The Ultimate Guide to the Best Food at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
Whether you’re a foodie, a thrill-seeker, or just looking for a fun day out with family and friends, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has something for everyone. With its rich history, exciting events, and mouth-watering food options, it’s no wonder that it’s a popular destination for people of all ages.
Gold Buckle Foodie Awards: The Ultimate Guide to the Best Food at the Rodeo
The Gold Buckle Foodie Awards is an annual competition that invites Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo vendors to submit their most irresistible dishes to be evaluated in one of six categories: Best Fried Food, Best Food-on-a-Stick, Best Classic Fair Food, Best Most Creative, Best New Flavor, and Best Dessert. A team of 40 judges, comprising of chefs, influencers, and members of the media, taste each of the 18 submitted dishes and cast their votes for the winners in each category.
The 2025 Gold Buckle Foodie Awards Winners
In this year’s competition, the top spot in the Best Fried Food category went to Asian Streetness for its crab rangoon eggrolls, which combine two favorite Chinese-American dishes into a crispy-chewy bite paired with a sweet chili sauce and traditional shrimp chips. Taste testers were also smitten with Rousso’s Cotton Candy Bacon on a Stick, with exclaims of delight filling the room as volunteers handed out towering slices of half-inch-thick bacon slathered in a housemade cotton candy glaze and then encased in the pink sugar-spun confection.
Best Fried Food
- 1st Place: Asian Streetness — Crab Rangoon Egg Rolls and Shrimp Chips
- 2nd Place: Rousso’s Fat Bacon — Bacon Jam Cheesy Pickle Fries
- 3rd Place: Yoakum Packing Company — Chicken Fried Bacon
Best Food-on-a-Stick
- 1st Place: Munchoes — Texas Praline Caramel Apple
- 2nd Place: Corndog with No Name — The Midnight Cowboy Corn Dog
- 3rd Place: Paradise Burgers — Tater Kegs on a Stick
Best Classic Fair Food
- 1st Place: Finer Diner — Ground Ribeye Steak Burger
- 2nd Place TIED: Harlon’s BBQ — Harlon’s All-Meat Baked Potato
- 2nd Place TIED: Saltgrass — Pork-Stuffed Potato
Best Most Creative
- 1st Place: Rousso’s Fat Bacon — Bacon Jammy Jam Wagyu Sliders
- 2nd Place: Asian Streetness — Snack Pack Combo
- 3rd Place: Casa de Yummy — Spicy Pickle Roll-Up
Best New Flavor
- 1st Place: Rousso’s Fat Bacon — Rousso’s Cotton Candy Bacon on a Stick
- 2nd Place: Darlin’s Fried Chicken — Chicken and Waffle Sliders
- 3rd Place: Saltgrass — Flaming Hot Chili Mac Dog
Best Dessert
- 1st Place: The Original Minneapple Pie — Minnecookiedough Pie
- 2nd Place: Casa de Yummy — Churro Ice Cream Sundae
- 3rd Place: Munchoes — Red Velvet Cookie Sandwich
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the Gold Buckle Foodie Awards?
A: The Gold Buckle Foodie Awards is an annual competition that invites Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo vendors to submit their most irresistible dishes to be evaluated in one of six categories.
Q: Who are the judges for the Gold Buckle Foodie Awards?
A: The judges for the Gold Buckle Foodie Awards are a team of 40, comprising of chefs, influencers, and members of the media.
Q: How do the judges choose the winners?
A: The judges taste each of the 18 submitted dishes and cast their votes for the winners in each category.
Q: What are the different categories for the Gold Buckle Foodie Awards?
A: The Gold Buckle Foodie Awards has six categories: Best Fried Food, Best Food-on-a-Stick, Best Classic Fair Food, Best Most Creative, Best New Flavor, and Best Dessert.
Q: When is the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo held?
A: The exact dates for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo vary from year to year, but it is usually held in March.
