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What's New Food

Fairgoers can vote on the top 3 new foods August 8-14 on the Iowa State Fair website or on the official Iowa State Fair App.

Top 3 Best New Food Finalists

BEST NEW FOOD TOP 3 FINALIST

Lobster Corn Dog – Destination Grille

A reimagined State Fair favorite! Each Lobster Corn Dog is prepared with a full North American lobster tail and pulled through scratch-made batter seasoned with cayenne pepper and salt. Then it’s hand-formed on a wooden skewer and lightly deep-fried to perfection. This gluten-free Destination Grilled signature is finished with a lemon aioli drizzle and topped with paprika, herbs and 24-month-aged Parmigiano Reggiano.

Lobster Corn Dog

BEST NEW FOOD TOP 3 FINALIST

Iowa Sm‘Oak’ed Roll – Whatcha Smokin? BBQ

We’re bringing the New Fair Food FEVER with a smoked pork tenderloin stuffed with jasmine rice, jalapeno creamed corn, smoked poblano queso and Giddy Up Texas taco sauce, and finished with poblano ranch, Giddy Up, green onion and smoked sesame seeds. Roll out!

Iowa Sm'Oak'ed Roll

BEST NEW FOOD TOP 3 FINALIST

Bacon Cheeseburger Eggroll – Winn & Sara’s Kitchen

The Bacon Cheeseburger Eggroll from Winn & Sara’s Kitchen is the Iowa State Fair’s MUST-HAVE new item for 2024! It is a fusion between American and Asian-inspired cuisine. This delectable creation features a rich and flavorful blend of our deliciously seasoned ground beef, perfectly cooked smoky bacon, fresh and tangy pickles and a melty rich cheese filling, all wrapped in a crispy golden brown pastry eggroll, and then drizzled with Winn and Sara’s house-made burger sauce! Each bite offers a symphony of savory flavors from American and Asian cuisine that will transport your taste buds to burger paradise! Satisfy your cravings with this mouthwatering delight that promises to be a highlight of your Fair experience this year!

Bacon Cheeseburger Eggroll

Best New Food Event Semi Finalists

Deep-Fried Uncrustable PB & J The Bird's Nest

Picture this: A deep-fried uncrustable peanut butter and jelly sandwich but with an extra twist. Instead of the usual batter, this delightful creation is dipped in a luscious waffle batter. The waffle batter turns into a crispy, golden shell, and then we’ll add a dusting of powdered sugar and a drizzle of honey on top. As you take a bite, you’ll be greeted with the delightful combination of warm, gooey peanut butter, sweet jelly and the satisfying crunch of the waffle coating.

Deep-Fried Uncrustable PB&J

Piggy in a DonutBiscuit Bar

2024 will have a new twist on the Iowa State Fair corn dog tradition. Piggy in a Donut is a specialty item of the Biscuit Bar, and it will be the new Iowa State Fair food on-a-stick that everyone will want to try! Fairgoers will enjoy indulging in this sausage on-a-stick, which is dipped in mini batter, fried, rolled in sugar and then ready to enjoy with syrup! Alternatively, try our delicious top-secret sauce! Piggy in a Donut makes a great mobile breakfast, but this delicious treat is available from sunrise to sunset.

Piggy in a Donut

Tipsy Peach Bubbly Bar & Bistro

Indulge in the heavenly delight of the Tipsy Peach, a dessert that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving for more. Picture luscious, ripe peaches delicately sliced and elegantly placed atop a golden, crispy sugar pearl waffle. As you take a bite, the sweetness of the peaches dances on your tongue, perfectly complemented by the creamy richness of the lemon mascarpone. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, a sprig of fresh thyme adds a touch of aromatic herbiness, elevating this dessert to a whole new level of decadence.

Tipsy Peach

Dough-chos – Dough Crazy

Feast on this layer of waffle cone chips, topped with chocolate chip cookie dough and ice cream, with chocolate syrup, whipped cream, brownie and cheesecake bites.

Dough-chos

Cinnamon Crunch Apple Taco – Iowa Specialty Crop Growers Association

A cinnamon sugar tortilla hugs a scoop of velvety hand-dipped vanilla ice cream, complemented by a generous serving of homemade apple pie filling, rich with the essence of baked apples and spices. A drizzle of creamy caramel sauce adds a decadent touch, while a sprinkle of cinnamon toast crunch sugar brings a satisfying crunch and a hint of cinnamon flavor.

Cinnamon Crunch Apple Taco

Funnel Cake Burger – Jada’s Concessions

A funnel cake burger with two smaller funnel cakes as the buns, sprinkled with powdered sugar on top. Discover queso cheese sauce, bacon and a hamburger patty in between the funnel cakes.

Funnel Cake Burger

Party Balls – JR’s SouthPork Ranch

Introducing the newest sensation at the JR’s SouthPork Ranch – Party Balls! These potato chip- fried delights are crafted using the iconic Iowa favorite AE Party Dip, infused with the zesty trio of bell pepper, parsley and onion, transforming them into a delicious filling for the potato chip-fried balls. Each bite is a fusion of textures and tastes, reminding you of your favorite chips dipped generously in that irresistible party dip on a hot summer day.

Party Balls

Lemonade Donut Drops – The Snack Box

The only thing that could be better than our delicious lemonade shakeups and our homemade donuts is if we combined them, so we did just that. A refreshing lemonade-flavored donut, in convenient bite-sized pieces, shaken in sugar and served in a cup for easy snacking.

Lemonade Donut Drops

2024 New Food List

  • Apple Fries: Deep fried apples with caramel dipping sauce.
  • Bacon Brisket Smash Burger: Beef burger topped with bacon brisket mac, cheese, and cherry smokes bacon, drizzled with raspberry chipotle sauce, served on a cheddar-baked bun.
  • *Bacon Cheeseburger Egg Roll: Ground beef cooked with bacon and pickles with a cheese filling wrapped in a golden pastry eggroll drizzled with house made burger sauce.
  • Barbie Era Funnel Cake: Full-sized funnel cake topped with white chocolate and raspberry truffle glaze with heavy whipped cream, pink sprinkles and Barbie décor
  • Beer Belly Fries: Classic crispy fries topped with pork belly, Sam Adam's Beer Cheese Sauce and parsley.
  • BLT on a Stick: Bacon, lettuce and tomato on a stick with mayo dressing
  • Breakfast Sandwich
  • Brisket Burnt End Link: Smoky burnt end sausage link grilled to perfection and paired with tangy, crunchy, sweet pepper slaw.
  • Brunchy Burger: 1/3-lb. 100% Certified Angus beef patty topped with hardwood-smoked bacon and a fried egg on a brioche bun.
  • Butter Beer Ice Cream: Butterscotch and caramel infused vanilla ice cream topped with a chocolate wafer straw.
  • Calamari: Deep fried calamari served with marinara.
  • Candied Bacon Gnocchi
  • Cheeseburger Corn Dog: Ground beef and American cheese corndog, topped with special “Horseback sauce.”
  • Chicken Flautas
  • Chicken Mac Attack Bowl: Mac and cheese layered with breaded chicken bites and topped with bbq sauce and ranch dressing
  • Chicken Nest
  • Chopped Club Sandwich
  • *Cinnamon Crunch Apple Taco: Cinnamon sugar tortilla filled with vanilla ice cream and homemade apple pie filling.
  • Connecticut Style Lobster Roll: Warm lobster meat served on a toasted split-top bun with butter and thick cuts of meat from the tail and claw.
  • Cookies and Cream Ice Cream Nachos: Vanilla ice cream topped with crushed Oreos and drizzled with chocolate syrup with waffle cone chips.
  • Corn in a Cup
  • Crème Brulée Stuffed French Toast
  • Deep Fried Bubble Gum: Fluffy vanilla marshmallow bites dipped in bubble gum-infused funnel cake batter are deep fried and perfected with sweet, colorful drizzle.
  • Deep Fried Hot Cheetos Pretzel: Deep fried pretzel with jalapeno cheese sauce and crushed hot cheetos on top
  • *Deep Fried Uncrustable PB& J: Deep fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a waffle batter.
  • Deep Fried Pepperoni Chips: Served with choice of Sam Adam's Beer Cheese or Boom Boom Sauce for dipping.
  • DG Chicken Strips: Gluten-free crispy, white meat chicken served with house-made ranch
  • Disco Stick: Freeze-dried fruity roll stuffed with marshmallow strings rolled in tropical candies
  • *Dough-Chos: Waffle cone chips topped with chocolate chip cookie dough and ice cream with chocolate syrup, whipped cream, brownie and cheesecake bites.
  • Fabulous Fries
  • Fiesta Egglote: Three skewered hard-boiled eggs topped with jalapeno and freeze-dried corn and flaming hot tortilla chips.
  • Fire Cracker Shrimp
  • Flight Fry Bread: Crispy-edged soft centered bread served with butter, cinnamon sugar, honey, and salsa.
  • *Funnel Cake Burger: Hamburger patty topped with bacon and queso cheese sauce with two small funnel cake buns and powdered sugar sprinkled on top.
  • Garlic Ranch Pickle Pizza: Garlic crust topped with tangy dill pickles, drizzled with creamy ranch dressing.
  • Golden Fried Veggie Samosas: Deep fried pastry filled with veggies
  • Handheld Charcuterie
  • Hot Cheeto Float
  • Hot Chick Chicken: Fresh breaded chicken breast deep fried and dipped in our signature hot honey sauce. It is topped with crisp and tangy slaw, and served with creamy mayo.
  • Hot Mess Biscuit
  • Ice Cream Nachos
  • Iowa Street Corn Specialty Pizza
  • *Iowa Sm'oak'ed Roll: Smoked pork tenderloin stuffed with jasmine rice, jalapeno creamed corn, smoked poblano queso and Giddy Up Texas taco sauce, poblano ranch and smoked sesame seeds.
  • Italian Meat Ball Sub
  • Lamb Snack Sticks
  • *Lemonade Donut Drops: Lemonade-flavored donuts shaken in sugar.
  • Lil' L'roy’s Bites
  • *Lobster Corn Dog: Lobster tail pulled through batter seasoned with cayenne pepper and salt with lemon aioli drizzle.
  • Loose L'roy Sandwich: Smoked in-house fresh blend of loose meat served on a toasted bun with onions, pickles and our soon-to-be famous banana pepper sweet mustard sauce.
  • Louisiana Mac Bowl: Pepper jack mac and cheese topped with slow-roasted beef and Cajun shrimp.
  • Maple Bacon Bliss Sundae: Two scoops of maple bacon ice cream topped with waffle cone chips, bacon bits and maple syrup drizzle
  • Nachorito: Toasted soft shell tortilla layered with Fritos, lettuce beef or chicken, black olives, jalapeños, salsa and sour cream.
  • Not Your Daddy's Burger: Turkey burger topped with bacon mac and cheese, bbq sauce and jalapeno spread.
  • *Party Balls: AE party dip filling in potato chip fried balls.
  • PB&J Biscuit
  • Peanut Butter Pretzel Brownies
  • Pickle Pizza: Pickle pizza with ranch dressing and melted mozzarella cheese.
  • *Piggy in a Donut: Sausage on a stick dipped in mini donut batter, fried and rolled in cinnamon sugar.
  • Pink Lemonade Whoopie Pies
  • Pork Belly Corn Dog
  • Pork Belly Corndog Bites: Juicy pork belly bites are battered and deep fried to a golden brown, and served with choice of maple syrup or Mike's Hot Honey.
  • Porky’s Bloody Mary Buffet
  • Protein Bowl
  • Pulled Pork Smoked Snacks
  • Puppy Chow Waffle: Sugar pearl waffle topped with iconic puppy chow mix, drizzled with peanut butter and chocolate and finished with a dollop of whipped cream.
  • Ragin’ Raspberry Ravioli: Fried ricotta cheese ravioli topped with chipotle raspberry sauce
  • Raspberry Cheesecake Frozen Yogurt: Vanilla frozen yogurt infused with ribbons of raspberry puree and chunks of real cheesecake.
  • Salted Beef Bagel: Slow-cooked corned beef, perfectly seasoned and sliced thick, with a dollop of tangy mustard and the crunch of sweet pickle slices all nestled between a fresh bagel.
  • Shoot Tequila Funnel Cake: Traditional funnel cake dusted with powdered sugar infused with a tart & tangy tequila-flavored drizzle. Topped with limes.
  • Sriracha Pickle
  • Spicy Fever Beefburger: Seasoned loose meat beef burger topped with hot diced jalapenos, crispy jalapenos, onions and peppery jack cheese.
  • Standby Biscuit
  • Strawberries and Cream Waffle on a Stick: Strawberry shortcake cookie baked inside a Belgian waffle with whipped cream and strawberry sauce topping.
  • Sunrise Sugar Pearl Waffle Sandwich: Fried egg, cheddar cheese and choice of sausage patty or hardwood-smoked bacon inside a light and airy sugar pearl waffle.
  • The Big Daddy Burger: One-pound sandwich with smoked pulled pork roasted in Big Daddy’s Original Hot and Sweet sauce topped with house-made jalapeno honey peppered bacon and fried corn bread and sweet pickled mustard seed red onions with baked beans, coleslaw and a sweet potato pie spread on a buttery brioche bun.
  • The Illusion Ice Cream: Vanilla ice cream with raspberry topping and a cherry inside a chocolate ball.
  • The Party Biscuit: Scratch-made biscuit is topped with a scrambled egg patty, mac and cheese, thick cut bacon, and shredded cheese.
  • The Regular Biscuit
  • *Tipsy Peach: Crispy pear waffle topped with sliced peaches and lemon mascarpone.
  • Tornado: Candy topping blended in with chocolate or vanilla ice cream.
  • Two Foot Connecticut Style Lobster Roll
  • Two Foot Lobster Roll
  • Up In Smoke Snacks
  • Up on the Dill Fries: Classic crispy fries topped with house-made creamy garlic pickle ranch.
  • Walking Frito Pie
  • Walleye Fish Tacos: Flour tortilla filled with lemon pepper fried walleye with shredded purple cabbage, Pico de Gallo and chipotle sauce.
  • What's Your Wonton: Various types of flavored wontons paired with raspberry chipotle or sweet chili sauce.

*Denotes New Food semi finalist

Stay tuned for more new food descriptions! We'll be adding more information as it becomes available.

Best New Food Contest Winners

Past People’s Choice Award winners include:

  • 2013: Shrimp Corn Dog - Zag's Po Boys
  • 2014: Funnel Cake on a Stick - multiple vendors
  • 2015: The Rib Shack - Ultimate Bacon Brisket Bomb
  • 2016: Iowa Turkey Federation – Not Your Mamma’s Taco
  • 2017: Steer ‘N’ Stein – Pork Almighty
  • 2018: Applishus – Apple Eggroll
  • 2019: G Mig’s Wrap Stand – Georgie’s Roast with the Most Wrap
  • 2021: Cluckin’ Coop by the Iowa Egg Council/Iowa Poultry Association – Chicken Egg Salad with Fry Bread
  • 2022: The Rib Shack – The Finisher
  • 2023: What's Your Cheez - Deep-Fried Bacon Brisket Mac-n-Cheese Grilled Cheese