Eating a True Chicago Dog and Italian Beef in Georgia tonight, thanks to a native Chicago transplant who opened a restaurant in our town.
Got me thinking of specific foods famous in different regions of America. Cincinnati Chili, NYC pizza, Chicago pizza, Kentucky Hot Brown.
What food would you tell me I had to try if I came to your region of America?
I live in Maryland, and Chesapeake blue crabs are a MUST.
We’ve moved a lot:
Philly - Cheesesteaks
Memphis - BBQ
Wisconsin - Cheesecurds (fresh and fried). And a “Friday night fish fry”.
I’m originally from Chicago. Enjoy your dog and beef! Yum!
Depends how authentic and how interested you are in unusual foods–seared ahi (tuna) is very popular in HI. There are so many dishes, it’s hard to narrow it down. If you like coconut flavor, there’s haupia (like coconut jello). There’s Lau Lau, a steamed packet with pork in the center and taro leaves which taste a bit like spinach. So many options!
I’ve lived in several areas. Here’s what I miss from them:
Oklahoma - fried okra, beans and cornbread, divinity, pecan pie
New Mexico - green chili stew, chicken enchiladas, breakfast burritos, Dion’s Pizza
Idaho - not much related to food, but lots related to quality of life
Virginia - hate to say it, but pretty bland here too.
New Mexican cuisine. Not to be confused with Tex Mex or Mexican. It’s a unique, sublime cuisine.
Seattle: Cedar-planked salmon. 
You obviously need to try the country ham my FIL cures in his workshop…or the homemade pickles my MIL makes.
SF Bay Area: Sourdough. Dungeness Crab. Artichokes and Garlic. And of course, wine.
Someone has to say it…Fluff…everyone must try a fluffernutter sandwich…
South Florida – stone crabs and real key lime pie.
@patsmom I. Love. Key. Lime. Pie!
I have a long list:
Maine-Lobster Rolls
Rhode Island- clam fritters
DC-- half smoke
MD/DC/VA-- crab cake
Memphis-BBQ
NC-- BBQ
TX–BBQ
NYC–pizza
Binghamton NY-- Spedie
Middletown NY-- Coney Island hot dog (Better than Detroit)
Northern MI-- whitefish sandwich
IL/IN-- pork tenderloin sandwich
Love me a flutternutter-- preferable on Wonderbread
In the winter my mom would give me a Wonderbread bag for each boot to keep my feet dry while playing in the snow.
AL - BBQ with white sauce
@1214mom we have had a delicious crab cake at a Baltimore restaurant. Quite delicious!
Ohio - Buckeyes (peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate - looks like a Buckeye from a tree.
Northwest Ohio - Tony Packo’s Chili Dog with TP Pickles and Peppers. (made famous by Klinger on MASH. )
Green chile cheeseburger made with Hatch chiles.
@PrdMomto1 I can say I had a great Philly cheesesteak. And had someone bring me some real Wisconsin cheese curds. Very unique taste and texture.
Have never had Memphis BBQ—what is their style? I can enjoy most every style of BBQ.
And I am intrigued by your Friday night Fish Fry. Grew up in NC going to Fish Camps—restaurants that started out on the side of the river, cooking and eating open air, eventually morphed into restaurants.
Never ate any other style of fish except fried my whole childhood. Fried Flounder. Loved discovering other seafood as an adult.