67 new foods, 36 new drinks: What to eat and drink at the Iowa State Fair

The Iowa State Fair returns from Aug. 7-17, and with it comes a feast of bold flavors, quirky creations, and Iowa-grown favorites. With more than 200 food vendors on the grounds, fairgoers can expect everything from deep-fried novelties to locally sourced dishes and refreshing new drinks.

Previous years brought buzzworthy items such as the grinder ball — a deep-fried sphere of sausage, cheese, and peppers — and other fan favorites like deep-fried bubblegum and funnel cake burgers, which have previously gone viral on social media.

This year’s lineup promises even more wild flavor combinations, many served on a stick for easy snacking.

Here’s your guide to the most exciting food and drink experiences at this year’s fair.

New and noteworthy foods at the Iowa State Fair

This year, the fair introduces 67 new dishes, adding to its already legendary lineup that includes more than 50 foods served on a stick. Among the savory newcomers are voodoo fries from Po-Boys, found on Rock Island Avenue, southwest of the Livestock Pavilion, and Flamin’ Hot Pickle Pizza from Leimon’s Pizzeria, with locations east of the Varied Industries Building, north of the triangle, and west of the Swine Barn.

For those with a sweet tooth, options include a s’mores ice cream sandwich from Dough Crazy on the outer perimeter of the Livestock Pavilion and a deep-fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich with Nutella from The Bird’s Nest in Pioneer Hall.

Food contests and culinary demos at the Iowa State Fair

Fairgoers can test their stomachs and skills in several food-related contests. At the Blue Ribbon Bar & Eatery on Grand Avenue, visitors can enter a daily calf fry eating contest at 1 p.m. Contestants have one minute to eat as many calf fries — also known as Rocky Mountain oysters — as possible. The winner receives a trophy helmet, and bragging rights.

On Aug. 8, the Elwell Family Food Center will host the annual Ugly Cakes contest. Past entries have included cakes shaped like spilled trash cans, human hearts, and couches topped with fingernail clippings. The judging begins after 1 p.m., and the results are always a crowd favorite.

For those who prefer to watch the pros, The Kitchen inside the Maytag Family Theatre Building, located on the Grand Concourse between the Iowa Department of Natural Resources building and the Barksdale’s State Fair Cookies building, offers daily cooking demonstrations at 1 p.m. These free presentations feature more than 25 Choose Iowa members and award-winning chefs preparing dishes with ingredients such as sweet corn, bison, edible flowers, and dill pickle lemonade. Choose Iowa, the statewide branding and marketing program administered by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, promotes food, beverages, and agricultural products that are grown, raised, or made in Iowa. See the entire lineup on the Choose Iowa Facebook page.

Iowa-made favorites and local vendors at the Iowa State Fair

The fair is a showcase for Iowa’s culinary heritage. At the Bud Tent on Grand Avenue, visitors can enjoy chicken spiedini on a stick for $12. This marinated, breaded, and charbroiled chicken dish was made famous by The Latin King, a landmark Italian restaurant in Des Moines.

One of the most iconic — and free — fair foods is the egg on a stick, offered by the Iowa Egg Council in the Agriculture Building. In 2023, volunteers handed out more than 170,000 eggs over the course of the fair.

Choose Iowa will also feature 30 vendors offering Iowa-grown, made, and raised products. Fairgoers can vote for their favorite Iowa ingredient-based dish through Aug. 13. Options include the Fairgrounds Fiesta Wonton from Cluckin’ Coop north of the Old Mill and west of the Animal Learning Center, the regular biscuit at Biscuit Bar on the Grand Concourse near the Varied Industries Building, and the Sweet Swine Stack Attack at Bubbly Bar & Bistro by Grandfather’s Farm. See the entire list at chooseiowa.com/iowa-state-fair.

Drinks, mocktails, and craft brews at the Iowa State Fair

The Iowa Craft Beer Tent, located at the corner of Logan Avenue and East 31st Street, will debut the Yield of Dreams corn lager. This new brew is a collaboration between Choose Iowa, Iowa Corn, the Iowa Brewers Guild, and Confluence Brewing Co.

For those seeking alcohol-free options, the fair offers a variety of creative mocktails. Highlights include the Iowa Sunset Drink with orange juice, grenadine, and Starry soda from Taylor Concessions, east of the Varied Industries Building; the Mulberry Spritzer Mocktail with mulberry syrup and lime from Blue Ribbon Bar & Eatery on the Grand Concourse; and the Pickle State Fair Lemonade with pickle juice and pickle slices from Campbell’s Corn Dogs and Lemonade on the southwest corner of the Conservation Building and the northeast corner of the Varied Industries Building on the Fairgrounds.

Cocktail lovers can try the State Fair Nerds Beer, which tastes like the colorful candy, at The Depot on the Grand Concourse, or the Yellowstone cocktail, made with grapefruit juice, lime, tajín, and honey, at Old West Roadhouse BBQ southwest of the Livestock Pavilion. Voting for the best cocktail and mocktail runs through Aug. 13. See all the contenders at iowastatefair.org/food/whats-new.

Pickle power: 16 ways to crunch and sip

If pickles are your thing, the Iowa State Fair has at least 16 ways to eat — or drink — them. From deep-fried to pizza-topped, pickles are popping up everywhere.

The most expensive dish at the Iowa State Fair

JR’s SouthPork Ranch on Rock Island Avenue is once again pushing culinary boundaries at the 2025 Iowa State Fair with what may be the most extravagant fair food ever — a decadent take on the lobster roll it made famous. This dish starts with a brioche roll painted in gold combined with duck fat, before it’s toasted on the griddle. A quarter pound of fresh Maine lobster fills the bun, that is then dressed in crème fraiche and topped with Hackleback caviar, a sprig of dill, and flakes of gold.

The price for the High Roller lobster roll? $100.But wait, there’s more extravagance waiting. Double that lobster roll and add a bottle of Dom Perignon for $600.

Culinary director Heith Sheeley and executive chef Sarah Strong-Tuttle hope to surpass last year’s sales of $225,000 in lobster rolls alone. Strong-Tuttle estimated they sold 300 of the two-foot versions in 2024, and it’s returning this year.

Farmers market and artisan goods at the Iowa State Fair

The Iowa State Fair Farmers Market runs daily through Aug. 16 from 4 to 7 p.m. near the Garden, behind Little Hands on the Farm and the Animal Learning Center. Up to 11 vendors will offer a variety of goods, including gluten-free baked items, goat milk bath products, Iowa sweet corn fudge, fresh produce, salsa, grass-fed beef, and handmade jewelry.

Get a list of vendors online at iowastatefair.org/participate/markets/farmers-market.

Family-friendly food fun

Families can visit the Kids Can Cook kitchen in the east room of the Maytag Family Theatre. Children ages 5 to 17 can participate in daily cooking classes led by chef Dianne Linderman, where they’ll learn to prepare simple, kid-friendly recipes. See the lineup at iowastatefair.org/entertainment/kids-can-cook-cooking-show.

Korean corn dogs arrive at the Iowa State Fair

Korean corn dogs make their way to the Iowa State Fair from GoldenKDog. The food truck based in Raleigh, North Carolina, serves a half-mozzarella, half-beef dog that’s rolled in homemade dough, covered in crinkle-cut French fries and panko, and deep-fried. A sweet chili sauce and spicy mayo are available. It’s $18 north of the Varied Industries Building.

The top 3 Best New Fair foods worth the hype

Several returning vendors are bringing back their award-winning dishes. Whatcha Smokin’ BBQ from Luther, Iowa, offers the Three Little Pigs for $13. This trio of ham balls includes one glazed with honey mustard and cornbread crumbles, one with a cherry soda glaze and maraschino cherries, and one with a vanilla glaze and powdered sugar.

Over the Top from Pleasant Hill returns with its Scotcheroo Shake for $12. This indulgent treat features peanut butter and butterscotch scotcheroo ice cream swirled with fudge and topped with whipped cream, caramel, chocolate drizzle, and a slice of scotcheroo.

Winn & Sara’s Kitchen, last year’s Best New Food winner, is back with a new twist on their eggroll magic. Their bacon chicken ranch eggroll sells for $15 and features chicken, bacon, and white cheddar cheese, all drizzled with their famous homemade ranch dressing. The restaurant, with locations in Indianola and Norwalk, won in 2024 with the cheeseburger eggroll. This is their second year at the fair, and you can find them on The Lawn by the Jacobson Building.

This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.

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Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: 67 new foods, 36 new drinks: What to eat and drink at the Iowa State Fair

Reporting by Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register

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