Okay then… 8 food and drink spots to put on your Fargo itinerary
Downtown Fargo, North Dakota in the snow
During the first week of February 2025, Visit Fargo-Moorhead decided they’d host me for five days of eating and drinking my way around the North Dakota-Minnesota border. Puzzled and nervous about being beyond frigid, I asked if they were sure about that timing. They ensured me that life moves on in the winter and that I’d be okay. Plus, they had an annual Hot Dish Festival at a brewery for me to judge, and North Dakota would mean crossing off my 50th state to visit. Fargo, in fact, has a whole “saving the best for last” program for those who visit North Dakota to finish their 50-state bucket list! And as an added bonus, the food and drink did not disappoint. Here are 8 spots to put on your Fargo-Moorhead itinerary, in no particular order.
1) Drekker Brewing Company / Brewhalla
Drekker Brewing Company impressed me immensely. Brewing modern-style New England IPAs and adjunct sours, along with some classic lagers and stouts, the brewery could be successful in any city, and really surpassed my expectations for what I’d find in Fargo. A tour of the brewery allowed me to see the manufacturing operation and have a few pours at the tasting room. Attached to the brewery itself is Brewhalla, part food hall, part beer garden, part hotel and event space, Brewhalla is a sight to behold. It also played host to the Fargo Hotdish Festival, which I had the privilege to judge alongside some local radio personalities. I’m so glad I got my fill of hotdish, a casserole-esque one-baking-dish sort of meal that highlight home-cooking culture in this part of the country. These hotdishes, though, were put together by the who’s who of restaurant chefs in the area. The big winners: Wurst Beer Hall and Rosewild, both of which will be featured below.
2) Luna Fargo
Luna Fargo served as the location for my final meal in Fargo, and I’m glad I saved it for last. A concept from Chef Ryan Nitschke (two James Beard Best Chef Midwest nominations) and owner/wine curator Nikki Berglund (James Beard Outstanding Restauranteur nomination), the casual eatery with a proper wine, beer, and cocktail list along with a cheese case, was just the kind of joint I was hoping to find. The chive and cheddar popovers (left) got me off to a great start, then the chicken confit (middle) and beet salad (right) did the rest of the work.
3) Starbird Lounge
I love when I can find a good tiki bar on my travels. I’ve started documenting my cocktail adventures on their own Instagram account, @ducotiki, so make sure to give that a follow in addition to @jayducote and @jayducotetravel. Starbird Lounge in Moorhead, MN, across the river from downtown Fargo, featured a perfectly dimly lit interior with delicious tropical-themed cocktails. Outside it was the great white north, snowy and icy, with temperatures around zero F, but inside, these cocktails warmed me up like a hairdryer in a tropical oasis.
4) 701 Prairie Kitchen
701 Prairie Kitchen is a restaurant that I’m glad I was able to check out. I wanted a taste of local flavors, and I really feel like I got it here from Chef Avalon Hoff. I started with an old fashioned and hot honey cheese curds before moving on to the fire-grilled bison tenderloin which was beautifully lean and very flavorful. For dessert I tried a Scandinavian treat: rommegrot - a sour cream porridge with fresh berries.
5) Rosewild at the Jasper Hotel
I stayed at the Jasper Hotel during my trip. In the heart of downtown Fargo, the hotel provided a perfect base for my adventure. Even in the heart of winter, the downtown area was walkable and there were plenty of options to choose from around every corner. However, another great decision awaited me right there in the hotel lobby: Rosewild. The team at the Jasper, including GM Justin Clark, invited me to hang out one night for a cookbook signing at the restaurant. We had several people come by to see me and purchase one of my books, Jay Ducote’s Louisiana Outdoor Cooking. Throughout the evening, the culinary team threw pretty much the whole menu at me. I’m glad I had some help to put a dent in it! Some highlights include the Smoked Salmon Dip (top right), Dutch Baby (bottom right), Walleye (bottom left), and of course the 18oz Ribeye (top middle). I highly recommend staying at the Jasper Hotel and dining at Rosewild!
6) Nichole’s Fine Pastry
An absolute gem of Fargo is Nichole’s Fine Pastry. I walked there from my hotel one morning (complete with a slip on the ice and falling flat on my back) for breakfast and coffee, and got to meet up with Nichole and her partner, Joe. Nichole’s has a 2024 James Beard nomination for Outstanding Bakery, and a 2021 appearance on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, so I felt honored to be welcomed in. I ordered the pistachio filled croissant and a lovely quiche, both outstanding, then hung out for a while with great company.
7) Wurst Bier Hall
I actually visited the Wurst Bier Hall twice. Just a block away from the Jasper Fargo and open late, I went to Wurst upon my late day one arrival to Fargo and then went back after a tour of bars and breweries in Moorhead with no food. A German-style beer hall with large mugs of brews, assorted sausages for grub, and an always friendly bar staff, the Bier Hall was my kind of place. I tried smoked bratwurst banh mi style as well as an elk sausage with jalapeno and cheddar and topped with grilled peppers and onions.
8) Marge’s Diner
Finally on my list is Marge’s Diner. Directly across the street from the Jasper Hotel, Marge’s hit the spot for a hot breakfast on a cold and windy day. Known for brunch every day, the weekend brunch menu features a few extra special menu items like the above cinnamon roll french toast. A nice hot coffee and this meal filled me up, and I was ready to tackle the rest of my time in Fargo!
