Here Are The Must-Try Foods In Every State (2024)

White barbecue sauce is a staple in Northern Alabama. While residents in other BBQ states are often unaware that this lighter sauce exists, Alabamians know that it's not a barbecue without the mayonnaise-based condiment. White barbecue sauce is thought to have been invented in 1925, when the now legendary Big Bob Gibson first started barbecuing for friends and family in a hand-dug pit in his backyard. The sauce became an instant hit and is so well known today that Big Bob Gibson's has begun to bottle the hit recipe so customers can enjoy it at home.

Make It: Big Bob Gibson's Chicken with White Barbecue Sauce

Order It: Big Bob Gibson's children have kept the business in the family, which now boasts three restaurants and years worth of BBQ awards. While the menu has expanded since Big Bob first opened shop, the classic chicken with white barbecue sauce still takes center stage on the menu. Can't make it to Alabama? Check out the coveted white sauce recipe from Big Bob Gibson's above.

Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q; Multiple Locations, Decatur; (256) 350-0404; bigbobgibson.com

Smoking meats and fish is a process that has been around for centuries and was originally utilized as a natural preservation system. Today, smoked salmon is made by soaking salmon in a brine solution, then taking the salmon to a smokehouse, where it undergoes either a cold or hot smoking. King salmon became one of Alaska's state symbols in 1962, and smoked salmon is one of the most popular ways to enjoy Alaska's state fish.

Make It: Smoked and Cured Salmon with Orange Zest

Order It: Alaskan smoked salmon can now be ordered online and shipped anywhere in the U.S. The Kodiak Island Smokehouse is a family run commercial smokehouse that uses only wild salmon and supplies smoked fish to many Kodiak Island restaurants.

Kodiak Island Smokehouse; 1011 Mill Bay Rd., Kodiak; (907) 486-6455; kodiaksmokehouse.com

Arizona is known for its cacti, one of them being the prickly pear. This desert plant produces a sweet, crimson fruit that is popular in Arizona as a lovely addition to a margarita. The fruit grows abundantly in the state and is native to the West. It was once used by American Indians and in Mexico for medicinal purposes.

Make It: Prickly Pear Margaritas

Order It: If a prickly pear-infused co*cktail sounds like the right way to go, try the Tonto Bar and Grill's prickly pear margarita in a pretty pink hue. Or, for a completely different take on the prickly pear, Flancer's restaurant in Flagstaff serves it in sandwich form. Dubbed "The Perfect 'Prickly' Pear Chicken," the sandwich is a prickly pear marinated chicken breast with lettuce, tomato, melted provolone, and New Mexican green chile mayonnaise. For wary customers, Flancer's has a "no thorns" guarantee.

Flancer's Incredible Sandwiches & Pizzeria; Multiple Locations; (480) 396-0077; flancers.com

Tonto Bar and Grill; 5736 E. Rancho Mañana Blvd., Cave Creek; (480) 488-0698; tontobarandgrill.com

Chocolate gravy (a thickened chocolate sauce) is a common accompaniment for biscuits in the South. It's a breakfast staple in Arkansas. It is thought that recipes for the decadent Southern treat were developed using chocolate pudding as a base in the 19th century. While there is no documentation about the addition of biscuits to the mix, it makes sense that a common baked good was grabbed at some point to dip in the chocolate gravy — and thus a breakfast tradition was born.

Make It: Chocolate Gravy and Biscuits

Order It: The Ozark Cafe has been serving down home Arkansas eats since 1909. The restaurant is a blast from the past, with a design that recalls the 1930s. Chocolate gravy and biscuits is one of the restaurant's breakfast sides and can be ordered as an addition to the savory breakfast options.

Ozark Cafe; 107 East Court St., Jasper; (870) 446-2976 ; ozarkcafe.com

There's no shortage of fantastic produce in The Golden State. Roughly 25 varieties of avocados are now produced in California, making the state the leading producer. Rich in vitamins and loaded with "good" fats, avocado is often cut into chunks for salads and sandwiches or even used as a spread, like in the "B.L.A.T." (bacon, lettuce, avocado, and tomato).

Make It: Avocado, Cheddar, and Sprouts Pockets with Tangy Lime Mayo

Order It: Owned and operated by a California couple, Huckleberry Bakery and Café in Santa Monica offers homemade and authentic breads, pastries, and savory delights in a warm, welcoming atmosphere. The menu is creative and inspired, as it changes frequently. Their version of the "B.L.A.T." is actually referred to as the "BLTA," and comes with Niman Ranch bacon, Harry's Berries tomatoes, avocado, arugula, and aioli on country bread.

Huckleberry Bakery and Café; 1014 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica; (310) 451-2311; huckleberrycafe.com.com

The Denver omelet is a bit of a mystery. No one knows for certain why it was given the name "Denver," and even more strange, the breakfast dish was first popular in the South before it became known as a western or Denver omelet. One theory suggests that the name developed during the building of America's first cross-country railroad. Workers called the omelet "the Western" and often ate it on a sandwich, but when the railroad made it to Utah, the egg dish was dubbed "the Denver."

Make It: Denver Omelet Cups

Order It: The Delectable Egg is the self proclaimed "Home of the Denver omelet," and uses only farm fresh, natural ingredients. They have three versions on the menu: the classic Denver omelet, the wild western (which subs chorizo for ham and adds in jalapeños), and the Western sandwich.

The Delectable Egg; Multiple Locations, Denver; delectableegg.com

Fisherman who ultimately settled in New England are credited with inventing clam chowder. They made soups out of the ingredients they had on hand — often parts of the daily catch, biscuits, and milk — and would use flour as a thickener. As chowder became an on-land staple in the Northeast, potatoes, large amounts of cream, and clams were added to the mix. Now New England-style clam chowder is a Connecticut staple. Although carrots and celery are sometimes added to the stew, the lack of vegetables available to fishermen back when chowders were first created is still noticeable in recipes for the soup today.

Make It: New England Clam Chowder

Order It: The U.S.S. Chowder Pot started in the 1970s as a modest hot dog stand. Now there are two outposts of the famous seafood restaurant, and it has been voted the best seafood in Connecticut by several publications for 17 years running. Loyal to its name, the U.S.S. Chowder Pot offers a highly acclaimed bowl of traditional New Englad clam chowder. They also serve Chowder Pot chowder, a clear broth version of the customer favorite.

The U.S.S. Chowder Pot; Multiple Locations, Branford and Hartford; (203) 481-2356; chowderpot.com

Crabbing has long been a popular activity on the Delaware beaches. Since Delaware's entire Eastern side borders the Atlantic, there's plenty of room for people to use crab pots and traps to catch blue crabs to cook for dinner. American recipes for crab dip date back to the early 19th century. While some suggested cooking methods mirror a modern day clam bake, many recipes were created to extend the crab meat. Mayonnaise and cream cheese were often added to the meat during World War II so it could serve more people. Nowadays Delaware crab dip can be served hot or cold. The former is baked in the oven like a casserole; the latter is simply thrown together and eaten immediately.

Make It: Hot Crab Dip

Order It: Fenwick Crab House has its own special recipe for hot crab dip. The restaurant boasts that many imitators have attempted to copy the dish without success. The cheesy dip is baked in a French Boule Roll and finished with fresh cheddar cheese that melts over top.

Fenwick Crab House; 100 Coastal Highway, Fenwick Island, City; (302) 539-2500; fenwickcrabhouse.com

Key Lime Pie is perhaps the most coveted dessert in Florida. The use of tart and aromatic Key Limes straight from the Florida Keys has made the pie a staple in the state. Key lime juice, egg yolks, and sweetened condensed milk make up the ingredients for the filling. Then, the bright yellow custard is often topped with a meringue. In 2006, the Florida House of Representatives and the Senate passed legislation to make key lime pie the official state pie of Florida.

Make It: Key Lime Pie

Order It: Kermit's Key West Key Lime Shoppe offers "all things key lime," from barbecue sauce to syrup and, of course, its famous key lime pie. Customers don't have to head to Florida for a taste; Kermit's ships nationwide and to Canada.

Kermit's Key West Key Lime Shoppe; 200A Elizabeth Street, Key West; (305) 296-0806; keylimeshop.com

Chicken and waffles is a versatile soul food dish that can be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. While the origins of the unusual savory and sweet combination are widely disputed, one version holds that a Harlem restaurant came up with the recipe in the 1930s. Wells Supper Club served the dish to musicians and entertainers who had performed late into the night — they had already missed dinner, but it was still too early for breakfast. While the dish may have been invented in a New York eatery, Georgia has been a fantastic adopter of the dish.

Make It: Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Cornmeal Waffles with Apple Cider Syrup

Order It: Gladys Knight's restaurant, Gladys and Ron's Chicken & Waffles, serves a mean plate of the comfort food dish. Knight's inspiration for the recipe came from her own time spent at the Wells Supper Club enjoying chicken and waffles after late-night performances.

Gladys and Ron's Chicken & Waffles; Multiple Locations, Atlanta and Lithonia; (404) 874-9393; gladysandron.net

In Hawaii, one can enjoy many types of "luaus," parties and feasts that usually incorporate entertainment. Whether it's for a birthday, wedding, or cook-out, there is always food, and main dishes can range from kalua pig to lomi salmon or "poke," a raw fish salad. But luaus are typically known for their pig roasts. The word kālua, which literally means "to cook in an underground oven," may also be used to describe the food cooked in this manner, such as kālua pig or kālua turkey, which are commonly served at luau feasts. Hawaiian chef Sam Choy coined the term "kālua pork" to describe pork shoulder butt rubbed with sea salt, wrapped in ti leaves, and slowly cooked in oven using liquid mesquite smoke.

Make It: Pork-and-Pineapple Fried Rice

Order It: If you're in Hawaii this summer, head to the Side Street Inn in Honolulu for an order of "Big Island Smoked Pork" and a serving of one of their famous fried rice dishes.

Side Street Inn, 1225 Hopaka St.,

Honolulu; (808) 591-0253; sidestreetinn.com

As with Ireland, potatoes are embedded in the history of Idaho. Particularly hearty and enduring as a crop, potatoes have remained a part of Idaho's agricultural landscape for centuries. The cooking opportunities abound: you can boil potatoes, serve them au gratin, mash them, bake them, and turn them into french fries. Over time, this versatile and unassuming food has become a staple throughout the nation.

Make It: Idaho Potato Truffle Fries

Order It: At Boise Fry Company, they know potatoes. Having studied the potato intensely, this personable establishment, "after months of labor," has created a fry "that, though cosmopolitan in origin, is uniquely Idahoan and, most importantly, tasty!"

Boise Fry Co., Multiple locations, Boise; (208) 495-3858; boisefrycompany.com

The horseshoe sandwich is unique to Illinois. Created around the early 1920s, the horseshoe is an open-faced "sandwich," though we aren't sure you'd call it that given its make-up: thick-sliced toasted bread (or hamburger patties or ham) topped with French fries and covered with a cheese sauce. Other meats can be used for the base, such as pork, chicken breasts, or fried fish. Cheese sauce tends to vary from chef to chef.

Make It: Start with thick toasted bread, then top it with Crispy French Fries and a homemade Cheese Sauce.

Order It: If it seems like things could get a little messy making this bad boy at home, leave it to the experts at Westwoods Lodge in Springfield, Illinois. There, owner Sean Nelson has created his own twist on the horseshoe, called the "South Of The Border" Snowshoe. According to Nelson, this unique 'shoe consists of lettuce as the toast, taco meat as the meat, salsa cheese sauce, tomatoes, onions, and black olives. It's surrounded by tortilla chips and topped with Texas Toothpicks (a.k.a. "Timber Styx").

Westwoods Lodge Pub & Grill; 2406 West Jefferson St., Springfield; (217) 698-9256; westwoodslodge.com

Sugar cream pie was reportedly created around the early 1800s by the North Carolina Quakers who settled along the eastern side of Indiana. It was known as "desperation" pie because of the simple ingredients that made it possible to make even when fresh fruit wasn't available. Today, sugar cream pie is known more commonly as Hoosier pie, in honor of the "Hoosier" state: Indiana.

Make It: Hoosier Sugar Cream Pie

Order It: Mrs. Wick's Pies offers a sugar cream pie baked from a family recipe that dates back to the 19th century. Along with a full-service restaurant, Mrs. Wick's makes pies out of a factory outlet store. Wick's Inc. produces 12 million pies and pie shells per year, which are commonly available for mail order.

Mrs. Wick's Pies, 40 East Pine St., Zionsville; (317) 733-8717; wickspies.com

Pork has been a favored food source in Iowa for a long time. At one point it was more cost efficient for farmers to raise pigs than cattle. The general pork tenderloin sandwich blueprint consists of breaded pork tenderloin atop a soft bun. Part of its long-standing appeal is its uniqueness: each sandwich is "one-of-a-kind," ranging in size, shape, thickness, and texture. Arguments concerning who makes the best pork tenderloin sandwich in Iowa have gotten so heated that the Iowa Pork Producers decided, in 2004, to turn it into a competition.

Make It: Put a serving of Breaded Pork Tenderloin on a soft bun. Add preferred condiments.

Order It: Augusta Restaurant, in Oxford, Iowa, sources its food locally, relying on fresh ingredients for its success. Their menu features several specialties, like hand-cut chips, steaks, and freshly-baked bread and pies. Their breaded pork tenderloin sandwich, listed as "The Best Pork Tenderloin in Iowa," has been recognized as one of the best in Iowa by the aforementioned Iowa Pork Producers Association. For only $10 per sandwich, and served with homemade pickles on a house bun, this might be one of the most delicious secrets in the midwest. Fortunately, the secret is now out!

Augusta Restaurant; 101 S Augusta Ave., Oxford; (319) 828-2252; augustarestaurant.net

There's a reason Kansas is known as "The Sunflower State." Sunflowers grow in abundance. In fact, Kansas is one of the U.S.'s primary producers of the beautiful flower. And that means they have a whole lot of wonderful, crunchy sunflower seeds and sunflower oil, which are used in plenty of recipes.

Make It: Dark Chocolate Bark with Roasted Almonds and Seeds

Order It: Bainter Sunflower Oil, in Hoxie, Kansas, crushes, processes, filters and bottles high oleic sunflower seeds into an all-natural sunflower oil, which is available for shipping.

Bainter Sunflower Oil, 1017 Sheridan Ave., Hoxie; (785) 675-1233 baintersunfloweroil.com

Known for a particularly heart-wrenching strain of American music, Kentucky is also famous for a particular type of southern-style foods — fried foods. Country fried steak, a beloved dish, differs from chicken fried steak in that it is pan-fried in gravy, not deep-fried.

Make It: Country-Fried Steak with Green Beans and Rice

Order It: After attending culinary school in New York, the owners of Winchell's, two high school buddies, returned to Lexington, Kentucky, to achieve their goal of making the "people of Kentucky proud by serving fresh, homemade food in a casual and friendly environment." On the menu you'll find chicken, chicken, and more chicken. Try their Country-Fried Steak, which is served as two cutlets that are hand breaded, fried, topped with country gravy, and served with mashed potatoes and country green beans.

Winchell's Restaurant & Bar, 348 Southland Dr., Lexington; (859) 278-9424; winchellsrestaurant.com

The South should be proud of its distinct cuisine. It's a melting pot of spices, cultures, and tastes. In Louisiana, gumbo stands out as one of the oldest dishes of the region, originating at a time before written records even existed. Although people are unsure of whether it is of Cajun or Creole origin, it is certain that gumbo is both a source of pride and a meaningful cultural symbol in the state. Did we mention it tastes amazing, too? Often thick and stewy, gumbo can be catered to one's tastes. Most often, though, seafood, veggies, and strong spices are incorporated in some fashion.

Make It: Andouille, Crab, and Oyster Gumbo

Order It: For over a century, Galatoire's in New Orleans has been serving the same classic, French-Creole family recipes. This restaurant prides itself on maintaining its time-honored traditions, staying true to the original establishment for four generations. It creates culturally-inspired dishes like poisson meunière amandine, ribeye bordelaise, and multiple varieties of gumbo. Recently, Galatoire's was honored with a James Beard Award.

Galatoire's Restaurant; 209 Bourbon St., New Orleans; (504) 525-2021; galatoires.com

Ah, New England: Nantucket, Walden Pond, and lobster rolls! Lobster rolls are a staple of Maine cuisine. They are also available at seafood restaurants in the other New England states and on eastern Long Island, where fishing is common. However, lobster is amazing in Maine and more expensive than in other parts of the country, making it a treat if you're visiting the state. Traditionally served with butter (as opposed to mayonnaise), lobster rolls from Maine are usually served on a split hot dog roll and prepared with cold lobster meat. You'll find potato chips and a dill pickle on the side, giving you a bit of a luxurious "fast-food" lunch.

Make It: Grilled Lobster Rolls

Order It: Are you heading to Maine this summer? Do yourself a favor and stop by Five Islands Lobster Co., located in a Georgetown fishing village. According to the lovely folks at Five Islands, the surrounding waters are some of the coldest and deepest along this stretch of Atlantic coast, making it ideal for lobster. The amazing seafood goes from their waters to your plate, just like that.

Five Islands Lobster Co.; 1447 Five Islands Rd., Georgetown; (207) 371-2990; fiveislandslobster.com

It's easy to understand why crab cakes are popular in Maryland. Not only do the beaches of Maryland bring in more blue crabs than any other state, the crabs are also Maryland's state crustacean. Blue crab meat is considered the best for crab cakes. Two types of crab cakes are common in Maryland: the Boardwalk and the Restaurant. The Boardwalk variety often has stuffing and is served on a bun, while the Restaurant version is typically just lump crab meat fried to perfection.

Make It: Crisp Crab Cakes with Chipotle Mayonnaise

Order It: J.W. Faidley's has been serving up award-winning crab cakes since 1886. The restaurant serves the Baltimore area, but will also ship fresh crab cakes anywhere in the country.

J.W. Faidley; 203 North Paca, Baltimore; (410) 727-4898; faidleyscrabcakes.com