Meet the 84 new foods debuting at the Iowa State Fair in 2026

(This article was updated with descriptions of each of the dishes.)

The Iowa State Fair returns Aug. 13-23 filled with 11 days of big concerts on the Grandstand, huge animals, blue ribbons, sculpted butter cows and new foods.

To celebrate America’s 250th birthday, the fair features a patriotic “Fair Spirit” theme that includes a massive 250-flag display, a “Spirit of ’76” historical exhibit, nightly drone shows and special events.

Fans of eating food on a stick, giant turkey legs and Bauder’s ice cream treats can gird their diets for the 84 new dishes debuting at the 2026 Iowa State Fair.

What new foods are at the Iowa State Fair in 2026?

1776 Dubai Strawberries: Fresh strawberries topped with milk chocolate, pistachio crème and crunchy kataifi. (The Strawberry Station) ($19)

1776 Parmesan Ice Cream: Savory Parmesan ice cream with tart cherry and pound cake. (Bubbly) ($14)

Affogato: Espresso poured over ice cream; optional chocolate or caramel drizzle. (Biscuit Bar) ($8)

All-American Scrambled Egg Roll: Egg roll stuffed with bacon, sausage, hash browns, eggs and cheddar, finished with cheesy ranch. (Winn & Sara’s Kitchen) ($15)

Amaretto & Cake Batter Ice Cream Trio: Three ice creams loaded with cherries, cake bits and frosting chunks in a waffle bowl. (The Bird’s Nest) ($13)

America’s “Berry” Good Grilled Cheese: Brioche grilled cheese with blueberry cheddar, berry jams and candied pork belly. (What’s Your Cheez) ($16)

Banana Cream Fries: Funnel cake fries topped with banana pudding, bananas, whipped cream and wafers. (Taylor Concessions) ($8)

BBQ Pulled Pork Cheddar Corn Bread Waffle: Pulled pork over a cornbread waffle with corn, cheddar, jalapeño and barbecue sauce. (Old West Roadhouse BBQ) ($18)

Bedrock Twist: Deep‑fried pretzel glazed and topped with Frooty Pebbles. (Smith’s) ($9)

Belgian Chocolate Strawberries: Strawberries smothered in creamy Belgian chocolate. (The Strawberry Station) ($17)

Biscoff Cheesecake Funnel Cake: Funnel cake layered with cookie butter, crumbs and cream cheese icing. (McGrath’s Funnel Cakes) ($15)

Bison Burger: 100% bison patty. (Sleepy Bison Grill) ($13)

Bison Cheesesteak Slider: Marinated bison strips with onions and cheese on a hoagie. (Sleepy Bison Grill) ($11)

Bison Nachos: Ground bison with queso over tortilla chips. (Sleepy Bison Grill) ($14)

Burrata Bomb: Burrata with tomatoes and drizzle. (JR’s SouthPork Ranch) ($11)

Butter Dipped Ice Cream Cone: Vanilla soft serve dipped in warm buttery shell with flaky salt. (Coney Corner) ($6)

Butterfinger Ice Cream Bar” Chocolate‑dipped vanilla bar topped with Butterfinger pieces. (Dough Crazy) ($7)

Cajun Cluck ’N’ Chaos: Cajun chicken sloppy joe with slaw, spicy pickles, pickled egg and pickle cotton candy. (Cluckin’ Coop) ($14)

Candied Pork Belly Mac & Cheese Pizza Slice: Mac & cheese pizza with candied pork belly and sriracha corn glaze. (Wiseguys Woodfired Pizza) ($9)

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pecans: Roasted pecans topped with cheesecake bites and bourbon caramel. (The Nut Farm) ($10)

Caramel Apple Crumble Cinnamon Roll: Cinnamon roll topped with apples, caramel, crumble and icing. (Buni’s Cinnamon Rolls) ($14)

Caviar & Chicken Nuggets: Chicken nuggets with crème fraiche and caviar. (JR’s SouthPork Ranch) ($99)

Cinnamon Cloud Rolls: Fried sweet rolls dusted with cinnamon sugar and condensed milk. (The Snack Box) ($7)

Cinnamozza Kdog: Mozzarella corn dog rolled in butter, cinnamon sugar and cereal. (GoldenKDog) ($18)

Cluck Yeah Hush Puppies: Hush puppies with corn, bacon, jalapeños, cheese and egg. (Cluckin’ Coop) ($8)

Cowboy Candy: Sweet‑spicy breaded jalapeños. (Stockman’s Inn) ($5)

Deep-Fried Cookie Dough Pie: Fried cookie dough pie with ice cream. (Minneapple Pie) ($12)

Dough‑Noli: Cannoli shells filled with cookie dough. (Dough Crazy) ($10)

Dubai Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie: Chocolate‑strawberry smoothie. (Best Concessions) ($15)

Firecracker Churros: Churros with sweet‑spicy seasoning and apple butter dip. (Applishus) ($10)

Flamin’ Hot Cheetos Breakfast Burrito: Eggs, tots, sausage gravy and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos in a tortilla. (Burrito Bobo) ($16)

French Silk Cannoli: Cannoli filled with French silk chocolate. (Hagar’s Hoagies) ($4)

Fried Green Tomatoes: Cornmeal‑crusted green tomatoes; limited‑time item. (The Veggie‑Table) ($10)

Fried Saimin Noodles: Vegetarian fried noodles. (Kama’aina Grill) ($15)

Fried Saimin with Huli Chicken: Fried noodles with chicken. (Kama’aina Grill) ($17)

Fuego Bowl: Mango sorbet with pineapple, chamoy and tahin spoon. (Big Acai Bowls) ($13)

Garlic Dill Pickle Cheese Curds: Garlic‑dill mashup curds. (Brad & Harry’s Cheese Curds) ($9)

Garlic Parmesan Pretzel: Buttery pretzel coated in garlic and Parmesan. (Pretzels) ($13)

Hand-Rolled Pretzel: Salted pretzel with cheese or mustard. (Josephine’s Glazed Doughnuts) ($8)

Hawaiian Ricotta Ravioli: Ricotta ravioli with pineapple, coconut and mango. (Grater Taters) ($9)

Hd‑Smokin’ Cowboy Dog: Burnt‑ends beef sausage with jalapeños and sauce. (Smokey’s Grill) ($14)

Homestead Bites: Frybread strips topped with sausage gravy, bacon and maple. (Its Dough Time) ($15)

HoQ Crunchy Lamb Wrap: Deep‑fried naan stuffed with risotto, lamb and cheese. (HoQ) ($19)

Hot Honey Chicken Wrap: Chicken strips, slaw and hot honey in a wrap. (Chuckie’s) ($12)

Huli Chicken: Grilled chicken with huli sauce. (Kama’aina Grill) ($17)

Iowa Sweet Corn & Popcorn Sundae: Sweet corn soft serve with toffee corn, caramel and popcorn. (The Salad Bowl) ($10)

Italian Hand Pies: Fried hand pies with sausage, cheese and sauce. (Biscuit Bar) ($11)

Jalapeño White Cheddar Pretzel Dog: Pretzel dog topped with jalapeños. (Pretzels) ($14)

Kalua Pork: Served with rice and macaroni salad. (Kama’aina Grill) ($18)

Kama’aina Bento: Teriyaki beef, noodles, Spam and garlic chicken. (Kama’aina Grill) ($23)

Kama’aina Mix: Huli chicken, beef, noodles and pork. (Kama’aina Grill) ($23)

Kapu Poke Bowl: Ahi tuna with pork, tempura shrimp and shoyu poke. (Kama’aina Grill) ($23)

Liberty Shrimp Melt: French bread stuffed with shrimp Alfredo. (Po‑Boys) ($15)

Loaded Sausage Waffle Stick: Waffle wrapped around sausage, topped with gravy, bacon and cheese. (Waffle Chix) ($12)

Massive Mix: Huli chicken, beef, BBQ pork and Kalua pork. (Kama’aina Grill) ($23)

Mozza‑Tini: Gluten‑free mozzarella sticks with vodka sauce and ranch. (DG – Destination Grille) ($10)

Northshore Poke Bowl: Ahi tuna with pork and chicken. (Kama’aina Grill) ($23)

Oreo Overload Nachos: Waffle chips with ice cream, fudge and Oreos. (Dairy Zone LLC) ($10)

Pastrami Burger: Beef patty with pastrami and mustard‑barbecue sauce. (Cattlemen’s Beef Quarters) ($11.50)

Patriotic Molten Lava Celebration: Chocolate lava cake with raspberry, ice cream and sprinkles. (Bauder’s Ice Cream) ($12)

Patriotic Nachos: Waffle chips with vanilla ice cream and red‑blue sauces. (Dairy Zone LLC) ($10)

PB & J Corndog: Peanut‑butter batter corndog topped with jelly. (Double Bacon) ($10)

Pecan Caramel Apple Crumble Roll: Cinnamon roll with pecans, apples and caramel. (Buni’s Cinnamon Rolls) ($15)

Pete’s Southwest Salad: Protein choice with corn, beans, pico, cheese and dressings. (Jalapeno Pete’s) ($14)

Porky Parm Gnocchi: Gnocchi with sausage, Parmesan cream and pesto. (DG – Destination Grille) ($14)

Porky Pileup: Fries topped with pulled pork, mac, beans and bacon. (Stockman’s Inn) ($15)

Saigon Birria Pupusa: Pupusa with pho‑braised brisket and birria consommé. (Saigonais Cuisine) ($10)

Scotch Egg: Sausage‑wrapped fried egg on a stick. (Pioneer Wagon) ($12)

Shoyu Poke Bowl: Ahi tuna over rice. (Kama’aina Grill) ($18)

Spam Musubi: Glazed Spam over rice wrapped in nori. (Kama’aina Grill) ($5)

Spicy Italian Sausage Dog: Sausage with giardiniera and Parmesan. (Carl’s Gizmo) ($9)

Star Spangled Swine: Pork belly with apple‑chipotle rub and honey crystals. (Whatcha’ Smokin BBQ) ($15)

Star‑Spangled Frybread: Frybread with glaze and patriotic sprinkles. (Its Dough Time) ($12)

Strawberry Bliss: Shortbread, strawberry, meringue and milk chocolate. (Iowa Specialty Crop Growers Association) ($8)

Stuffed Tater Kegs: Loaded potato bites; breakfast or cheese options. (Tater Tod and Hot Doug’s) ($10)

Sweet Americana: Strawberry shortcake, lemon bar and blueberry crisp ice creams. (Over the Top) ($13)

Tanghulu: Candied fruit on a stick. (Bao Bao’s Tanghulu) ($12)

1776 Liberty Bowl: Sourdough bowl with cheese curds, fries, beef and gravy. (Blue Ribbon Bar & Eatery) ($15)

This Little Piggy Tornado: Vanilla ice cream with brownie chunks, cocoa cereal and fudge. (Dairy Zone LLC) ($12)

Ultimate Bacon‑Brisket Mac & Cheese Donut: Mac & cheese donut with brisket and BBQ glaze. (The Rib Shack) ($7)

Ultimate Minneapple Pie: Fried apple pie with ice cream and apple syrup. (Minneapple Pie) ($14)

Waimea Poke Bowl: Spicy poke, tempura shrimp and shoyu poke. (Kama’aina Grill) ($23)

Walkin’ Oreo Sundae: Oreo bag filled with soft‑serve and chocolate syrup. (Wonder Bars) ($9)

Zower Sour Tanghulu: Candied fruit dipped in sour powder and Nerds. (Bao Bao’s Tanghulu) ($14)

Previous Best New Foods at the Iowa State Fair

2013: Zag’s Po Boys — Shrimp Corn Dog

2014: Multiple vendors — Funnel Cake on a Stick

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

2024: Winn & Sara’s Kitchen — Bacon Cheeseburger Eggroll

2025: Winn & Sara’s Kitchen — Bacon Chicken Ranch Eggroll

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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: Meet the 84 new foods debuting at the Iowa State Fair in 2026

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

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By Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register | USA TODAY Network