All-American Meals
So-called "American cuisine" can be difficult to define in a country that prides itself on being a cultural melting pot. While America is a geographically and culturally diverse country, there are a few edible exports that are seen as quintessentially American no matter where you are. On the other hand, there are plenty of regional dishes that you'll be hard-pressed to find even in other parts of the country.
1. Apple Pie
The saying doesn't go "as American as apple pie" for nothing. Although Americans didn't invent apple pie, this wholesome and hearty dish has been quintessentially American since it was published in the country's first cookbook. Don't skimp on the ice cream!
2. Barbecue
This history of BBQ dates back to the Taíno people of the West Indies, who smoked meat over pits. Today, the 14 states that make up America's barbecue region each have distinctive culinary identities and fierce rivalries. One thing that everyone can agree on is that it isn't Memorial Day without barbecue.
3. PB&J
First developed as a tea sandwich for wealthy Americans in the 1900s, the peanut butter & jelly sandwich is a childhood staple. While concerns about nut allergies have led to a decrease in lunchtime PB&Js, this iconic sandwich will never go away. Some consider it the best thing since sliced bread.
Matias Garabedian from Montreal, Canada on Wikimedia
4. Meatloaf
Meatloaf is one of America's archetypal hard time foods. A popular way for families during the Great Depression to stretch a dollar and feed a family, meatloaf can get a bad reputation as a cafeteria "mystery meat". Meatloaf is a descendant of another dish farther down on this list.
5. Mac And Cheese
Recipes for macaroni and cheese date all the way back to the Middle Ages. However, we have James Hemings to thank for the introduction of the macaroni and cheese we know and love today. Topped with toasty breadcrumbs and bound with tasty béchamel sauce, mac and cheese is the epitome of comfort.
6. Gumbo
Some state dishes aren't well-known outside of their own borders; gumbo is one of the few exceptions. Even people who don't know much about Louisiana know how delicious gumbo is. Inspired by French bouillabaisse and West Africa okra stew, gumbo is American cuisine at its finest, combining traditions to make something entirely new.
7. Diner Breakfast
There isn't just one way to have breakfast in America. However, the archetypal plate has to be what you'll find at a greasy spoon diner: sunnyside eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, and toast. Breakfast of champions.
8. Philly Cheesesteak
Another regional dish that made it big internationally, you don't need to visit the City of Brotherly Love to enjoy a delicious cheesesteak. The simplicity of this sandwich is one of the reasons why it's made it big internationally. Nothing hits like a cheesesteak after a night out.
9. Buffalo Wings
If you've ever enjoyed a sloppy plate of wings, you have the good people of Buffalo to thank. Buffalo wings have spread far outside of New York, taking inspiration from a myriad of different cultures. It's hard to imagine Wednesdays without pile of wings, a glass of cold beer, and seven different TVs showing sports on mute.
10. Hot Dogs
Perhaps it is a cop-out to list hot dogs as a singular culinary entity. After all, there's a hot dog variety for almost every state, and some states have multiple takes on America's favorite street food. It's impossible to pick just one.
Now that we've covered some of America's best-known dishes, let's get into a few that are likely to raise some eyebrows abroad.
1. Cincinnati Chili
Cincinnati chili is one regional dish that will likely be met with a mixture of blank stares and horror. Closer to Mediterranean pasta sauce than chili con carne, the thin sauce includes a mixture of nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice. Cincinnati chili may just be America's most controversial pasta dish.
2. Fried Green Tomatoes
While fried green tomatoes may be ubiquitous to the South today, they actually originated in the Northeast and Midwest. This soul food staple likely comes to us via Jewish immigrants in the 1920s. You'd be hard-pressed to find fried green tomatoes outside America.
3. Rocky Mountain Oysters
One of the most deceptively-named foods of all time, rocky mountain oysters baffle people outside of America. This allegedly aphrodisiac appetizer is certainly an acquired taste, especially to the uninitiated. Rocky mountain oysters are as much a prank as they are a snack.
4. Detroit-Style Pizza
While pizza is one of the most popular foods eaten across America, it cannot be claimed as an entirely American food. Chicago and New York-style pizzas are relatively well-known abroad; however, rectangular Detroit-style pizza is criminally underrated. May 2026 be the year of Detroit-style pizza.
Renewableandalternativeenergy on Wikimedia
5. Spam Musubi
Following WWII, spam was ubiquitous in Hawaii, which led to the creation of Japanese-inspired spam musubi. Being inexpensive and shelf-stable, spam is an excellent source of affordable protein. While Spam musubi is fairly common throughout the Pacific, it still has a bad reputation in most of the West.
6. Funeral Potatoes
Thanks to the popularity of social media and reality TV, Mormon foodways such as dirty soda and Crumble cookies are more popular than ever. However, funeral potatoes haven't quite caught on in the same way. Perhaps it's the name which is off-putting to people.
7. Hushpuppies
Speaking of foods with names that baffle non-Americans, you'd be hard-pressed to find hushpuppies internationally. These cornmeal dumplings are normally served alongside BBQ and seafood spreads. Hushpuppies trace their origins back to Mesoamerican hominy.
8. Cookie Salad
If there's one thing that non-Americans know about the Midwest, it's that those long winters lead people to experiment with gelatin. Comprised of fudge-stripe cookies, vanilla pudding, madarin oranges, and whatever else you have in your pantry, cookie salad is a dessert that could only come out of Minnesota. Elsewhere, the concept of "cookie salad" is something of an oxymoron.
9. Scrapple
A traditional meal of the Pennsylvania Dutch, Scrapple is eaten throughout the southern Mid-Atlantic region. A precursor to meatloaf, scrapple is a Colonial-era mush made of pork offal and spices. Scrapple is made into loaves and served as a breakfast dish, broiled, or even on a sandwich.
10. Fluffernutter
Marshmallow creme had a moment of viralty a few years back, but its existence and many varied uses still baffles people around the world. The existence of a peanut butter and marshmallow creme sandwich feels like a joke about American cuisine rather than a beloved snack. Good luck finding fluffernutters internationally.
Fluffernutter_before.jpg: Keitei
derivative work: Hic et nunc on Wikimedia
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