What's your favorite regional food in the U.S.?

[VickiM68]

Do you have a favorite dish/regional specialty that's served only/primarily in one part of the country? What is it and where would we find it?

[c474047s]

Wings.....

[rh97821964]

Northern New Jersey: Taylor's Ham

It's called pork roll in Southern NJ

[MAdamsSr]

I do love a deep dish pizza!  And, of course, a great coney dog...

However, my absolute favorite is Beef and Noodles served on top of mashed potatoes from almost any Amish restaurant in northern Indiana.  Chicken works as well, but beef and freshly made egg noodles can not be beat!!

[LindeStar123]

Warm cheese curds from Wisconsin with lake perch or smelt.

[rbovee]

Northeast ... there is no way you could get them all ie: you can get great oysters from Maine to Fla.

But in Pennsylvania the "Shoofly Pie" was what Grandma named "shoo" the kids away as we 

gathered like "flies" waiting for a piece !!!!  

[AlekaMunroe]

Fried clams. Whole clams with the bellies, not clam strips! A northern New England specialty. 

[jlbreyer]

I'll agree with whole clams with the bellies, except for the Essex clams from Cape Ann. Their bellies are full of black Essex River mud, which I do not find tasty at all. 😞

[t724513o]

There are so many that were omitted. From the south: pecan pie..North Carolina barbeque is unique, spicy pulled pork topped with Cole slaw served on a bun.  The upper Midwest has that canned fruit salad made with mini marshmallows and mayonnaise. The variation includes shredded coconut. It’s horrible if you didn’t grow up with it, but it’s certainly iconic, and served at every pot luck and church social you’ll ever attend.

California is a large state. An obvious example of the variations would be the food from Chinatown in San Francisco and the food from Chinatown in Los Angeles. The names on the menu and the basic ingredients may be the same, but the preparation and taste is very different.  

The Mexican influence on food is shown in the cuisine in southern CA, yet you haven’t shown anything from that genre. Same with New Mexico where the local cuisine is heavily influenced by the indigenous peoples' food traditions and flavors there. 

I guess it comes down to nearly nearly every place having more than one special thing...cheese curds from Wisconsin, maple syrup from Vermont, New Orleans has Beignets, pralines, and jambalaya just to name the most obvious, 

[davidm529280]

Arizona should be Enchilada

New Jersey should be Hoagie

New Mexico should have a Green Hatch Chili in it

Washington should be Salmon

A semi retired National Executive Chef

[jlbreyer]

I'll have to second the shoo fly pie vote, but do you prefer 'wet bottom' or 'dry bottom'?

[CELICBLONDIE]

Boudin Balls!!  Usually from Louisiana. They are like zatarans dirty rice mixed with pork, rolled into a ball the size of a meatball.  They are then rolled in corn meal and deep fried. Soooo yummy

[PoetArtist]

Pasteles from Puerto Rico.

[JeanR521446]

Since I am from the South, it is the food of the South.  If you are ever driving through the middle of Mississippi down Hwy. 49 south, a few miles out of Jackson, Mississippi near the town of Florence, is a restaurant in a big white dome called Jerry's Catfish House.  It is outstanding.  The fried catfish cannot be beat.  The side dishes are also excellent and tasty.  Hushpuppies, turnip greens, fried dill pickles, french fires, sweet potato, onion rings, gumbo, cole slaw.  You won't be disappointed.  Jean Roberts

[bettybooper5]

In the south blueberry and/or peach and/or blackberry cobbler. #1 is blackberry cobbler, however I live raspberries

[ocbridgeman]

You can't forget to mention a pork roll, (taylor ham), egg and cheese sandwich on a hard (Kaiser) roll.

With a slice of raw onion it is a breakfast favorite.

[jlbreyer]

Especially on the boardwalk in Ocean City. 🙂

[ReTiReD51]

Tony Packo’s in Toledo, Ohio has been serving authentic Hungarian food since 1932. Jamie Farr who played “Maxwell Klinger” in the TV series M*A*S*H gave Tony Packo’s Cafe worldwide fame when he often boasted and craved about Packo’s having the greatest Hungarian hot dogs. They are made from a special recipe using a flavorful Hungarian sausage and they are delicious.

At the other end of the state in Cincinnati, Ohio is home to Skyline Chili. It was founded by Nicholas Lambrinides a Greek immigrant in 1949. Skyline chili is not like your typical chili con carne. It is usually served over spaghetti with a unique appealing secret sauce that I think has a hint of cinnamon added to it. You can top it with cheese or onions. Delicious!

[g145031a]

What's your favorite regional food in the U.S.?

ANY MEAL in NEW YORK city.

Go into a Pub anywhere in the city.  It is the best "pub food" in the country.

Go into a Chinese resturant in the city.  It will give you the best, chinese, you ever had.  Ditto every ethnic category, Italian, ( Mama Leone's), Greek, ( any resturant named Zorba's),  Ethiopian,  Mexican, you name it.

It is all created by people from the source country, who use the freshest ingrediants avaliable in the world.

I Love "NewYork" FOOD. 

Sincerely Glenn D Anderson

Who lives close enough to the city to appreciate the gift.

[j673052k]

Jersey tomatoes. There's nothing quite like them anywhere in the country. 

[MaryW296161]

New York pizza for sure. No where else makes it as well except Italy and ours is so different from theirs. 

[VickiM68]

@MaryW296161 Gotta admit--I'm a Chicago deep-dish pizza fan. I love NYC, but for pizza--Chicago's the yummiest.

[MaryW296161]

I’m with you for a deep dish if that is the craving, and you are right Chicago is it. We used to drive up to Chicago on weekends for pizza and a baseball game.

[c81623c]

I would have to say one of my favorite regional foods are Philadelphia Steak and Cheese sandwiches. Although you can purchase them in other locations, they often taste the best from the City of Brotherly Love. A close runner up would be Maryland blue crabs!

[MsVH419]

I visited New Orleans in the springtime. If you are ever in the Big Easy, be sure to try a Beignet. Yum!