Ah Devon, the show with more traditions than almost any other, given its century-plus history. Outside of the competition, one of the biggest draws to the Devon Horse Show and County Fair is undoubtably the varied and delicious food available on the show grounds. You can join the crowds to get to the midway for cotton candy and fair food, head to the 1896 Grille for burgers and pizza, go inside the Garden Café for a ready-to-go full meal, stop by the Groom’s Kitchen down by the Wheeler Ring for a delicious breakfast sandwich, or join the weaving line to the tea cart for the most time-honored of fare.

With so many options for snacking, it can be overwhelming to choose each meal, so in the spirit of consumer-oriented journalism, I’m here to help. I chatted with longtime Devon attendees about their new and old favorites and got to work eating my way across the show grounds during junior weekend while reporting on the horse show.

My biggest takeaway? Grab a friend (or three), so you can sample more delicious things. And be sure to thank everyone working at the food stands; they’re all volunteers helping to raise money for the horse show and its beneficiary, Bryn Mawr Hospital.

French Fries
During a break between sections of the Maclay, I trotted over to the food vendor area and nabbed an order of Devon Fries, as they’re known, which are perennial favorites of mine and half the show grounds. Things looked good from the start: There was no line, for one, as somehow I’m the only one who wants fries at 11 a.m. sharp, and my plate was steaming in the unseasonably chilly weather. There are spray bottles of vinegar and apple cider vinegar to squirt on your fries to save you from trying to balance tiny cups of condiments on the overflowing plate of potatoes.

They’re delicious, and my only complaint is the same as complaints with any fries: You have to share so that you can eat them all while hot, because once cold they lose all appeal.  

9/10

Tea Sandwiches
When I went to grab tea sandwiches Saturday morning, the volunteers working the tea cart informed me that they were awaiting a delivery and only had two flavors: chicken salad or egg salad. No problem, I said, as egg is my favorite anyway.

Unpopular opinion: I believe that tea sandwiches are a favorite thanks to nostalgic reasons rather than taste. But nostalgia is a good reason to indulge. In the old days of the horse show, well-heeled ladies enjoyed high tea service, and the tea cart and plastic containers of a single white bread sandwich—quartered, with the crusts cut off—are remnants of those days gone by. Despite surely being made in huge batches off campus, the sandwich is fresh and light, a nice contrast to much of the food available on-site. They don’t have the most explosive flavor, but that’s no surprise. I find myself eager to share with someone, not because there’s too much—a single sandwich isn’t overly filling—but because I’d like to taste a couple flavors. It’s not my favorite snack at Devon, but I wouldn’t dream of coming here without having at least one.

6.5/10

Lemon Stick
Robin’s egg blue grandstand walls; jaunty Saddlebreds prancing around the ring to the sound of organ music; a towering Ferris wheel stuffed with sugar-high kids rocking the seats: some things just say “Devon Horse Show.”

No. 1 on the list of defining features of the show? The candy stand where one can buy a signature lemon stick. For the uninitiated, a lemon stick is a piece of lemon candy stuck into a lemon with one end cut off, and one sucks on the candy as the acid burns through the stick to create a sort of lemonade. It’s tasty, and sticky, and slow to eat. (Someone else said she goes through a lemon stick in 20 minutes. I was not nearly that fast.) It’s also hard to set down as the bottom is curved. If you’re wandering around the grounds taking in the horses and the sights, I’d recommend doing it with one of these in your hands. If you’re a reporter at a horse show trying to take photos and type up reports, this is a treat for the end of the day.

9/10

Apple Pie Egg Roll With Ice Cream
A relatively new addition to the Devon food lineup, the egg rolls, provided by Madi’s On A Roll, have quickly become favorites at the horse show. This year was my first year trying one, and I took a pro tip from Katie Brown, who’s on the Devon Country Fair Executive Committee. She made the brilliant suggestion that I try an apple pie egg roll (they come in several flavors, including savory ones like mac and cheese and cheesesteak) and get some ice cream from the ice cream vendor. Yahtzee.

The salted pretzel ice cream—Bassetts brand, for those keeping track—was delicious and a wonderful contrast to the piping hot egg roll. Perfect for a cooler day or evening. When I got in the egg roll line with ice cream in hand, everyone around me oohed and aahed at my ingenuity, and I’ll admit I didn’t correct their thinking that I came up with the ice cream/egg roll combo idea. Katie, if you’re reading, consider this my apology.

10/10

Fried Oreos
On Sunday afternoon of junior weekend, I braved the fair to try my first deep-fried Oreo. The problem? They come in servings of five. Luckily the press room was full of willing, hungry members of the media. “Those are so good,” said one person. “OK I’ll have another,” said someone else. While fried sweets aren’t usually my cup of tea, I couldn’t deny how quickly they disappeared. So grab a friend (or several) if you’re going to get this piping hot sweet treat.

 7/10
(10/10 if you asked the press room.)

Pizza
I’m very picky about my pizza, and frankly most of it misses the mark for me. But when hunt night is carrying on, it’s chilly out, and you need something to eat, the pizza at Devon hits the spot. You can get a full pie or an individual slice, and it’s fresh out of the oven. While it may not rival the best in New York, it’s perfect for a night class at the horse show.

7/10

Water Ice
My friends Annie Patterson and Vicci Valenti, who run Kind Media, the official photographers at Devon, were shocked to hear that in the 15 years or so I’ve been coming to the horse show I’d never had water ice. I felt embarrassed not to have tried one of Philadelphia’s most famous treats, so I braved the midway for the second time in the afternoon, weaving between children and dogs to get a cup. Never mind that it’s not really hot enough for frozen desserts, Chronicle readers need to know about the water ice, and it’s my job to evaluate it.

It seems to me to be the same as a softer, flavored lemon ice. The lady who scooped it for me told me it tasted just like mango—and it did. There are about eight flavors available. The only thing that would have made it better was warmer weather to contrast with the iciness. But good news, this year not withstanding, that’s rarely a problem at Devon.

9/10

Tomato Pie
At the recommendation of press officer Jamie Saults, I tried her favorite Devon treat, the tomato pie, a new one for me. For the uninitiated it’s like saucy pizza without gooey cheese, and it’s cold. The sauce is kind of sweet, which was lovely, and it hit the spot after the arena eventing wrapped up late on Sunday evening. While I was kind of wishing for something warm when I got it, I’d finished my slice before I knew what was happening.

8/10

In Conclusion

I wasn’t at the show nearly long enough to eat everywhere, but I tried, dear reader, as my now-tight jeans will attest. A few people gave me pro tips I wasn’t able to make use of, like a childhood friend who told me that if you got orange juice down at the Groom’s Kitchen and a glass of Prosecco from the wine vendor, you could to make your own mimosa.

I’m already looking forward to eating my way across the horse show next year, so please let me know your favorite Devon food in the comments.