Hungry for Hibbing

Donuts.  Fresh, delicious, glazed donuts in the case at Sunrise Bakery in Park Addition.  Mmmmmm. . .throw in an English toffee cookie and a fried apple pie and I am in baked good heaven.  Anyone there with me?

I ask because the other night I was making my casual rounds for keeping up on Hibbing in the social media world and I came across a post in Hibbing Trivia and Lore by a Hibbing ex-pat talking about longing for Sunrise glazed donuts and other Hibbing food-delights.  Of course this post sparked a flurry of comments branching off to a popcorn wagon and the current state of the bakery business, but it also meant that food was never far from my mind when thinking about Hibbing this past week.

Think about it.  Whether you’re celebrating or commiserating, getting ready to leave or returning home, food seems to be a consistent and defining element of these experiences.  Recently when I was a resident of Florida, I remember planning my limited trips back home to Hibbing.  First priority were the people I was going to see, coming in a close second was where and what I would be eating—because, quite frankly, they don’t have Bimbo’s pizza in Tallahassee and don’t even get me started on pasties.

I was clearly not alone in this experience as I noticed friends and acquaintances with Iron Range roots post to their Facebook profiles about having a Sammy’s pizza, or Rudi’s sub, or pancakes at Sportsmen’s during a trip home.  Of course comments would follow from those of us still far from The Range, usually along the lines of “ugh, jealous” or “Yum! My favorite!” or the ever hopeful “bring me back some!”

Now I am not going to launch into an extended lament about how people “never bring you back some” because I know it’s geographically ridiculous and when Rangers go home they have no obligation to feed the rest of us starving ex-pats longing for a taste of home.  Although if you are a clever entrepreneur that wants to perfect the art of food shipping and start a large scale delivery business, I am not getting in your way.  


In the meantime, I’m cherishing the opportunities I have to return to Hibbing to see the people and places I love and eat some delicious food that I can’t get anywhere else.

What is your favorite Hibbing food or eatery?

Note: For the record, I have already planned my first trip back to the North Country since the great Iowa excursion.  It will include a stop at old favorite Zimmy’s, new-kid-in-town Old Mexico, and recent favorite Rhythm Deli whose paninis are fantabulous.