Sure, you can find delicious renditions of classic American dishes all over the world. But, from Chicago deep-dish pizza to the Reuben sandwich, they never quite taste the same as they do in the USA. It could be that the ingredients aren't exactly right, or that the sense of tradition is missing – whatever the case, these US specialities taste much better enjoyed on home soil. Here we've ranked the best of the best, counting down to the dish you should ONLY eat in America.
Thanksgiving in North America wouldn't be complete without a slice of pumpkin pie. The pumpkin is, after all, native to New England and has been used in pies since colonial times. The pumpkin was later introduced to Europe, and the English once enjoyed them in pies. But, while pumpkin pie flourished in the States, it failed to become a cultural dish elsewhere. For the real deal, it has to be from a store or bakery in the US.
Shrimp cocktail is a must-try dish if you're ever in Las Vegas – if only so you can feel like one of the Rat Pack. But, while you can grab a ‘prawn cocktail’ from restaurants across the globe, most of them use a different kind of sauce to the USA's shrimp cocktail. In Britain and Australia, it's common to use a creamy Marie Rose sauce that combines mayo, ketchup and Tabasco. North America's cocktail sauce is a much punchier affair with horseradish instead of mayo and lots of lemon juice.
Since its invention in 1866 in Georgia, Atlanta, Coca-Cola is now available to enjoy in 200 different countries. But, while each country uses the same basic recipe to create its iconic taste, there are slight variations in flavour from country to country. In Mexico and Europe, for example, the formula uses cane sugar instead of the high-fructose corn syrup used in the US, which some fans say makes a noticeable difference. You'll have to taste for yourself which version you like best.
McDonald's first opened its doors to customers in 1940 in California – and it goes without saying that the brand has grown somewhat in size since then. But even as the fast food giant has spread across the globe, McDonald's has tried to keep the flavours of its food universal. In theory, then, the fries you eat in McDonald's in the States should be the same as elsewhere. Only, that's not always the case. In the UK, for instance, McDonald's fries have far fewer ingredients, meaning they taste noticeably different from their US counterpart.
It's not unheard of to find cobbler on the table in a British home, but the result would be unlikely to satisfy American diners. The dumpling-like topping is not the same and neither is the filling. Cobbler was born in the States during colonial times, when people wanted a hearty fruit-based dish that could be cooked without an oven. These days, home cooks take the flavour to the next level by using delicious regional fruits, including dazzling Maine blueberries, perfect peaches in Texas and ripe Michigan cherries. The combination of ingredients and heritage means it's hard to recreate anywhere else.
Iconic New England author Joseph C. Lincoln once said of the region's clam chowder: "It is as American as the Stars and Stripes, as patriotic as the national anthem. It is 'Yankee Doodle in a kettle'". There are other varieties of clam chowder throughout the US, of course. There's the red version from Manhattan and the clear one from Rhode Island, but creamy, potato-filled New England chowder always comes up trumps. New Englanders have been making it since colonial times, passing recipes down through generations, and nothing from the rest of the world tastes quite like it.
Gatorade has had a rough time gaining acceptance in Europe, Japan and Australia. In 2012, the European Union banned brominated vegetable oil (BVO) in drinks, leading to Gatorade being pulled from shelves in Europe and Japan. Gatorade came back with a non-BVO version the following year... only for the EU and Australia to ban the artificial food dyes Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 – both of which are essential to Gatorade's colouring. Gatorade was reformulated again to comply with the new laws, but the original recipe is still available in the US.
Anybody can place a toasted marshmallow and a chunk of chocolate between two biscuits and call it s'mores. But to get that real American flavour, you'll probably have to go to the US. Genuine, honest-to-goodness s'mores should only be made with Graham Crackers. The unique taste of this iconic snack is what really makes s'mores an American classic. Unfortunately, it's not a treat that is readily available in the rest of the world. In the UK and Australia, digestive biscuits are generally offered as alternatives, but they don't recreate the same taste sensation.
Cowboy-style baked beans are slow-cooked with pork and molasses to create a delicious thick, meaty stew. It hits the spot after a long day on the open range, and it's a staple at Texas barbecue joints. But the baked beans you find elsewhere in the world are entirely different. There's generally no pork in them, the sauce is much thinner and there's not as much sugar. Americans would also likely be horrified by the idea that Brits and Aussies consider baked beans a perfect topping for a slice of buttered toast.
Cornbread is made around the world. Broa from Portugal is a moist cornbread with a thick crust, often paired with soups, while in Serbia, they have proja, which is usually sliced into squares for sharing straight out of the pan. But still, none of the cornbread available around the world is quite like the US version. The Native Americans first started making this unsweetened, firm bread, and it's been gracing tables at homes and restaurants ever since.
If an American asked a Brit for a biscuit, they'd be handed a sweet treat they'd recognise as a cookie – rather than the buttery, flaky, savoury bake that’s common in the US. The same thing would likely happen in Australia or New Zealand, and that's just the first issue with trying to find this classic Southern dish outside of the US. The gravy is another problem. Gravy in the States is a rich and creamy sauce seasoned with meat drippings and black pepper, but in Britain, gravy is a brown savoury sauce served with a Sunday roast. There is just no equivalent dish elsewhere in the world, so you're best off discovering it in the country it was invented.
The first lobster roll was plated in Connecticut in 1929, but most people associate the delicious delicacy with Maine. The two states serve their versions of lobster chunks in a bun slightly differently. In Maine, the lobster is served cold with mayonnaise, while in Connecticut, the meat comes warm dressed with melted butter. What really makes the rolls unique, though, is that the lobster is served from trap to table – there is no freezing involved whatsoever. You just won't get the same experience in other countries.
Crab cakes come in all shapes and sizes all over the world, but no matter where you travel, you won't be able to taste anything quite like the ones served in Chesapeake Bay. The waters around Maryland and Virginia are home to the blue crab – and it's this crustacean's unique taste that delivers the flavour profile locals love. Maryland crab cakes are also distinctive because they’re very heavy on the crab meat, with barely any filler, enhanced with a dash of Old Bay seasoning. Just make sure you're getting authentic, local crab and not any substitute.
Perhaps that famous saying should really be 'as American as pecan pie'. After all, this Thanksgiving staple is packed with the country's native pecan nut. Native Americans were likely cooking with pecans for generations, and this dish has been a Texas speciality for more than 100 years. Pecan pie is so ingrained in Texan culture that it's the Lone Star State's official state pie. Of course, you can make a pecan pie at home from pretty much anywhere in the world, but nothing beats the taste of fresh pecan.
There are varieties of corn dogs in different countries around the globe. You could argue that kushikatsu is a kind of Japanese corn dog, while in Australia you can enjoy a dagwood dog, which is very similar to the US version. Korean-style corn dogs, known for their vibrant toppings, have recently had a major boost in popularity as well, but none of them are quite the same as the all-American classic. Frankfurters skewered on a stick and coated in a crispy cornmeal batter have been part of the culture since the 1920s, and they're best eaten while enjoying the wonders of a state fair.
Chicken wings are a worldwide phenomenon, make no mistake about it. But the Buffalo wing is a uniquely American invention, first inspiring taste buds in Buffalo, New York in 1964. The sauce on the side is the thing you're unlikely to replicate anywhere but in the US – even though it's a seemingly simple mixture of butter and hot sauce. Butter in the States is uncultured and has a lower butterfat content when compared to its European equivalent. The resulting difference in flavour means European Buffalo sauce can never be quite right.
It's almost impossible to say 'cheesesteak' without first saying 'Philly'. They go together like, well, cheese and steak. This famous sandwich is juicy chopped beef served on a long roll with onions and cheese. It's so popular in its home state that there's something called the 'Philadelphia lean' – the stance you have to adopt to eat the thing without messing up your clothes. Pat and Harry Olivieri, the brothers who founded the city's Pat's King of Steaks, invented the sandwich in 1930, and you just can't fake that expertise and tradition. Plus, Cheez Whiz, the cheesesteak cheese of choice, isn't widely available outside of North America.
You'd have to actively seek out grits if you wanted to enjoy a bowl of this traditional Southern dish anywhere outside of the US. Some might argue that polenta, cornmeal or even porridge can be used as substitutes, but anybody who's tried the real deal knows this isn't the case. While the traditional breakfast dish is said to have been invented in South Carolina around the 1950s, it reached nationwide acclaim in 1985, when chef Bill Neal had his recipe for jumbo shrimp served on cheesy grits published in The New York Times. Georgia now even hosts an annual shrimp and grits festival.
Jambalaya isn’t just a plate of food – the iconic rice dish represents the very history of Louisiana in every mouthful. No one quite knows the exact origins of jambalaya, but it's thought to be a mash-up of the French, African and Spanish influences that mixed in the port of New Orleans in the 19th century. There are similar dishes from around the world, including paella, jollof rice and even that other Louisiana speciality gumbo. But nothing is going to bring you closer to the eclectic history of New Orleans than a locally made plate of jambalaya.
No one is 100% certain who invented the Reuben sandwich. No one is even sure which state it originates from. Some say it first came on the scene in New York, while others say it was first made in Nebraska – it doesn't really matter. What matters is that American diners have been enjoying them for years, and the world's most famous Reuben is still served at New York City institution Katz's Delicatessen. While you can recreate the sandwich anywhere in the world, you can't replicate the sight, sounds and smells of getting one in a bustling NYC deli.
In the UK, barbecuing mostly means grilling beef patties and sausages to make quick and tasty burgers and hot dogs. In Korea, it means marinated meats cooked to order. But barbecue is more than just a style of cooking in Texas, it's a way of life. Texas barbecue involves slow-cooking meat (normally brisket) for up to 18 hours until it's moist and mouth-wateringly tender. They skimp on the sauce but go heavy on the 'rub' to let the meat speak for itself. Even more flavour comes from the Texas pecan wood that is traditionally used during smoking.
A po' boy is all about the bread. When served in its hometown of New Orleans, the roll a po' boy comes in should be hard on the outside and super fluffy on the inside. Local bakers claim that the baguettes they bake in the city are simply different from anything you can get anywhere else. This could be because they let them prove for up to 24 hours or because of Louisiana's humidity and climate. So even if you can get a fried shrimp sandwich anywhere else in the world, you can't say you've had a po' boy until you've been to New Orleans.
A Coney Island dog is an all-beef sausage placed inside a steamed bun and smothered in a meaty chilli sauce, onions and mustard. It's a thing of beauty for many Americans, but it hasn't reached global acclaim. The problem is that most countries have their own take on the humble hot dog. The celebrated Icelandic dog, for instance, has lamb as one of its main ingredients, while the German bratwurst is mostly a pork-based creation. The Coney Island dog is actually best tasted in Detroit rather than New York – take your pick from rival restaurants Lafayette Coney Island and American Coney Island, or visit them both.
Chicago sure likes to do things its own way. The acclaimed foodie city has given us the Italian beef sandwich and the Chicago-style hot dog, which is famously loaded with toppings, but nothing beats Chicago's signature deep-dish pizza. This hefty fast food dates back to the 1940s and features a tall crust filled to bursting with your favourite pizza toppings. The best restaurants in the area make their pies from scratch with only the best ingredients, such as fresh tomatoes from California and Wisconsin cheese. The real thing couldn’t be more different to those pizzas in the freezer section of your local supermarket.