USA Food

While fast-food chains freckle the country and trends like low-carb diets curb the nation’s eating habits, authentic American food tastes best at the regional level. Local agricultural production, immigration patterns, and cultures have resulted in unique and delicious foods that far outshine the burger-and-fries stereotype of American cuisine.

Northeast. When America’s English settlers landed in the Northeast, they combined staple meats and vegetables with uniquely American foodstuffs like turkey, maple syrup, clams, lobster, cranberries, and corn. Such treasures as Boston brown bread, Indian pudding, New England clam chowder, and Maine boiled lobster resulted. The shellfish in the Northeast is second to none.

South. Be prepared for some home cookin’! Fried chicken, biscuits, mashed potatoes, and collard greens are some highlights of Southeastern cuisine. Cheese grits or cornbread are a savory supplement to lunch and dinner dishes.

Louisiana. Chefs in New Orleans , where creole and Cajun seasonings tantalize the taste buds, are among the best in the country. Locals and tourists alike regard crawfish, fried catfish, jambalaya (rice cooked with ham, sausage, shrimp, and herbs), and gumbo (a soup with okra, meat, and vegetables) as delicacies. The faint of heart beware: Cajun and creole cooking is notoriously spicy.

Texas. From beef to pork to beef again, Texans like to throw it on the grill. Eat at any of their many barbecue joints and they’ll tell you that the real secret is in the sauce. For those in the mood for Mexican, enchiladas, burritos, nachos, and fajitas are scrumptious Tex-Mex options.

Southwest. Strongly influenced by Mexican cuisine, Southwestern grub relies on traditional Mexican ingredients like corn, flour, and chilies. Salsa made from tomatoes, chilies (especially New Mexico’s famous hatch chilies), and tomatillos adds spice to most dishes, including quesadillas, chiles rellenos, and tacos.

California. California’s trend-setting status in the US extends beyond fashion and movies to fresh and natural foods. Home to acres of orange groves and avocado trees, California offers an array of organic produce mixed into everything from smoothies to salads. Grapes also grow plentifully in the numerous vineyards that line the fields of Napa Valley and central California, the US’s illustrious wine country.

Northwest. In close proximity to the arctic water frequented by halibut and salmon, many cities in the Pacific Northwest are known for superior seafood, which can be found in everything from chowder to tacos. If you’re looking for a cold one to wash down your seafood, Portland, OR is the microbrewery capital of North America and has the beer to prove it.