and Underwood Street
What is it: Falafel, a traditional Middle Eastern fritter of chickpeas and herbs, pressed in a waffle iron and topped with tahini butter, cherry tomatoes, hummus, green shatta, mint and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.
Our verdict: 10/10, no notes.
Jess: Oh dang! Two thumbs all the way up. That's genius. It's whimsical, has freshness but still feels decadent and it's shareable.
Jared: BABA'S SUPREMACY! They can do no wrong. It definitely leans sweet (waffle) over savory (falafel) -- as in, it's not just falafel batter put into a waffle iron -- but oh man, this is amazing.
Clare: I want to eat this whole thing.
Joey: Once people find out how good this is, that line is going to be crazy-long for the rest of the Fair.
Sara K., fairgoer from Maple Grove: I love the tahini butter. I was worried it would be too much falafel, but it's a good ratio.
Find it: on the west side of Underwood Street between Lee and Randall avenues
What is it: Mozzarella cheese curds breaded with Italian seasoning and deep fried. Served over a bruschetta-flavored blend of tomatoes and basil and drizzled with balsamic glaze. Served with a side of crostini for scooping.
What is it: Freshly baked pie crust strips covered in cinnamon and sugar. Served with a side of whiskey-flavored caramel dipping sauce.
Our verdict: This feels like -- at best -- repurposing leftovers.
Clare: With the caramel, it kind of tastes like an apple pie. Smart way to reduce food waste.
Jared: Yeah, I'm all for that, but "reducing food waste" doesn't need to mean serving scraps for $10. This makes me really upset, actually, because there was clearly just no creativity put in here.
Stacie: I'd prefer a more fun sauce if this is what we get for dippers. It's supposed to be whiskey-flavored? Not in the world I'm living in.
What is it: Cannoli chips topped with a scoop of cannoli-flavored gelato. Finished with chocolate sauce, rainbow sprinkles and a cherry.
Our verdict: Turning cannolis into ice cream is a fun idea, but the bad cannoli chips sink the ship.
Jared: This doesn't really work as a deconstructed thing. It's kind of worse than just a regular cannoli would've been.
Clare: I guess it tastes sort of cannoli-ish.
Alyssa: I wish the crust pieces were flakier or crispier or something, and I wish it had something that had the texture of cannoli filling, not just the taste.
Jess: I don't think this is bad. The cannoli chips are pretty flavorless, but the ice cream itself is fine.
Find it: on the north side of Carnes Avenue between Nelson and Underwood streets
What is it: Marble sundae of butter brickle ice cream layered in a cup with a trio of mini Nadia Cupcakes -- creme brulee, loaded pistachio and chocolate bliss.
Jared: Keep it simple, stupid! Bridgeman's is so good at making ice cream, so this is just mind-boggling.
Clare: This looks like they just put a bakery's leftovers in a cup.
Stacie: I like Bridgeman's ice cream, so I'll only eat the ice cream. The rest of it is not good.
Find it: on the northeast corner of Judson Avenue and Liggett Street
What is it: Brewed black tea infused with dill pickle flavor and served with a dill pickle spear. Garnished with a rim of chamoy, Tajin, salt and dill.
Our verdict: Bad news. The flavors don't make sense together and it's too watered-down.
Jess: Well, it doesn't taste like bile, which is what I expected. I still don't like it, though.
Jared: No, no, no. I don't like it, but I can't figure out why. It just kind of gives nothing.
Joey: The pickle flavor isn't overpowering, but it's pretty watery. None of these flavors are really strong.
Find it: on the west side of Underwood Street between Lee and Randall avenues.
What is it: Beef bacon strips double breaded in tempura flour and fried. Served with a choice of two dipping sauces:Cashville hot, a brown sugar Nashville-style hot sauce and 24k Gold BBQ, a passion fruit gold barbecue sauce.
Our verdict: Sloppy execution makes this not worth it.
Jared: Nope. I was excited by beef bacon, but it's way too much breading for dinky little meat scraps. Plus that Nashville Hot sauce is just spicy with no other flavor.
Jess: I wish the bacon pieces were bigger. It's too hard to eat. Why could they not have just sliced the bacon in actual fry-shaped strips?
What is it: Cake batter cookie dough made from scratch and covered in a crunchy cake confetti shell. Topped with rainbow sprinkles and served on a stick.
Jess: That's weirdly waxy? Definitely overly sweet. I took the tiniest bite and I can't get the taste out of my mouth.
Jared: OK, I don't hate it when I take one small bite, but I cannot do more than that.
Joey: That's gross. It tastes like Play-Doh. Fun to play with, not to eat.
Alyssa: The frosting has an artificial-sweetener flavor that overpowers everything. And the cookie dough just tastes like any other cookie dough, so it's not that special.
Find it: on the south side of Dan Patch Avenue between Cooper and Cosgrove streets
What is it: Bison and bacon meatballs topped with bison gravy, quick-pickled cucumbers, crispy fried onions and sour cream.
Our verdict: Every aspect is so disappointing, especially for the mega-price. Unexpectedly to us, fairgoers seemed to like it, but our team universally hated it.
Jess: Those meatballs are so tough and not delicious. And this is not shareable at all.
Joey: The gravy is kind of just fine.
Jared: Yeah, the gravy is super overreduced and very salty. Those meatballs are actively quite bad. What happened, farmers?! This is the second year in a row that they've given us a big clunker.
Jenna Opp, fairgoer from St. Paul: It's pretty good! Reminds me of a leaner Swedish meatball sub.
Michael Johnson, fairgoer from St. Paul: I think it's outstanding. The sauce is like a gravy with a little more pizzazz, and the cucumber goes really well.
Find it: on the north side of Dan Patch Avenue between Cooper and Cosgrove streets
What is it: Smashed seasoned ground beef and gouda cheese grilled on a flour tortilla, served folded and dressed with caramelized onions, lettuce, pickles and homemade burger sauce
Jared: This makes me mad. It's impossible to eat and tastes terrible. This is a disservice to both burgers and quesadillas.
Find it: on the west side of Cooper Street between Dan Patch and Judson avenues, outside the southeast corner of the Food Building
Our verdict: Nothing about this dense, flavorless donut works. This is the second time in as many years that Fluffy's has delivered our most-hated new food.
Jess: The only good thing I can say is that at least it's not too sweet. I'm not getting much from the hot honey, and the donut is way too dense. I want it fluffy! The place is called Fluffy's! Come on!
What is it: Mini hot dogs nestled in sweet Hawaiian rolls paired with mocktail-inspired mustards
Our verdict: Kramarczuk's knows what they're doing, but Urban Growler's mustards don't make sense.
Jess: Yeah, that's a good hot dog. The cranberry-apple I don't love, it's weirdly sweet and I want it to be more mustard-y. The dill is good.
Jared: I like how snappy the dog is. I don't get in any way how these mustards are "cocktail-inspired," though.
Find it: at the North End, northwest section, across from the North End Event Center
What is it: Croissant pressed in a waffle iron and topped with fresh whipped sweet cream, a drizzle of fruit puree and a cloud of cotton candy. We ordered the yuzu meringue flavor.
Our verdict: Oh, that poor croissant. Not everything needs to be a waffle!
Jess: Don't squish a croissant. I don't need to eat much more of this. Cotton candy is pretty good though.
Joey: The croissant should be fluffier.
Jared: OK, I will say that the yuzu cotton candy might be the best cotton candy I've ever had. Such a good flavor.
Find it: north of Wright Avenue between Cooper and Cosgrove streets, at Family Fair at Baldwin Park.
What is it: What it sounds like.
Our verdict: We wish it were what it sounded like. Maybe it would be good then.
Our verdict: Good by Herbivorous Butcher-at-the-Fair standards. Bad by normal standards.
Jess: This might be the best thing I've had from Herbivorous Butcher. That doesn't mean I like it, but it is a true statement.
Andrew Sims, friend of Jared and Stacie: It really does need that sauce, though. It can't stand alone.
Find it: in the Food Building, west section, south all
What is it: Seasoned shredded chicken rolled in corn tortillas and fried, served in a cup with milk tomatillo salsa, sour cream and crumbled cotija cheese.
Our verdict: A solid snack that's clearly well-made, if not as inventive as other new foods.
Clare: These are really good. I like that you can taste how good the tortillas are.
Jared: Heck yeah, that rocks. Perfect flavor, and the salsa verde is great.
Stacie: I thought this might be difficult to eat in this cup format, but it's not.
What is it: A rotisserie-baked Hungarian pastry shaped like a cone, filled with vanilla ice cream and choice Nutella or caramel spread and toppings.
Our verdict: We wanted to like this, but it was so deeply flawed top-to-bottom.
Jess: Poor construction. It should've been soft-serve, so it would actually fill the pastry.
Clare: Either less ice cream or a bigger cone. This does not make sense.
Jared: This stand does not appear to offer spoons, which is unbelievable. I also don't think the pastry is that good, so for $15, skip.
Stacie: Yeah, the sprinkles are the best part, which is saying something.
Alyssa: This is disappointing. A just-for-looks type of item. The dough was hard and not flavorful, and the cinnamon sugar on it didn't add enough.
Find it: on the north side of Judson Avenue between Clough and Nelson streets
What is it: Pimento cheese -- a blend of cheddar cheese, mayo and pimento peppers -- wrapped in puff pastry and deep-fried, served with a side of pepper jelly
Our verdict: Good fried cheese, but it's not satisfyingly pimento cheese as advertised.
Jared: I love the gooey, oozy texture. It's not savory like actual pimento cheese is, though, which is disappointing.
Jess: Are there even pimentos in here?
Andrew: It's fried cheese, classic Fair food. It's better without the sauce, though.
What is it: Cheesy garlic mashed potatoes folded into dumplings and deep-fried. Served with a side of Top the Tater.
Our verdict: The potato filling definitely has a strong garlic flavor that some of us loved, but the textures are a bit off.
Jared: Really good flavor, but the thicker wrapper is a little weird when it's deep-fried. From the promotional picture, I thought they'd be steamed dumplings, and I really wish that's actually what they were.
Jess: I've had better dumplings, which is sad since these are Saturday Dumpling Club, but I like the filling. I think it's tasty.
Our verdict: A fun twist on a classic, but we'd prefer they be a little more well-done.
Jared: Definitely a bit softer on the inside than I thought it would be, but it's really tasty and a good snack to walk around with.
Cathy: I really appreciate the amount of sauerkraut that's in the Reuben ones.
Alyssa: With a regular-sized tater tot, the crispy outside is the best part, so there's just too much "inside" with these.
Jess: A little salty.
Find it: on the west side of Liggett Street between Carnes and Judson avenues, outside the Horse Barn
What is it: Italian sausage, mozzarella, cream cheese and barbecue rub piped into three large manicotti shells, then wrapped in bacon. Cooked in a wood-fired smoker and served with a side of barbecue sauce.
Our verdict: Clever idea, imperfect execution -- and soggy bacon is inexcusable.
Jared: Those look... huh. I shouldn't say it in the paper.
Jess: I want the bacon to be crispy! And they shouldn't have coated them in barbecue sauce, too messy. Just let us dip.
Dave Du, fairgoer from La Crescent: This is excellent. The combination of bacon and pork and manicotti -- it's very rich but a good fusion.
Find it: on the southeast corner of Lee Avenue and Cooper Street at the North Woods
What is it: Chocolate mini donuts dusted with powdered sugar, drizzled with chocolate icing and topped with chocolate sprinkles and mini milk chocolate chips.
Our verdict: Ya can't put lipstick (loads of chocolate) on a pig (average-to-bad donuts)
Jess: It's moments when I have to eat this that I don't love this job. It's very sweet but not too dense, so it could be a lot worse, but it's just a chocolate donut. Why is this on the new foods list?
Jared: Are you getting a bit of a fryer-oil taste? That's not right.
Joey: If you love chocolate, this is for you. The chocolate rim gives it a nice look -- 10 out of 10 presentation, but not for eating.
Find it: on the east side of Underwood Street between Murphy and Lee avenues
What is it: Traditional Filipino fried spring rolls in fusion flavors.
Our verdict: A fun cultural bridge to classic Fair food with lots of potential.
Jess: Not overly sweet! Ube doesn't taste like much in general, but that's fine here. And it's pretty.
Jared: Yeah, that's nice. Solid fried Fair dessert. I disagree, though -- I think it's a bit sweeter than I'd personally prefer.
Joey: That shell is flaky, crunchy goodness.
Stacie: I like the ube part more than the banana part. It's kind of just a fried banana.
Find it: on the north side of Judson Avenue between Liggett and Clough streets
What is it: A 4-ounce hamburger patty with cheese, pickles and special sauce, sandwiched between two deep-fried peanut butter and grape jelly Uncrustables.
Our verdict: The most divisive dish of the day.
Jess: It's really greasy, but miles better than I thought it was going to be. Miles! The pickle helps cut the sweetness.
Clare: It's just too sweet and sticky. This is not what you want from a burger.
Joey: I think it's good! The peanut butter is nice and melty so it doesn't stick in your mouth.
Alyssa: There's a LOT going on, and I can't decide if I mean that in a good way or a bad way.
Our verdict: We love Urban Growler, which makes this all the more disappointing.
Jared: It tastes like straight olive brine -- not necessarily a bad thing, but this doesn't quite feel right. And the Bonspiel Blue is astringent, like when you leave a cucumber on the vine too long and it gets weird and bitter. There's something
Find it: at the North End, northwest section, across from the North End Event Center