In 2020, when the State Fair was canceled, restaurants in downtown Garland decided to step up with their own versions of fare inspired food. “Fair Fare on the Square” gave would-be fairgoers their fill of all things fit to be fried or served on a stick. The program was so popular that it is now an annual pre-fair tradition in Garland.
Fair Fare on the Square 2022 kicks off Sept. 1 and runs the entire month, giving area residents a head start on fair-inspired flavors. “The restaurants clustered around our downtown square have outdone themselves with a whole new list of treats both savory and sweet. Come multiple times throughout the month or graze to your heart’s content all in one visit,” said Dana
Lodge, CVB and events director for the city of Garland.
Items are priced at $4 to $16. Participating restaurants are on Main, Sixth and State streets, all either on or close to Garland’s historic square. Enjoy a Dr. Pepper slushie or some cotton candy iced tea, homemade Frito pie, a churro flight or deep-fried funnel cake spam on a stick with blackberry maple jam. There will also be fair-inspired corndogs, turkey legs and wings and fried Oreos.
Below is a list of participating restaurants and more of their “Fair Fare” specials.
- Intrinsic Smokehouse & Brewery: Footlong corndogs, turkey wings, fried peach cobbler, Dr. Pepper slushie
- Dos Banderas: Fried elote bites
- G-Town Nutrition: assorted Fair-inspired teas (e.g. cotton candy tea; Harley Quinn tea) and shakes (e.g. fried ice
cream shake; churro shake; Mama’s sweet apple pie shake) - Rosalind Coffee: Homemade lemonades (mango, strawberry and mint blueberry)
- Main Street Café: Deep fried funnel cake spam on a stick with blackberry maple jam
- Paw Paw’s Sweet Shop & Café: The Horny Toad – fried pimiento cheese; fried Oreos; fried PB & J; fried Twinkies
- Fish N’ Tails Oyster Bar: Turkey legs
- 5th Avenue Nutrition: Corn dog waffles, funnel cake waffles, and cheese curd waffles; fried twinkie lattes; Yellow Ribbon lemonade slushies
- Churroland: loaded churro bites; loaded funnel cakes; chocolate Oreo churro bites; red velvet churro bites with cream cheese; peanut butter and jelly churro tray; Churroland in a cup with ice cream
- Mrs. J’s Heav’nly Delights: Caramel and candy apples; chocolate dipped pretzels and turtles; cheesecake
- Tavern on the Square: Homemade Frito pie
- Blue Rat Thai Kitchen: Chicken curry puffs
- Scoop N’ Buns: Churro flight
- Infinity Arcade: Garlic bread bites and strawberry cheesecake sopapillas