Ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ first home game of 2025-2026 on Sunday, Target Center invited media to sample their best new foods that fans will be fueling up on as they cheer our team in hopes of another great season.
Timberwolves and Lynx executive chef David Fhima, in partnership with Levy Restaurants, continues to tap local names to bring culinary prowess to the stadium. “When you come to the arena, you’re going to feel the local Minnesota connection,” said Fhima, the chef/restaurateur known for Fhima’s Minneapolis, Maison Margaux, Mother Dough and the new Vagabondo.
While Anthony Edwards, Naz Reid, Jaden McDaniels and the rest of the crew take to the court, find us in the stands ordering up these feasts first. Here are the five best things we tried at the new foods preview.
The rasta pasta is one of the new Target Center foods from Soul Bowl for the 2025-2026 Timberwolves season. (Abby Sliva/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Those big flavors from chef Gerard Klass’ north Minneapolis restaurant are now front and center in every sports stadium in the metro area. Special to Target Center is this creamy, spicy mix of penne pasta and blackened chicken garnished with beef bacon. It’s a whole meal in an easy-to-eat-in-the-stands bowl.
Beer-battered carnitas with Chipotle BBQ are among the new food offerings at Target Center for the Timberwolves 2025-2026 season. (Nancy Ngo/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Genius idea: Take tender cooked pork, batter it like a Friday night fish fry and serve it up hot with chipotle-spiked barbecue sauce. Crispy, puffy and delicious, these are a one-bite meal with sauce for dunking. Just like we’re ready to see on the court — more dunks!
Note that the beer-battered carnitas rotate along with two other monthly specials (walleye nachos and pork belly bánh mi) that compete against each other based on sales, so it’s all about luck and timing.
Next Up Kitchen, section 126