Types of foods that only in your city are found widely available and everywhere (home, neighborhood)
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What are some cities where they have a unique type of food when compared to the rest of the US that is found everywhere throughout the city itself? Like it's really a cultural thing that you can find that food in bakeries, restaurants, gas stations, stands on the street. It's just everywhere and no other city in the US can make that claim.
So yes while Chicago has deep dish, pizza of all types can be found in any city so I wouldn't count that. Nor would I count hot dogs styles. I also don't count foods that are unique to a city but not widely available within that same city, meaning it's not ingrained in the city's culture of every day places everywhere throughout the city. So for example, Jibaritos in Chicago are unique to the city, however, it's not widely available throughout the city. You have to seek out places that sell jibaritos and outside of the Puerto Rican neighborhood and a handful of Puerto Rican restaurants outside that neighborhood, finding places to get jibarito are not a lot.
For example:
Miami - Guava/Cheese pastries. You'll have an easier time finding a pastelito de guayaba y queso in Miami than you do finding pancakes, donuts, hot dogs, burgers and even big chain fast food places. As a Puerto Rican where we eat this, I love that it's so widely available everywhere you go here. Even in Chicago where I grew up, where there is a large Puerto Rican population and neighborhood, getting pastelitos de guayaba y queso you have to really search out for it in the city. Here in Miami pastelitos de guayaba y queso (or any solo guava pastry) are sold everywhere. No other city in the US can make that claim.
Chicago - Giardiniera Peppers. This is something I miss from Chicago are the giardiniera peppers. When I once ate a Subway (don't judge me) in Cleveland and wanted giardiniera peppers on my sandwich, I was shocked to find out that they don't carry those peppers. It was soon there that I learned that Chicago is really the only city that giardiniera peppers are used so much and widely available in. From Subway, to Potbelly sandwiches, to it being used on Italian Beef to pizza toppings, I had grown up thinking that those peppers were just a way of life in most cities, but learned that really in Chicago it's the only place where it's used so extensively and so readily available in restaurants and shops.
TIL giardiniera peppers are available in Chicago Subways.
Yup. I thought it was a thing Subway carried everywhere! Nope, Chicago is the only place where every Subway carries them (and seems to be the most requested peppers from my experience).
Yup. I thought it was a thing Subway carried everywhere! Nope, Chicago is the only place where every Subway carries them (and seems to be the most requested peppers from my experience).
That's awesome. I have to go to Jersey Mike's to get their version of those peppers or some other local Italian deli.
Kniches in NYC. You can get bagels everywhere but only in New York do they give you way too much cream cheese.
Then there are some items that are somewhat unique at the state level:
Kolaches are widely available in Houston and other Texas cities. They're not as easily to find elsewhere.
Green Chili in Colorado. I understand New Mexico has its own version.
Boiled peanuts are common in parts of the southeast.
Breakfast tacos in Austin and San Antonio. They are sold at taco stands, Mexican restaurants, coffee shops, convenience stores, BBQ stands, and fast food restaurants, and it's also common to make them at home
Location: Miami (prev. NY, Atlanta, SF, OC and San Diego)
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for Miami I would probably add Stone Crabs....while I have had them in Vegas (at Piero's), that is not an item one finds in the vast majority of US cities. Never saw Stone Crabs on the menu in CA or NY, among other places.
Carne asada fries (lol)....cannot recall seeing these on many menus outside of SoCal--specifically, San Diego.
Quote:
Originally Posted by thinkertinker
What are some cities where they have a unique type of food when compared to the rest of the US that is found everywhere throughout the city itself? Like it's really a cultural thing that you can find that food in bakeries, restaurants, gas stations, stands on the street. It's just everywhere and no other city in the US can make that claim.
So yes while Chicago has deep dish, pizza of all types can be found in any city so I wouldn't count that. Nor would I count hot dogs styles. I also don't count foods that are unique to a city but not widely available within that same city, meaning it's not ingrained in the city's culture of every day places everywhere throughout the city. So for example, Jibaritos in Chicago are unique to the city, however, it's not widely available throughout the city. You have to seek out places that sell jibaritos and outside of the Puerto Rican neighborhood and a handful of Puerto Rican restaurants outside that neighborhood, finding places to get jibarito are not a lot.
For example:
Miami - Guava/Cheese pastries. You'll have an easier time finding a pastelito de guayaba y queso in Miami than you do finding pancakes, donuts, hot dogs, burgers and even big chain fast food places. As a Puerto Rican where we eat this, I love that it's so widely available everywhere you go here. Even in Chicago where I grew up, where there is a large Puerto Rican population and neighborhood, getting pastelitos de guayaba y queso you have to really search out for it in the city. Here in Miami pastelitos de guayaba y queso (or any solo guava pastry) are sold everywhere. No other city in the US can make that claim.
Chicago - Giardiniera Peppers. This is something I miss from Chicago are the giardiniera peppers. When I once ate a Subway (don't judge me) in Cleveland and wanted giardiniera peppers on my sandwich, I was shocked to find out that they don't carry those peppers. It was soon there that I learned that Chicago is really the only city that giardiniera peppers are used so much and widely available in. From Subway, to Potbelly sandwiches, to it being used on Italian Beef to pizza toppings, I had grown up thinking that those peppers were just a way of life in most cities, but learned that really in Chicago it's the only place where it's used so extensively and so readily available in restaurants and shops.
for Miami I would probably add Stone Crabs....while I have had them in Vegas (at Piero's), that is not an item one finds in the vast majority of US cities. Never saw Stone Crabs on the menu in CA or NY, among other places.
Carne asada fries (lol)....cannot recall seeing these on many menus outside of SoCal--specifically, San Diego.
Hmmmm I will have to try the carne asada fries one day.
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