Kansas State Fair Food 2026
One of my favorite things to do in this world is eat and try out unique, fun foods and there is no better place to accomplish both of those things than at the Kansas State Fair! The options are slightly overwhelming and I have yet to make it to every stand, BUT I have definitely found some gems over the years. Here is a look at my fair eating experience this year!
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NEW THINGS I TRIED THIS YEAR:
Richie’s Cheese Curd Tacos (new to the fair!)
Pickle
The Original (contains bratwurst) and the Boxchecker (chicken bacon ranch)
This new item to the fair is one I am saying probably had the most buzz surrounding it. The second I posted it on my socials I was getting all kinds of DMs asking “Where are the cheese curd tacos?!” Coming in at $10 a taco you definitely paid up to experience the novelty but I will say that I enjoyed my time with them. The Original was probably my favorite of the ones I tried, and while I wouldn’t deem them a must get every year, I DEFINITELY would eat them again!
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Guadalupe Cafe
This church about had me down on my knees praying for more. Their fried beef taco was absolutely delicious and the rice was easily some of the best rice I have ever had. My friend Ashley got the bean burrito with a side of rice giving them ratings of 8 and 8.5 out of 10 respectively. Her only critique was that the burrito would have been better with a little onion or hot sauce, but that it was on her for not adding it. Overall this is definitely a spot I will be returning to next year!
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Aloha Sugar Bombs - Smoke Stack BBQ (new to the fair)
Deep fried Hawaiian rolls skewered on a stick and coated in a mix of cinnamon sugar with a delicious frosting drizzle on top. I mean with a description like that there was no way I was not going to try them out! Unfortunately while the cinnamon sugar and outer drizzle gave the rolls a nice flavor, the inside, where lots of butter and oil sat in wait for its next victim, about did me in. I couldn’t take a bite without coughing and immediately needing a drink of water to help it all go down. Marvelous idea, but execution needs a little work I’m afraid.
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Apple Jaffle - Russell’s Australian Style Jaffle Sandwiches
The award for most slept on food at the Kansas State Fair immediately goes to these Jaffle sandwiches. I cannot believe it has taken me till this year to try what has easily become one of my top fair foods of all time. Excited to go back next year and try all the other flavors!
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Mango Float - L&L Visayan Express (new to the fair)
Mango is my all time favorite flavor and fruit so the second I heard this item was coming to the fair I knew I had to try it. It is a dessert featuring layers of cream, graham cracker crumbs, and bits of mango annnnnnd it was sadly a little bit of a let down. I definitely think it could have benefited from having more mango in it as well as finding a way to make it fresher. It had a slight freezer burnt ice cream taste to it that really took away from the whole dessert.
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Chamoy Pickle - Chamoy Pickle and Fruit Bowl Stand
This was a requested stop by my friend Erin whom this item was made for as she loves both pickles and chamoy! It is a dill pickle, stuffed with flamin’ hot Cheetos, wrapped in fruit by the foot, and then coated with chamoy and tajin. To me it looked….well….insane. It looks insane. BUT she really liked it and said it was something she would get again!
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Deep Fried Oreo Brownie - Waddle Wagon
There was no way on God’s green Earth that this could have been anything other than amazing. Whoever came up with this is a genius and they deserve a raise. The addition of the brownie took the deep fried Oreo concept and elevated it to levels I don’t think any other fried food can reach. Will 100000% get again. And again. And then maybe one more time just to be sure it is still perfect.
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Peachy Peach Smoothie - Dusek Concessions
A smoothie in a hollowed out pineapple seems to be a novelty I cannot pass up on. Mainly because I always forget how sticky and inconvenient it is to carry around a pineapple and a smoothie in a pineapple looks a lot more aesthetic than a smoothie in a cup. lol Anyway, my own silly choices aside, this was a pretty solid smoothie I would get again….in a cup and not a pineapple. Maybe. Probably. We’ll see.
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The Repeat Fair Food Offenders
Pronto Pup
THE corndog mascot of the Midwest. If you aren’t from here you might not get the hype, but this is definitely a staple at any festival or fair.
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Chunky Chet’s Cookies
No fair trip will ever go by without a visit to Chunky Chet’s. Yes the cookies are that good and no a bucket of 2 dozen is not too many.
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