A few years ago, I followed the life of a cheese curd, from milk on a dairy farm to fresh cheese in Ellsworth, Wis., to deep-fried glory at the Fair. On the Fairgrounds, though, there are plenty of cheesy options to choose from, so the question remains: Where can you find the Fairgrounds’ best curd?
Over the past week, I’ve rated all the Fair’s cheese curds and other fried cheese products on seven criteria: Saltiness. Acidity. Umami, or savoriness. Sweetness. Astringency, or the bitterness that can either be an unclean “fryer oil” taste or come from the cheese itself. Elasticity, or how stretchable and melty the cheese is. Batter Shatter, which refers to the fragility of the fried coating as it breaks apart between your teeth.
Scores for each quality are descriptive, not necessarily meaning “better” or “worse.” Lower scores, indicated by a shorter line ending closer to the center of the graph, signify a quality that was less intense or prominent, and higher scores, indicated by longer lines further from the center, signify more intensity or prominence.
As for my qualifications here: Aside from my reporting role at the Pioneer Press, where I do cover local cheese when I can, I’ve been a cheesemonger for more than eight years and have travelled the country and world — and the Minnesota State Fairgrounds — in search of the best cheese.
Within each division, entries are ranked from the least to most successful.
Division I: Traditional Cheese Curds
4. Curds (classic/unflavored) at Solem’s Cheese Curds and Mini Donuts
Cheese curds from Solem’s Cheese Curds & Mini Donuts are served at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 22, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
Tasting notes: These curds have a very thin batter, which certainly keeps the focus on the cheese but also lessens the satisfying shatter of crunching into them. The cheese also retains the firm squeakiness of a fresh curd, suggesting a shorter cook time. However, like everything else at this stand, these curds have a slight bitter astringency that may result from unclean frying oil.
Find it: on the east side of Underwood Street, between Murphy and Lee avenues
A graph shows food reporter and cheesemonger Jared Kaufman’s evaluation of cheese curds from Solem’s Cheese Curds and Mini Donuts on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
3. Curds (original) at Miller’s Flavored Cheese Curds
Original cheese curds from Miller’s Flavored Cheese Curds are served at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 22, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
Tasting notes: These curds are nicely cheesy and have a solid stretch, suggesting they were cooked appropriately. They’ve got a strong aroma and intense flavor, too, both of which are much appreciated. These are the saltiest of the traditional curds I evaluated. However, they’re also the greasiest, which both affects the eating experience and lends a slightly oily flavor.
Find it: on the east side of Nelson Street between Dan Patch and Carnes avenues, next to the Giant Slide
A graph shows food reporter and cheesemonger Jared Kaufman’s evaluation of original cheese curds from Miller’s Flavored Cheese Curds on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
2. Curds at The Big Cheese
Cheese curds from The Big Cheese are served at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 24, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
Tasting notes: These curds are very good. The flavor is intense, and the acidity and savory qualities of the cheese itself are well-balanced. The batter has a crunchy, blistered texture, suggesting a hotter frying temperature. Although they are somewhat oily to the touch, this does not appear to affect the flavor. These are, dare I say, nearly as good as The Mouth Trap.
Find it: on the west side of Liggett Street at Carnes Avenue, just south of the Mighty Midway
A graph shows food reporter and cheesemonger Jared Kaufman’s evaluation of cheese curds from The Big Cheese on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
1. Curds at The Mouth Trap
Cheese curds from The Mouth Trap are served at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 24, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
Tasting notes: The Fairgrounds’ best curd may come as no surprise to longtime Mouth Trap-lovers, but my data backs this up. They’re the most acidic and among the most savory of any Fair curd, which suggests a high-quality cheddar cheese, and they’re not overly salty. These curds are certainly the densest, too, with a nice balance between stretchiness and chew. The batter on these curds is also airy, which creates a satisfying shatter when you bite.
Find it: inside the Food Building
A graph shows food reporter and cheesemonger Jared Kaufman’s evaluation of cheese curds from The Mouth Trap on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
Division II: Non-Traditional Fried Cheese
5. Italian Motzza Frittas at Luigi Fries
Italian Motzza Frittas from Luigi Fries are served at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 22, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
Tasting Notes: Not unlike a triangular mozzarella stick, the Italian spices in the breading shine through more strongly than the cheese itself, which somewhat disappointingly does not actually fill the entire inside cavity. These are quite aromatic, though, and are served mouth-burningly hot.
Find it: north side of Carnes Avenue between Chambers and Nelson streets, across from the DNR Building
A graph shows food reporter and cheesemonger Jared Kaufman’s evaluation of Italian Motzza Frittas from Luigi Fries on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
4. Deep-Fried Halloumi Cheese at Holy Land
Deep-fried halloumi from Holy Land is served at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 24, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
Tasting Notes: Whereas pan-fried halloumi, a firm Mediterranean cheese, retains a squeakiness that’s familiar to Midwestern fresh-cheese-curd lovers, the deep-fried cheese here has a rough but creamy texture like ricotta, which does not strike me as honoring this cheese’s best qualities. The cheese itself is nicely savory, and it’s inside a wonton batter rather than dunked in liquid batter, which creates a little more resistance when you bite into it.
Find it: at the International Bazaar, southeast corner
A graph shows food reporter and cheesemonger Jared Kaufman’s evaluation of deep-fried halloumi from Holy Land on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
3. Caprese Curds at Lulu’s Public House
Caprese Curds from Lulu’s Public House are served at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 22, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
Tasting Notes: These mozzarella-filled curds have been a bit unpredictable. Upon tasting them again for this evaluation, I was pleased to find them much softer and more elastic than they had been on the Fair’s opening day. For this evaluation, the curds were well-salted and nicely acidic, a quality also boosted by the balsamic drizzle. The batter is not as crunchy as I think it should have been, though, and tends to break off of the cheese.
Find it: at West End Market, south of Schilling Amphitheater, west section
A graph shows food reporter and cheesemonger Jared Kaufman’s evaluation of Caprese Curds from Lulu’s Public House on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
2. Scorchin’ Ghost Pepper Cheese Bites at Lulu’s Public House
Scorchin’ Ghost Pepper Cheese Curds from Lulu’s Public House are served at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 22, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
Tasting Notes: These large, square curds are more creamy in texture than stretchy, but they have a very intense aroma and flavor. The spice, infused into the pepper cheese, is quite powerful and is a slow burn. These curds are not particularly salty nor acidic, but they do not need to be. An unexpected favorite.
Find it: at West End Market, south of Schilling Amphitheater, west section
A graph shows food reporter and cheesemonger Jared Kaufman’s evaluation of Scorchin’ Ghost Pepper Cheese Curds from Lulu’s Public House on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
1. Tirokroketes at Dino’s Gyros
Tirokroketes from Dino’s Gyros are served at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 22, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
Tasting Notes: This is a fun Greek twist on fried cheese, sitting somewhere between a cheese curd and breaded pimento cheese. They have a very soft and moderately stretchy interior, and though the breading is arguably a bit too thick, they’re tangy and delicious.
Find it: north side of Carnes Avenue between Nelson and Underwood streets
A graph shows food reporter and cheesemonger Jared Kaufman’s evaluation of Tirokroketes from Dino’s Gyros on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
Division III: Sweet Curds
2. Wine-Fried Brie at Minnesota Wine Country
Wine-Fried Brie from Minnesota Wine Country is served at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 24, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
Tasting Notes: These are closer to cheese-filled funnel cake bites than curds. The sweet batter contains red wine, hence the deep purple color, and is also a bit too sludgy, so it mutates during the frying process into unappetizing ridges and tendrils. I understand why brie would be a good cheese choice conceptually to pair with wine, and the silky texture is unique and pleasant, but the slight mushroomy flavor that makes traditional brie so good does not work well here. Plus, five for $13 is pretty pricey.
Find it: west side of Underwood Street between Carnes and Judson avenues
A graph shows food reporter and cheesemonger Jared Kaufman’s evaluation of Wine-Fried Brie from Minnesota Wine Country on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
1. Sweet Squeakers at The Blue Barn
Sweet Squeakers at the Blue Barn, a new food at the 2025 Minnesota State Fair. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
Tasting Notes: These white-cheddar curds are coated in a sweet funnel cake batter, though the texture of the exterior almost feels closer to a breaded product than a battered one. Still, it has a nice shatter. The cheese has a very slight acidity and moderate saltiness — able to stand up to the sweet batter when you eat the curds alone, but not overpowering when paired with the lemon-curd whip and tart berry sauce. (This evaluation focuses on the curds alone.)
Find it: at West End Market, south of the History & Heritage Center
A graph shows food reporter and cheesemonger Jared Kaufman’s evaluation of Sweet Squeakers from The Blue Barn on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
Division IV: Cheese On A Stick
2. Cheese On-A-Stick at Crutchees
Cheese on a stick from Crutchees is served at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 22, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
Tasting Notes: The American cheese inside this snack, which resembles a stubbier corn dog, has melted so significantly that much of it has soaked into the breading, causing me to feel like I’m just eating slightly cheesy fried dough. Not what I would prefer. The all-around flavor is also quite muted on all fronts, with the exception of a somewhat oily, bitter astringency from over-frying.
Find it: southeast corner of West Dan Patch Avenue and Liggett Street
A graph shows food reporter and cheesemonger Jared Kaufman’s evaluation of cheese-on-a-stick from Crutchees on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
1. Battered Deep-Fried Swiss Cheese On-A-Stick at Fresh Lemonade — Cheese On A Stick
Cheese on a stick from Fresh Lemonade—Cheese On A Stick is served at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 24, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
Tasting Notes: Quite similar conceptually to the other cheese-on-a-stick entry, but this product had a darker color, a more intact cheese interior and a stronger astringent undertone, suggesting a hot quick-and-dirty frying technique. Very low salt content and flavor intensity.
Find it: west side of Nelson Street between Dan Patch and Carnes avenues
A graph shows food reporter and cheesemonger Jared Kaufman’s evaluation of cheese on a stick from Fresh Lemonade—Cheese On A Stick on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
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