New 2025 NC State Fair foods include cheese curd tacos & pickle soup. Full list

This year, North Carolina State Fair visitors will find among the new food offerings many options that pay tribute to the Tar Heel state.

There will be barbecue, battered and fried, in different forms. Cheerwine as a slush, “dirty” Cheerwine topped with cream, and Cheerwine lemonade.

But there will also be options that better represent other regions. Take the cheese curd tacos, for example — a Midwestern delicacy filling a crispy shell. Or the South of the Border Stuffed Turkey Leg: a turkey leg stuffed with Mexican street corn and cotija cheese.

There are several trends in this year’s list of new foods at the state fair, scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 16 through Sunday, Oct. 26.

Fried snacks, sweet and savory alike, are well-represented, along with foods on a stick. Several vendors will showcase their takes on the viral treat Dubai chocolate, made with chocolate and pistachios.

Here’s a look at what to expect food-wise from the North Carolina State Fair.

New savory foods at the NC State Fair

• Jeffrey’s Taco De Calle from Ethio-Indi Alkaline Cuisine: soft taco with burger, vegan cheese, beans, homemade salsa, lettucy and spicy Amir sauce
• Nathaniel’s Taquito from Ethio-Indi Alkaline Cuisine: three soft tacos with burger, vegan cheese, rice, homemade salsa, lettuce and spicy Amir sauce
• Jerk Trio from Cool Runnings Jamaican: jerk pork, jerk barbecue chicken and jerk pork belly tacos served in flour tortillas with mango salsa and veggies, topped with a creamy jerk sauce
• Bacon Mac & Cheese Cone from Kono Pizza: mac and cheese with bacon crumbles in a cone, topped with a crispy mac and cheese bite and bacon slice
• Hot Honey Chicken Cone from Kono Pizza: pizza cone filled with mozzarella, breaded chicken, tomato sauce and hot honey, and topped with green onions and red chili threads

• Deep-Fried Lamb Chops from Lawrence & Perry Barbeque: breaded and fried lamb chops, drizzled with balsamic honey maple glaze, and garnished with dried mint.
• Carolina Shawarma Burger from Neomonde Mediterranean: Neomonde brioche bun stacked with house-made coleslaw, beef and lamb shawarma, spiced barbecue sauce, pickled red onion and jalapeno, pickles and cilantro, and served with fries.
• Cowgirl Bites from Fat Boys BBQ: pimento cheese and pork barbecue balls battered and fried, drizzled with sweet and tangy barbecue sauce.
• Oxtail Fried Rice from Lee’s Kitchen: oxtail, fried rice and mixed veggies.
• Home Style Ranch Deep Fried Cheese Curds from The Cheese Curd Shack: Wisconsin white cheddar cheese curds, breaded with home-style ranch and fried.
• La Montanera/ The Country Girl from Arepa Loca LLC: arepa packed with crunchy pork belly, rice, beans and chorizo, and topped with authentic sauces.
• Dirty Duck Bowl from Chick-N-Que: dirty rice tossed with ground duck, bell peppers and onions, topped with scallions and chili sauce and wonton chips.
• Carolina Hoe Down from Ezzell’s Somethin’ Good: Johnny “Hoe” cake topped with sharp cheddar cheese, Carolina pulled pork, cilantro cream sauce and barbecue sauce.

• South of the Border Stuffed Turkey Leg from Hickory Tree Turkey BBQ: giant turkey leg stuffed with Mexican street corn and cotija cheese.
• Chicken Caesar Mac Stack from Hot Chix Hotcakes & Chicken: white cheddar mac and cheese layered with croutons and topped with fried chicken, Caesar dressing, parmesan cheese and Cheez-It dust.
• Chicken Feet from Jacks Seafood and Soulfood: baked, fried and barbecued chicken feet served plain or with rice and veggies.
• Pizza Croissant from La Farm Bakery: croissant dough rolled with marinara sauce, Italian spices and spinach
• Swordfish Pop from Oak City Fish and Chips: fried bites of swordfish skewered with a lemon on top and finished with a drizzle of “special addictive sauce.”
• Plaka Gyro from Strates Fine Foods: Greek-style whole pork gyro served on toasted pita with tomatoes, onions, tzatziki sauce and fries.

• NC Blue Crabmeat Ceviche from Waypoint Oyster Bar: lump crabmeat, tomato, onion, cucumber, cilantro, jalapeno and lime juice.
• NC Coconut Shrimp on a Stick from Waypoint Oyster Bar: N.C. shrimp coated with coconut flakes, fried and served with orange chili sauce.
• Cheezy Fried Steak Taco from Chicken Shack South.
• BBQ Doughnut from D&J Concessions: barbecue dipped in cornmeal batter in the shape of a doughnut, sprinkled with bacon bits.
• Hot Honey Jalapeno Popper Donut from Fluffy’s Hand Cut Donuts: doughnut frosted with homemade jalapeno cream cheese, topped with crumbled bacon and pickled jalapenos and drizzled with hot honey
• Hickory Fried Corn Ribs from Davis Concessions: seasoned, crispy corn on the cob curls.
• Teriyaki Fried Cauliflower from Davis Concessions: battered and fried cauliflower, seasoned and topped with sweet teriyaki sauce.
• Veggie Corn Dog from Davis Concessions: meatless corn dog.

• Cheese Curd Tacos from Ritchie’s: fried shell filled with fried curds and customer’s choice of flavors — Original (brat, cheddar curds, lettuce and baja), Hot Chick (chicken, buffalo curds, bleu cheese slaw & buffalo), Box Checker (chicken, bacon, cheddar curds, lettuce and ranch), and Pickle (dill pickle, cream cheese, cheddar curds, lettuce and ranch).
• Double Decker Korean Donkatsu Burger from Bulkogi Korean BBQ: two fried pork cutlets stacked on a toasted bun with shredded cabbage and a donkatsu sauce drizzle.
• Flaming Hot Cheetos Pickle Pizza from Rudy’s Pizza: pickle pizza with a garlic sauce base and covered with mozzarella cheese, topped with dill pickle chips, garlic sauce and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.
• Piggy Bag Marranada from OMC! Oh My Churro: corn loaded with three-cheese sauce, salsa and crispy bacon.
• Flauta Dippers from OMC! Oh My Churro: chicken flautas served in a cup and topped with sour cream, salsa verde and cotija cheese.
• Loaded Breakfast Sausage Stick from Waffle Chix: breakfast sausage waffle topped with sausage gravy, bacon and cheese.
• Loaded Cowboy Potatoes from Pioneer Wagon: dipper potatoes topped with cheese and bacon.
• Chicken Corn Dog from Pioneer Wagon: served with Horseback Sauce (barbecue blend with mayo and horseradish) or with ketchup and mustard.
• Various Pork Rind & Crackling Flavors from Sparky’s Pork Rinds: pork rinds in barbecue, ranch, dill pickle, Old Bay, hot, lemon pepper and plain available; cracklings in barbecue and plain.
• Hot Cheeto Dilly Dog from Red Carpet Amusements.
• Gigante (Giant) Stuffed Jalapenos from Red Carpet Amusements.

New drinks at the NC State Fair

• Dirty Cheerwine from Granny’s Country Kitchen: Cheerwine topped with sweet vanilla cream and lime.
• Cotton Candy Iced Tea from Tiki Tea Inc.: cotton-candy flavored iced tea topped with cotton candy on a straw, with an added sour candy gummy belt and rock candy stick.
• Cupcake Shake from Boozie Bakes: shake topped with wine-infused cupcake.

• Cheerwine “Dream” from Moose Joose Slush: Cheerwine slush drizzled and topped with a vanilla cream, whipped topping and cake pops with a Cheerwine drizzle.
• Electric Lemonade from Moose Joose Slush: frozen lemonade slush paired with sweet cream, passion fruit and blue raspberry.
• Orange Dreamsicle Crush from Tropical Delights LLC: Dole whip swirled with vanilla, floating in orange Crush soda.
• Cheerwine Lemonade from The Busy Beaver.
• Horchata Latte from OMC! Oh My Churro: blend of horchata and Mexican coffee.

New pickle foods at NC State Fair

• Pickle Fries from Davis Concessions: pickled french fries with buttermilk ranch sauce.
• Pickle Sub from Pickle Bun: deli meats and vegetables stacked on a crisp dill pickle, sliced in half and cored.
• Pickle Soup from Pickle Bun: salty, tangy and briny flavor of pickles combined with a creamy base.
• Pickle Pop from Pickle Bun: frozen treat made from dill pickle juice.
• Nashville Hot Pickles from Dr. Vegetable.

New sweets at NC State Fair

• Cinnamon Peach Praline Cobbler Cookies from The Peach Cobbler Factory: 6-inch sugar cookie topped with buttercream icing, a scoop of peach cobbler and cinnamon-coated pecan pralines.
• The Salted Caramel Crunch Dough-Licious Special from Kora’s Cookie Dough: fried cookie dough nestled with vanilla ice cream, drizzled with salted caramel and finished with a salted chocolate velvet cream cookie.
• Cinnamon Bun Cone from Kono Pizza: a pizza cone filled with a cinnamon bun, cream cheese icing, and topped with sweet cinnamon crunch.

• Creme Brulee Cone from Kono Pizza: pizza cone filled with vanilla custard, topped with caramelized sugar.
• Granny’s Sticky B from Magdalena’s Chimney Cakes: cinnamon roll goo spread, Andia’s salted cream cheese ice cream, rolled in butter crunchies, topped with goo and piped glaze.
• Freeze Dried Marshmallows from Sugar Snap Treats: six flavors of freeze-dried marshmallows: banana pudding, lucky marshmallow, cookie monster, birthday cake, peanut butter and cotton candy.
• Rainbow Bites from Sugar Snap Treats: five flavors of freeze-dried rainbow bites made with Skittles: cherry limeade with a light fizz, blue ocean refresh, cotton candy, pina colada and island punch.
• Gushy Gummies from Sugar Snap Treats: juicy gummies made with Gushers: sour blue raspberry, sour peach mango, and cotton candy.
• Banana Pudding Cups from Boozie Bakes: banana pudding layered with a signature crunch in a cup.
• Rice Crispy Dubai Chocolate Mini Pancakes from Hot Chix Hotcakes & Chicken: mini pancakes topped with rice crispy cereal, sweet pistachio cream, chocolate syrup and chocolate chunks.
• Dubai Chocolate Strawberry Cup from Mini’s Chocolate Tap/Bubba’s Bacon: fresh strawberries, crispy kataifi dough and pistachio cream, layered in melted chocolate and topped with pistachio butter.
• Poprock Candy Grapes from The Candi Queen: strawberry lemonade-flavored candy base with popping candy.
• Pumpkin Spice Delight from Tropical Delights LLC: swirled pumpkin spice Dole whip and vanilla soft serve crowned with a slice of pumpkin pie, and topped with whipped topping, caramel drizzle and waffle cone crumble.

• Baby Greek Donuts from Chicken Shack South: doughnuts in strawberry delight, cookies and cream, Dubai chocolate and other flavors
• Cookie Butter Frozen Banana from Fontana Foods: frozen, chocolate-covered banana with cookie crumbles and buttery flavor topping.
• S’mores Delight Frozen Banana from Fontana Foods: frozen banana covered in chocolate, Oreo crumbles and icing.
• PB&J Frozen Banana from Fontana Foods: frozen banana covered in peanut butter, jelly and nuts.
• Fruity Pebbles Frozen Banana from Fontana Foods: frozen banana covered in chocolate and Fruity Pebbles.
• Fried Frozen Watermelon from Davis Concessions: frozen watermelon fried in doughnut batter and topped with fresh strawberries.
• Dubai Chocolate Churros from OMC! Oh My Churro: cinnamon sugar churro with mix of chocolate and sweet pistachio cream.
• Banana Churros from OMC! Oh My Churro: bananas covered in churro, rolled in cinnamon sugar and drizzled with Nutella chocolate.
• Warm Cakes from Sifted Sugar Inc.: multiple flavors including strawberry and cookies and creme
• Cake Jars from Sifted Sugar Inc.
• Banana Pudding & Spice Cake from Sifted Sugar Inc.

New sweet and savory foods at NC State Fair

Some new foods have both sweet and savory elements:

• Pork Belly Churros from Granny’s Country Kitchen: fried pork belly sticks rolled in cinnamon sugar and drizzled with caramel and chocolate sauce.
• Freeze Dried North Carolina Bites Box from Sugar Snap Treats: four flavors of freeze-dried rainbow bites: banana pudding, fizzy New Bern Cola, spicy pickle, and sweet and smoky barbecue.
• Brown Sugar Hushpuppies from Oak City Fish and Chips: hushpuppies deep-fried and rolled in a signature spice blend.
• Chocolate-Covered Potato Chip Caramel Apple from The Candi Queen: a potato chip dipped in milk chocolate, around a caramel apple.
• Hawaiian Street Corn from Douglas Farms: bacon street corn with pineapple, served in half a pineapple
• Tajin Grapes from Douglas Farms: grapes coated in Tajin seasoning.
• Cinna Mozza from GoldenKdog: mozzarella cheese Korean corn dog dunked in salted butter, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and topped with Cinnamon Toast Crunch.
• Maple Bacon Corn Ribs from Davis Concessions: corn ribs with maple syrup glaze and topped with bacon bits.
• Maple Bacon & Fruity Pebbles Korean Corn Dog from Red Carpet Amusements.

This story was originally published October 1, 2025 at 9:00 AM.

Renee Umsted

The News & Observer

202-383-6008

Renee Umsted is a service journalism reporter for The News & Observer. She has a degree in journalism from the Bob Schieffer College of Communication at TCU.