Grand Goodies: Famous Foods in Grand Forks Everyone Needs to Try

Growing up an hour from Grand Forks, there would always be a list of foods I needed to get whenever I visited. Now living here for almost four years, I can whole-heartedly say these are the epitome of Grand Forks foods for many others as well (and places I like to visit on a regular basis). You truly cannot say you’ve had the entire Grand Forks experience until you’ve tried each of these items.

Pickles are a big dill in Grand Forks. We have pickle pizza, pickle grilled cheese, pickle beer, and even chocolate covered pickles. However, I would argue that no one does pickles quite like the Toasted Frog. Their cheesy wonton-wrapped fried pickles are out of this world, and I have had friends who don’t like pickles agree with me. Paired with their siracha ranch, these pickles are an all-time fan favorite appetizer of many Grand Forks households.

Speaking of appetizers, I was a server at the Blue Moose Bar & Grill for two and a half years and if I had a dollar for every time someone raved about the Spinach Con Queso, I would have at least an extra 200 dollars in my pocket (I am not kidding). This healthier spin on warm queso dip is the perfect comfort appetizer on a cool winter day and the perfect sharable plate on a warm summer one. Served with chips or veggies (or both), this appetizer satisfies the taste buds of all.

There’s one Red Pepper in Fargo, but it truly does not taste the same eating it anywhere besides Grand Forks. With 3 locations in the city and hours ranging from 10am – 2:30am on the weekends, this place is the hot spot. The grinder, specifically, is the main attraction. It leaves the Red Pepper on University Ave with a line out the door at 1:30am. The grinder is basically a glorified sub-sandwich with the basic lettuce, meats and cheeses, but they add taco meat and their specialty red sauce and white sauce. The ingredients of their infamous white sauce remains unknown, but it truly makes the entire sandwich.

Bernie’s is one of those places I always bring friends and family to when they come to visit. This farm to table cafe celebrates Midwest flavors with everything from hotdish to cookie salad. The hot dish flavors rotate frequently and taste just like your grandma made them. They also have pastries that are house made daily with options like homemade Oreos, croissants, and the chocolate chipper cookie. If you’re not sure what a chipper is, keep reading!

Carol Widman is a genius. Carol Widman Candy Co. took arguably the best ingredients, potatoes and chocolate, and created the famous chipper, a chocolate covered potato chip. To anyone who hasn’t tried or heard of it, this may seem like an odd combination, but it is the perfect salty-sweet treat, and I have yet to meet anyone who does not like them. The chippers are perfect to gift and get, with options for everyone. They have milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, and peanut butter option (my personal favorite).

I recently bought a candle from Bath & Body Works at the Columbia Mall that smelt exactly like the cinnamon almonds at the Ralph Engelstad Arena, and let me tell you… I could basically hear Chelsea Dagger by The Fratellis. These warm sugary almonds are the Stanley Cup of concessions at the UND Hockey Games. You can find them at one of the concession stands and even pre-order them to gift to loved ones during the holiday season.

Whether you’ve lived in Grand Forks for years, just a couple, or are just passing through, these spots are places you will never tire of returning.