25 Regional American Foods You Might Not Know (But Should)

Ever had lutefish? Chitlins? A crown burger? Brush up on some of country's more obscure localized specialties.

Hannah Norwick

Regional food pride is one thing that nearly every American connects with—at least one food staple will trigger memories from home or the place a person grew up. From childhood Nilla pudding served at cookouts to cod fish packed in lye on Christmas day, our palates and love for food are hugely defined by the places we have lived and what we were eating while there. Regional food always has a story that says something about the place and its history.

As we’ve said before (and many other have argued before us), there are few better ways to understand the 50 states than through their local food traditions. Though we have all heard of Chicago deep dish and Texas BBQ, there are lesser known delicacies like goetta and Gerber sandwiches to be discovered. Here are 25 regional dishes that you might not know by name, but probably should.

How many have you tried? We think it should be every American’s goal to eat ’em all one day.

Pasties

Where it's from: Michigan What it is: Meat turnovers originally brought to Michigan's Upper Peninsula by immigrant miners from Cornwall, England. Stuffed with meat, potatoes, onions, and spices, the flaky meat pies are beloved by locals called "Yoopers."
Goetta

Where it's from: Cincinatti, OH What it is: A breakfast sausage made of ground meat (pork, beef, or both), as well as steel-cut oats that German-American immigrants would use to make their meat mixture last long. After being formed into a loaf, the concoction is cut into slices and fried in pork fat. Because of its popularity, it is commonly referred to as “Cincinnati caviar."
Horseshoe Sandwich

Where it's from: Springfield, IL What it is: An open-faced sandwich built from the bottom up with thick-sliced toast, hamburgers patties or ham (other meat like deep fried pork tenderloin, fried chicken, and fish filets can be substituted), french fries, and secrect cheese sauce usually containing a combination of eggs, beer, butter, Worcestershire, and mustard.
Provel

Where it's from: St. Louis, MO What it is: A processed cheese made of cheddar, swiss, and provolone. It is most commonly used on St. Louis-style pizza, but can also be used in soups, atop salads, or in pasta sauces.
Gerber Sandwich

Where it's from: St. Louis, MO What it is: An open-faced sandwich made of Italian bread, garlic butter, ham, and Provel cheese. Renditions are sold everywhere, from cheap hole-in-the-walls to more up-scale restaurants that use house-made roast beef.
Bialys

Where it's from: New York City What it is: What may seem like a common Sunday morning staple for most New Yorkers—served with a shmear of cream cheese and lox—is a word that leaves many with no reference point. From the Yiddish bialystoker kuchen, bialys are essentially smaller, sort of smushed bagels that are not boiled, but only baked. In place of a whole in the middle is an indention that can be filled with onions, garlic, and poppy seeds.
Livermush

Where it's from: North Carolina and the South What it is: Often referred to as liver pudding, it is a loaf made of pig's liver, pig's head parts, and cormeal. It is often sliced and fried, then served with grits and eggs for breakfast, or in a sandwich with mayonnaise for lunch. Multiple towns in North Carolina have festivals devoted to the porky, Spam-like concoction.
Shandong beef rolls

Where it's from: Los Angeles, CA What it is: Hailing from the province of Shandong in Northeast China, these rolls attract cult followers who engage in a growing battle over which L.A. restaurant serves the best. The rolls are made by wrapping a fried Chinese pancake smeared with bean paste around sliced beef, scallions, and cilantro. The whole things is rolled up, burrito-style, and sliced into rounds for easy handling.
Coddies

Where it's from: Baltimore, MD What it is: Brought to East Baltimore by Russian Jewish immigrants in the early 1900s, these poor-man's crab cakes are made from cod flakes, mashed potatoes, and onions, then deep fried. They are traditionally served atop a Saltine slathered with mustard.
Chow Chow

Where it's from: The South, New Mexico, and Pennsylvania What it is: A pickled relish made of green and red tomatoes, cabbage, onions, and carrots, as well as any other seasonal vegetable. Served as a chilled or room-temperature condiment, it often accompanies fried fish, hamburgers, hot dogs, fried chicken, and barbecue. The version from Pennsylvania tends to be a bit sweeter than its Southern relative.
Loco Moco

Where it's from: Hawaii What it is: Considered a comfort food by Hawaiians, this dish debuted in the 1950 and is constructed by topping white rice with a hamburger patty, a fried egg, and brown gravy.
Geoduck

Where it's from: Pacific Northwest What it is: Pronounced gooey duck, these very large deep-water clams with long siphons, or "necks," can grow up to three feet in length and live for 100 years. They can be served sliced thin like sashimi, though they are often sauteed in butter.
Hot Brown

Where it's from: Louisville, KY What it is: This hot, open-faced sandwich was created at the Brown Hotel in the 1920s for late-night diners. It is made of turkey, bacon, Mornay sauce (a béchamel that includes grated cheese), and bread that is baked until lightly browned.
Stuffies

Where it's from: Rhode Island and Massachusetts What it is: Tradtionally made with Quahogs (the large clams with purple markings inside their shells), these are essentially stuffed, baked clams made with bread crumbs, chopped clam meat, and plenty of juice. Purists claim that a true stuffie shouldn't contain anything else, while others add onions, celery, sausage, and even Portugese stew.
Akutaq

Where it's from: Alaska What it is: This Inuit ice cream contained polar bear fat in its original carnation, though now it is usually made with shortening, berries, sugar, and snow. Sometimes there are meat add-ins like salmon and caribou, with animal fat or oil used for preservation.
Garbage Plate

Where it's from: New York State What it is: A conglomeration of cheese, hamburger, Italian sausages, steak, chicken, white or red hots, a grilled cheese sandwich, fried fish, and/or eggs, served on top of one or two of the following: home fries, fries, beans, and mac salad. This monstrosity is then topped with onions, mustard, and hot sauce, and it comes with a side of bread and butter for soaking up residual grease. The story goes that the gut-buster got its start back in 1918 at Nick Tahou Hots in Rochester, NY.
Watergate Salad

Where it's from: Midwest and the South What it is: A beloved fruit "salad" made of crushed pineapple, pistachio pudding, marshmellows, pecans, and Cool Whip. The green creation is sometimes called "Pistachio Delight."
Lutefisk

Where it's from: Midwest, specifically Wisconsin and Minnesota What it is: Usually prepared for Thanksgiving and Christmas, this dried white fish is soaked in a mixture of lye and water for up to eight days, creating a jelly-like consistency. The salty fish can be found stocking shelves of regional grocers across the Midwest.
Hoppin' John

Where it's from: The southern U.S. What it is: Traditionally served on New Year's Day for good luck, the dish features a mixture of black-eyed peas (sometimes crowders, cowpeas, or Dixie Lees are substituted), chopped onions, and ham hock.
Frogmore Stew

Where it's from: The southern U.S., specifically South Carolina What it is: Also referred to as Beaufort Stew, this low-country boil is made with sausage, corn on the cob, whole potatoes (usually new or red), shrimp, and crab.
Crown Burger

Where it's from: Salt Lake City, UT What it is: Started by the fast-food chain of the same name, this charbroiled burger is topped with hot pastrami and can now be found in most burger joints across the state.
Loose meat

Where it's from: Iowa What it is: Commonly referred to as a "Maid Rite" for the chain which, according to lore, began serving the sandwich more than 80 years ago, it is a bun placed atop a unformed hamburger patty, or a sloppy Joe with no sauce—depending on your perspective.
She-Crab Soup

Where it's From: The Southeast coast What it is: A seafood bisque made of Atlantic blue crab meat, crab roe, crab or fish stock, heavy cream, and dry sherry. The name "She-Crab" refers female crab that provides the roe, which gives the soup its orange color.
Benne Wafers

Where it's from: South Carolina What it is: Sesame-seed cookies that were brought to the Low Country by East African slaves. The Bantu word for sesame is benne, and the cookies are made with butter, brown sugar, and vanilla. Charleston's Olde Colony Bakery is famous for its benne wafers.
Chitlins or Chitterlings

Where it's from: The South What it is: These cleaned pig intestines are tradtionally slow-boiled then served with hot sauce and vinegar, but they can also be deep fried. Because cleaning them is so labor intensive, they are often served on Christmas or other special ocassions.
Regional food pride is one thing that nearly every American connects with—at least one food staple will trigger memories from home or the place a person grew up. From childhood Nilla pudding served at cookouts to cod fish packed in lye on Christmas day, our palates and love for food are hugely defined by the places we have lived and what we were eating while there. Regional food always has a story that says something about the place and its history. As we've said before (and many other have argued before us), there are few better ways to understand the 50 states than through their local food traditions. Though we have all heard of Chicago deep dish and Texas BBQ, there are lesser known delicacies like goetta and Gerber sandwiches to be discovered. Here are 25 regional dishes that you might not know by name, but probably should. How many have you tried? We think it should be every American's goal to eat 'em all one day.

25 Regional American Foods You Might Not Know (But Should)

Pasties

Goetta

Horseshoe Sandwich

Provel

Gerber Sandwich

Bialys

Livermush

Shandong beef rolls

Coddies

Chow Chow

Loco Moco

Geoduck

Hot Brown

Stuffies

Akutaq

Garbage Plate

Watergate Salad

Lutefisk

Hoppin' John

Frogmore Stew

Crown Burger

Loose meat

She-Crab Soup

Benne Wafers

Chitlins or Chitterlings

Latest News