New Concessions Join The 2023 State Fair Of Texas Food Lineup

DALLAS – September 7, 2023 – The State Fair of Texas proudly announces that four brand new vendors, three new soft spaces, and seven new food stands will join the 2023 State Fair food lineup. They will offer new and unique foods and experiences for all at the most Texan place on Earth. The Fair prides itself on its hand-picked selection of vendors and concessionaires who bring in droves of fairgoers each year and keep them returning for more with their delicious foods. Enjoy the best eats the Lonestar state offers at the 2023 State Fair of Texas, themed “Explore the Midway.”

Let’s take a look at the new concessions that we are adding to the food lineup for the 2023 State Fair of Texas:

2023 New State Fair of Texas Vendors

EATALY

Located in Cotton Bowl Plaza

This nationwide phenomenon is opening its doors at the most Texan place on Earth for the first time! Eataly has strived to connect with the Dallas community by working with local chefs and retailers since it began operations here in December 2020. Since the Fair is the largest community event in the region, it made sense for Eataly to expand its eatery onto the fairgrounds! With a menu of authentic Italian food, Eataly wanted to create a special treat for the State Fair, a new twist on a classic: Fried Cacio e Pepe. Perfectly cooked pasta tossed with rich cacio e pepe sauce made with authentic Italian Pecorino Romano cheese and freshly ground black pepper. For a State Fair twist, it’s then deep fried to crispy perfection and topped with a sprinkle of Parmigiano Reggiano, served with a side of house-made marinara sauce. One of the most iconic Italian dishes, Fried Cacio e Pepe, gives a decadent classic a fried Fair touch.

Pound Cake Experts

Located in Tower Building

Sandy Duncan has made it her mission to make pound cake cool again, and she’s bringing that passion to the State Fair of Texas for the first time. Founded in 2017, Pound Cake Experts has become a community staple, traveling to local fairs and events across the metroplex and frequently selling out due to popular demand. Sandy creates over 50 flavors of delicious pound cakes and brings her ten best-sellers to the Fair, including the unique Red, White, & Blue Crumble. She crumbles a delightful medley of red velvet, blue velvet, and butter pound cake into bite-sized bits over a bed of soft serve. Be sure to try this melt-in-your-mouth treat!

Sandoitchi

Located in Tower Building

What do you get when you combine Japanese milk bread and unique, delicious ingredients? You get a Sandoitchi sando! The brainchild of a Michelin star chef and three friends with backgrounds in fashion, Sandoitchi is a pop-up concept that travels across the country serving innovative Japanese sandwiches known as “sandos.” A brand-new food to many, Sandoitchi hopes to spread the knowledge and presence of “sandos” across the country in a big way. One of their featured items is a Strawberry Cream Sando, layered with juicy strawberries and velvety Chantilly cream nestled between clouds of pillowy Japanese milk bread that eats more like a dessert than a sandwich. Try something new and stop by Sandoitchi’s concession stand this Fair season.

Stay Cheesy

Located in Tower Building

Since she was five years old, Cheyne Hickey has worked at her family’s legendary concession stand, Nevins, learning the ins and outs of being a restaurant vendor. In 2020, she opened her Lil Red food truck, serving gourmet sliders and fresh-cut French fries all over the metroplex. This year, she is debuting her concession stand, focusing on the classic grilled cheese and her upscale version of a crowd favorite. Her featured menu item is aptly named the Boujee Grilled Cheese. She layers it with a creamy brie spread, deli turkey, fresh arugula and green apple slices, Havarti cheese, and handmade cranberry mayo. Cheyne is excited to bring this refreshing new sandwich to the Fair this season.

2023 New State Fair of Texas Soft Spaces

Canosaur’s Cantina

Located at Leonhardt Lagoon

Even dinos need a rest from stomping around, and there’s no better place to rest than the Canosaur’s Cantina! Nestled within the Dinosaurs at the Lagoon exhibit, Canosaur’s Cantina is a prehistoric paradise where ancient creatures and delectable delights merge to create an unforgettable experience and relaxing atmosphere for fairgoers of all ages. The Cantina will have tasty food for those young and young at heart, with items ranging from tacos and quesadillas that will fill your belly to adult beverages that will quench your thirst. They will be offering drinks like La Pitfina, which is a blue wine-based drink, and La Barbie, a 24-ounce iced drink rimmed with cotton candy and cotton candy powder, Red Bull, watermelon lime soda, and vodka wine gummies.

Juicy’s Texas Tailgate

Located near the Texas Star Ferris Wheel

On any given day at the Fair, you may want to sit back, relax, and see how your favorite team is doing on the big screen, and there is no better place to watch the game than at Juicy’s Texas Tailgate! This new area was created as the ultimate sports fan destination with multiple large televisions, plenty of seating, and food options, so you can have your fill of Fair food and fun while watching the game. They will offer various foods ranging from the classic half-pound corndog to a substantial full slab of BBQ ribs! If you want a treat for you or the kiddos, they will also serve Fried Snickers, Fried Twinkies, and Fried S’mores.

Dickel’s Smokehouse

Located in Cotton Bowl Plaza near the Children’s Aquarium

Dickel’s Smokehouse has been a staple of the Fair for many years; it is on the corner of Cotton Bowl Plaza near the Lagoon and the Dallas Children’s Aquarium. This year, it returns as a newly redesigned soft space with increased lighting. Serving slow-cooked meats that will delight fairgoers of all ages, this area Dickel designed with a rustic charm, featuring circular bar seating options around trees. There will also be picnic tables for families to sit in the shade and try the traditional and modern BBQ from around the Lone Star State with a welcoming atmosphere that captures the essence of a conventional Texan smokehouse.

2023 New State Fair of Texas Food Stands

Borracho Nacho Bar

Located in Cotton Bowl Plaza

Step right up and get your Chicharron Loaded Nachos! Borracho Nacho Bar, an outdoor stand, will be making their State Fair debut this year. Their signature menu item is Build your Own Chicharron Nachos, which begin with fresh pork rinds fried to a golden, crispy crunch and seasoned with just the right amount of Cajun-style seasonings to ensure a mouthwatering kick. Next, add smoked beef fajita meat and top it with delectable freshly made queso. Make an explosion by finishing it off with the chicharron nachos with a whole serving of savory chopped beef barbecue. Your mouth will be celebrating this heavenly, spicy party.

The Cajun Cowboy

Located on First Ave.

If you’re looking for all things Cajun at the Fair this year, look no further than The Cajun Cowboy! This new stand’s first-ever featured menu item will be a Blooming Onion, a colossal onion battered in Cajun seasonings, deep-fried, and served with a delicious signature dipping sauce. Other menu items will include 2023 Big Tex Choice Awards Finalist Deep Fried Cheesy Crab Tater Bites, Deep Fried Boudin Balls, Deep Fried Bread Pudding, Pie Tin Shrimp, Authentic Muffaletta, and more.

East Meets West BBQ by Ferris Wheelers

Located on the Funway

East meets West at this new food stand that brings a twist on southern BBQ right to The State Fair of Texas. Brand new to the Fair, East Meets West BBQ will serve up BBQ Egg Rolls, TX Chili Potstickers, and Banana Pudding Mochi and debut their featured menu item, the Bao Bun Taco Trio. This trio brings the fluffy steamed bao bun to a meat-lovers paradise: one filled with fried chicken, another with pork belly burnt ends, and finally, a bao filled with chopped brisket. Try one, or try the whole trio!

Fryed

Located on the Funway

This new food stand will go BIG at the Fair this year with its five loaded potato styles. Fryed will reinvent how you enjoy your tater tots and French fries with their 2023 debut at the State Fair of Texas. Fryed’s feature menu item, the Big Texan, starts with either their signature fries or crispy tater tots. They then top it with Fryed’s famous hatch chili queso, Texas-smoked shredded brisket, and hickory smoked bacon pieces drizzled with their signature barbecue sauce. Along with the Big Texan, there are other styles to try, including buffalo chicken, Mexicano, and sweet potato s’mores! Fryed will also serve a gourmet third-pound cheeseburger, chicken strip baskets, and sweet potato waffle fries. All Fryed’s baskets are big enough to share so you can taste them all guilt-free!

Pineapple Dole Soft Serve®

Located at Leonhardt Lagoon

Explore the new Dinosaurs at the Lagoon exhibit and enjoy this classic sweet treat for those young and young at heart. The smooth, tropical pineapple treat is a fruit-flavored phenomenon that folks crave worldwide! Fans love this refreshing, creamy dessert with its unique, true-to-fruit taste.

Stiffler’s Steak Stop

Located on the Funway.

This new stand is the place to visit for all the steak lovers of the Fair! Introducing Stiffler’s Steak Stop, a food stand that can turn up the heat with their Jalapeño Margarita and juicy steaks. Stiffler’s Steak Stop will feature the Steak Bowl on its new menu. The bowl is made-to-order, with mouthwatering bites of prime sirloin steak, served in a bowl with your choice of homemade rustic mashed potatoes, wine-marinated mushrooms, sautéed onions, and bell peppers. You can top it off with a zesty chimichurri sauce, their homemade Cowboy Butter Sauce, or both. Step up to the grill and have it your way! While at the booth, try their Peach Bellini or the Jalapeño Margarita for that extra kick that compliments the Steak Bowl perfectly.

Texas Sopapilla Factory

Located in Cotton Bowl Plaza

What’s Texas without a good sopapilla? New to the Fair this year is the Texas Sopapilla Factory. Their feature item is the Strawberry Shortcake Sopapillas, which provide a fun State Fair of Texas twist on the classic strawberry shortcake. These sopapillas come coated in powdered sugar and topped with all the traditional strawberry fixins and more. Other sopapilla flavors this outdoor stand will be serving include this year’s Big Tex Choice Awards winner for Most Creative, Bourbon Banana Caramel Sopapillas, along with various other flavors like Chocolate Lovers and even Cinnamon Toast Crunch™.

If your stomach is growing and your tastebuds are watering, stay tuned for more food-related reveals as we approach the 2023 State Fair of Texas Opening Day. Join us at Fair Park from Friday, September 29, through Sunday, October 22, to experience all this deliciousness – and more, at the most Texan place on Earth.