Updated: It's State Fair time at Twin Cities area restaurants

Mason Jar Kitchen & Bar

They call it the Great Eagan Get-Together here, and they are pulling out all the fair stops: hand-battered Spam fries with chipotle aioli; Pork Belly Trinity, with the fair-favorite prepared three ways, bourbon and brown sugar, maple and red chili, and honey and pepper; the Minnesota Snack Pack has fried chicken tenders, Spam fries and cheese curds with a trio of sauces; duck confit flatbread, with duck, wild rice, kale and mozzarella topped with sage oil; and the Farmstead Burger, topped with white cheddar, cheese curds and jalapeño-raspberry sauce.

1565 Cliff Road, Eagan, 651-340-7809, masonjar.kitchen

My Burger

A fan favorite has returned to the local burger chain through the State Fair. The State Fair Burger is a quarter-pound beef patty topped with Big Fat Bacon, cheese curds, fried pickles, My Burger special sauce and topped with a mini corn dog, all served with fries. Fun fact: The Abdo family, who owns My Burger, also runs the Big Fat Bacon stand at the fair.

Eight metro locations, find them at myburgerusa.com

Mara

Chef Gavin Kaysen's Mara at the Four Seasons is paying tribute to the Great Minnesota Get-Together with a brunch on Aug. 20. Kaysen and chef Thony Yang devised fair-themed dishes that include Chermoula Chicken and Waffles, Aleppo Honey Butter-Fried Cheese Curds, sweet corn with feta mousse and shawarma spice, a chicken shawarma "pronto pup," lamb skewers, wild rice falafel and honey-caramelized bacon with za'atar. On the sweet side, chef Eddy Dhenin is featuring three flavors of croffle beignets and gelato and ice cream in waffle cones. Cost is $65 per person; reservations available online.

245 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls., mararestaurantandbar.com

Eat Street Crossing

Through the run of the fair, the Twin Cities' newest food hall will be offering themed food and drink specials. The lineup hasn't been announced yet, but we have it on good authority (social media) that Bebe Zito's curd burger is back.

2819 Nicollet Av. S., Mpls., eatstreetcrossing.com

Duluth's Best Bread

Yes, State Fair celebrations include the entire state. At Duluth's Best Bread, you'll find "Sweet Michael's" cookie buckets, maple-cinnamon cold brew and beer cheese curd bread. Also making an appearance: cotton candy macarons, lemonade and more. Specials vary at each location, and are available from Aug. 22-27 and Aug. 29-Sept. 3; 6 a.m.-1 p.m. Tue.-Sat. and 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Sun. Quantities are limited, and items might sell out.

Two locations: 120 E. Superior St., Duluth; 2632 W. 3rd St., Duluth; duluthsbestbread.com

Potluck

The food hall at Rosedale Center has been celebrating the fair all month long. You have until Sept. 4 to enjoy these vendor specials:

Adam's Soul to Go has the Big Poppa, a pound of braised beef on a bun with fried onion straws and barbecue au jus ($24), and cheese ball roulette, with four macaroni and cheese balls — one made with ghost pepper cheese. B&E Featuring Sweets by Diane has three flavors of cheesecake waffle bowls, the Black and White, Paradise and Rainbow ($13). Black Coffee & Waffle Bar will serve up mini maple bacon waffles on a stick ($6) and flavored lemonades ($11). Get the French toast burger — breakfast sausage patty, French toast bun, bacon, berry jam, maple syrup and powdered sugar ($17) — at Burger Dive. It's all pickles at OG ZaZa, where the dill pickle pizza ($16) is all the rage. And Smack Shack is serving deep fried bacon mac and cheese fritters with butter-poached lobster claws and ranch ($22).

1595 Hwy. 36, Roseville, potluckmn.com

Hippo Pockets by Centro

The folks behind Centro and Everywhen Burger Bar also have Hippo Pockets. And while the tortilla-wrapped pockets could be a fair food as they stand, the new Pickle Pocket flavor, available Aug. 17, makes it a shoo-in. Loaded inside a tortilla are pastrami, dill cream cheese, pickled jalapeño, pickle slices and Pik-Nik stick potatoes. Available through the Hippo Pockets website and Centro's Nicollet Avenue location.

hippopockets.com; Centro, 2412 Nicollet Av. S., Mpls., centrompls.com

New Bohemia

The Golden Valley location has a mini corn dog basket ($11), pickle fries ($9), beer-battered cheese curds ($11), mini doughnuts ($7) and a giant Bavarian pretzel with pepper jack cheese ($18).

8040 Olson Hwy., Golden Valley, newbohemiausa.com

Charlie's Restaurant & Irish Pub

The restaurant at Stillwater's historic Water Street Inn is getting in on the fun with pickle fries ($14), cheese curds ($13) and Irish egg rolls, with corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese ($10).

436 Chestnut St. E., Stillwater, waterstreetinn.us

The Fair on 4

It's fair time year-round at the Fair on 4, where there's midway-like fun as well as fair fare. On the savory side there's corn dogs, cheese curds, pickle chips, burgers, pretzel knots, pizza and more; get your sweets with mini doughnuts, deep-fried Oreos and funnel cake fries.

402 E. Broadway, Mall of America, thefairon4.com