Every year, to get everyone excited and hungry for the State Fair of Texas, the Big Tex Choice Awards recognize the hard-working concessionaires who fry up tasty and unique foods for a chance to become a finalist in the annual Big Tex Choice Awards competition on August 21st at 2pm!
Updated August 2025
THE BIG TEX CHOICE AWARDS
A tradition since 2005, the Big Tex Choice Awards are given each year to the best foods at the State Fair of Texas! In true fair fashion, these include over-the-top dishes like fried beer, cotton candy tacos, bacon margaritas...the list goes on. The Fair picks ten finalists in three categories: sweet, savory, and drinks. Then, one winner from each category is selected! The best part?! You can try all the finalists at the State Fair of Texas starting September 22nd!
This year, there was a fun twist with the addition of the Sipper category! There’s also the Most Creative award, which any of the 15 can win!
SAVORY CATEGORY
Pictured: Vietnamese Crunch Dog
Brisket and Brew Stuffed Pretzels
A soft salted pretzel filled with smoked brisket and homemade beer cheese, served with spicy mustard or barbecue sauce.
Made by: Glen & Sherri Kusak
Crab & Mozzarella Arancini
Fried rice balls filled with Maryland Blue Crab meat, mozzarella cheese, spring onion, red bell pepper, lemon, and black pepper, served with marinara sauce.
Made by: Stefan T. Nedwetzky
Deep Fried Deli Tacos
A deli sandwich meets taco: pastrami, mashed potatoes, cheese, and chives, all tucked inside a tortilla, then fried, of course.
Made by: Brent & Juan Reaves
Vietnamese Crunch Dog
A fun take on a Vietnamese corn dog, consisting of meat coated in batter, panko, and bánh mì crumbs, then deep fried and topped with sriracha mayo and pickled vegetables. (Pictured)
Made by: The Le Family
Wagyu Bacon Cheeseburger Deviled Egg Sliders
A burger with fried deviled egg halves serving as a bun, with a Cajun-seasoned Wagyu patty, cheddar, bacon, and a unique ketchup-like sauce.
Made by: Kendall Williams
SWEET FINALISTS
Pictured: Tex's Toast a la Mode
Candy Lemon Sour Face
A sweet and sour treat consisting of lemon candies topped with more candy and citrus. Pucker up!
Made by: Chef Heather J. Perkins
Chill & Thrill Delight
Potentially the healthiest dish on this list: cantaloupe, grapes, mango, pineapple, strawberries, and watermelon are all soaked in watermelon and lime juice, then topped with mango sorbet shavings.
Made by: Tony & Terry Bednar
Dubai Chocolate Cheesecake
A layered dessert cup featuring melted Belgian chocolate, pistachio spread, kataifi, tahini, New York-style cheesecake, and toppings of chocolate drizzle, pistachio cream, and crushed pistachios.
Made by: Stephen El Gidi
Rousso’s Dubai Chocolate Funnel Cake Fries
From the creator of last year's famous Cotton Candy Bacon: Funnel cake strips get a Dubai chocolate twist, drizzled with Belgian chocolate, pistachio cream, and knafeh pastry.
Made by: Isaac & Joey Rousso
Tex’s Toast á la Mode
A warm French toast bake topped with Blue Bell vanilla ice cream, drizzled with caramel and maple syrup, and finished with a crunchy cinnamon cereal topping. (Pictured)
Made by: Michelle & Jayse Edwards
NEW SIPPER CATEGORY
Pictured: Hot Honeycomb Lemonade Shake Up
Coconut Quadruple
A whole fresh coconut filled with frozen coconut slushie and coconut soft-serve ice cream, topped with coconut flakes. How many times did we say coconut?!
Cookie Chaos Milkshake
Pretty much every kind of cookie in a milkshake: cookie butter ice cream blended with snickerdoodles and golden and classic Oreos, topped with whipped cream, cookie butter cookie dough, a Biscoff® cookie, and a cookie butter drizzle, with a Biscoff cookie rim.
Hot Honeycomb Lemonade Shake Up
A spicy take on classic fair lemonade, with hot honeycomb, fresh jalapeños, and a chamoy Tajin rim. (Pictured)
Dirty Red Bull® Tex-arita
A layered frozen marg with Watermelon and Blueberry Red Bull margarita layers, sweet cream liquor, Pop Rocks, blueberries, and watermelon.
Poppin’ Boba Rita
A lime margarita with mango and strawberry wine-infused boba pearls. Make it dirty with cold foam, coconut, and a Tajin rim!
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