Taste of the fair: Indiana State Fair announces food lineup

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana State Fair unveiled its 2025 Taste of the Fair lineup, featuring 40 entries ranging from sweet to savory.

Fairgoers can vote for their favorite entry at any Prairie Farms Information Booth throughout the fair, Aug. 1-17, or by scanning the QR codes displayed at participating concession stands.

The top three fan-favorite vendors will receive cash prizes of $2,500, $1,000 and $500, respectively.

A detailed map of all food booths and featured items will be available at information booths across the fairgrounds and online at www.indianastatefair.com.

• All Vegan Indianapolis Philly by Black Leaf Vegan Food Truck. Hoosier flavor, Philly soul and plant-based power. Introducing the All-Vegan Indianapolis Philly — stacked with grilled delicious plant-based meat, sautéed peppers and onions, and smothered in a creamy “cheez” sauce, all on a toasted hoagie.

• Bacon Honeybun Burger by McWaters Concessions. Fresh angus burger resting between grilled honeybuns, topped with bacon, cheese and your choice of garden toppings.

• Bacon Wrapped BBQ Chicken on a Stick by R.E. Smith Food and Drink. Fresh chicken tender, hand dipped in batter. Wrapped with delicious bacon and brush with Sweet Baby Ray’s barbecue sauce topped with a cherry tomato. Served on a stick.

• BBQ Machos by Nitro Hog BBQ. Tortilla chips topped with creamy mac and cheese, smoky pulled pork and cheese sauce. Swing by Nitro Hog BBQ at Lot421 in front of the Coliseum. Extra barbecue sauce is available if you want to sauce it up.

• Blue Cotton Candy Margarita by Urick Concessions. A fun, vibrant cocktail that combines the tangy flavor of a classic margarita with the sweet, whimsical taste of cotton candy. Made with tequila, blue Curaçao, lime juice, and a touch of real cotton candy for garnish of sweetness.

• Blueberry Breakfast Sausage Flapjack by Smokehouse Saloon. House made blueberry breakfast sausage wrapped in a flapjack. Served with fresh fruit, powdered sugar and syrup.

• Brunch Mary by Urick Concessions. The Brunch Mary is a meal in a glass — garnished with skewers stacked high with a mini sausage breakfast sandwich, fresh fruit kebab, crispy bacon, fluffy donut holes and a golden waffle stick.

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All Vegan Indianapolis Philly by Black Leaf Vegan Food Truck. Hoosier flavor, Philly soul and plant-based power. Introducing the All-Vegan Indianapolis Philly — stacked with grilled delicious plant-based meat, sautéed peppers and onions, and smothered in a creamy “cheez” sauce, all on a toasted hoagie. (Provided photo)

• Brunch Mimosa by Urick Concessions. This isn’t your average mimosa — served with skewers of a mini sausage breakfast sandwich, fruit kebab, crispy bacon, doughnut holes, and a waffle stick, it’s brunch in a glass with a bubbly twist.

• Butterfinger Funnel Cake by North American Midway Entertainment. Crispy, golden funnel cake topped with smooth vanilla cream and crunchy Butterfinger pieces. A perfect mix of sweet, creamy, and crunchy in every bite.

• Cheesy Hot Honey Chicken Fries by Urick Concessions. Crispy chicken bites over golden fries, smothered in creamy hatch queso, topped with smoky bacon, fresh parsley, and finished with a drizzle of Mike’s Hot Honey.

• Cinnamon Toast Cookie Butter Pretzel Bites by Wilson Concessions. Pretzel bites covered in cinnamon and sugar then smothered with cookie butter, cream cheese icing and topped off with Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal.

• Cookie Butter Cold Brew Float by Hooks Drugstore Museum. It’s a vanilla cold brew with vanilla ice cream. Topped with whipped cream, cookie butter drizzle, cookie crumbles and a cherry.

• Cotton Candy Lemon Shake Up by Urick Concessions. A classic lemonade shake-up with a sweet twist — spun with a fluffy wad of cotton candy inside and topped with a cloud of cotton candy on the straw. Tart, sweet and totally fun.

• Deep-Fried Pork Chop Sandwich by Twisted Drinks and Food. The deep-fried barbecue pork chop sandwich is as exactly as it sounds. They season their boneless pork chops with a dry barbecue rub, then deep fry them and serve on a fresh bakery bun, topped with a yummy barbecue sauce.

• Dirty Dancing Egg Rolls by Taste of Home Catering and Food Truck. Two, four inch chicken Philly egg rolls dipped in a homemade hot honey lemon pepper buffalo sauce drizzled with ranch dressing.

• Hot Honey Beignets by The Bakerman. Their famous New Orleans-style beignets have been a State Fair favorite for decades — now with a new, sweet and spicy kick.

• Jalapeño Popper Pizza by DG Concessions/Ginocchios Pizza. A garlic butter and light marinara base, topped with a mozzarella cheese blend, pepperoni, jalapeño poppers, bacon, and finished with a drizzle of ranch dressing.

• Jerk Cheesy Fries by Jamaican Breeze. The fries are crispy, cheesy and drizzled in your choice of mild or spicy jerk sauce — flavor that hits every time.

• Jessops’ Butterscotch Apple Crunch by Jessop Candy Products. Gourmet sliced apples with warm caramel sauce and crushed butterscotch corn for topping. Nuts optional. Served in a parfait cup.

• Key Lime Pie Milkshake by American Dairy Association Indiana Inc. The milkshake blends tangy citrus with creamy sweetness for a refreshing treat to cool you down on a hot Indiana summer day. It’s sweet, smooth and made for fair memories.

• Lobster Mac and Cheese by Freund Family Foods. A luxurious twist on a comfort classic. Chunks of lobster meat tossed in garlic butter and folded into a velvety homemade cheese sauce.

• Passion Fruit Boba Lemonade Shakeup by Indiana Ribeye. A refreshing sip of summer at Indiana Ribeye’s Old Fashioned Lemonade Stand. Shakeup your lemonade with boba.

• Peach Tea by Twisted Drinks and Food. Fresh brewed Lipton iced tea, flavored with peach boba balls.

• Pickle Bacon Ranch Pizza by Swains Concessions. A homemade pizza dough is stretched to perfection and covered with an award-winning pickle ranch sauce and mozzarella cheese. Topped off with pickles and bacon, with a touch of pickle ranch to finish it off.

• Pickle Fried Oreos by Pickle Barrel. Nothing says fair like fried pickles. Try this twist on a fair favorite. A golden Oreo with a pickle slice placed on top, dipped in an original batter, topped with dill pickle seasoning and served with a side of ranch.

• Piggy Funnel by R&W Concessions. Fluffy funnel cake drizzled with brown sugar and maple syrup, topped with bacon pieces.

• Piggyback Stack by Urick Concessions. A hearty, flavor-packed sandwich featuring a pork burger stacked with a classic beef patty, melted American cheese, lettuce, tomato, crispy onions and a signature sauce.

• Pineapple Lemonade Shake-up by McWaters Concessions. An Indiana State Fair Staple. Enjoy a fresh made lemonade shake up with a twist of Hawaiian fresh pineapple infused.

• Pineapple Whip Shake Up by Hi & Mighty. A tart, smooth and refreshing canned cocktail handmade at the Indiana State Fairgrounds with real pineapple and premium liquor. Perfect to cheers at the midway.

• Slime Licker Boba Blast by Georgia’s Kitchen & Toxic Waste Candy Company. Georgia’s Kitchen collaborates with Indiana’s own Toxic Waste Candy Company. The drink features lemonade with Slime Licker Sour Popping Boba and Slime Licker sour syrup. Comes in three flavors: green apple, blue razz and strawberry lemonade.

• S’mores Cookie by The Cavity Factory. This cookie is a graham cracker base with milk chocolate and dark chocolate. Topped with a marshmallow that can be torched.

• State Fair Cotton Candy by Sun King Brewing. Ale with cotton candy flavor. This drink balances the sweet summer flavors of blue cotton candy with crisp malt character in celebration of the Indiana State Fair.

• Street Corn Steak Tacos by Urick Concessions. Flame-grilled ribeye steak, topped with zesty street corn, diced onions, crumbled Cotija cheese and fresh cilantro for the perfect street-style bite.

• Sweet Heat Sausage Sandwich by R&W Concessions. Jalapeño sausage smothered in sweet barbecue sauce topped with sautéed onions, sweet peppers and cabbage served on a bun.

• The Hog and Slaw by Indiana Pork Producers. Enjoy a classic favorite with a Hoosier twist. This pulled pork and coleslaw sandwich, presented by Indiana Pork Producers, features delicious pulled pork topped with crisp, creamy coleslaw for the perfect balance of savory and tangy flavors in every bite.

• The Smoked Gouda’cue by American Dairy Association. Get ready to sink your teeth into The Smoked Gouda’cue — a bold, melty masterpiece made for true cheese lovers. Indulge in layers of rich smoked gouda, sharp cheddar and tangy barbecue sauce between buttery, golden Texas toast. It’s smoky, cheesy, saucy and pure Indiana State Fair comfort food bliss.

• Trio of Italy by Freund Family Foods. A flight of three mini-Italian inspired funnel cakes: tiramisu, Italian wedding cake and cannoli.

• Tropical Thunder by R&W Concessions. Mango and strawberry along with lemon — all infused into a tropical thunder shake-up.

• Turkey Sausage Pizza Quesadilla by Gobble Gobble Food Truck. A golden, crispy tortilla stuffed with seasoned ground turkey sausage, pizza sauce, and melty mozzarella cheese. It’s the perfect fusion of comfort food and fair flavor.

• Yes Cer’s Burger by Red Frazier Bison. A twist on the classic burger, this hearty bison burger comes stacked with rich pimento cheese, crunchy potato sticks and tangy horseradish pickles — all nestled between two thick slices of buttery Texas toast.