The most weird and wonderful foods to try at the 2025 Arizona State Fair

The Arizona State Fair is back, and there's so much to do.

You can bleed money on carnival games to win a plush toy that seems to be stuffed with sawdust. You can hold your breath while going on any number of vertigo-inducing rides. You can watch a demolition derby, a professional wrestling match or a live music performance.

But most importantly, you can eat.

As always, the state fair is ground zero for a culinary explosion. You've got your corndogs, your funnel cakes and your frozen bananas. You've got an endless array of items that have been battered and fried — just like the gooey fried cheesecake above, available for $10 at Fried A Fair. It may be the epitome of state fair food: weird, delicious, messy and definitely not meant to be on a stick.

And the Arizona State Fair has much more intriguing foodstuffs to offer than that. The fair runs every Thursday through Sunday until Oct. 26. During September, you can stroll around the glowing rides at night, as the gates open at 5 p.m. Starting on Oct. 2, the fair fun begins at noon.

Whenever you attend, here are the most eye-catching things to look out for. Head over, dig in and maybe make an appointment with your gastroenterologist.

Mac-and-cheese-stuffed turkey leg ($29)

The Ranch
The turkey leg, just as King Henry VIII used to eat it. Or maybe not. On the list of things that can be hollowed and essentially turned into a bowl, a turkey leg is probably near the bottom, near "hotel blowdryer." Yet, while the marriage of turkey to mac isn't a perfect match, it's surprisingly tasty when put together. You'll need several forks and several mouths to finish this concoction, which includes crispy onions, barbecue sauce and paprika. You'll be fighting over the actual turkey, though — there's not enough of it.

Honey hot pepperoni pizza ($11)

Enzo's Pizzeria
The "hot" here comes from the pepperoni. It appears to be just regular honey on top, and lots of it. (That's not grease you're seeing in that photo.) You're going to want a ton of napkins — tilt that plate even five degrees and that honey is going to be flowing down your arm. The pizza is pretty satisfying, but be sure to wipe up after, or else you'll attract bears.

Chili chamoy apple ($9)

The Snax Shack
Candied apples? Old news. Caramel apples? Passé. For a unique experience, you want the chili chamoy apple. It's candied in chamoy and covered in Tajín, giving it a familiar kick. Thankfully, the green apple underneath cuts through that with welcome tartness.

Fried Hawaiian Rolls ($10)

Noodle Noodle
The idea sounds great in concept. Hawaiian rolls are the crack cocaine of the bread family, a food so enticing it is literally impossible to eat just one. You're saying you can fry them up and cover them in cinnamon sugar? Sign me up. In reality, though, the bread seems to soak up a lot of the frying oil, which shoots into your mouth on the first bite. Side note: I ate this as my 5-year-old was screaming "I HATE THIS" while zooming around on a ride she demanded to try. My opinion of the fried Hawaiian rolls wasn't quite that strong.

Lobster fries ($26.18)

Piggly's Seafood
I am not a lobster person. However, I enlisted the taste buds of some compatriots — my taste buddies? — for this endeavor.  They report that this was... fine. The fries and sauce were tasty, if a bit soggy by the end. The lobster was apparently a bit bland.

Unicorn doughnut ($13)

Texas Donuts
You can probably figure out what goes into this. It's a massive glazed doughnut, covered in Nerds — warning: you are what you eat — and a big tuft of cotton candy. It is appetizing, in small bites. (The sourness may overpower you.) This is a team dessert; if you finish it by yourself, you must be a sugar-crazed child or have a death wish. Also, if anyone up in heaven is reading this, please let Mitch Hedberg know: I did need a receipt for this doughnut.

Dubai chocolate strawberry cup ($20)

Chocolate Strawberry Cup
For the more refined dessert palate, there is this twist on chocolate-covered strawberries. If you're not up on the viral trend, Dubai chocolate is filled with fried phyllo dough and pistachio-tahini cream. Google it: There is no way it doesn't taste better than it looks. This version is more pleasant to behold, and it's yummy, too. The sharpness of the strawberries is a nice corrective to the richness of everything else, and small strips of phyllo dough give it a satisfying crunch.

Pineapple bowl ($23.10)

Pineapple Grill
Another odd choice to be bowl-erized, given that a pineapple is famously rather prickly. Tellingly, this is served in a paper tray — a bowl inside a bowl. It comes with rice, pineapple chunks and your choice of chicken. Options include spicy garlic (pictured) and teriyaki.