The State Fair of Texas is here, running September 25 through October 18! We always love going to the fair and trying all of the fried foods, and wow, this year there's an insane selection. More than 40 new foods are on the menu, from famous corny dogs to pretty much deep-fried everything, including four brand-new Big Tex Choice Award winners. Read about the best foods and drinks at the State Fair of Texas below.
Updated October 2026
Photo source: Bigtex website
BERRY ME IN MATCHA
The Most Creative winner of the 2026 Big Tex Choice Awards is a cheesecake lover's dream. A New York-style cheesecake gets dipped in Belgian white chocolate and rolled in crushed matcha cookies. It's finished with strawberry jam and a fresh strawberry slice. The creamy, crunchy, fruity bite comes from the same maker behind last year's Dubai Chocolate Cheesecake.
Made by: Stephen El Gidi
BURGER CHOP TATER TACOS
The Best Savory winner is a burger lover's wildest dream: a seared burger patty chopped up with sautéed onions and jalapeños, topped with melted mozzarella and American cheese. The taco shell is made of cheddar cheese tater tots, and it's finished with buffalo buttermilk ranch slaw, garlic parmesan buffalo sauce, and even more tots on top.
Made by: Tom Grace
CHAN'S SIGNATURE PHO BURGER
After fried pho made headlines, here comes the pho burger! A beef patty is infused with Vietnamese pho spices and topped with fresh herbs. It trades the usual ketchup and mustard for hoisin and sriracha.
Made by: Chan's Chicken on a Stick
Find it at: Coliseum Drive
CORN FLAKE SHAPPÉ
This 2026 sipper finalist is a milkshake-style drink that tastes like the milk at the bottom of your cereal bowl, in the best way. Toasted corn flakes are blended with dulce de leche, Texas pecan, and warm spices. It's topped with whipped cream, a corn flake crunch, strawberry crumble, and powdered sugar.
Made by: Milton & Gracie Whitley
DEEP FRIED BOURBON BANANA BREAD
Warm banana bread is rolled into balls, battered, and fried until crispy. The balls are drizzled with a bourbon brown sugar caramel sauce and dusted with powdered sugar. It's pure Southern comfort with a State Fair twist.
Made by: Eat Crispies
Find it at: Midway
DEEP FRIED RANCH
Yes, you read that right! These pocket-sized fried bites are stuffed with creamy ranch sauce, making them easy to snack on while you walk the fairgrounds. This one is for the ranch obsessed.
Made by: Tracy's Long Fries
Find it at: Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
DEEP FRIED THAI TEA TRES LECHES CAKE
Sponge cake gets soaked in French toast batter, coated in tempura, and fried until golden. Then it's pierced and soaked in a homemade Thai tea tres leches blend. It comes with vanilla bean whipped cream, fresh strawberries, and boba pearls on top. It's dessert, drink, and fair food in one.
Made by: Fusion BBQ & Wings
Find it at: Tower Building
DICKEL'S TEXAS TWO STEP TACOS
A 2026 savory finalist, this is a taco duo with a jalapeño in each. One has a fire-roasted jalapeño stuffed with pineapple pork sausage and mozzarella on a blue corn tortilla. The other has sliced brisket wrapped around a roasted jalapeño and served on a yellow corn tortilla with pickled red onion and barbecue sauce or habanero sauce.
Made by: Dickel's Smokehouse
DIRTY DR PEPPER DO-SI-DO FLOAT
This is a fizzy, frozen twist on the dirty soda trend. Ice-cold Dr Pepper gets a coconut drizzle and is topped with Dr Pepper Dippin' Dots, lime, whipped cream, and a Dr Pepper jellybean. It's served with a straw and a spoon, so you can sip and scoop.
Made by: The Funway's former log ride stand
Find it at: The Funway
FERNIE'S FROZEN ESPRESSO-TINI BAR
This 2026 sweet finalist is a boozy popsicle for coffee lovers. Cold-brew espresso is blended with Fernie's Funnel Cake Cream Cocktail, frozen on a stick, and drizzled with a crackly chocolate shell. It's the ultimate pick-me-up.
Made by: Christi Erpillo & Johnna McKee
FERNIE'S FUNNEL CAKES
You can't go wrong with a funnel cake! These are the quintessential State Fair food and capture the essence of fried food, since they're literally fried dough topped with powdered sugar. In our opinion, Fernie's are the best because they're always massive and the perfect combo of crispy and soft.
Made by: Fernie's Funnel Cake Factory
Find it at: Booths throughout the fairgrounds
FLAMIN' CRUNCH PIZZA
A savory finalist for anyone who loves Flamin' Hot Cheetos. Hand-tossed dough gets a jalapeño cheddar queso base and a blend of mozzarella and cheddar. After baking it's piled with Flamin' Hot Cheetos and dusted with more. It's drizzled with queso blanco and buffalo ranch, so bring napkins.
Made by: Tom Grace
FLETCHER'S CHOCOLATE CORNY DOG
The Best Sweet winner takes the most iconic fair food and turns it into dessert. Milk chocolate fudge is dipped in Fletcher's famous corny dog batter, fried until golden, and drizzled with vanilla icing. It's served with raspberry compote for a sweet twist.
Made by: Beck Fletcher
FLETCHER'S ORIGINAL CORNY DOGS
No trip to the fair is complete without one! It's arguably the most iconic State Fair food: a hot dog dipped in cornbread batter, deep-fried, and topped with mustard. You'll find it right by Big Tex, near the Cotton Bowl, and on the Midway. It's one of the new $10-or-less Every Day Values.
Made by: Fletcher's Corny Dogs
FRIED BROCCOLI
Yes, there are veggies at the State Fair! This tempura-battered broccoli is deep-fried and drizzled with a honey garlic sauce. It comes from a Big Tex Masterclass graduate and new vendor.
Made by: Thee Kitchen Beast
Find it at: Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
FRIED BUTTER CHICKEN
One of the Fair's newest vendors brings a fan favorite. Chicken potstickers are fried and tossed in a tomato butter chicken sauce, then served over aromatic basmati rice.
Made by: Naan Better
Find it at: Grand Ave.
FRIED GOBBLER ROLL
Think of this as a State Fair egg roll. It's stuffed with smoky chopped turkey leg meat, fire-roasted corn, sweet peppers, and cream cheese, then deep-fried. Choose a sweet-and-spicy honey hot sauce or a cool cilantro sauce for dipping.
Made by: Hans Mueller, Farm Pac, and Borracho Nacho Bar
Find it at: Nimitz Drive, Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., and Cotton Bowl Plaza
GOLDEN CRUNCH MELT
This savory finalist is a crispy, butter-grilled tortilla packed with marinated chicken pastor, fire-roasted peppers, and caramelized onions. It's finished with chipotle mayo, a three-cheese blend, and crispy potato strings, plus a smoky chipotle crema on top.
Made by: Tony & Terry Bednar
HOLY FLAN! BUÑUELOCO
This sweet finalist celebrates tradition with a twist. A warm, crispy buñuelo bowl is filled with creamy homemade arroz con leche and a scoop of cinnamon Blue Bell ice cream. The star is a deep-fried flan in a puff pastry shell, topped with whipped cream and caramel.
Made by: The Garza Family
LIMONATA FRESCA FLOAT
A refreshing sipper for hot Texas days! Sparkling Italian limonata meets fresh watermelon purée, then gets topped with a scoop of lemon sorbet and fresh mint, all in a lemon sugar-rimmed cup. It's 10 coupons.
Made by: Granny's and Foot Long Corn Dogs
Find it at: Coliseum area and Grand Ave.
LOADED LONE STAR RINGS
Three Texas favorites in one basket: crispy onion rings, spicy jalapeño popper filling, and smoky beef fajitas. They're served with local Texas pickles and Fernie's secret sauce.
Made by: Christi Erpillo & Johnna McKee of Winter Family Concessions
Find it at: The Dock on Nimitz Dr. and Fernie's Funnel Cake Factory on Grand Ave.
LOVE ME JAM SANDWICH
This one's fit for the King! Grilled Texas toast is stacked with melty peanut butter, homemade banana jam, thick-cut bacon, and a layer of crushed potato chips. It's a sweet, salty, crunchy sandwich that will have you all shook up.
Made by: Highland Park Soda Fountain
Find it at: Tower Building
NACHO WINGS
A savory finalist that can't decide between nachos, wings, or loaded fries, so it's all three. Crispy wings tossed in taco seasoning are smothered in nacho cheese and piled with cilantro, cotija, tomatoes, pickled onions, and jalapeños. They sit on a bed of fries and are drizzled with ranch.
Made by: Cody & Lauren Hays
SMOKED TURKEY LEG
It wouldn't be the fair without a giant turkey leg! One honking smoked turkey leg will be enough to hold you over for the whole trip, and you'll find booths all over Fair Park. Not feeling a full leg? This year there's also a Mini Smoked Turkey Leg, cured with the same spices as a holiday ham and available at both Hans Mueller stands on Nimitz Dr.
Made by: Hans Mueller (mini version by Yoakum Packing Co.)
SPICY CARBONARA RAMEN KOREAN CORN DOG
Korean corn dogs just got an upgrade! A classic Korean corn dog gets wrapped in crispy Buldak Carbonara ramen noodles, drizzled with carbonara sauce, and dusted with cheese powder. It's crunchy, savory, and spicy.
Made by: Korean Corn Dogs
Find it at: Coliseum area
TEXAS BRISKET PIEROGIES
Pierogies have made their way to Texas! Fried potato and cheese pierogies are topped with smoked brisket, a creamy lime sauce, pickled red onions, pickled Fresno peppers, and fresh cilantro.
Made by: Pierogizilla
Find it at: The Funway
THE NIECE
A savory, gooey grilled cheese brisket sandwich on French toast, with bacon and scallions. It's dusted with powdered sugar and drizzled with bourbon sauce, and it's the sweet-meets-savory combo you didn't know you needed.
Made by: Smith Spot BBQ
TRIPLE CHOCOLATE FLAUTAS
Crispy corn tortillas are stuffed with fudgy brownie, molten fudge, and melted chocolate chips. They're fried until golden and finished with whipped cream, chocolate drizzle, and sprinkles.
Made by: Palmer's Hot Chicken
Find it at: Midway
TWINKLE TWINKLE BRISKET STAR
Hollowed-out Twinkies are filled with a smoky mix of slow-smoked brisket, bacon, jalapeños, and cream cheese. They're battered, rolled in panko, and deep-fried, then finished with raspberry chipotle sauce, bacon crumbles, and fresh jalapeño slices. It's an undeniably Texas bite.
Made by: Smokey John's
Find it at: Cotton Bowl Plaza, Nimitz Drive, and The Funway
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