The 20 most famous dishes of United States
American cooking is a mosaic of immigrant and Native traditions — from Texas barbecue and Southern Creole dishes to city burgers and New England pies.
1Classic Hamburger
A grilled beef patty in a soft bun with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and sauces — America's most famous…
2Hot Dog
A grilled sausage in a long bun with mustard, onion and relish — the icon of ballparks and New York carts…
3Texas BBQ Brisket
Beef brisket smoked low and slow for 12 hours over oak until meltingly tender with a black peppery bark — the…
4Southern Fried Chicken
Chicken pieces soaked in buttermilk, coated in seasoned flour and fried extra-crisp — from the American South.
5Mac and Cheese
Elbow macaroni in creamy Cheddar sauce, baked with a crunchy crumb topping — America's comfort food.
6New England Clam Chowder
A thick creamy soup of clams, potatoes and onion, served with oyster crackers — the emblem of Boston.
7Buffalo Wings
Crisp chicken wings tossed in buttery hot sauce, served with blue cheese dip and celery — from Buffalo, New…
8American Apple Pie
Double-crust apple pie with flaky butter pastry and cinnamon, served with vanilla ice cream — "as American as…
9New York Cheesecake
Dense, creamy cream-cheese cheesecake on a graham cracker base, baked slowly and chilled overnight.
10American Pancakes
Thick, fluffy pancakes stacked high with butter and maple syrup — the American Sunday breakfast.
11Cornbread
Golden cornbread baked in a cast-iron skillet, slightly sweet with crisp edges — the partner of barbecue and…
12Louisiana Gumbo
Louisiana's thick stew built on a dark roux, with okra, shrimp, chicken and sausage, served over white rice.
13Jambalaya
A New Orleans Creole one-pot rice with chicken, sausage, shrimp, tomatoes and spicy seasoning.
14Chili con Carne
A spicy beef stew with chili peppers, cumin, tomatoes and kidney beans — the official dish of Texas.
15Philly Cheesesteak
Thinly shaved steak fried with onions and melted cheese in a long roll — the symbol of Philadelphia.
16Cobb Salad
Hollywood's famous salad with rows of chicken, avocado, egg, tomato, bacon and blue cheese over lettuce.
17Fudgy Brownies
Dense, fudgy chocolate squares with a shiny crackly top, served with milk or ice cream.
18Chocolate Chip Cookies
Butter and brown-sugar cookies with chocolate chips, crisp at the edges and chewy in the middle — invented by…
19Maine Lobster Roll
Maine lobster meat in a butter-toasted split-top bun, dressed with light mayo or warm melted butter.
20Pecan Pie
A Southern pie with a gooey brown-sugar and egg filling topped with toasted pecans, served at Thanksgiving.