Fall Flavors: Savor the Season Around Grand Forks!

As the days grow shorter and the weather gets cooler, people make space in their pantry and in their hearts for fall flavors, such as pumpkin, apple, cinnamon, and warm spices. Lucky for us, living in Grand Forks offers plenty of chances to savor the flavors of the season. Here is my invite to you: to slow down, gather around the table and enjoy the foods and drinks that make cooler weather feel a little warmer!

It’s soup season, y’all! Fall is the season for my favorite meals to make and serve: cozy bowls of soups. If you are making your own soups, be sure to grab a loaf of sourdough bread, or bread bowls, from one of our many bakers around town (think Bernie’s, Something Sweet, Bake My Day, and so much more) to go with your soup. And if you fancy for a Chicken Wild Rice soup, Hugo’s carries the best Minnesota-grown wild rice to add to your pot. But if the kitchen scares you away, no fret – Grand Forks has so many places for good soups! 

When talking about soup, I need to make a special feature for Knoephla soup. Being a North Dakota transplant, I didn’t know what Knoephla soup was, and let me tell you, I fell in love at first bite. Knoephla soup is a potato and dumplings soup with a creamy base made with chicken broth, a Midwestern comfort food classic. You can find several versions of Knoephla soup around Grand Forks. Darcy’s Cafe and Hugo’s soup bar carry the homemade, rustic version of Knoephla, with mainly potato and dumplings in your bowl. Bernie’s in East Grand Forks cooks up a more dressed up version, with the additions of chicken, carrots, celery, and a sprinkle of dill. Whichever version you choose to try, they are equally delicious and be sure to make an impression on cold North Dakota nights. (Side note: if you’re thinking ahead for Thanksgiving, Bernie’s also makes delicious take-and-bake sides and sweets… they should be in Bernie’s market freezer by the time you’re reading this article!)  

Fancy for a different flavor of soup? Hugo’s soup bar also carries a variety of different soups, made fresh everyday, and they are all delicious – my favorites are the Midwestern classics like Knoephla and chicken wild rice. Big credit to Hugo’s soups for carrying me through sick days with chicken noodle soup, and for being my sidekick on the days that I just want a little warmth in my bowl without spending hours cooking. Another fantastic spot for homemade soup is the Blue Moose in East Grand Forks. While they have an expansive menu of sandwiches, pastas and salads, their chicken tortilla soup deserves a note in your soup list. If you are enjoying some burgers or tender ribs from Speedway, make sure to get a cup of their tomato soup or their chili, too. Bonzer’s Pub in downtown Grand Forks also serves up delicious chili con carne from a family recipe. In a slightly different category, Kaizen in downtown Grand Forks offers warm, steaming bowls of ramen noodles soup, in all different flavors, from a creamy pork broth to a spicy Thai inspired broth – my recommendation is the Kaow Soi, with a curry based soup and topped with a fried chicken katsu.

Pumpkin may get most of the attention, but apple is another unmistakable flavor of fall. Think warm apple desserts, caramel apples and cider-inspired treats. These flavors pair particularly well with the crisp fall weather.

It is hard to miss the cute blue-and-white color storefront of Widman’s Chocolate in downtown Grand Forks. While they are famous for their chocolate dipped potato chips, also known as Chippers, the Chippers take a back seat in the fall as Widman’s caramel apples fill the shelves. Fresh apples, dipped in house made caramel and topped with delicious toppings, caramel apples are a popular treat of the fall. Don’t wait too long to try one, as they usually are sold out by the middle to end of October! 

DHI Sweet Street, a little bakery in conjunction with Development Homes Inc, offers a variety of baked goods, including donuts, cakes, bread, and rolls. DHI Sweet Street holds a special place in the hearts of our community as they embrace diversity and proudly employ bakers with and without disabilities, giving everyone a place to shine in the bakery. They are most famous for their donuts – find the Fried Cinnamon Roll or Apple Fritter in their donut case for a taste of fall – alongside cinnamon rolls and caramel rolls on the bread shelves. Come grab a treat from them as a great way to support local and help make a difference.

If you are feeling crafty, a trip to an apple orchard can turn an ordinary weekend into a full fall outing, and gives you the perfect excuse to bring home ingredients for your own apple crisp, pie or dessert. There are multiple apple orchards for picking within driving distance of Grand Forks, such as Oxbow Orchard in Grafton, and Orchard Glen Park in Fargo. Check the individual orchards’ websites for rules and opening hours. How fun is it to pick your own apples and make your own apple pie?  

If you’re heading to Fargo for a day at the apple orchard, make sure to stop by Sandy’s Donuts in downtown Fargo for a fall coffee and donut! A local favorite for 43 years, Sandy’s offers fresh donuts with trustworthy classics and fun seasonal flavors. Some fun fall flavors can include Apple Spice Old Fashioned, Caramel Apple Bismarck, and more. Pair it with a seasonal drink for a delicious fall breakfast treat! 

Not quite fall related, but it would be lacking if we talk about apples and not mention Cottonwood Cider House in Ayr, about 1.5 hours away from Grand Forks. It is home to the biggest apple orchard in North Dakota, an on-site cidery and restaurant, which often features an American-French brunch menu. They are open between May and October, so make sure to add them to your fall plans for a fall outing date!

While cinnamon and caramel rolls are year-long breakfast favorites, there is no doubt that a warm cinnamon roll, along with a warm cup of coffee, would make your chilly fall mornings so much sweeter. The Grand Forks area has so many options for a good roll and below are my picks!

For a classic breakfast, Darcy’s Cafe is a Grand Forks institution known for hearty breakfast and lunch offerings. They do offer cinnamon rolls, but if you come here, skip the rolls, please, and get a stack of cinnamon roll pancakes. They are what dreams are made of: fluffy giant pancakes with a hint of cinnamon flavor, topped with a glorious glaze and a dusting of powdered sugar. Best for sharing, but no judgements if you want to keep them all for yourself – they’re that delicious! Darcy’s is open everyday for breakfast and lunch until 2pm – check their Facebook for specials and announcements. 

Looking for a homemade batch made with love? 2026 has been a great year for Grand Forks cottage bakeries, as their bakery stands and garage doors open up with offerings of delicious homemade treats for the community to enjoy. Here are some of the bakers that I have tried out and can attest to! Cozy Rolls is a rising star in the Grand Forks home baker community. Her rise to fame are the classic cinnamon rolls, with pillowy rolls and a generous layer of cream cheese frosting on top. Another home baker with a great line-up of fall offerings is Gigi’s Sourdough Kitchen. Unlike Cozy Rolls, Gigi’s focuses more on sourdough breads, but she also offers cinnamon rolls, pumpkin rolls, apple pie bars, and more. Personally, I have tried the biscoff cinnamon rolls, and they are de-li-cious, with moist centers, delectable cinnamon sauce and cookie crumbles layered between each roll. And if you live on the Air Force Base, Dough Mama is your person: she makes flaky, scrumptious croissants, mini loaves and sourdough bread. Check out their Facebook pages for drops, flavor features and more!

When temperatures drop, a good coffee becomes more than a caffeine fix – it becomes part of the fall experience. The cooling weather is a great excuse to explore some of Grand Forks’ local coffee shops. Whether your ideal fall drink is a pumpkin latte, maple latte, chai or warm apple cider, there are plenty of places to warm up.

Downtown Grand Forks is truly a perfect place for a coffee crawl date or girl’s day in the fall, when the air is breezy and you want to hold a warm drink in your hands while browsing around and see what downtown has to offer. What is more fun than coffee shop-hopping and trying out a (couple) seasonal drink(s)? (Especially if they will be gone in a couple of months, right?) For a local coffeehouse atmosphere, Urban Stampede is a longtime downtown favorite, while The Ember Coffeehouse offers coffee, tea, baked goods and a cozy spot downtown for conversations. Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea, a smaller coffee shop chain, with two stores in downtown Grand Forks and on 47th Ave S, brings plenty of seasonal flavor to Grand Forks with limited-time drinks such as its Pumpkin Chai Latte and Spiced Caramel Apple. 

Across the Sorlie bridge, in East Grand Forks, are two more note-worthy stops to add to your coffee crawl: Bernie’s, and Bully Brew. Bully Brew is a fun and dynamic local coffee shop, with their own line of coffee beans and exciting fall menu items. They also have another location on S Washington Street in Grand Forks! And while Bernie’s is a local favorite for breakfast and lunch grubs, to me, their pastry counter is where they truly shine. If I have to pick, a beautifully flaky croissant or a slice of pumpkin bread and a cup of coffee with housemade syrup would be the perfect combo for a stroll back to downtown Grand Forks.

What if you want to venture outside of downtown? Be sure not to miss The Board Room on UND campus for more local creations. The Board Room also offers bingo nights, girls night out, and more events (check their Facebook page for latest events!), for a fun fall day activity. Meg-A-Latte on Columbia Rd can also be a cozy coffee stop during your shopping run, with seasonal offerings such as Apple Crisp Shaken Espresso and the Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll. Also check out Gracie’s Place on Demers Ave. You can pick up a book for your fall cozy reading and a coffee made with fun homemade syrup flavors such as french toast and cheerio.

As the breezy fall winds roll around and fall foliage colors the day with warm hues, Grand Forks cooks up some of the most delicious seasonal flavors. Whether you are warming up with a locally roasted latte from a downtown coffee house or cozying up with a bowl of soup, the food scene makes the crisp North Dakota chill easy to embrace. Before the full weight of winter sets in, take the time to step into your favorite local spot, pull up a chair, and savor every cozy bite and sip the Grand Cities have to offer this fall!