Iowa State Fair names winners for this year’s best food, drinks

DES MOINES — New Iowa State Fair dishes and beverages were elected as the best by popular choice.

The Bacon Cheeseburger Eggroll by Winn & Sara’s Kitchen, a new vendor this year, took the top honor in the 2024 People’s Choice Best New Food Contest. The winner competed against the Iowa Sm’Oak’ed Roll from Whatcha Smokin BBQ and the Lobster Corn Dog from Destination Grille.

The new creation is a fusion between American and Asian-inspired cuisine, with a rich blend of seasoned ground beef, bacon, pickles, cheese filling and tangy housemade burger sauce inside a pastry eggroll.

The top three options were presented to voting fairgoers after being narrowed down from a list of 11 judged in July. This year, 9,204 fairgoers voted for the People’s Choice. The Bacon Cheeseburger Eggroll earned 48 percent of the vote.

The Cowgirl Cooler from JR’s SouthPork Ranch won this year’s Best New Drink (with alcohol) title. Bubbly Bar & Bistro’s Abracadabra Butterfly Lemonade won the title for best non-alcoholic beverage, as well as Best of Show.

The Hot beef Sundae from the Cattlemen’s Beef Quarters won the Best Choose Iowa Fair Food Contest this year.

The new contest was created this year to highlight and celebrate fair food menu items made with Iowa-sourced ingredients. Approximately 10 percent of the food stands at the Iowa State Fair submitted entries for the Best Choose Iowa Fair Food Contest.

“Choose Iowa is continuing to grow as Iowa’s signature brand, and this new contest is a fun way to celebrate all of the Iowa ingredients used to make these memorable Iowa State Fair food offerings,” Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said. “I encourage consumers to not only enjoy these Iowa-sourced foods at the fair, but also look for the Choose Iowa logo on food and ag products throughout the year.”

Comments: Features reporter Elijah Decious can be reached at (319) 398-8340 or elijah.decious@thegazette.com.