Sep 1, 2022 - News
6 treats to try (or run far away from) at the Colorado State Fair
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Sinful snacks at the state fair. Photos: Alayna Alvarez/Axios
I'm feeling very full.
What happened: I went to my first Colorado State Fair in Pueblo and attempted to nosh on as much gluttonously greasy and downright delicious food as I could find.
- Oof.
To make sure my stomachache doesn't go in vain, I'm sharing six snacks I snapped up, spanning the good, the bad and the ugly.
💯 Instant classic: 1/2 Passkey special ($5.50)
- This Italian ground sausage sandwich from Passkey On The Go, a family-owned food truck and state fair institution for 25 years, offers a nice kick and comes on a freshly baked mini loaf with tangy mustard and crisp lettuce.
- Yes, but: The sando's a little dry without cheese — so spend that extra buck for a slice.
🔥 Biggest surprise: Elote with Flamin' Hot Cheetos dust ($8)
- I doubted this Mexican street corn from Backyard BBQ would be worth the mega mess I knew it'd make, especially since I was wearing a white shirt (rookie mistake).
- I was wrong. Every bite bursted with spicy, cheesy, limey flavor — and I would absolutely eat another, even if I'm left looking like this by the end: 👹
😵 Sweet, but deadly: Chocolate-dipped cheesecake ($7)
- This cold and creamy treat from Wagner's Carnival comes coated in a crunchy chocolate shell and is so sweet even the sugar fanatics will want to split it.
- The bottom line: Not terrible, but I'll stick to funnel cake when it comes to desserts.
😋 Most refreshing: Cucumber-basil agua fresca ($8)
- If you need a cool respite from heavy fair food, Backyard BBQ's ice-cold cucumber agua fresca with fresh basil is just what you want — especially on a hot summer day.
- Pro tip: For extra flavor, order your drink rimmed with chamoy and Tajín for $1 more.
🏆 Best overall: Indian fry bread taco with pork green chile ($16)
- Sugars Concessions serves up traditional taco fixings — like lettuce, beans, cheese, salsa and sour cream — on crispy, fried flatbread, adding a twist to a Mexican classic.
- Solid flavor and mix of textures — I'd order this even outside the fair.
⚰️ What did me in: A deep-fried Pueblo chile ($4)
- Pueblo's very own Giodone's Italian Bar & Grill nearly sent me to my grave with just one mega-battered and ultra-fried Pueblo green chile.
- If you don't mind an inch of breading and two tablespoons of oil oozing from your first bite, go ahead and order a basket of five fried bad boys for only $12.