Meet the 3 Best New Food at the Iowa State Fair finalists for 2026

It’s all about the food at the Iowa State Fair, and a panel of judges has named their top new foods coming to the fair in 2026.

From an initial list of 84 entries, the field was narrowed to 11 contenders. Judges tasted each of the 11 new foods and voted for three finalists during a Facebook livestream event from the fairgrounds on Tuesday, July 14.

Those three will compete for fairgoers’ votes for the 2026 Best New Food at the Iowa State Fair.

Last year, Winn & Sara’s Kitchen’s bacon chicken ranch eggroll took home the top honor.

These three finalists will face off in public voting Aug. 13-19 at the Iowa State Fair. The winner will be announced Aug. 21.

What are the top three new foods at the 2026 Iowa State Fair?

All-American Scrambled Egg Roll

Winn & Sara’s Kitchen will try for its third-straight win with a breakfast offering. The All-American Scrambled Egg Roll is stuffed with bacon, sausage, hash browns, eggs and cheddar, finished with cheesy ranch.

• Cost: $15
• Vendor: Winn & Sara’s Kitchen
• Where: Next to the craft beer tent, west of the Jacobson Building

Porky Parm Gnocchi

The Pork Parm Gnocchi features gluten-free potato gnocchi with sausage, parmesan cream and pesto. It’s topped with an America 250 flag and a suvenir piggy pal.

• Cost: $14
• Vendor: Destination Grille
• Where: Between the Jacobson Building and the Craft Beer Tent

Ultimate Minneapple Pie

An offering from a Minnesota State Fair vendor making its first Iowa State Fair appearance, the Ultimate Minneapple Pie includes fried apple pie with ice cream and apple syrup.

• Cost: $14
• Vendor: Minneapple Pie
• Where: Near the Anne and Bill Riley Stage

More standout new foods at the 2026 fair

Here are the eight other items that rounded out the top 11:

• 1776 Dubai Strawberries from The Strawberry Station, $19. Fresh strawberries topped with milk chocolate, pistachio crème and crunchy kataifi. Find it at West Marketplace.
• Cajun Cluck ’N’ Chaos from Cluckin’ Coop, $14. Cajun chicken sloppy joe with slaw, spicy pickles, pickled egg and pickle cotton candy. This lunch-cafeteria special is served right across the street from the Animal Learning Center at Little Hands on the Farm.
• Crunchy Lamb Wrap from HoQ, $19. Deep‑fried naan stuffed with risotto, lamb and cheese. Located east of the Administration Building.
• Garlic Dill Pickle Cheese Curds from Brad and Harry’s Cheese Curds, $9. Garlic‑dill mashup curds. You can find Brad and Harry’s Cheese Curds west of the Jacobson Building.
• Star Spangled Swine from Whatcha Smokin’ BBQ, $15. Pork belly with apple‑chipotle rub and honey crystals. Located next to the Iowa craft beer tent, west of the Jacobson Building.
• Strawberry Bliss from Iowa Specialty Crop Growers Association, $8. Shortbread, strawberry, meringue and milk chocolate. Located in the Agriculture Building, under the southwest stairs.
• Stuffed Tater Kegs from Tater Todd and Hot Doug’s, $10. Loaded potato bites with breakfast or cheese options. Located in front of the Agriculture Building.
• Sweet Americana from Over the Top, $13. Strawberry shortcake, lemon bar and blueberry crisp ice creams. Over the Top’s stand is on Grand Avenue, just outside the Varied Industries Building.

Previous winners of 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
• 2020: No fair due to COVID-19
• 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

Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at cworth@gannett.com or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.