You only have a few more days left to visit the Rodeo carnival. For people who have got the chance to go, they know one of the main attractions is the food. But for vegetarians, it’s a scavenger hunt.
Thankfully, in this diverse city, many food vendors did not forget about us. I visited RodeoHouston and compiled some of the most mouth-watering, suitable foodie picks that aren’t just plain ol’ french fries and fried Oreos.
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1. Flamin’ Hot Cheeto’s-n-cheese pickes🥒🌶️
Cheetos were meant to be an ingredient, not a snack, and pickles are no longer just a topping reserved for your sandwiches. You can find these two popular ingredients in anything at the rodeo... because they are just that good.
The name is self-explanatory, but pickles blanketed with hot Cheetos and doused in queso make for something you didn’t know you needed. People lined up at Biggy’s to get their hands on this rodeo favorite.
2. Pickle pizza on a stick 🥒🍕
As I walked around the carnival ground, countless people asked me what I had in my hand. The look on their face when they learned it was not some form of meat on a stick that you typically see at the rodeo, but instead, pizza on a stick. This placed number one for being the best food on a stick for the Golden Buckle Foodie Awards.
The item from Swain’s Pizza On A Stick is pickles and mozzarella cheese wrapped with pizza dough and baked until the outside is crusty. It’s something you won’t find everywhere and is worth trying. Some other vegetarian options are cheese pizza on a stick and pickle pizza slices.
3. Falafel on a stick🧆
One thing about the rodeo you might notice is that they will try to fit as much as they can on a stick, and I understand why. When I’m there, I turn into a kid and replace using a fork and knife with getting a little messy holding a giant stick.
You can find this spiced chickpea item fried up at Greek Grill.
4. Buffalo tots🥔
You may be familiar with the feeling your feet get after breaking into your boots all day at the rodeo. When that happens, this is the place you have to hit up. The line went by quickly... and then, I finally sat down with my food.
I was overwhelmed by the extensive vegetarian options at Tot Spot & Mac Shack. After eating cheesy foods all day, I decided against ordering more and ate my crispy-fried tots tossed with a heavy pour of buffalo sauce.
5. Black Bean & Cheese Burrito🌯
When you are in Texas, Mexican food or Tex-Mex is non-negotiable. It only made sense you could find that cuisine at the rodeo. That luxury exists for vegetarians too.
You can find this cheesy goodness at Tad’s Bodacious Burrito. There are multiple locations, but all of them have similar menus.
To locate any of these stalls in the sea of chaos, use the map on the RodeoHouston app. If you want to try these items, confirm with the food vendors that your order meets your dietary restrictions.