Among All The Classic Fair Foods, The Absolute Best Is Almost Too Obvious To Miss

Fairs are classic Americana, and the foods served there have gradually evolved to be the main attraction, stealing the spotlight from the games, rides, and live entertainment. But, between all the fair foods that come deep-fried, on a stick, or sometimes both, one classic reigns supreme. Tasting Table ranked 21 classic fair foods from worst to best, from fried Oreos to cheese curds to the iconic giant turkey drumstick. Through it all, the humble corn dog confidently took a seat at the No. 1 spot. 

Corn dogs have surpassed the title of "fair food" and permeated day-to-day life, carving out their place in lunchroom cafeterias, frozen food aisles, and even viral TikTok pages. But no iteration of a corn dog hits quite like one from the fair; deep fried to order with a textural harmony of crunchy fried cornmeal batter, a salty cured hot dog, and whatever toppings your heart desires. Both the convenience of the stick and its ability to be eaten on the go, mess-free, are what make this the superior fair food. 

We also appreciate the fact that corn dogs don't wither in quality while you're eating them. The ingredients are evenly distributed, the breading is dense enough that it doesn't absorb a ton of greasy oil, and the whole thing stays hot and fresh tasting all the way through. Sure, cheese curds are insanely delicious, but they are at their peak immediately after coming out of the fryer. Same goes for funnel cake, deep fried Oreos, and fried pickles. And don't even get us started on caramel apples. But you can always rely on a corn dog.

While many have laid claim to inventing this ultimate fair food, the corn dog has no definitive creator, at least as far as we can tell. The disputed origins of the corn dog are a mystery lost to time and translation at this point, but thankfully that doesn't apply to the treat itself. In fact, the humble corn dog continues to evolve and remain relevant even in our fast-paced modern society. There are lots of ways to elevate corn dogs and seemingly endless combinations of batter and sausages to have fun with too. 

Use breakfast sausage and pancake batter to create a breakfast corndog, while corn and jalapeños in the batter combine for a delicious, elote-inspired corn dog, and bratwurst in a pretzel dough make for an Oktoberfest-style dog. These are just a few examples of the unique twists you can put on this iconic fair food. Then there's the Korean corn dog, which you're likely already familiar with thanks to it going viral online.

Basically, the addition of cheese makes it a heavenly corn dog mozzarella stick hybrid. There are also lots of unique toppings like hot Cheetos, nacho cheese, and even cubed potatoes that cling to the batter and add extra layers of flavor. With its versatility and convenience, the corn dog is staying at the top of our list of best fair foods for the foreseeable future, and we can't wait to see all the innovations to come.