# Iconic foods for different areas **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 27, 2019, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-foods-for-different-areas/845462 "2019-12-27T18:52:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-foods-for-different-areas/845462/1 "2019-12-27T18:52:51Z")
I’ll start with NYC. Not in order, just a list - NY Pizza[sup]1[/sup], thin crust, great sauce, meant to be picked up by hand. - Bagels like no others, the best and the original. - NYC Pretzels. Philly is close but not quite as good - The Egg Cream, no egg and no cream and a lot of lore. [Fox’s U-bet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox%27s_U-bet_chocolate_syrup) - Pastrami sandwich NYC style - Salty Water Hot Dog - NY style Cheesecake - NY style Italian Ice - A Knish - potato goodness - Black and White cookie; not one of my favorites, but very New York - Cannoli; leave the gun, take the cannoli. Perfect Italian dessert. So did I miss some? Can you add a list for another region or city? [sup]1[/sup] NY pizza and Chicago pizza share ingredients and names but are two different foods in the end. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-foods-for-different-areas/845462/2 "2019-12-27T18:55:21Z")
San Francisco Cioppino and Sourdough Bread ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-foods-for-different-areas/845462/3 "2019-12-27T20:28:19Z")
I’ll add New Orleans, I’m probably missing some as I’ve only been there 5 times. Gumbo Jambalaya Beignets: a French doughnut like dessert, similar to Italian zeppoles. Po’boys: New Orleans messy & tasty sandwiches King Cake (I’m not a fan, but iconic) Pralines, pecan and sugar confections. Crawfish Frozen Daiquiris Muffuletta Étouffée San Diego: Nothing, nothing iconic for San Diego foods. Maybe it has changed since I left, but nothing as of 1989. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-foods-for-different-areas/845462/4 "2019-12-27T20:36:13Z")
Chicago: Chicago thin crust pizza (might be better expanded to the general Great Lakes area; thin, crispy crust, square cut, most traditional topping is sausage, but the “special” is usually sausage, onions, green peppers and mushrooms – or at least three of the four of those – in most places around here.) Chicago deep dish (whether traditional deep-dish or stuffed) Italian Beef sandwich Maxwell Street Polish sausage Chicago style hot dogs Jibarito (Chicago Puerto-Rican cheesesteak-type sandwich on fried plantains instead of buns) Rib tips & hot links (South Side and West Side barbecue. Traditional served with fries and a couple slices of white bread) Mild sauce (something akin to DC’s Mumbo sauce.) Saganaki Breaded Steak Sandwiches (a la Ricobene’s) Chicken Vesuvio Shrimp de Jonghe Chicago-style corn roll tamales a la Tom-Tom and Supreme Mother-in-law Sandwich (Chicago style tamale on a bun with chili and condiments) Chicago-style giardiniera ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-foods-for-different-areas/845462/5 "2019-12-27T20:44:41Z")
DC: Half smokes - although the actual sausages themselves come from Baltimore. Mumbo sauce - although it likely originated in Chicago. Senate bean soup - although it’s really only served at the Capitol. I’ve never seen it on a menu anywhere else. Peripherally, crab cakes, but only because of proximity to Maryland and Baltimore, and even then, the vast majority of what you’ll get is not from Maryland or the Bay. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-foods-for-different-areas/845462/6 "2019-12-27T20:52:13Z")
Maryland/Baltimore: Crab cakes - see my post above. Smith Island cake - it’s the “official state dessert” of Maryland for whatever that’s worth. Pit beef - it’s basically just smoked roast beef. Maryland crab soup - kind of like a beef broth minestrone with crab meat. ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-foods-for-different-areas/845462/7 "2019-12-27T21:01:08Z")
How can bagels from NYC be the original? They weren’t invented there. Tucson : Sonoran style not dogs ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-foods-for-different-areas/845462/8 "2019-12-27T21:07:29Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Pit beef - it’s basically just smoked roast beef. I’m not an expert on it, but I wouldn’t even really call it “smoked,” at least in the sense of barbecue. It’s more like charcoal roasted roast beef. There is a wisp of cooked-over-coals flavor to it, but it’s not really what I would call “smoked roast beef.” It’s cooked relatively quickly over high heat (an hour or so) so it doesn’t pick up too much smoke flavor and served on the rare-ish side (though you can ask for it more cooked.) It’s damned good, especially the version I’ve had at Jake’s Grill. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-foods-for-different-areas/845462/9 "2019-12-27T21:11:27Z")
Not an area so much as a state, South Dakota: Chislic Kuchen - the state dessert Lefse ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-foods-for-different-areas/845462/10 "2019-12-27T21:13:34Z")
> [@kitap](#): > > How can bagels from NYC be the original? They weren’t invented there. No, but they might be considered the “original” as far as the US is concerned, since they were common there long before they spread to the rest of the country. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-foods-for-different-areas/845462/11 "2019-12-27T21:45:31Z")
Southeast Michigan: [ul] [li]Detroit-style pizza, which can beat up your NYC and Chicago pizza.[/li][li]Bad pizza, like Domino’s and Little Caesars, although Jet’s is good and comes from here, too[/li][li]The Coney Island hot dog[/li][li]Coney-x, where _x_ can be fries, burger, etc.[/li][li]Vernor’s ginger ale[/li][li]Boston cooler[/li][li]Faygo soda-pop[/li][li]Better Made chips and junk food[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-foods-for-different-areas/845462/12 "2019-12-27T21:57:26Z")
> [@kitap](#): > > How can bagels from NYC be the original? They weren’t invented there. > > Tucson : Sonoran style not dogs Actually the bagel as we know it was perfected in NYC. It existed in the New World almost exclusively in the NY metro area and didn’t start spreading across North America until the 1970s and didn’t get common until the 80s. So for a hundred years it was basically a NYC thing in the US at least. Yes, the bagel has its roots in Poland, but it was New York Jews that really made it a thing. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-foods-for-different-areas/845462/13 "2019-12-27T22:16:08Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Actually the bagel as we know it was perfected in NYC. It existed in the New World almost exclusively in the NY metro area and didn’t start spreading across North America until the 1970s and didn’t get common until the 80s. So for a hundred years it was basically a NYC thing in the US at least. Yes, the bagel has its roots in Poland, but it was New York Jews that really made it a thing. I was eating bagels at various delis across Los Angeles since I was a little kid in the 50s. Most of the those delis were established long before I was born. That Smith Island Cake looks like Dobos Torte. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-foods-for-different-areas/845462/14 "2019-12-27T22:26:45Z")
For the Cincinatti area, it’s a sausage called goetta. The main producer, although not the only one, is a company called Gliers. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-foods-for-different-areas/845462/15 "2019-12-27T23:01:54Z")
North Carolina - Pulled pork barbecue ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-foods-for-different-areas/845462/16 "2019-12-27T23:03:55Z")
Philadelphia - The cheese steak sandwich ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-foods-for-different-areas/845462/17 "2019-12-27T23:07:37Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Actually the bagel as we know it was perfected in NYC. It existed in the New World almost exclusively in the NY metro area and didn’t start spreading across North America until the 1970s and didn’t get common until the 80s. I’m sure the folks from [Montreal would like to have a word with you.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal-style_bagel) The first bagel bakery there opened in 1919. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-foods-for-different-areas/845462/18 "2019-12-27T23:08:37Z")
> [@zimaane](#): > > Philadelphia - The cheese steak sandwich Also, the (IMHO, even tastier) roast pork sandwich (though the cheese steak is delicious, too.) ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-foods-for-different-areas/845462/19 "2019-12-27T23:20:58Z")
Central Florida: Cuban sandwiches Baked goods involving guava (tarts, turnovers, etc., sometimes with cream cheese) ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-foods-for-different-areas/845462/20 "2019-12-27T23:38:56Z")
Melbourne, Australia The [vanilla slice](https://www.newideafood.com.au/there-s-a-huge-vanilla-slice-war-happening-in-australia-right-now-but-can-you-pick-why) (aka ‘snot block’) - delicious sugary goody over which bakery turf wars are fought. The [Chicken Parmagiana](https://www.parmadaze.com/blog/poty2018), generally found under the label “Parma and Pot” The Dim Sim (pork and cabbage dumpling, generally deep fried and dripping with grease), and its hefty cousin the South Melbourne Dim Sim The [Chico Roll](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiko_Roll) (spring roll on steroids, deep fried and dripping with grease) The [Halal Snack Pack](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-38824058) (many elements of which, deep fried and … are we spotting a pattern here?) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-foods-for-different-areas/845462.md?page=2)