All About Food

​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…

Read more...


​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…

Read more...


​Indigenous foodways gaining interest in Fargo-Moorhead

October 16th, 2024

By Rick Gion

rickgion@gmail.com

Photo by Rick Gion

The recent opening of Tee’s Tacos just off of 1st Avenue North on the edge of downtown Fargo is a continued sign of an emerging dining option in the metro. This Indigenous-owned restaurant is operated by Tanya “Tee” RedRoad. I’m going to make an educated guess and say it’s the first of its kind in Fargo-Moorhead. It’s also being welcomed by many.

Tee’s Tacos features items like fry bread tacos, Indigi bowls and desserts…

Read more...


​Local food nonprofits have huge impact in our region

September 18th, 2024

By Rick Gion

rickgion@gmail.com

The vibrant restaurant scene here in Fargo-Moorhead tends to garner much of the social media attention. Although the food buzz is usually about the hottest new restaurant or tasty product, there are also many food-related nonprofits that deserve recognition. This column aims to highlight and describe five of those organizations.

Farm in the Dell

The first one I’ll discuss is Farm in the Dell of the Red River Valley. This nonprofit operates and manages a…

Read more...


​Area Mexican dining options aplenty

August 14th, 2024

By Rick Gion

rickgion@gmail.com

The recent fire at Mango’s Mexican and American Grill on Main Avenue in Fargo has left a void in the local food scene. But don’t fret, my friends. There are plenty of Mexican restaurants in the area to choose from. Counting the large restaurants and all the small taquerias, there are now close to 20. Adding food trucks into the mix, and it’s possibly over 25.

Even with the vast amounts of spicy eating options now in the area, those who live and work…

Read more...


Screw politics, let’s talk about bacon

August 3rd, 2024

By Jim Fuglie

jimfuglie920@gmail.com

I’m writing this on the day after the Fourth of July, so I’m thinking patriotic thoughts. But none of those thoughts envision Donald Trump serving a second term as president of the United States, or Douglas Burgum being the first North Dakotan to lose a race for vice president of the United States. I suppose one of those things could happen. But not both. So I won’t write about that.

I could write about the North Dakota primary election just…

Read more...


ThaiKota goes to Thailand

June 19th, 2024

By Rick Gion and T.J. & Gina Edra

rickgion@gmail.com

T.J. and Gina Edra own ThaiKota, a favorite, flavorful hole-in-wall in downtown Fargo. In April, they made a trip to Thailand to pick up some special ingredients and explore even more about Thai cuisine. Read their interview below to learn about this recent trip and also about their delicious cuisine.

HPR: Hi there! Please tell HPR's readers a little about yourselves.

T.J. & Gina: Our names are T.J. Edra and Gina Edra. We are the…

Read more...


​The 2024 Downtown Fargo Burger Royale

May 16th, 2024

By Rick Gion and Dan Altenbernd

rgion@prairiepublic.org

HPR: Hi, Dan. Thank you for doing this interview. Please introduce yourself to HPR’s readers.

Dan Altenbernd: Hey there, I’m Dan. I’m with H2M Brand Haus. We’re a marketing agency located in lovely downtown Fargo. I’ve been working within marketing and advertising for over 25 years, and I’ve officed in downtown Fargo for over 20 years. I also sit on the Downtown Community Partnership board, so as you can imagine, I’m a…

Read more...


Ag and Food: Yesterday, Today but What About Tomorrow?

May 9th, 2024

By Madeline Luke

mzlnd@yahoo.com

“When I was growing up in the 1940s in rural Missouri, we had a local food system. Most of what we ate was grown, hunted, fished, or foraged on our farm. Most of the rest was grown and processed within about 50 miles of our farm. There were local meat processors and locker plants, dairy processing plants, fruit and vegetable canneries, and even local flour mills. Coffee, tea, spices, some canned and packaged foods, and occasional bananas and oranges came…

Read more...


Local pie scene is prolific

April 18th, 2024

By Rick Gion

rickgion@gmail.com

Ever since Pi Day on March 14 of this year, I’ve been on a pie-eating program. And although the shape of Fargo-Moorhead is not round, pie is definitely an easy to find and an enjoyable dessert option here.

As you know by now, when I get chewing on a particular food topic, it turns into an obsession and a food tour ensues. You’ve probably come to expect that with these columns. This subject of pie proved to be no different. The adage “pie makes all…

Read more...


Tracker Pixel for Entry 7Clans Tracker Pixel for Entry Blackbird

Recently in:

By Bryce Vincent HaugenFor the first nine months, the dysfunction of the Trump administration and Congress was a four-time-zone-away abstraction for a Moorhead native living in Alaska’s interior. But it became all too real when…

By Michael M. Millermichael.miller@ndsu.edu I would like to recognize some of the scholarly Germans from Russia from Canada and USA shared on the GRHC website. There are additional names not included here. If you have suggestions…

December 17-21, 7:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. matinees on Saturday and SundayThe Fargo Theatre, 314 N. Broadway, FargoCould this be the end of an era? After 26 years of doing the Holiday Soul Tour and 35 years together as a band, The…

By Sabrina Hornungsabina@hpr1.com I scroll through comment threads on the news stories in my social media feed and come across the retort, “You voted for this.” Sure the vote’s in…but when someone’s livelihood is at stake,…

By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comDemocrats have MAGA, MAHA, MAWF, and Trumplicans to fight My favorite analyst of things religious and political is Finton O’Toole who uses plain English, curses, temper, and knowledge to make a…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…

By Mandy Dolneymandy@ksbsyndicate.com This cake will be on the menu at Nova Eatery through Thanksgiving served with maple crème anglaise Ice cream. It uses pumpkin pie pumpkins grown locally at Ladybug Acres and local apples grown…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com Dakotah Faye is a hip-hop artist from Minot, North Dakota, and he’s had a busy year. He’s released two albums. This summer he opened for Tech N9ne in Sturgis and will be opening for Bone…

By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.com Japanese director Hikari, born in Osaka and originally named Mitsuyo Miyazaki, is poised for a significant stateside breakthrough with “Rental Family,” the new film she co-wrote with…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com Gallery 4 downtown recently celebrated its 50 year anniversary, making it one of the longest consecutively running galleries in the country. With different membership tiers, there are 17 primary…

Press release“Shakespeare with a sharpened edge.” To launch its 2025 – 2026 season, Theatre NDSU is thrilled to team up with Moorhead-based organization Theatre B to perform a co-production of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and…

By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…

sBy Ellie Liveranieli.liverani.ra@gmail.com The holidays are supposed to be magical: party, presents, fancy food, lights and sparks. You are looking forward to it. You work very hard, you put in long hours at work as well as at…

By Alicia Underlee NelsonProtests against President Trump’s policies and the cuts made by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are planned across North Dakota and western Minnesota Friday, April 4 and…

By Vern Thompsonvern.thompson.nd7@gmail.comPersonal background and historical perspective My deep concern about tariffs stems from my background as a fourth generation North Dakota farmer. Having lived through the 1980s farm crisis…