Acting Fair Director Troy Waffner said Syracuse’s Strong Hearts Café was chosen from four proposals to provide food that would appeal to vegans and vegetarians.
The restaurant’s stand will be in the International Building, which is next to the State Police exhibit at the fair.
“We are thrilled to have an operator of the quality and commitment of the Strong Hearts team as part of the family of vendors at the State Fair,” Waffner said. “I know this will be a home run for fairgoers, who come to the fair to find great new foods to taste.”
In addition to serving 100 percent vegan fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Strong Hearts offers more than 40 milkshakes at its popular restaurant on East Genesee Street in Syracuse and its satellite location on the Syracuse University hill.
The restaurant will offer some of its milkshake lineup at the fair and will create a new milkshake especially for the fair.
Strong Hearts’ menu also will include smoothies, salads, sandwiches, wraps and side dishes. And, in keeping with state fair tradition, will offer a deep-fried delicacy — vegan chicken wings.
“People are ready for these fun and healthy alternatives,” said Strong Hearts co-owner Joel Capolongo. “We know what people like and want, and we’re ready to prove it to the hundreds of thousands of visitors to the Great New York State Fair. I know fairgoers are going to love this food.”
The effort to find a vegan/vegetarian food vendor is part of the fair’s ongoing effort to diversify its food choices. As openings occur in food vending spots, the fair seeks new vendors with diverse menus.
Surveys of fairgoers find year after year that the number one reason they go to the fair is for the food. There are about 200 food vendors at the New York State Fair.
The New York State Fair runs from Thursday, Aug. 27, to Monday, Sept. 7.
