The Big E’s best foods: These vendors get our stamp of approval in 2025
Going to The Big E and not sure what you should eat?
You can read the reviews , check out our Eater's Guide and look at social media . Or, you can keep an eye out for MassLive's handy recommendations at the fair.
It's easy. If you see this sticker, you know you've got one of the best places to eat:
MassLive is handing out stickers to our top foods at The Big E(MassLive)
For the past three years, MassLive has been handing out stickers to vendors that get our stamp of approval for being among the best at The Big E.
If you're stuck on where to go and what to eat, you can't go wrong with these destinations. Each has at least one must-try item. Some have a bunch.
Here are 21 vendors who get our stamp of approval in 2025.
(Note: Some vendors have appeared on previous lists and not this year. That's not a strike against them. We just change it up a little bit each year.)
MooNugs | From Moolicious on Springfield Road and West Road) One of the new foods at The Big E in 2025.(Nick O'Malley/MassLive)
1. Moolicious | On Springfield Road & West Road
What to get:
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Cornbread Sundae
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Moo Bomb
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Moo-Nut
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MooNugs
Moolicious is everything I look for in a great vendor at The Big E. It's a local business that brings personality and great food to the fair. Not only that, they do it in a way that's fun, colorful and memorable.
Their new MooNugs are delicious bricks of ice cream that are made to look like chicken nuggets. It's one of my favorite new items this year.
The BBQ Sundae from Porky's on Commonwealth Ave. at The Big E (File Photo)
2. Porky's | On Commonwealth Avenue
What to get:
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BBQ Sundae
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Giant Turkey Leg
Porky's has always been one of the fair's top BBQ spots. But what's really set them apart in recent years is the presentation of the BBQ Sundae. There's no actual ice cream. It's more like a savory parfait of BBQ and sides.
The Turducken Sandwich from the New England Craft Beer Pub on the Avenue of States. (MassLive Photo)
3. New England Craft Beer Pub | On the Avenue of States
What to get:
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Turducken Sandwich
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Lobster Nachos
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Beer-a-misu
The New England Craft Beer Pub remains one of the best stops at the fair. Their location is great, providing a shaded spot on one of the most wide-open roads at the fair.
Their Turducken Sandwich is an institution. It's the perfect blend of fun and tasty.
The "Big Sexy" platter. | From The Broccoli Bar | Behind the Vermont Building at The Big E.(Nick O'Malley, MassLive)
4. Broccoli Bar | On Springfield Road
What to get:
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The Big Sexy
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Broccoli Tempura
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Dumplings
One of the big standouts from 2024 has moved to a new location on Springfield Road. You love to see it. They serve great food and have a great atmosphere — complete with staff wearing broccoli costumes.
I loved their "Big Sexy" platter, a mishmash of all the dumplings and tempura on their menu.
The Doughco fried dough taco from Anna's Fried Dough on East Road at The Big E. (File Photo)
5. Anna's Fried Dough | East Road
What to get:
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DoughCo
There are lots of places that will sell you fried dough at The Big E. But only one will throw taco fixings on it, creating one of the fair's must-have foods.
Empanada Tacos from Macho Taco on Commonwealth Ave. Media got a sneak peak at some of the new foods at The Big E in 2024.(Nick O'Malley, MassLive)
6. Macho Taco | East Road (New Location)
What to get:
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Empanada Tacos
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Al Pastor Street Tacos
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Birria Tacos
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Deep-Fried Chile Relleño
If you just want normal tacos, this is a great choice. If you want something different, this is also a great choice. The Empanada Taco was one of my favorite new foods in 2024.
Every year, I think that we're going to run out of foods to deep fry. Every year, I'm happy to be proven wrong. This time, it was with a deep-fried stuffed poblano pepper (the Deep-Fried Chile Relleño).
NOTE: Macho Taco moved to a new location this year. It's now on East Road across from the Food Court.
Fried Butter from Marion's Fried Foods on New England Ave. (MassLive Photo)
7. Marion's Fried Foods | New England Avenue
What to get:
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Fried Butter
If you want the weirdest fried foods at the fair, stop here. This is the home of the surprisingly good Fried Butter and the bizarre visual that is Fried Kool-Aid.
Giant Mozzarella Stick, Angela's Pizza at The Big E
8. Angela's Pizza | Commonwealth Avenue
What to get:
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Giant Mozzarella on a Stick
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Pickle Pizza
Angela's has been at the forefront of some of the latest county fair food trends. They were one of the first at The Big E to do the Pickle Pizza and the giant block of cheese on a stick — and they do it pretty darn well.
The Giant Corn Dog's Bacon Dilly Dog at the 2021 Big E.
9. Giant Corn Dog Factory | West Road
What to get:
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Bacon-Wrapped Dilly Dilly Dog
I'm impressed by how far we've come in the field of hot dog-on-a-stick innovation. First, there was the corn dog. Then, there was the bacon-wrapped corn dog. Now, there's the bacon-wrapped corn dog where the hot dog is also in a pickle.
Or, as they call it: the Bacon-Wrapped Dilly Dilly Dog.
The Flatliner Burger, West Springfield Lions Club at The Big E
10. West Springfield Lions Club | On West Road
What to get:
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Flatliner Burger
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Hot Dog Flatliner
Following the success of the Flatliner Burger, the West Springfield Lions Club is debuting the Hot Dog Flatliner. It's a quarter-pound hot dog topped with chili, bacon, cheddar cheese and fries.
Mac & Cheese in a Cone from the Agawam Lions Club on West Road at The Big E. (Staff Photo)
11. Agawam Lions Club | On West Road
What to get:
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All-in-a-Cone
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Bacon Mac & Cheese in a Cone
The two Lions Club spots on West Road are underrated food destinations at the fair. I'm a big fan of the "All-in-a-Cone" creations here. It's a breaded cone shaped like a cornucopia that's stuffed with your choice of filling, including: Bacon Mac & Cheese, Shepherd's Pie, Pulled Chicken and Meatballs.
Fried Shepherd's Pie Ball from EB's Food for Fun in The Food Court at The Big E. (File Photo)
12. EB's Food for Fun | In the Food Court
What to get:
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Mac & Cheese Balls
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Fried Shepherd's Pie Balls
Tucked into the corner of the Food Court is a Big E mainstay. EB's Food for Fun has some of the top shareable little bites in the Mac & Cheese Balls and the Fried Shepherd's Pie Balls.
They also keep a solid rotation of fun new beers.
Cinny Stix | From The Vermont Marshmallow Company | Behind the Vermont Building at The Big E.(Nick O'Malley, MassLive)
13. Vermont Marshmallow Company | Behind the Vermont Building
What to get:
-
S'mores Macarons (S'Macarons)
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The Fluff Choco Taco
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Cinny Stix
This little spot behind the Vermont Building remains one of my favorite little hidden gems. They've grown in popularity — and for good reason.
Their marshmallow-based confections are delicious and pretty affordable when compared to the competition.
At Bear's Smokehouse, next to the Big E's Connecticut Building, putting brisket or pulled pork on a customer's plate is a process that begins many hours before. (Will Katcher/MassLive).
14. Bear's Smokehouse | Outside the Connecticut Building
What to get:
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Bear Attack
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Bear Necessit-E Sandwich
Bear's has great BBQ. If you're smart (and I know you are, because you're hitting up this spot), get something that combines that BBQ with mac & cheese.
The Bacon Waffle Burger from Macken's Specialty Sliders behind the Massachusetts Building at The Big E (Nick O'Malley, MassLive)
15. Macken's Specialty Sliders | Outside the Massachusetts Building
What to get:
-
Bacon Waffle Burger
The name says "sliders," but they also have some great full-sized burgers. Their Bacon Waffle Burger (with a gorgeous Liege-style waffle) is one of my favorite burgers at the fair.
They've got a big new pickle-based burger that I'm excited to try this year.
A Dubai Chocolate Imperial Stout. | Available at the Valley Malt Beer Garden at The Big E | Behind the Massachusetts Building.(Photo credit: Anastasia Stanley)
16. Valley Malt Beer Garden | Behind The Massachusetts Building
What to get:
-
Craft Beers
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Cookies
Valley Malt Beer Garden has routinely had one of The Big E's best tap lists for years. This year, they're back with multiple beers from Trillium, multiple corn lagers and multiple pumpkin beers.
Keep an eye out for the new Dubai Chocolate Imperial Stout brewed in partnership with Whitinsville brewery Murder Hill.
The SoulFully Vegan food truck at The Big E.
17. SoulFully Vegan | At The Front Porch
What to get:
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Spicy PB&J Burger
Listen, if you're adventurous enough to try a crazy deep-fried food, then maybe it's time to be adventurous and try some vegan food.
I dare you. You won't do it.
I mean, you should. The food is delicious. I'm just trying to provoke people into trying new things out of spite.
The Mac Melt, Mac & Cheese Grilled Cheese from Granville Country Store at The Big E. (MassLive Photo)
18. Granville Country Store | In the Front Porch
What to get:
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Mac Melt (Mac & Cheese Melt)
They call it a Mac Melt because it's Mac & Cheese in a grilled cheese-style sandwich. But if it's one big cheese filling, isn't it just a big grilled cheese?
These are the big questions that keep me up at night.
Loaded Tots & Chicken Tot Pie, Tots-A-Lot (Again) at The Big E
19. Tots-A-Lot | On New England Avenue
What to get:
-
Chicken Tot Pie
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Loaded Tots
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Bacon Mac & Cheese Tots
I don't know why, but I get way more excited about loaded tater tots than loaded fries.
Maybe it's because no one has made chicken pot pie fries yet. They could just call them chicken pot fries.
Hold on. I think I have a business idea.
(File Photo)
20. Chompers | On New England Avenue
What to get:
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Chicken Parm Chompers
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Chicken Pot Pie Chompers
The Big E is best experienced in a group, getting foods that are easily shareable. Chomper is the perfect destination for that experience, handing out little fried croquette balls of deliciousness that friends can pick off a little plate.
The Supreme Schnitzel Sandy from Wurst Haus on Commonwealth Ave. Media got a sneak peak at some of the new foods at The Big E in 2024.(Nick O'Malley, MassLive)
21. Wurst Haus | On Commonwealth Avenue
What to get:
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Supreme Schnitzel Sandy
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German Giant 10-inch Bratwurst
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Beer Boots
Do I need a big bratwurst that's almost a foot long? What about a schnitzel sandwich that is way too big for a pretzel bun?
I don't need a beer boot either. But I sure as heck want one.
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