Best enjoyed around the dinner table as a family, Italian American dishes are renowned for their comforting, heartwarming flavours. And they're not just copies of Italian food; Italian American cuisine has its own distinct identity that’s evolved over more than a century. From chicken Parmesan to fettuccine Alfredo, you won’t even find many of these dishes in Italy – they hail from places like New York and San Francisco rather than Naples and Florence.

Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the origins of 30 incredible Italian American foods, counting down to the most delicious of all.

We've based our ranking on the enduring popularity of each dish, and on the opinions of our well-travelled (and well-fed) team. The list is unavoidably subjective.