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If you can’t make it out or just want the fair experience in a more chill atmosphere? Alternatives around the Metroplex give you a taste of the fair, ranging from high to lowbrow. Try them out because you can do better than a frozen corn dog from the supermarket for your fair-season treat.
Know of or serving a great State Fair special dish this season? Let us know. This post will continue to be updated with delicious bites.
Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer
Grab a fried PB&J sandwich during the fair at this new burger spot in Victory Park. And pair it with a small vanilla shake (small doesn’t mean all that small here) that’s topped with whipped cream, a cherry, and comes with a fair-style straw.
El Fenix
Try the chocolate caramel sopapilla at all this restaurant’s locations for a little taste of the fair.
Pure Milk and Honey
This ice cream shop created a over-the-top fair-style sundae that’s on offer for the season. It’s got churro soft serve and caramel popcorn, homemade Oreo crumbs, and fresh strawberries. It’s topped with a baked sugar doughnut, a mini churro, whipped cream, and a torched marshmallow.
Earnest Donuts
Get a sweet twist on the corny dog with this Lewisville spot’s very special doughnuts. It will be available until October 22.
Rodeo Goat
Swing by any of its locations around DFW and get the Big Tex Burger until October 17. It features a beef patty from 44 Farms, chicken fried mashed potato cake, bacon, a fried onion ring, and chorizo gravy for $13.
Meddlesome Moth
Head to this brewpub to try an array of State Fair inspired special plates. It will have the Piggyback Funnel Cake, a fried dough and powdered sugar topped with bacon lollipops and maple hollandaise. There’s also the Tex’s Blue Ribbon Feast, which features fried chicken, whipped sweet potatoes and marshmallow, cheddar mac and cheese, braised greens and cornbread for a whole meal that could double as Thanksgiving. And enjoy mini carnival corn dog dippers, fried oreo rodeo delight with ice cream and strawberry syrup, or bourbon burnt ends.
There are also cocktails served with cotton candy centric: the Fairground Fiesta, Lone Star Luau, and Ferris Wheel Mocha Martini — it’s all a little bit odd but if you need that fix, here it is.
Fletcher’s Corny Dogs
As always, Texans can get their corny dog fix from its food truck in Klyde Warren Park. It carries all the varieties: original, Bird Dog, jalapeno and cheese, veggie dog, Cheezy Pup, and the Make Mine Texan. The lines for Fletcher’s in the fair grounds can get out of hand, so cut through the noise and scratch the corny dog itch here.
Joy Macaroons
Get State Fair macaroons — that’s macaroons emblazoned with Big Tex’s face. Joy Macaroons created some special fair flavors for the season, including Texas sheet cake, caramel apple, cotton candy, maple bacon, candied pecan, and cherry pie. These are available to purchase online or in-stores.
Ricky’s Hot Chicken
So Ricky’s isn’t calling it fair food, but these Fruity Pebble waffles are about the most fair thing we’ve seen. Get them at the Plano and Arlington locations, with the promise that its coming to Richardson soon — maybe if we demand them, they’ll stay around all of fair season?
Scout
This spot in the Statler Hotel in Downtown has a full special menu for the fair. It includes a cornflake battered sausage on a stick (that’s fancy for corndog, right?), brisket sliders, Texas Twinkies (bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers), funnel cake fries, and deep fried Oreos.
Lucky’s Cafe
Grab the State Fair deal at this Oak Cliff diner. That’s two corn dogs with fries. And add on a Funnel Cake Beer from Texas Ale Project, which it will carry until October 22.
Another Round
Grab a cotton candy shot, which has whipped cream Smirnoff, citrus agave, and cotton candy, while you play a round of mini golf. Or go for a funnel cake ale, or just one giant pickle.
The Porch
Pop in and grab a “Fair Day Funnel Cake,” which is a classic funnel cake with “fair dust” (powdered sugar) plus a few extra flourishes that make it Porch-tastic.
Pete’s Dueling Piano
Pete’s is serving up a Cotton Candy Cosmopolitan made with a citrus vodka and cotton candy-infused simple syrup. Now that’s sweet.
Community Beer Co.
For the season, this brewery is offering Funnel Cake Ale — and adding on a strawberry flavor option as well. And there will be State Fair-themed menu items as well.
