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Thali

🇺🇸 The food of the United States

252 dishes from the United States, best known first, across 60 cities and regions.

American cuisine is shaped by a blend of Native American, European, African, and later immigrant traditions. Its diversity comes from regional ingredients, waves of immigration, and local innovation, resulting in a wide range of dishes from barbecue to Tex-Mex. Fast food and global influences are now central, but regional and festive foods remain important.

  • Native Americans practiced companion planting of corn, beans, and squash.
  • Barbecue and fried foods are widely associated with American cooking.
  • Thanksgiving features roast turkey as a traditional centerpiece.
  • Louisiana Creole cuisine blends French, West African, and Native American elements.
  • Drive-in and drive-through restaurants shaped 20th-century eating habits.

The cooking of the United States

Cooking in the United States is marked by constant mixing and adaptation. Early Native American farming and hunting practices formed the base, later joined by European settlers’ crops and livestock. African American traditions, especially in the South, brought new ingredients and techniques. Over time, each region developed its own style, shaped by local resources and the customs of immigrants from Asia, Latin America, and Europe. Modern American food is influenced by technology, media, and global trends, but regional specialties and holiday meals still play a big part.

Staple foods in the United States

Corn, beans, and squash were the first staples, grown by Native Americans. Wheat, pork, beef, and dairy arrived with Europeans. Over time, rice, potatoes, and a wide range of vegetables became common. Seafood is important on both coasts, while game meats and wild plants remain part of some regional diets. Today, processed foods, bread, and fried foods are widely eaten.

Sweets and drinks in the United States

Milkshakes are a classic American treat. Drinks and desserts vary by region and heritage, with influences from many immigrant groups. Sweet potato and pecan pies are found in the South, while other areas have their own favorites. Coffee, introduced by African and European settlers, is widely consumed.

From region to region in the United States

Each part of the country has its own cooking style. The South is known for soul food and barbecue, the Northeast for seafood and baked beans, and the Midwest for hearty, farm-based dishes. Louisiana Creole blends French, African, and Native American influences. Hawaiian food draws from Polynesian and Asian roots. Tex-Mex and New Mexican cooking come from the Southwest’s ties to Latin America. States like Minnesota and California have their own distinct food traditions, shaped by local crops and immigrant communities.

Festival and religious food in the United States

Certain foods are tied to holidays. Roast turkey is central to Thanksgiving and often Christmas. Jewish Americans keep traditional dishes for religious holidays, such as stews and fried fish. Other groups maintain their own festive foods, reflecting their heritage.

Where this page comes from

The facts in this overview come from the Wikipedia article "American cuisine", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

Cities and regions of the United States

New Orleans 8Louisiana 6New York City 6New England 5Texas 5Chicago 4Pennsylvania 4San Francisco 3Southern United States 3Wisconsin 3Acadiana 2Baltimore 2Boston 2Buffalo 2California 2Charleston 2Hawaii 2Los Angeles 2Maine 2South Carolina 2Albany 1American South 1Arizona 1Austin 1Bangor 1Barberton 1Breaux Bridge 1Carolinas 1Connecticut 1Dallas 1Denver 1El Paso 1Florida 1Harlem 1Houston 1Kansas City 1Kauai 1Key West 1La Jolla 1LaPlace 1Long Island 1Louisville 1Lowcountry 1Madison 1Manhattan 1Maryland 1Massachusetts 1Memphis 1Middletown 1Minnesota 1Montana 1New York 1North Dakota 1Oklahoma 1Omaha 1Pasadena 1Philadelphia 1Pittsburgh 1Portland 1Rhode Island 1
MealBreakfastLunchTea timeDinnerSupperSnacks
KindMain dishStreet foodSoupStew or curryRice dishNoodle or pasta dishDumplingBreadGrill or roastSandwich or wrapPie or savoury pastrySalad or sideCheese or dairy foodSausage or cured foodSauce, pickle or fermentSweet or dessertDrink
DietVegetarianVeganFish and seafoodMeat
WineVegan 🇬🇪 Georgia and 5 moreAlcoholic drink made by fermenting grape juice in many styles and colors Drink Ice cream 🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreA frozen dessert made from sweetened, flavoured milk or cream Sweet or dessert, Snacks CappuccinoVegetarian 🇮🇹 Italy and 5 moreEspresso with steamed milk and a thick layer of milk foam, served in a small cup Drink, Breakfast Hot chocolate 🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 moreA warm drink made from chocolate or cocoa, milk or water, and sugar Drink, Breakfast, Snacks GuinnessVegan 🇮🇪 Ireland and 5 moreA dark Irish stout with a creamy head and dry, roasted flavour Drink Soy milkVegan豆奶 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreA plant-based drink made by soaking, grinding, and boiling soybeans Drink, Breakfast, Snacks Punchपंच 🇮🇳 India and 5 moreA party drink of fruit juice, sweetener, and sometimes alcohol, served in a large bowl Drink, Snacks Iced teaVegan 🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreChilled tea served over ice, sometimes sweetened or flavored with fruit Drink, Lunch, Dinner Eggnog 🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreA creamy, sweet drink of milk, eggs, sugar and spirits, served at Christmas Drink, Snacks MargaritaVegan 🇲🇽 Mexico and 1 moreTequila, orange liqueur and lime juice shaken and served in a salt-rimmed glass Drink, Snacks Beaujolais nouveauVegan 🇫🇷 France and 5 moreYoung red wine from France, released each November just weeks after harvest Drink Café au laitVegetarian 🇫🇷 France and 2 moreCoffee mixed with hot milk, often served at breakfast in France Drink, Breakfast Ginger beerVegan 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreA sweet, carbonated drink made with ginger, sugar and yeast Drink Açaí na tigelaVegan 🇧🇷 Brazil and 2 moreFrozen açaí pulp blended and served in a bowl with sweet toppings Sweet or dessert, Snacks May wineVegan 🇩🇪 Germany and 2 moreWhite wine infused with sweet woodruff, served in spring Drink GinjinhaVegan 🇵🇹 Portugal and 1 morePortuguese sour cherry liqueur often served with fruit in the glass Drink Hurricane 🇺🇸 United StatesRum cocktail with passion fruit syrup, served in a tall curvy glass Drink Aguas frescasVegan 🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 moreLight drinks of fruit, seeds or flowers blended with water and sugar Drink, Snacks

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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