The 50 Dishes That Best Represent Every State in America, According to Reddit
Whenever we're looking to avoid key responsibilities, we take a gander over to Reddit and watch people argue. One of the topics that gets people the most riled up, of course, is food—even more agitating is the topic of regional food. A very popular new AskReddit thread poses a question that has inspired over 24,000 comments to date: "I’m cooking one meal from every state in the United States, what meal best represents your state?"
Naturally, people had opinions, many of which we agree with and many of which we could not disagree more. Below, we're posting the most popular responses for each state, and encourage you to decide for yourself. Just don't take your frustration out on us; we're merely the messengers. (See the full Reddit thread here if you're looking to do an even deeper dive.)
If you want to attempt making dishes from every state, too, we think that's a fabulous idea. We'll link some of our favorite recipes below.
Louisiana: Gumbo or jambalaya
Runner up: Etouffée ("I feel like Louisiana is the only state where you could get 10 different answers and they'd all be correct.")
Indiana: Hoosier breaded pork tenderloin sandwich
Runner up: Sugar cream pie
Maryland: Crab feast with Old Bay seasoning
Runner up: Crab cakes
Wisconsin: Beer brats (with fried onions and sauerkraut options)
Runner up: Cheese curds
North Carolina: Pulled pork sandwich with a vinegar-based sauce (with hushpuppies and coleslaw)
Runner up: Steamed blue crabs from the coast
Rhode Island: Clear clam chowder and clam cakes
Runner up: Coffee milk
Texas: Smoked brisket
Runner up: Tex-mex
Oregon: "Anything with Marionberries!"
Runner up: Tillamook cheese
Hawaii: Pan fried slices of Spam, 2 scoops of white, steamed rice, and scrambled eggs
Runner up: Poke
Nebraska: Runza
Runner up: Cinnamon rolls with chili
Utah: Funeral potatoes
Runner up: Green jello
New Mexico: Adovada
Runner up: Roasted green chiles
Minnesota: Tater tot hotdish
Runner up: Chicken wild rice soup
Michigan: Pasties
Runner up: Coney dogs
Alabama: Smoked chicken with white sauce
Runner up: Moonpie
Missouri: BBQ burnt ends
Runner up: Toasted ravioli
West Virginia: Pepperoni rolls
Runner up: Country fried steak and green beans
South Carolina: She crab soup
Runner up: Shrimp and grits
New York: "Garbage plate"
Runner up: Bagel
Pennsylvania: Cheesesteak
Runner up: Pierogis, kielbasa, and water ice
North Dakota: Fry bread taco
Runner up: Knoephla soup
Kentucky: Hot brown
Runner up: Burgoo
New Jersey: Taylor ham, egg, and cheese on a bagel with salt, pepper, ketchup
Runner up: Italian-American catering food
Florida: Cuban sandwich
Runner up: Key lime pie
Idaho: Elk steak
Runner up: Finger steaks and fry sauce
New Hampshire: Blueberry pancakes with maple syrup
Runner up: Cider doughnuts
Colorado: Green chili cheese fries
Runner up: Rocky Mountain oysters
Nevada: Shrimp cocktail and prime rib
Runner up: Basque food
Maine: Whoopie pies
Runner up: Lobster boil
Arizona: Carne asada tacos and nopales
Runner up: Sonoran dogs
Connecticut: New Haven-style clam pizza
Runner up: Lobster rolls
Virginia: Virginia salty ham
Runner up: Chesapeake Bay oyster dishes
Delaware: Scrapple, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich on a toasted pretzel bun
Runner up: Pretzel salad
South Dakota: Chislic
Runner up: Buffalo burger
Kansas: Chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes covered in white gravy
Runner up: Cinnamon roll and chili
Montana: Huckleberry cobbler
Runner up: Bison burgers
Tennessee: Pulled pork and dry-rub ribs
Runner up: Hot chicken
Washington: Cedar-planked salmon
Runner up: Dungeness crab
Mississippi: Chicken and dumplings
Runner up: Fried catfish
Massachusetts: Lobsta roll
Runner up: Clam chowder
Ohio: Cincinnati-style chili
Runner up: Kielbasi, sauerkraut, and pierogies
California: Burritos
Runner up: Street tacos
Georgia: Pecan pie
Runner up: Biscuits and gravy
Alaska: Grilled wild salmon
Runner up: Halibut Olympia
Illinois: Chicago hot dog
Runner up: Italian beef sandwich
Arkansas: Cheese dip
Runner up: Chocolate gravy
Wyoming: Rocky Mountain oysters
Runner up: Bison or elk burgers
Iowa: Huge fried pork tenderloin on a regular bun
Runner up: Loose meat sandwich
Oklahoma: Fried catfish
Vermont: Maple creemee
Runner up: Apple grilled cheese
Answers have been edited for clarity.
