6 new foods worth trying at a Timberwolves game

The Timberwolves’ first home game is Saturday night, and Target Center has a menu of new concessions to welcome fans to the arena for the 2024-2025 season.

David Fhima, the chef behind Fhima’s Minneapolis and Maison Margaux, returns as executive chef overseeing the culinary lineup with Levy Restaurants, a job that had him calling on friends in the industry to contribute to the menu.

Saturday Dumpling Co. and Pizzeria Lola each have new offerings, plus Parlour returns with its famous burger and Soul Bowl adds a fiery new dish.

And the good stuff isn’t reserved just for the people in the fancy seats.

“Most of the newness is happening at the 100 and 200 levels,” Fhima said.

It’s been a multiyear process for Fhima to raise the stakes of what sports concessions can be. “This food community is strong,” he said. “Why should the stadium stay still?”

Here are six of the best bites we had at a recent media preview at Target Center.

We wish we had a scale to weight this monster, which is built from two huge chocolate cookies studded with marshmallow and graham cracker bits. The vanilla soft serve is hardened by a deep chill in the freezer, and rainbow sprinkles are a happy touch.

Frozen Spoon, stands 106 and 136, $11.99

Saturday Dumpling Co.’s brick-and-mortar restaurant is coming very soon (this December, proprietor Peter Bian told us), but if you want a preview of what they’ll be serving, you can find it here. Dumplings stuffed with their fragrant Chinese sausage are fried to a crisp and come with “southeast ranch” on the side.

Saturday Dumpling Co., Backcourt Club (not open to the public), $14.99

They don’t look like much more than pale dough blobs, but these squishy, buttery bites are a slam dunk of an arena snack. We loved the dill-dusted pickle knots, which came with a side of whipped pickle dip. The cinnamon and sugar knots with brown butter cream cheese dip harnessed the best of Cinnabon, smells and all. The garlic knots were salty, but the side of marinara mellowed them a bit.

Knots by Pizzeria Lola, stand 111, $11.99

This deep-fried puffy taco is silly in its scale (huge) and weight (obscene). But what’s not to love? The fillings — ground beef in taco seasoning, pico, neon cheese sauce — were on the bland side of things, but all familiar fun. There’s no way to eat this like an actual taco; instead, smash the shell and use it for DIY nachos.

Loon Lake Cantina Co., stand 133, $22.99

A croissant sandwich might not be your first craving at a basketball game, until you realize it has all the same elements as any burger: carbs, meat, cheese, creamy sauce. The béchamel turns this lunchbox staple into a gooey, comforting and very French sandwich.

Fhima’s, stand 126, $18.99

Gerard and Brittney Klass’s Soul Bowl is back for another season at Target Center, adding to its flavor-packed lineup with the intensely smoky chicken and chicken sausage jambalaya (front, right). Theirs is a sophisticated take on stadium food, giving you a whole meal in a bowl — no ketchup packets or pumps of cheese goop necessary.

Soul Bowl, stand 106, $18.99