It's no secret one of the big draws of the fair is all the delicious fried foods! The 2026 State Fair of Texas runs through October 18, but what happens during the off-season when you get a craving for fair food? We've rounded up local restaurants where you can find your State Fair faves any time of the year, including where to find some of the State Fair food vendors' brick-and-mortar locations!
Updated October 2026
Community Beer Co
Known for fun and unique beers year-round, Community Beer Company is the brewery behind Funnel Cake Ale, a fall tradition at the State Fair. This golden ale is brewed with malted wheat for a bready taste and infused with Madagascar vanilla beans to create funnel cake sweetness. It's served on tap at the Fair, garnished with powdered sugar. It's also canned and kegged for a limited run each fall, from about September through November. Head to their taproom for this delicious beer and many more!
West Dallas | Directions
Cris and John
It's no secret that the State Fair serves up some of the most unique fusion foods and flavors you can find. Cris and John has fusion food down to a science: their Vietnamese street food with a Mexican twist has quite the cult following all year round. The restaurant moved in July 2025 from its original Preston Oaks spot to a bigger space on Campbell Road in North Dallas. Check out their phorritos (pho wrapped in a burrito), ramen burritos, pho burgers, birria bao buns and more!
North Dallas | Directions
Drizzle Cheesecakes
No more waiting for the Fair! This Big Tex Choice Award winner took the "sweet" category in 2023 with its Biscoff Delight, and it opened its first storefront at Toyota Music Factory in January 2025. You'll find over-the-top, hand-dipped cheesecakes on a stick in flavors like Biscoff Delight, Hazelnut Deluxe, Peanut Butter Dreams, Strawberry Crunch and Sweet & Salty. Owner and two-time Olympic swimmer Stephen El Gidi also took home this year's Big Tex Choice Award for Most Creative with his Berry Me in Matcha.
Irving | Directions
Fletcher's Corny Dogs
A State Fair of Texas favorite since 1942, Fletcher's knows how to make delicious corny dogs! In fact, they sell more than 500,000 of them at the Fair each year. This year's Fletcher's Chocolate Corny Dog, filled with milk chocolate fudge, even won Best Taste – Sweet at the Big Tex Choice Awards. Menu highlights include the classic Original, the spicy Jalapeño and Cheese, and the gooey Cheesy Pup. Check out their truck year-round at Klyde Warren Park! You can even book it for a pop-up event, book one for catering, or have the corny dogs shipped directly to you!
Uptown
Funnel Cake Paradise
Funnel Cake Paradise is pretty much fair food paradise year round! Choose from 69 different delicious funnel cakes. Stick to a classic funnel cake topping like strawberries or chocolate, or get adventurous with flavors like key lime or red velvet! They even offer savory funnel cake flavors like pizza and chili cheese!
Southwest Dallas | Directions
Fried Daze
The name says it all: this menu of fried food will put you in a daze. This affordable and casual family-owned spot has been an Arlington staple for years. Their Fried Oreo Churro is one of their best sweet treats, but they also offer po' boys, baskets, grilled plates, pastas, and even boba tea! No matter what your fried food preferences are, they have something delicious for everyone.
Arlington
Martin House Brewing
If you're a fan of the more obscure beer flavors at the Fair, hop on over to Martin House! The Fort Worth brewery teamed up with Fletcher's on the Mustard Beer, which has been sold on draft at the Fair in recent years. They're no stranger to wild flavors, creating some wild brews year round like Best Maid Pickle Beer, Apple Pie Marshmallow Stout, and more. Find their beer at the taproom or several retailers across DFW.
Fort Worth | Directions
Me Enloteces
One of our favorite things to get at the Fair (or honestly anytime) is elote, and this adorable pink food stand has some of the best in town. Try creative takes like Flamin Hot Elote on a Cob, Ramen Elote, and even a Loaded Dorito Elote Tray! Wash it all down with an agua fresca and fresas con crema.
Bishop Arts District | Directions
Pizza Buzz
Pickle pizza has become a State Fair favorite, and the number one spot to find it in DFW is Pizza Buzz! Their Dill Pickle Pizza is topped with pickles, mozzarella cheese, garlic sauce, and a drizzle of homemade ranch dressing. Pickle lover or not, don't knock it 'til you try it!
Watauga | Directions
Sandoitchi
If you've seen these viral Japanese-style sandos at the Fair, you're in luck! Sandoitchi has a permanent home at the Joule in Downtown Dallas, serving up sweet and savory, fluffy sandwiches like you've never had before. Menu items rotate, but our favorites include the Egg Salad Sando, the Strawberry Cream Sando, and the Spicy Truffle Chicken Katsu Sando. They recently added Japanese-style doughnuts to the menu too! The 2026 State Fair menu includes their Matcha Parfait.
Downtown | Directions
Smokey John's Bar-B-Que
There's nothing more Texan than barbecue at the State Fair...or anywhere, anytime, for that matter. Smokey John's celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and has been a Fair fixture since the late '70s. Run by brothers Brent and Juan Reaves, the family-owned spot is the longest-standing Black-owned vendor at the Fair, and it was the first vendor to make its own house-cured pastrami for a deli booth in 2024. Whether you're craving turkey legs, brisket, fried catfish, or even loaded tater tots, Smokey John's has you covered. Their restaurant menu is a bit more tame than what they serve up at the Fair, but just as delicious!
Medical District | Directions
Truck Yard
This beer garden and adult playground has the same upbeat and fun atmosphere as the Fair, but year-round! Choose from dozens of food truck options with menus reminiscent of the Fair, like Philly Cheese Steaks or Philly Cheese Nachos. So, grab your friends for some brews, grub, and tunes!
Multiple locations | See locations
Tupps Brewery
For those with a sweet tooth, Tupps has Cotton Candy Beer! This blonde ale is a unique twist on a classic State Fair treat, designed to give you that top-of-the-Ferris-wheel feeling anywhere. Check out Tupps' rotating beer calendar for flavors like this beer and others!
McKinney | Directions
UnicornDog
Check out this bright yellow drive-thru in Irving for two Fair classics: corn dogs and funnel cake! If you're like many Texans and discovered the magic of Korean corn dogs at the Fair, you'll be delighted to find them here. Menu highlights include the cheddar dog, mozzarella on a stick, and chicken on a stick. Pair any of those with one of their pick-your-topping funnel cakes for the ultimate Fair experience!
Irving | Directions
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