What would travel be without food? There are so many places in the world to visit, so many natural and architectural wonders you can wander through, but somehow none of it would seem complete without partaking in a few local specialties you simply couldn’t get at home. It elevates the whole experience.
So to help you elevate your next travel experience within the US, whether you’re traveling through the southeast or the northwest, by car or by plane, we’ve compiled a list of the best regional specialties you must try in various parts of this great nation of people, places, and foods.
New York: Bagel
Our nation’s most populous city and the state it takes its name from having no shortage of delicious specialties. But while you’re liable to find New York-style pizza spots around the nation, few cities boast the same inexplicably delicious bagels offered on seemingly every street corner throughout the city, whether served simply with cream cheese or with all sorts of seafood or cold cut toppings.
California: Mission-Style Burrito
Now, onto the nation’s most populous state, whose regional specialty has to be something Mexican. We’re picking the enormous mission style burrito over the classic fish taco because the mission burrito accommodates far more fillings, including delectable touches like rice, black beans, avocado, carne asada and even French fries in the legendary San Diego staple, the California burrito.
Louisiana: Gumbo
Though it may not be a major population center, the state of Louisiana and especially its hotspot of vibrant Creole culture, New Orleans, have no shortage of delicious local favorite dishes to keep everyone satisfied. But what can beat this rich brothy combination of celery, onions, bell peppers, okra, shellfish and sausage, a dish so delicious it only seems logical that it’s Louisiana’s official dish.
Chicago: Deep Dish Pizza
The legendary pizza rivalry between Chicago and New York ends today, as we name Chicago the winner for their winning regional specialty, which emphasizes the pie in pizza pie by stacking the sauce and cheese impossibly high. The result is a decadent, impossibly filling treat that can’t quite be equaled anywhere else in the nation, as far as we know.
New England: Clam Chowder
There’s no shortage of delicious seafood to be fished out of the north Atlantic coast, and the New England states make good use of this natural bounty to create one of the most satisfying soups in all of creation. There are plenty of variations on the simple glory of the salty white treat, but we’d be hard-pressed to choose our favorite clam chowder—just as long as it comes from New England.
Washington State: Cedar Plank Salmon
The Pacific Northwest might not have the same extensive culinary history as others on this list, but they have plenty of tasty pink salmon waiting to be filleted swimming along their shores and up their streams. And what more could you want than a simple, flavorful cut of salmon and a plank to grill it on?
Ohio: Chili on Spaghetti
Not everyone has heard of it, but most will end up trying it simply out of curiosity whenever they find themselves, for some reason, in or around Cincinnati, where they cover their spaghetti with globs of chili and yellow shredded cheese. Don’t let the secret get out, but the weirdo concoction is actually pretty good.
Hawaii: Spam Musubi
Hawaii’s cuisine is a mishmash of traditional and western cultures, a product of the island’s conflicted history that might just have been worth all the colonization for such great foodstuffs as the spam musubi. The east-meets-west treat features a slab of spam and a block of sushi rice wrapped together with a strip of dried seaweed. Where else could such a strange dish come from?
Missouri: Ribs
There are huge stretches of America where nothing inflames locals more than the ongoing debate about what region boasts the best barbecue. For the purposes of this list, we’re going for the sauce-slathered pork ribs of the show me state, though residents of St. Louis and Kansas City will surely point out the difference between their own regional variations.
South Carolina: Shrimp and Grits
It’s not just the Northwest and Northeast than can make use of their natural resources to create memorable seafood dishes. South Carolina does it too with locally fished shrimp, paired with the simple but satisfying southern staple of grits for an authentic regional fav
