The fair is back at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, and this year’s theme is “Go Retro,” and San Diegans can always look forward to food along with traditional fair games and rides.
While you’ll always find the traditional corn dogs, hot dogs, deep-fried Oreos and bacon-wrapped pickles, there are plenty of new items added to the menu this year thanks to the fair’s Fairtastic Food Contest.
All food vendors were asked to enter their culinary creations into three categories – “Amazing,” “Theme” and “New” – and 41 new menu items were added.
Here are some of the new foods you can find at this year’s fair.
Photo courtesy of San Diego County Fair
On the left is Fruit Caboose’s Surfing USA Party Milkshake, made with frozen lemonade mixed with sweet housemade vanilla soft serve, served in a commemorative graham cracker-rimmed mug and topped with a cherry. In the middle is Boba King’s Mango Mayhem, a creamy mango slushie with mango popping boba topped with whipped cream, gummy peach rings and a Mango Cherry Big Stick popsicle. The drink on the right is Mom’s Bake Shop’s 50/50 Brownie Parfait.
Photo courtesy of San Diego County Fair
On the left is TJs Ice Cream’s Disco Pop Shake, a classic grape soda and vanilla ice cream swirl with whipped cream and Dancing Grape Pop Rocks. In the middle is Farmer in the Del’s Dreamsicle Pushing Trifle, layered with housemade vanilla cheesecake, locally sourced fresh orange mousse and a salted graham cracker crust, topped with candied orange, whipped cream and a Dreamsicle ice cream pop. On the right is Boba King’s Strawberry Dream, a blend of strawberry fruit syrup, non-dairy creamer and ice poured over strawberry-popping boba and topped with strawberry crunch and strawberry pop tarts.
Photo courtesy of San Diego County Fair
On the left is Fried Food Factory’s Cookies and Cream Funnel Cake. The funnel cake is dusted with powdered sugar and topped with crushed Oreo cookies and whipped cream. In the middle is the Dole Pineapple Paradise Butter Cake Sundae. Butter cake topped with Dole pineapple soft serve and vanilla soft serve, surrounded by fresh cut strawberries, Ghirardelli caramel and coconut, and topped with whipped cream and a cherry. On the right is a Freeze-Dried Fruit Roll-Up filled with Sugar Puff Candy Cotton Candy.
Photo courtesy of San Diego County Fair
On the left is Le Crookie from Mom’s Bakeshoppe, a buttery croissant filled with cookies, in the middle are Beignets from Breads of the World, and on the right is Cream Puff from Funnel Cake by Chicken Charlie, which is two little funnel cakes with fresh whipped cream sandwiched between them.
Photo courtesy of San Diego County Fair
On the right are Boba King’s Spam Fries, served with three different sauces: sweet Thai chili, spicy mayo, and teriyaki sauce. In the middle is Chicken Charlie’s Maui Chicken, grilled teriyaki chicken served on a bed of buttery sticky rice and fresh sweet pineapple chunks. On the right is Pat’s Pizza’s Mexican Street Corn Pizza, which is topped with a mozzarella and queso fresco blend, flame-roasted corn on top, a dusting of chili lime seasoning, a sprinkling of coriander, and a drizzle of Mexican crema.
Photo courtesy of San Diego County Fair
On the left is Farmer in the Dell’s Hot Peach Crispy Chicken Sandwich, which features fried chicken smothered in hot honey dressing, juicy local peaches, blue cheese slaw and candied pecans on a buttered brioche bun. In the middle is Blue & White All-American Classics’ Fried Green Tomato Burger, which features a battered and fried tomato on a 1/4-pound burger topped with chipotle sauce, lettuce and cheese. On the right is Tastiburger’s Mondo Beef Birria Cheeseburger, which features chipotle mayo, pico de gallo, cabbage slaw, 1/3-pound fresh beef patty, shredded beef birria, consommé, Hatch green chile cheese sauce and pickled red onions on a soft brioche bun.
But that’s not all: this year’s fair will offer many more new food options — click here to see the full list.
