(Des Moines, IA) — The winner of the best new food contest at this year’s Iowa State Fair is the Porky Parm Gnocchi by Destination Grille.
The gnocchi comes with Graziano sausage served in a parmesan cream sauce. On Friday the dish won the Iowa State Fair People’s Choice award. Also competing the All American Scrambled Egg Roll from Winn and Sarah’s Kitchen and the Ultimate Minneapple Pie.
Fair officials say there were 15,954 votes cast. The Porky Parm Gnocchi received 44.9% of the votes.
The Best New Drink awards were also announced. There was a TIE between The Depot’s Sour Batch Buddies Watermelon and JR’s Cotton Rock Cooler as the Best New Drink (with alcohol). The Best New Drink (alcohol-free) was awarded to The Depot for The Fizz Depot’s Stars, Stripes & S’mores.
This is the 13th year for the Best New Food Contest. The past winners include:
2025: Bacon Chicken Ranch Eggroll
2024: Bacon Cheeseburger Eggroll
2023: Deep-Fried Bacon Brisket Mac-n-Cheese Grilled Cheese
2022: The Finisher
2021: Chicken Egg Salad with Fry Bread
2019: Georgie’s Roast with the Most Wrap
2018: Apple Eggroll
2017: Pork Almighty
2016: Not Your Mamma’s Taco
2015: Ultimate Bacon Brisket Bomb
2014: Funnel Cake on a Stick
2013: Shrimp Corn Dog
The fair ends Sunday.
