Summer Road Trip: Come Hungry, Ohio

By 1808Delaware

Some people come to the Ohio State Fair for the rides. Others come for the livestock, concerts, competitions, and people-watching. And then there are those who arrive with an empty stomach and a plan.

It’s been a bit of a tradition for the last few years here at 1808Delaware for us to take a moment in the middle of July and look forward to that great exemplar of Ohio fun. It is, after all, for people in Delaware County and Northern Franklin County, the ultimate in summer road trips. Each year we do so by highlighting what new food is coming to Ohio’s greatest statewide festival.

Here is our 2024 story, for instance:

Ohio State Fair Previews Treats And New Foods For 2024

In news shared recently by the Ohio Expo Center, it is clear that the 2026 Edition will not disappoint. The Fair will run from July 29 through August 9, bringing nearly two weeks of familiar favorites and ambitious new creations to the Ohio Expo Center. This year’s food lineup travels far beyond the traditional corn dog, with Korean desserts, Caribbean spices, Hawaiian street food, birria, matcha, and the flavors of Dubai joining the deep fryers and funnel cake stands.

A Fair Built For Grazing

Fair food has never been known for moderation, but the return of $3 Thursday makes it easier to sample several dishes without committing to a full-size serving of each. On July 30 and Aug. 6, every participating food vendor will offer a smaller version of one selected menu item for $3. The promotion returns for its second year, giving fairgoers an opportunity to explore the grounds one bite at a time. A complete list of participating foods is expected to be released closer to the Fair. That could prove especially useful this year.

The new-food list is long, varied, and occasionally difficult to describe without becoming hungry. Here is your menu:

Deep-Fried Decisions

Here are mouth-watering descriptions of just some of what’s on offer:

The Deep Fried Birria Taco from Jim’s Deep Fried Tacos takes shredded beef and melted Mexican cheese, seals them inside a tortilla, dips the entire package in beer batter, and fries it until crisp. It comes with consommé for dipping.
The Inside Out Buckeye from The Cookie Jar begins with a chocolate cream Oreo wrapped in peanut butter batter. After a trip through the fryer, it receives chocolate icing, peanut butter frosting, and crumbles.
Nutella also gets the deep-fried treatment in the Nutella Pocket from Lads Management, a crustless pocket filled with warm Nutella, peanut butter, and chocolate sauce.
Meanwhile, Prowant Specialty is combining two fairground institutions in the Fluffer Nutter Funnel Cake, topped with marshmallow and Reese’s peanut butter sauce.
The Star-Berry Cobbler Funnel Cake from GH Concessions follows a fruitier path, layering strawberries, blueberries, cream cheese icing, and honey granola over a made-from-scratch funnel cake.

Sweet, Cold, And Unexpected

Several new desserts seem designed for the hottest afternoons of the Fair.

Polar Bear Concessions will serve Biscoff Cookie Butter Frozen Cheesecake, featuring New York-style cheesecake on a stick dipped in a cookie butter shell and rolled in crushed Biscoff cookies.
Backdraft Brews & Bites is introducing Blueberry Pie Bingsu, a Korean-inspired shaved ice dessert with blueberry pie filling, graham cracker crumbs, and condensed coconut milk.
The Cracker Jack Sundae from North American Food Service combines vanilla ice cream with caramel, peanuts, popcorn, and M&M’s, creating something close to a ballpark concession stand in a cup.
At Maggie’s Concessions, visitors can build their own Fresh Dipped Ice Cream Bar using Velvet Ice Cream, a choice of coatings, and crushed candy or cookies.
Velvet will also introduce Star Spangled Swirl, a Fair-exclusive flavor inspired by the classic rocket pop. Tart cherry, lime, and blue raspberry come together in a red, white, and blue frozen treat available in the Dairy Building and Taste of Ohio Café.

A World Tour Without Leaving Columbus

Some of the most interesting additions reflect food traditions from around the world.

Spam Musubi from Kama’aina Grill features grilled Spam glazed in a savory-sweet sauce, placed over seasoned rice, and wrapped with nori.
Fresh Fruit Candy will serve Tanghulu, skewered fruit coated in a thin, glass-like shell of caramelized sugar.
Lordy’s Elephant Ears is joining the Dubai chocolate trend with strawberries topped with pistachio cream, Belgian chocolate, roasted kadaifi, and additional chocolate drizzle.
Marlow’s Cheesesteaks is introducing a Caribbean Jerk Cheesesteak made with seasoned chicken breast, jerk sauce, melted cheese, onions, and hot peppers on an Amoroso roll.
Even the corn dog is crossing culinary borders. Miller & Company Concessions will offer a Churro Korean Corn Dog made with mozzarella cheese, cinnamon sugar, and corn dog batter.

Savory Food That Refuses To Be Subtle

The Pork Belly in a Cone from Mr. Pork Belly keeps things direct: freshly fried pork belly served in a portable cone with four sauces.
Daisy’s Fish Shack will place fried catfish pieces on a stick and serve them with Southern-style sides and brightly colored Kool-Aid.
Freedom Fries from Fork’et Me Not mark America’s 250th anniversary with fries, house cheese sauce, fried chicken or shrimp, barbecue ranch, bacon, and crispy onions.
The Pick Me Hot Chicken Pizza from GH Concessions combines mozzarella, chicken, pickles, sriracha, and honey on hand-tossed dough.
Those seeking something even louder can try Hot Blue Taki Fries, which cover fresh-cut fries with cheddar cheese sauce and crushed Blue Heat Takis.

Drinks Get Dirty

Lemonade remains a Fair essential, but several vendors are giving it a new personality.

Prowant Specialty Company’s Dirty Lemonade blends fresh-squeezed lemonade with vanilla sweet cream, with peach, strawberry, and blue raspberry flavors available.
GH Concessions will pair lemonade with matcha green tea and sweet cream, while Rutana Concessions will add vanilla ice cream to create a Lemonade Float.
Miller & Company Concessions is taking a more technical approach with Nitro Frozen Lemonade. Infused with nitrogen, it is designed to have a creamy texture and foamy head while maintaining its citrus flavor.
The Thirsty Soda will also offer customizable Dirty Sodas and Dirty Alanis made with flavored syrups and a creamy topper.

Tradition With A Twist

Some new foods remain firmly rooted in Ohio. Schmidt’s Sausage Haus will debut a Root Beer Cream Puff inspired by the company’s recently introduced root beer. The dessert draws on Schmidt’s long connection to both root beer and the Ohio State Fair. The Ohio Poultry Association is also preparing a new deviled egg flavor, although the final variety had not yet been revealed. The Nut Shack, meanwhile, will offer dill pickle cashews and pistachios, proving that Ohio’s appetite for pickle-flavored snacks has not yet found its limit.

Planning Around Dietary Needs

Fair officials say foods accommodating a variety of dietary needs will be available throughout the grounds. Visitors with allergies or dietary restrictions should speak directly with individual vendors, particularly when cross-contamination is a concern. Available ingredients and preparation methods can vary from stand to stand.

The Hardest Part Comes First

With dozens of new offerings joining the Fair’s familiar food traditions, the biggest challenge may arrive before the first bite. Do you begin with pork belly, birria, cheesecake, matcha, or a deep-fried Oreo wrapped in peanut butter batter? Fortunately, the Fair lasts 12 days. There is time to reconsider.

Source: Ohio Expo Center; Image by József Szabó from Pixabay