All About Food

Interview with Nichole’s Fine Pastry & Cafe

September 16th, 2025

By Rick Gion and Nichole Hensen

rickgion@gmail.com

The wait is finally over. Those who have visited Nichole’s Fine Pastry & Cafe lately know about the recent major additions and renovations that have taken place over the past several months. There have also been some delicious additions to the menus. Nichole Hensen, owner of Nichole’s Fine Pastry & Cafe, sat down with the High Plains Reader to tell us about the improvements to her popular bakery and restaurant.

HPR: Tell us about the…

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​F-M dining scene welcomes new Italian restaurants

August 19th, 2025

By Rick Gion

rickgion@gmail.com

There seems to be a renaissance in Italian restaurants in the Fargo-Moorhead metro area. It’s a welcome change from just sporting an Olive Garden as a lone option. No offense to Marilyn Hagerty’s favorite spot, but Olive Garden just doesn’t please a traveled palate. The two additional restaurants of celebration here now are Spaghetti Western and Ziti’s Italian American. Lately, time has been spent at both.

Spaghetti Western does take the top cannoli…

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​The 2025 Red River Market summer and fall event details

July 15th, 2025

By Rick Gion and Simone Wai

rickgion@gmail.com

The Red River Market returned to downtown Fargo on Saturday, July 12. The event will take place every Saturday except July 19. (That date will be moved to Sunday, July 20, due to the Downtown Fargo Street Fair.) Rick Gion asked Simone Wai, co-founder of Folkways, the non-profit placemaking organization that organizes the Red River Market, what’s in store for this season.

High Plains Reader: Please explain to readers a bit about this…

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​Seasonal summer eating

June 17th, 2025

By Rick Gion

rickgion@gmail.com

The weather warmed up quickly here in the upper Midwest this spring, sparking prime eating season. This means burger battles, food trucks and lake-season food travel.

The 2025 Downtown Fargo Burger Royale has been keeping me quite busy lately. This “battle of the beef” has both my heart and my stomach for the month of June. Eighteen restaurants are competing for this year’s coveted golden burger-tower trophy. Get a glimpse of this shiny metal meat…

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​Sweet treat destinations in Fargo-Moorhead and beyond

April 16th, 2025

By Rick Gion

rickgion@gmail.com

After a very inspiring conversation with Kayla Houchin of Sonder Bakehouse a few weeks ago, I decided that it’s an appropriate time to write a column about some of the sweet people who are involved in the sweet treat industry here.

This is a different culinary angle for me. Yes, I do have a sweet tooth, but the focus of these columns is usually about the savory side of life. Since the sugar industry is very robust here in the Red River Valley, it’s…

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Nova Eatery & Supper Club soon opening in former BernBaum’s location

March 26th, 2025

By Rick Gion

rickgion@gmail.com

Photos by Rick Gion

Living in downtown Fargo has its perks. One of them is taking walks along Broadway and peeking into the restaurants and shops for a glimpse of what’s new. Sometimes this makes a person both curious and hungry.

For a few weeks now, each stroll past the old BernBaum’s location at 402 N. Broadway has been an intriguing experience. Colorful wallpaper has been going up inside, new paint has been added to the walls, and dining room…

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​Food events help keep the winter blues away

March 15th, 2025

By Rick Gion

rickgion@gmail.com

The below zero temperatures endured this recent January and February were a motivator to find something fun and interesting to do to lift the spirits. (Insert blue, teeth-chattering emoji here.) To warm up, attending local food-featured events was just what the mental health doctor ordered.

Perhaps the most frequent winter food event with eating involved around here is the chili cookoff. There seems to be one of these spicy shindigs at a local drinking…

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​Food judging is both filling and fulfilling

February 19th, 2025

By Rick Gion

rickgion@gmail.com

As a food enthusiast, there’s nothing better than attending a local event featuring hotdish. And as far as hotdish events go, no place does it better than the fine folks at Brewhalla and Drekker Brewing Company. Fargo’s palace of cool warms up every year to host its annual Fargo Hotdish Festival.

The Fargo Hotdish Festival at Brewhalla is a world-class eating event. I should know, I’ve been a judge for two years in a row now. The event is definitely…

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​Optimistic about the 2025 F-M dining scene

January 15th, 2025

By Rick Gion

rickgion@gmail.com

So far in 2025, announcements for new restaurant openings in the metro far outnumber closings. This is good news going into the new year for us hungry folk. In my opinion, the positive trend will continue for a while. The state of the restaurant scene is strong.

The big news of Harry’s Steakhouse coming to West Fargo has my mouth watering. If you’ve visited the location in downtown Grand Forks, then you know what’s coming. The decor of the restaurant…

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​Comfort food is the cure for election stress

November 20th, 2024

By Rick Gion

rickgion@gmail.com

Photo by Rick Gion

To say the least, this election season was a doozy. Anxiety was high for many on both sides of the political aisle. To calm down and settle the nerves, a comforting meal is definitely in order. That’s why this month’s column will focus on a menu of classic comfort food destinations.

Since Fargo-Moorhead is considered peak Midwest by many, it’s only fitting that the area boasts some of the very best in comfort food offerings. Comfort…

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