ExploFood · North America
What to eat in United States
Five dishes to try in the United States, the most typical first. One is vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in the United States
Hamburger
Grilled ground beef patty in a bun with cheese, pickles and sauce.
How to have it: Diners and local burger joints beat chains; order it medium if you like it juicy.
Buffalo wings
Fried chicken wings tossed in hot sauce and butter, served with blue cheese dip.
How to have it: Born in Buffalo, New York; a sports-bar staple ordered by the dozen during games.
Hot dog
Grilled or boiled sausage in a soft bun with mustard and toppings.
How to have it: Toppings vary by city: Chicago-style has no ketchup; get one at a ballgame or street cart.
Clam chowder
Creamy soup of clams, potatoes and onion.
How to have it: Try it in Boston or Cape Cod; in San Francisco it is served in a sourdough bread bowl.
Apple pie
Double-crust pie filled with spiced baked apples.
How to have it: Order it 'à la mode' with a scoop of vanilla ice cream at a diner.
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Questions
What food is the United States famous for?
Hamburger (grilled ground beef patty in a bun with cheese, pickles and sauce) comes first on our list, followed by Buffalo wings, Hot dog, Clam chowder and Apple pie.
What is the national dish of the United States?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for the United States is Hamburger: grilled ground beef patty in a bun with cheese, pickles and sauce. Diners and local burger joints beat chains; order it medium if you like it juicy.
Which dishes in the United States are vegetarian?
One of the five on this page is vegetarian as usually made: Apple pie. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
What street food should I try in the United States?
Hot dog (grilled or boiled sausage in a soft bun with mustard and toppings).
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Tick off every dish you try in United States
Explo is a free app: light up the countries you have visited, keep the dishes you have tried, and check visa rules, weather and holidays before you go.
Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.