August’s food-award winners are now on the fair’s opening-week tasting list
A tater-tot taco, a chocolate corny dog and two other winning creations give visitors four distinct starting points.
Cody Esparza
September 29, 2026/2 min read
File photo: Fairgoers hold two corny dogs topped with mustard and ketchup; another person photographs them. This archival image does not depict a new 2026 menu item.
Photo Credit: State Fair of Texas
The judging happened in August. The eating opportunities are now on the grounds.
With the State Fair of Texas open since Sept. 25, visitors can use the 2026 Big Tex Choice Awards as a starting list for a food-focused outing. The awards identify judges' selections before the fair, not an opening-week vote by visitors or proof of which concession is busiest.
Tom Grace's Burger Chop Tater Tacos won the savory category. The fair describes a chopped-burger filling with onion, jalapeño and cheese inside a shell made from tater tots. Fletcher's Chocolate Corny Dog, by Beck Fletcher, took the sweet award, replacing the familiar savory center with milk-chocolate fudge and adding vanilla icing and raspberry compote. Official award results, announced Aug. 18
File photo: A burger and a pale pink drink sit on an outdoor table. This archival image does not depict a new 2026 menu item.
Photo Credit: State Fair of Texas
The drink category went to Fruteria Cano's Tropical Coco Fresca, combining pineapple and watermelon agua fresca with coconut ice. Stephen El Gidi's Berry Me in Matcha won most creative with a combination built around cheesecake, white chocolate, matcha cookies and strawberry jam. Official Big Tex Choice Awards descriptions
For a group deciding what to try, the categories provide a useful division: savory food, a fried sweet, a drink and a layered dessert. They do not establish that every visitor will prefer the winners to the rest of the menu.
File photo: Red candy-coated apples are displayed on sticks. This archival image does not depict a new 2026 menu item.
Photo Credit: State Fair of Texas
The fair's food listings and map are the next step before walking to a stand. An award title is not a location, and a familiar vendor can operate more than one concession. Visitors should confirm the item and posted price at the intended stand rather than assume every outlet carries the full menu. Current food listings
File photo: Bags of cotton candy carry State Fair of Texas labels. This archival image does not depict a new 2026 menu item.
Photo Credit: State Fair of Texas
For McKinney readers visiting during the coming days, the awards offer a manageable shortlist without turning the outing into an attempt to sample everything. The fair continues through Oct. 18, leaving time for a second visit if the first trip has another priority. 2026 fair dates
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