Locally famous foods

[webny99]

Has anyone here heard of (or even eaten) a trash plate?
Basically, it looks like a big mess, hence the name, but it's home [square] fries, macaroni salad, and hot sauce, with a burger or two on top. You either like it, or you don't, but, naturally, I think they're great 
Grape pie is another upstate specialty, which originated in Naples, NY, and also tastes amazing.
And, of course, buffalo wings. Even though they're available around the country now, they never taste quite as good as they do right here where they originated 

Feel free to share what your regional food specialties are, and if you recommend trying them or not.

[abefroman329]

Has anyone here heard of (or even eaten) a trash plate?

Yes, although it was at a bar in NYC.  It didn't appeal to me, too many ingredients/foods I don't like.

Italian beef/sausage sandwiches - yes
Deep dish pizza - yes
Tamales - yes
Pizza puff - not really
Old Style - yes
Malort - hell no

[hbelkins]

Cincinnati-style chili (best known through Skyline and Gold Star).

Also popular in the Cincinnati area is something called goetta.

[inkyatari]

Cincinnati-style chili (best known through Skyline and Gold Star).

I LOVE Cincinnati style chili. In fact, when I make chili at home, that's the kind I make.  It is so delicious.  That having been said, I don't think there's a chili style I don't like.  Except for my failed attempt at chocolate chili



As for local foods, Chicago is the home of the Italian Beef sammich, and it's a thing of beauty.

[cl94]

Albany has hot dogs with meat sauce (often mini hot dogs), mozzarella sticks with raspberry sauce, and the Albany-style fish fry (fried fish filet on a hot dog roll).

[roadman65]

Benigets in Southern Louisiana is only known to them.  They are a powered deep fried pastry served best with coffee and you can find them mostly in NOLA, the French Quarter, but even Houma has them, 50 miles away.

I do not think I have seen a Zepoli or Stromboli outside the NYC metro area.

[hotdogPi]

Zepoli

Olive Garden

[abefroman329]

I've seen stromboli advertised at pizzerias all over the country, although whether they're actually calzones, I couldn't tell you.

[abefroman329]

Cincinnati-style chili (best known through Skyline and Gold Star).

Yeah, I just don't get the appeal.  I tried it at Great American Ballpark, didn't like it, figured I needed to go to a real Skyline, went to one, got some there, and it still wasn't doing it for me.

Also popular in the Cincinnati area is something called goetta.

Looks like scrapple.

[abefroman329]

Benigets in Southern Louisiana is only known to them.  They are a powered deep fried pastry served best with coffee and you can find them mostly in NOLA, the French Quarter, but even Houma has them, 50 miles away.

I've seen them on menus at Cajun restaurants in other parts of the country, but I've never had ones that are as good as the ones at Cafe du Monde.

[cl94]

Also popular in the Cincinnati area is something called goetta.

Looks like scrapple.

Scrapple uses cornmeal. Goetta uses oats. That is the difference.

[vdeane]

Don't forget white hot dogs for Rochester.  Utica has chicken riggies.

[abefroman329]

Don't forget white hot dogs for Rochester.

And poppy seed hot dog buns in Chicago.

[inkyatari]

And poppy seed hot dog buns in Chicago.

A Chicago dog is a thing of beauty.

[kphoger]

And poppy seed hot dog buns in Chicago.

A Chicago dog is a thing of beauty.

A Chicago dog is the first time I ever liked a hot dog.  I still remember where it was, too:  Union Station.  To this day, I can barely tolerate a hot dog with just ketchup, but I love 'em love 'em love 'em with all the goodies piled on top.

[formulanone]

As for local foods, Chicago is the home of the Italian Beef sammich, and it's a thing of beauty.

This is my go-to order at Portillo's when in Chicagoland; wet with hot peppers.

Lou Malnati's pizza if time permits (because there's always leftovers).

I do not think I have seen a Zepoli ...outside the NYC metro area.

A couple pizzerias in South Florida have them, but they're usually New York transplants, so that's not terribly surprising.

[spooky]

Benigets in Southern Louisiana is only known to them.  They are a powered deep fried pastry served best with coffee and you can find them mostly in NOLA, the French Quarter, but even Houma has them, 50 miles away.

I do not think I have seen a Zepoli or Stromboli outside the NYC metro area.

zeppoles are common in the Italian-centric part of RI.

Other RI-specific foods:

-pizza strips or tomato pie - basically cold pizza with thick sauce and no cheese, cut in strips instead of triangular slices.
-clear broth clam chowder
-"NY system" hot weiners AKA gaggers - The "NY system" name is because they are similar to a coney island dog. Typically served with celery salt, yellow mustard, meat sauce and onions

[webny99]

Don't forget white hot dogs for Rochester.  Utica has chicken riggies.

Dang! 0-2 record today! We typically just call them white hots.
Binghamton also has a specialty, which I tried once, called "speidies" I think, but I have no idea the correct spelling.

[roadman]

Benigets in Southern Louisiana is only known to them.  They are a powered deep fried pastry served best with coffee and you can find them mostly in NOLA, the French Quarter, but even Houma has them, 50 miles away.

I do not think I have seen a Zepoli or Stromboli outside the NYC metro area.

zeppoles are common in the Italian-centric part of RI.

Other RI-specific foods:

-pizza strips or tomato pie - basically cold pizza with thick sauce and no cheese, cut in strips instead of triangular slices.
-clear broth clam chowder
-"NY system" hot weiners AKA gaggers - The "NY system" name is because they are similar to a coney island dog. Typically served with celery salt, yellow mustard, meat sauce and onions

Hold on there - you forgot the coffee milk to wash it all down with.

[inkyatari]

I just realized I've said "thing of beauty" twice in this thread.

Well, three times now.

[HazMatt]

Livermush - looks and sounds disgusting but is awesome.

[Jim]

Albany has hot dogs with meat sauce (often mini hot dogs), mozzarella sticks with raspberry sauce, and the Albany-style fish fry (fried fish filet on a hot dog roll).

Interestingly enough, having lived around here most of my life, I just always assumed one could get hot dogs with meat sauce pretty much anywhere.  It's definitely something you can get at any respectable hot dog place around here.  I recommend Mike's on Erie Blvd. in Schenectady, or if you want the mini ones, Gus's in Watervliet.

[briantroutman]

I do not think I have seen a... Stromboli outside the NYC metro area.

Are we talking about the same thing? A rectangle of dough typically topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and salami, rolled up into a cylinder and baked?

I don't think I've ever seen a local pizzeria in PA that didn't sell them.

Other RI-specific foods:

tomato pie - basically cold pizza with thick sauce and no cheese, cut in strips instead of triangular slices.

I don't know if it's precisely the same thing, but a cheese-less, cold tomato pie is supposedly a Philadelphia tradition–developed, I understand, as a means to use up leftover hoagie roll dough.

[jp the roadgeek]

CT foods:

New Haven style pizza (thin crust).  Frank Pepe's is world renowned, but Sally's and Modern are also well known.

CT style lobster roll: Served hot with drawn butter.

The original hamburger: Served as Louis' Lunch in New Haven.  Uses white bread instead of a bun, and fries are not on the menu

Steamed cheeseburgers

Grinders:  Usually refers to the hot variety of sandwich, but order one outside of New England and you'll get looked at like you have 3 heads.  We also gave the world Subway

[NJRoadfan]

A Chicago dog is the first time I ever liked a hot dog.  I still remember where it was, too:  Union Station.  To this day, I can barely tolerate a hot dog with just ketchup, but I love 'em love 'em love 'em with all the goodies piled on top.

Come to NJ, you can get a hot dog any way you want it.
Notable varieties:
-The Italian Hot Dog made famous by Jimmy Buff's
-The Texas Weiner..... which has nothing to do with Texas at all, it originated in Paterson or Plainfield NJ depending on who you ask

http://www.nj.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2015/07/njs_25_best_hot_dog_joints_and_why_jersey_is_the_c.html

Other notable foods:
-Pork Roll/Taylor Ham
-Decent bagels
-Great pizza
-South Jersey and Philly is known for something called a panzerotti, similar to a calzone
-Disco fries (fries with gravy on top)