The most iconic dishes of your state

[NWI_Irish96]

The main thing Indiana is known for is fried pork tenderloin sandwiches.

[CapeCodder]

Missouri:
-Gooey Butter Cake
-Toasted Ravioli
-St. Paul sandwich
-St. Louis Style Pizza
-KC BBQ

[Rushmeister]

The main thing Indiana is known for is fried pork tenderloin sandwiches.

...followed by sugar cream pie!

[hbelkins]

Kentucky Fried Chicken 

Actually, our state's nominees would probably be either a Hot Brown or burgoo.

[DTComposer]

These are the first ones that sprang to mind for California:

Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
Mission-style burrito
Santa Maria tri-tip
California roll
BBQ chicken pizza

Here's Michigan

Coney Island Hot Dog
...

I'd like to know more - how is Michigan famous for a hot dog from New York?

[webny99]

Here's Michigan

Coney Island Hot Dog
...

I'd like to know more - how is Michigan famous for a hot dog from New York?

I always associated it with Coney Island NY too and almost made the same comment, but apparently, it actually is a Michigan thing.

[skluth]

Missouri:
-Gooey Butter Cake
-Toasted Ravioli
-St. Paul sandwich
-St. Louis Style Pizza
-KC BBQ

A fair warning to those who have never tried St Louis-style pizza; it's a love-or-hate thing and I am firmly on the side of hate. It's a super-thin cracker crust with watered down sauce and an artificial cheese called provel (like American cheese only with provolone instead of cheddar as the base) that separates upon cooking leaving little pools of grease on top. I lived there for almost 30 years and tried Imo's, Elicia's, and Cecil Whitaker; I found all to be revolting. OTOH, local chains π and Dewey's are pretty decent and I recommend those small chains to visitors.

Also, if you do visit any St Louis Italian restaurant (especially on The Hill), order a toasted ravioli appetizer. You won't be disappointed.

[frankenroad]

New York doesn't have much. Apparently salt potatoes are a NY thing. You might get some more stuff if you go to NYC, I don't know.

Beef on Weck?

[JayhawkCO]

New York doesn't have much. Apparently salt potatoes are a NY thing. You might get some more stuff if you go to NYC, I don't know.

Beef on Weck?

Dirty water hot dogs?
Hell, bagels?

[frankenroad]

Buckeyes (kinda like a Reese's cup, but it looks like a buckeye)
Cincinnati Chili
Goetta
Pierogies
Walleye

[jlam]

Colorado's has got to be Rocky Mountain Oysters. I have been fortunate enough to grow up like 2 miles away from Bruce's Bar, one of the best in the state. I go there about once a month. Palisade Peaches are also quite good out west.

[JayhawkCO]

Colorado's has got to be Rocky Mountain Oysters. I have been fortunate enough to grow up like 2 miles away from Bruce's Bar, one of the best in the state. I go there about once a month. Palisade Peaches are also quite good out west.

Rocky Ford melon and Olathe corn too. I also would say "beer" and "whiskey".

[gonealookin]

If Nevada has an "iconic dish" nobody has told me about it.

We used to have the "Awful Awful Burger" at the Nugget, a dive on Virginia Street in downtown Reno.

The "Awful Awful," a 60-year-old Nevada tradition, is known for its half-pound burger grilled to order, smothered in a secret sauce and served on a fresh-baked, lightly toasted onion bun with all the trimmings. The burger, named for being awful big and awful good, is usually served in a basket filled with a pound of fries.

I thought it was overrated unless you were drunk.  A lot of the people in the Nugget late at night or in the wee hours of the morning were drunk.  Anyway, the Nugget succumbed to the COVID-19 economy and closed in 2020.  I can't think of another candidate in northern Nevada, and most of the food concepts in Vegas are imported from somewhere else and in any case are too new to be "iconic".

[JayhawkCO]

If Nevada has an "iconic dish" nobody has told me about it.

We used to have the "Awful Awful Burger" at the Nugget, a dive on Virginia Street in downtown Reno.

The "Awful Awful," a 60-year-old Nevada tradition, is known for its half-pound burger grilled to order, smothered in a secret sauce and served on a fresh-baked, lightly toasted onion bun with all the trimmings. The burger, named for being awful big and awful good, is usually served in a basket filled with a pound of fries.

I thought it was overrated unless you were drunk.  A lot of the people in the Nugget late at night or in the wee hours of the morning were drunk.  Anyway, the Nugget succumbed to the COVID-19 economy and closed in 2020.  I can't think of another candidate in northern Nevada, and most of the food concepts in Vegas are imported from somewhere else and in any case are too new to be "iconic".

Pan Roast in Vegas.

[spooky]

If Nevada has an "iconic dish" nobody has told me about it.

We used to have the "Awful Awful Burger" at the Nugget, a dive on Virginia Street in downtown Reno.

The "Awful Awful," a 60-year-old Nevada tradition, is known for its half-pound burger grilled to order, smothered in a secret sauce and served on a fresh-baked, lightly toasted onion bun with all the trimmings. The burger, named for being awful big and awful good, is usually served in a basket filled with a pound of fries.

I thought it was overrated unless you were drunk.  A lot of the people in the Nugget late at night or in the wee hours of the morning were drunk.  Anyway, the Nugget succumbed to the COVID-19 economy and closed in 2020.  I can't think of another candidate in northern Nevada, and most of the food concepts in Vegas are imported from somewhere else and in any case are too new to be "iconic".

In Rhode Island, an Awful Awful is a milkshake, branded as such by the local chain Newport Creamery. It is also touted as being awful big and awful good.

[kirbykart]

Massachusetts
Fluffernutter sandwiches

I didn't know that was a Massachusetts thing; now it's on the side of every jar of Marshmallow Fluff.

[kirbykart]

New York doesn't have much. Apparently salt potatoes are a NY thing. You might get some more stuff if you go to NYC, I don't know.

Beef on Weck?

Yeah, I forgot about Beef on Weck.

[Ted$8roadFan]

Alabama:
Banana pudding
BBQ white sauce (usually used on pork or chicken)
Conecuh Sausage
Chicken stew
Lane Cake

New York system wieners

This always sounds like a slur, and I may have to use it at least once at a co-worker. 

Though I felt myself blush when saying "gagger". Seems like something we said in middle school.

It's a real thing:

Alabama:
Banana pudding
BBQ white sauce (usually used on pork or chicken)
Conecuh Sausage
Chicken stew
Lane Cake

New York system wieners

This always sounds like a slur, and I may have to use it at least once at a co-worker. 

Though I felt myself blush when saying "gagger". Seems like something we said in middle school.

It's a real thing:

Alabama:
Banana pudding
BBQ white sauce (usually used on pork or chicken)
Conecuh Sausage
Chicken stew
Lane Cake

New York system wieners

This always sounds like a slur, and I may have to use it at least once at a co-worker. 

Though I felt myself blush when saying "gagger". Seems like something we said in middle school.

It's a real thing:

https://www.olneyvillenewyorksystem.com/

[gonealookin]

If Nevada has an "iconic dish" nobody has told me about it.

We used to have the "Awful Awful Burger" at the Nugget, a dive on Virginia Street in downtown Reno.

The "Awful Awful," a 60-year-old Nevada tradition, is known for its half-pound burger grilled to order, smothered in a secret sauce and served on a fresh-baked, lightly toasted onion bun with all the trimmings. The burger, named for being awful big and awful good, is usually served in a basket filled with a pound of fries.

I thought it was overrated unless you were drunk.  A lot of the people in the Nugget late at night or in the wee hours of the morning were drunk.  Anyway, the Nugget succumbed to the COVID-19 economy and closed in 2020.  I can't think of another candidate in northern Nevada, and most of the food concepts in Vegas are imported from somewhere else and in any case are too new to be "iconic".

Pan Roast in Vegas.

Seafood >200 miles from the ocean = automatic disqualification.

[Flint1979]

These are the first ones that sprang to mind for California:

Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
Mission-style burrito
Santa Maria tri-tip
California roll
BBQ chicken pizza

Here's Michigan

Coney Island Hot Dog
...

I'd like to know more - how is Michigan famous for a hot dog from New York?

Well Detroit, Flint and Jackson all have their own styles but coneys in Michigan especially Detroit has been a thing for over 100 years. There are several hundred coney islands restaurants across the state mostly in the Detroit and Flint area. Detroit style is chili, mustard and onion with more of a liquid chili, Flint style has the same toppings but has a drier coney sauce. Most restaurants get their hot dogs from Koegels which is a Flint icon and Flint area coney islands get their coney sauce from Abbott's Meat this is no small business both serve over 200 coney islands in the area. Coney islands are to Detroit what the cheese steak is to Philly it is by far Detroit's most iconic food dish.

[US 89]

Seafood >200 miles from the ocean = automatic disqualification.

Slightly off topic, but a couple years ago I saw a semi on I-40 in Texas that was prominently labeled "FRESH FISH". This was not a refrigerated truck, it was around 90 degrees out, and we were at least 9 hours from any sort of coastline. Ever since then I don't order seafood inland.

[gonealookin]

I'm not from Utah but...I don't think there's a better example of a state with a single iconic dish than Utah and Jello salad.  Drop by your local Chuck-A-Rama soon!

[JayhawkCO]

If Nevada has an "iconic dish" nobody has told me about it.

We used to have the "Awful Awful Burger" at the Nugget, a dive on Virginia Street in downtown Reno.

The "Awful Awful," a 60-year-old Nevada tradition, is known for its half-pound burger grilled to order, smothered in a secret sauce and served on a fresh-baked, lightly toasted onion bun with all the trimmings. The burger, named for being awful big and awful good, is usually served in a basket filled with a pound of fries.

I thought it was overrated unless you were drunk.  A lot of the people in the Nugget late at night or in the wee hours of the morning were drunk.  Anyway, the Nugget succumbed to the COVID-19 economy and closed in 2020.  I can't think of another candidate in northern Nevada, and most of the food concepts in Vegas are imported from somewhere else and in any case are too new to be "iconic".

Pan Roast in Vegas.

Seafood >200 miles from the ocean = automatic disqualification.

You realize that local restaurants in LA get their seafood the same way as nice restaurants in Denver, yeah? It's all packed on ice and air freighted. Longer transit to Denver, sure, but the time difference isn't as much as you think.

[CtrlAltDel]

Seafood >200 miles from the ocean = automatic disqualification.

I don't know. Chicago's had shrimp DeJonghe since about the turn of the century.

[US 89]

I'm not from Utah but...I don't think there's a better example of a state with a single iconic dish than Utah and Jello salad.  Drop by your local Chuck-A-Rama soon!

I grew up in Utah and I still haven't eaten green Jello salad, nor have I ever entered a Chuck-A-Rama. Come at me.