Ten New Texas State Fair Foods You Have to Try in 2025

The Texas State Fair kicks off September 26 and runs through October 19. That’s three and a half weeks of games, rides, and enough fried food to make any cardiologist sigh very heavily and make you grin ear to ear. Once again, the fair’s mad scientist concessionaires have concocted dozens of new dishes, so after eating the obligatory corndog, turn your attention to the creative, over-the-top, and just plain wacky options gracing this year’s collective menu. 

Birria Ramen Bowl

First time fair purveyor, Mr. Ramen Fusion, is starting strong with this hybrid dish that merges birria tacos with ramen. Noodles are topped with slow-braised beef, melted Monterey Jack cheese, corn, cilantro, and onions, and it’s all swimming in a consommé made from the braising liquid. Now we need just a few merciful days of soup friendly weather.

Meat Lovers Crunch Wrap Calzone

This pizza-adjacent mashup channels Taco Bell and feels like The Dude’s checklist for combatting late-night munchies. A flour tortilla is loaded with shredded mozzarella, red sauce, and three types of meat — pepperoni, salami, and ground beef — before it’s folded into a calzone and fried. They’re not done yet. This snack gets an accompanying snack of its own: fried mozzarella bites served with a side of ranch and marinara.

Deep Fried Carbonara

Eataly knows its way around a carbonara. In this case, they’re taking pasta di Gragnano — a dried Italian pasta whose origin and production process is protected by the E.U. — and forming it into plump discs with guanciale, pecorino romano, and egg yolks. It seems simple enough, but then everything gets dipped in the fryer, of course, leaving you with hot, cheesy bites of carbonara you can eat on the go.

El Cono Loco

Another handheld pasta option, El Cono Loco is part Tex-Mex, part Italian. Creamy chicken spaghetti is laced with hatch green chiles, queso, and shredded Monterey Jack cheese and stuffed into a cone-shaped piece of fresh-baked garlic parmesan bread. Throw on some fresh pico de gallo, sour cream, and avocado, and it’s like you’re at the world’s first Franken-Chipotle.

Lobster Three Ways 

This year’s Lobster Lounge concession stand lives up to its name. Lobster Three Ways is a trio of crustacean-packed options piled onto one plate, so you don’t have to make any hard decisions. There’s a lobster roll slider, popcorn fried lobster bites, and creamy lobster mac and cheese. 

Cajun Stuffed Seashells

Get a taste of New Orleans with this shareable Cajun-inspired dish. Three jumbo pasta shells are loaded full of shrimp, andouille sausage, rice, cheese, cornbread stuffing, and a secret sauce. They’re fried until crispy and served alongside a Cajun alfredo dipping sauce.

Churro Cheesecake Jalapeño Popper 

Cheesecakes and jalapeño poppers may not seem like the most obvious teammates, but they’re combined here into a sweet and spicy package. Jalapeños are piped with rich cheesecake filling, doused in churro batter, and then deep-fried until golden brown. Each bite is finished with cinnamon-sugar dust and served with dulce de leche sauce. 

Decadent Dubai Chocolate Dream

Dubai chocolate is having an extended moment, and after Labubus and dubious wellness advice, it might be the most popular topic on social media right now. This version fills a 16-ounce, pistachio butter-rimmed cup with chocolate, fresh strawberries, two scoops of vanilla ice cream, and whipped cream. That’s just the start. The sundae-like treat is then topped with freeze-dried strawberries, pistachio floss, and a gold-dusted chocolate chip cookie that’s been stuffed with pistachio, marshmallow, and chocolate. Hit this one last. After this and the relentless sun, you’ll need a nap later. 

Cornbread Doughnut

This choose-your-own adventure doughnut starts as a mix of cornbread and classic cake batter. The rest is up to you. Get your doughnut topped with sweet cheesecake glaze or warm honey butter glaze, then add a savory element via your choice of jalapeños, cheese, and/or crispy bacon.

Frozen Pickleback

The cult favorite pickleback — whiskey followed by a pickle juice chaser — isn’t deep-fried, but it still gets the State Fair treatment. Sweet and sour pickle juice is served frozen in a Tajin-rimmed cup with a crunchy pickle garnish. The drink is non-alcoholic, but you can quickly remedy that by ordering your liquor of choice. Whiskey works, though vodka is a good option if you want the booze to take a backseat.