The wildest foods at the Sydney Royal Easter Show ranked

The Sydney Royal Easter Show has officially descended upon Olympic Park, bringing with it the familiar scent of prize livestock, showbags, and the annual quest to find the most heart-stopping deep-fried creation on the grounds. While the Bertie Beetle remains a nostalgic staple for the kids, the real action is happening at the kiosks where "culinary innovation" often feels more like a dare. It is a time-honoured Sydney tradition to bypass the sensible options and lean into the glorious, neon-lit absurdity of the showground menu.

Topping the list of the truly wild this year is the deep-fried lasagne on a stick. It is exactly what it sounds like: a slab of layered pasta, meat sauce, and cheese, breaded and dropped into the deep fryer until it reaches a structural integrity rarely seen in Italian cuisine. For those commuting out on the T7 line from Central, this is the ultimate handheld fuel. It’s heavy, unrepentant, and surprisingly viral, proving that Sydneysiders will eat just about anything as long as it’s golden-brown and skewered.

For those looking to bridge the gap between main course and dessert, the bacon-topped cinnamon scroll is making waves. It’s a sensory overload that pits salty against sugary, draped in a thick glaze that ensures your hands will be sticky for the rest of your walk through the cattle pavilions. It’s the kind of food that makes you question your life choices at 2:00 PM but feels entirely necessary by 2:15 PM when you’re staring down a giant Ferris wheel.

Not to be outdone by the savoury side, the dessert stalls are leaning into the "mega" trend. We are seeing shakes topped with entire slices of cheesecake and waffles dipped in more chocolate than should be legal in the Olympic Park precinct. The sheer scale of these items makes the humble $2 cheese toastie at the Dairy Farmers stall look like a minimalist masterpiece. It’s a battle between the old-school reliability of the CWA tea room and the new-age madness of the concession stands.

If you are planning to tackle the food trail, the strategy is simple: share everything. Trying to finish a foot-long dagwood dog and a deep-fried Oreo solo is a rookie mistake that will end your day before the woodchopping finals even begin. Grab a group of mates, find a spot on the grass near the main arena, and prepare for a series of taste tests that would make a nutritionist weep. It’s a once-a-year spectacle where the rules of the Sydney dining scene simply don't apply.

As the show continues its run, the competition for the "most Instagrammed snack" remains fierce. Whether you’re a traditionalist who sticks to the honey puffs or a thrill-seeker hunting down the next viral deep-fried experiment, the 2024 lineup is a testament to the city's love for a bit of kitsch. Just make sure you save enough room—and enough cash—to navigate the showbag pavilion on your way out toward the station.