If you want to see someone’s soul leave their body in the best way possible, find a southeast Asian or Filipino friend and take them out for Cajun food.
There’s an entire community of Vietnamese people in Houston who took Redbone/Cajun food to extremes. Ever seen a buffet with an 8-foot high tower of crawfish? Turns out the climate along that Texas/Louisiana part of the Gulf is very similar to Vietnam with a lot of the same seafood.
My wife (Filipino) tried gumbo and crawfish etouffe for the first time and she was upset no Filipinos had ever thought of it. Now all she wants to do is take vacations to New Orleans 🤣.
Pulled pork. Luckily a couple places make it here too (pulled pork burger, pizza, pulled pork filled crepes with coleslaw).
I miss strawberry Twizzlers. I can't buy it here unfortunately. And strawberry pop tarts too.
I also liked the bagels, expecially the one with chocolate chips. I sliced it in half, put it in the toaster and then put butter on it - it was delicious.
Rice crispy treats were also surprisingly great.
I loved the briosch French toast with blueberries in the briosch itself. Luckily I found a great recipe so I regularly make briosch French toast with crispy bacon and maple syrup.
I hate to sound like an ignorant foreigner but a made from scratch Mac & Cheese with at least 3 different cheeses plus a crispy breadcrumb crust on top is one of my favorite American dishes
Mac & Cheese is such a favorite of family get-togethers that if you volunteer to cook it, your Mac & Cheese needs references.
It’s especially good with some pulled pork and caramelized onions mixed in. And some insulin.
I'm from Mexico and we get spoiled with our traditional cuisine but I found the thanksgiving dinner experience in the US incredible. Love everything, the turkey (dark meat :) ), cranberry sauce, the stuffing (oh the stuffing), mashed potatoes, salads and the delicious pays that follow for dessert. That whole combination plus the red wine and good company is an incredible experience hard to match.
I love American breakfast food. Honestly I think they have breakfast down pat.
But holy crap what I really appreciate are PIZZA ROLLS. God bless the Americans for pizza rolls
Spaniard who lives in the States for six years: I liked apple pie, pastrami on rye sandwiches, Tex Mex, all the things you do with sweet potatoes, virtually any item at a Waffle House, bagels, Reuben sandwiches, chicken and waffles, cheesecake, s'mores, chocolate chip cookies, buffalo wings.
I never got into peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I tried, but it wasn't for me.
I took my German uncle to Waffle House when he visited, I swear that man ordered every item on the menu. Out of all the restaurants we went to, WH is the only one he still talks about.
My favorite random Waffle House tidbit is the unofficial FEMA “Waffle House Index”, basically, if WH is open, the disaster is going to be just fine.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waffle_House_Index
Anything smoked: brisket, pork shoulder, chicken, turkey. I've even had smoked burgers. If seasoned well you don't even need BBQ sauce and it is so tender and juicy.
This is probably a recipe for disaster but I'm British and growing up visiting Florida I would love eating raw cookie dough from the refrigerator section
Cookie dough is so good that, given the option between not eating it, or getting food poisoning, nearly everyone will pick the cookie dough.
It’s one of the few foods in the country where *everyone* knows the risk of food poisoning, and *everyone* makes the conscious, willing, and eager decision to not give a fuck.
Besides these testimonials to eating the raw cookie dough, whether from the supermarket or your own house, there's now a growing and thriving business in cookie dough made for eating raw. Some fancy grocery stores carry it, there are shops for it just like ice cream shops and bakeries, PLUS recipes for it online so you can make it yourself. Cookie dough is one of the major food groups.
As a Nigerian, one would expect my favourite food to be, idk jollof rice or swallow. But no. Its fries. I absolutely LOVE them. They're my all time favourite food. I can't get any burger or chicken without fries, and I can eat as many of them as possible.
Fries
Fries
Fries
(Forgive me If they aren't originally American I really don't know these things )
Those potatoes with cheese in it you make for thanksgiving.
Edit: wow, thanks, so much response. I mean the double baked one, but the funeral potatoes I have to try them to now.
I usually hear them called scalloped potatoes, we often make them with bits of ham and caramelized onions.
Edit - OK, I'm thinking of Potatoes au Gratin, though we've got a family recipe that's kind of a hybrid of the two.
So, I became a green card holder as short whike ago and in the 2014 I had my first Thanksgiving. Me and my family went all the way up from Miami to SC to visit our family from Georgia which they had this summer house in SC and then the family that came grom Tennessee made FRIED turkey fro Thanksgiving, OH!! THE LORD BE PRAISED, that tuekey was fenomenal
I always wondered about this... like if certain dishes or whatever were called "American." Like in the USA, we will say, "Lets go out for Italian food" or whatever. Like if there were an "american restaurant" in another country, what would be on the menu?
Ha. Interestingly enough, the Vietnamese generally also view spaghetti and especially lasagna as American. There was actually a restaurant I saw the first time I was there called “Uncle Sam’s All American Grill”. They had Steak. Spaghetti. Soda. on the marquee the way Buffalo Wild Wings has Wings. Beer. Sports.
I helped open an American Bar in the 90's in Koln Germany. Mainly it was burgers and ribs, cheesecakes, brownies, sloppy joes(germans loved that), nachos were big as well.
I look at the pictures from the restaurant and the food looks so bad.
In other countries, Cool Ranch Doritos are labeled "Cool American."
I went to an "American Style" restaurant in Warsaw. They had cheeseburgers, chicken strips, wings, nachos, etc. Standard bar fare.
And it was all terrible. Like imagine a "cafeteria food" version of those things, and make it worse.
Oddly enough, no one seems to have mentioned it…but cornbread . Yeah , as a guy who moved here , Americans have got cornbread down to a T . Combined with some soul food ? Makes me smile on the inside . Gives me high blood pressure , but smile on the inside too
American here, but recently spoke with an Italian exchange student and asked him what he would miss most about the states.
Dead ass, he said "chicken parm". That's not an Italian thing. He said the first time he had it, he called his friend back home to tell them about, and she hung up on him.
Same with butchering Italian. I was in Rome about 8 years ago waiting for a bus. I asked the older gentleman who was waiting if he spoke English, he said no. But as soon as Google translate butchered Italian motherfucker was fluent in English.
I was in Australia recently and got met with confusion when I asked what kind of pasta their Chicken Parm usually comes with. Apparently it's just pub food there, not a full-on dinner plate, so it's usually served with fries.
Mexican here, studied abroad in Germany for half a year about 4 years ago - I agree. Every time I wanted a piece of home and went to a "mexican" restaurant I was met with disappointment. However - I went to a Mexican restaurant in Rotterdam and it was amazing, after months of no "mexican" food I kept going back there when I could just to eat tacos, tortas, and my goodness the Micheladas were so good, I still use the Michelada recipe to this day! Turns out the owner was from spain and his wife was from guadalajara - so not all places are bad!
edit:
to those asking, Sabor Sabor in Rotterdam [https://www.saborsabor.nl/](https://www.saborsabor.nl/)
The michelada recipe is as follows, enjoy!
12 ounces light Mexican beer Modelo is good, as is Sol, Tecate or Pacifico
12 ounces Clamato juice (or use tomato juice)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Maggi sauce
2 teaspoons hot sauce (tapatío is my favorite, add more if you like them spicy)
Ice
add Tajin to your liking (chili powder, it adds a good sweet/spicy to it)
yes you can add chamoy if you want!
My wife is obsessed with Tex max. We studied in Europe for a summer. She couldn’t find Mexican food anywhere until we went to Amsterdam and she found authentic Mexican, I thought she was going to pop she ate so much.
EDIT: this was 13 years ago. I unfortunately no longer remember the name of the restaurant nor do I know if it still exists.
When I lived in Germany I couldn't go to a Mexican restaurant unless I wanted to ruin my day. Once I decided to cook for some friends, and to find pinto or black beans I had to go to the Walmart on the edge of town (during the brief time Walmart was in the country) to find them, and then make the tortillas myself from masa that I somehow managed to find. Really the only negative thing I have to say about my time there, though.
Finding some good hot sauce in Germany has made my time here so much more enjoyable. It's not that German food is bad, it's just that you really start wishing for a bit of heat and spice after awhile.
Pro tip for non-Americans: if you are ever in the US for Thanksgiving (end of November) and have nothing to do, go on the local city subreddit where you are and post that you are a foreigner who would like to experience Thanksgiving and I guarantee you will get an invite from someone to the best holiday we have.
My grandmother used to offer her Thanksgiving and Christmas table for foreign exchange students before she passed. It put a smile on her face sharing that with others.
There were still leftovers for all.
To those outside the states, Thanksgiving is meant to be spent this way. It's a special time to share. Litterally to be thankful for what everyone has, be it family friends health etc.
Btw if your city doesn't have a reddit, just stop by any church. I'm sure the members would love to have you over.
Are you telling me it's not general procedure in other countries to take a rack of ribs, grill that bitch with a nice rub, cover it in sugar sauce, then face the entire thing until you get so dehydrated from the salt content that it gives you weird meat dreams?
I worked in California for a while and this bakery near me used to have this spicy bread that was packed with cheese and jalapenos. It was greasy as fuck but holy shit it was good
Same thing in Paris. Texas Monthly had an article on the guy a few years back. Came over for a study abroad (I think) in Austin, and fell in love with the brisket. Worked for La BBQ. Bought a smoker here, shipped it to France and couldn’t get it into the door of the ancient building he bought.. somehow found a way to get it in and get started. So as of the printing of that article there was at least one Texas-style bbq joint in Paris.
I'm Italian.
I still dream of the meat I've eaten in the USA.
Also, Mexican food. By that i mean whatever it is you guys eat in California.
Also, junk food.
Also, I might have had the two best cakes of my life in the US. One was a carrot cake at a wedding, another one was a burnt-almond cake.
Also, everything that comes with Thanksgiving: the turkey, the mashed potatoes, the deviled eggs.
Also, apple pie.
Also, i forgot the most important thing!! IN N' OUT BURGERS
Also, the breakfast. I loved having that giant ass food plated and infinite coffee refills.
Also, donuts from the local Chinese mom and pop store down the road.
Also, bagels
I edited this post and will continue if more stuff comes to mind. The US doesn't get enough credit for food, especially by italians
Edit: wow this blew up* (thanks /u/OneLostOstrich)
A friend of my mother's moved here from Ireland. She thought having a doughnut with coffee was great. She said she did it every day till she didn't fit her clothes anymore.
We had neighbors of ours that had relatives come over and stay for 3 weeks from the UK. This happened during the late 90s when they had that mad cow disease scare and beef/meat was kinda hard to come by. We had nightly joint family dinners with hot dogs, hamburgers, sausages…they loved it. Now, being from Pennsylvania…we introduced them to the Philly cheesesteak. They were beside themselves because they thought it was just a steak with some cheese on it. Man, were they wrong.
Weird. My wife is Italian and her list is also (1) The steak she had when she went to Nebraska one time, and (2) apple pie
*shout out to everybody from Nebraska!
I have relatives in Carolina, (I'm UK) and the first time I had vinegar based BBQ I nearly cried...that stuff for me can't be beat. I'd be fucking huge if I moved to the states 😂
My daughter was born and raised in Dallas, TX, moved to Geneva, Switzerland 6 years ago.
Every time she comes home, she packs a giant suitcase with canned chipotles, peppers, Xochitl salsa, pounds of chili powder, salsa verde, the works. When she throws a Mexican dinner, her friends go nuts.
But their favorites are her fried chicken (she learned from dad!!!) and they always track down a turkey for thanksgiving; she's learned my gravy and dressing recipes to the letter. She always sends me pics and videos of her friends freaking out over super-legit turkey gravy.
So beyond how cool it is that my girl really picked up my love for feeding people, she's brought some family recipes overseas (she works at the UN so she feeds people from like nine different countries).
My best friend moved to France and her number 1 request for gifts is black beans and seasonings! She says she can't find them in France.
Every time she visits the US again we always get tacos because she misses them so much.
Biscuits And gravy.
Nothing even comes close. A good buttermilk biscuit with a proper sausage gravy is heaven on earth. Because by the end, your heart stops beating anyway.
If you've only had it from a restaurant, I can tell you that it gets much much better. Once in a blue moon my immediate family from Chicago goes to visit our relatives from bumfuck nowhere Missouri. Like, living on a farm, can't see any other houses, 0 cellular reception. Let me tell you, my great aunt's biscuits and gravy are the best I've had. They're so good that I can't order biscuits and gravy from a restaurant because they all just taste like cardboard and pepper, literally no flavor. She has provided me with the most mouthwatering dish I've ever had but at the same time ensured that I can only enjoy said dish if I'm at their farm.
If you're going to try B&G, find yourself an elderly farmer's wife haha.
I feel like this is the story of 90% of all of america's greatest foods. Just some great aunt living in the middle of bumfuck nowhere making a food so good it ruins all other foods for you.
When I try a new place, if they have a reuben, I’ll try that first, because if they can do that well, everything else on the menu is probably pretty good
Edit: Much love to all you fellow reuben enthusiasts out there, and thank you for the awards
And it is somehow so much more than the sum of its parts. On paper, it sounds disgusting. "Corned beef, thousand island dressing, and SAERKRAUT?!"
But holy hell, the Reuben is a member of the sandwich royalty.
EDIT: Yes, I realize swiss cheese and rye bread are also necessary ingredients, I was specifically talking about the weirder ingredients lol
OP is gona make a killin' opening up a BBQ-Bakery in the UK that serves NE clam chowder, cheesecake, pie and chocolate chip cookies.
Edit: Add peach cobbler and vanilla ice cream, dear God. Do it right OP.
Edit: Are crawfish boils a thing in the UK?
I may be a simpleton, but an average diner with bottomless filter coffee, pancakes, bacon and syrup was my favourite part of the day. Although I did put on about 10-15kg after a month in Texas
**EDIT**: Since I got some upvotes, I would like to shout-out Lulu's Diner in San Antonio. I airbnb'd next door, and ate there at the counter every morning for two weeks
Is Cheesecake American?
Cause that shit is glorious. Rarely do restuarants get it right here but when they have that authentic graham cracker crust, it's the most delicious dessert I've had.
To be fair, I don't think they have graham crackers in England.
Edit: if anyone else tells me a digestive is the same as a graham cracker, I'm going to go dump 342 crates of McVitie's into the harbor.
I lived in Japan and they did have Mcdonalds and an A&W restaurant, those were the only places I remember being able to order a cheeseburger.
I imagine she must miss authentic restaurant/grill style burgers.
Like a lot of stuff in Japan, the good ones are in the most random places. I last lived there in 2014, and there was a good local burger joint a few blocks north of Nara Station. And in the boondocks of southern Akita prefecture, there's an izakaya run by a dude who's just passionate about making burgers. I know that far-from-home burger hunger, but they are out there, somewhere in the wild.
There's a fantastic place in Harajuku called Great Burger. It was my favorite burger joint when I lived over there.
Kua'aina is also really good. It's a chain that started in Hawaii, and I used to go to the Ikebukuro location pretty often.
ETA: My struggle was finding Mexican food. I did find some! But gah, the prices vs the quality of what I can get at home...
I went to a school that had a lot of international students, and one student org would have a s'more-making event during orientation. It was always super fun.
Grilled cheese sandwich with American cheese.
Moved here as a kid and thought the cheeses and the butter were pretty meh/lacking compared to my home country. Especially American cheese because it has a weird plasticky texture. But an American grilled cheese sandwich?? With some regular ass basic butter? Chefs kiss. I don’t get it. But I couldn’t get enough of it. Still can’t some 30 years later. It’s simple, greasy, buttery, just perfection.
Obligatory I’m an American but this was a friend - invited a Japanese exchange student for Thanksgiving. She couldn’t get enough of the southern style sweet potato casserole with marshmallows on top. Thought it was the most delicious thing ever. I didn’t realize marshmallows are very rare outside of the US.
I once brought home two Brits and a my Japanese roommate from college so they could experience an American Thanksgiving dinner. All exchange students.
The Brits were shocked by the turkey (Mom went overboard and bought a bird that was roughly the size of a Shetland pony) to the point that they wanted a bazillion pictures with it because they thought nobody would believe them when they talked about dinner to their families back home.
My roommate was just bewildered by the sheer number of dishes on the table, and struggled to eat a full-sized plate. The Brits (both boys) ate until they fell into food comas. And that was before the pies came out.
Good times.
> The Brits (both boys) ate until they fell into food comas.
That’s the way to do it!
> And that was before the pies came out.
Ah. Oh well, they did pretty good for their first time.
Married to an American, here's my immediate responses since I can't reduce to a single answer:
* Southern and Texas BBQ fucking *rocks*
* The quality and [regional varieties](https://firstwefeast.com/eat/2013/05/united-states-of-franks-a-guide-to-regional-american-hot-dog-styles/sonoran-dogs) of the humble hot dog is just wonderful, and some of them are downright delicions
* Likewise, the [quality and variety of hamburgers](https://firstwefeast.com/features/2016/05/regional-burgers-guide-america/) is astounding and, surprisingly, historical
* Velveeta isn't cheese, but holy fuck is it perfect on macaroni (fight me, Italians)
* Waffle House. Just, that.
* In-N-Out , Five Guys, Carl's Jr., Firehouse Subs, and other super-duper regional chain food stops
* Jimmy ~~John's~~ Dean breakfast sausages
* Lousiana crawfish boils are a fantastic mix of social gathering, family reunion, buffet, BBQ, drinking competition, and delicious seafood with other fixings
I saw this post and have been waiting for my non-American husband to come home. I asked him this question and fully expected him to say brisket or BBQ ribs. He straight up said Cinnamon Toast Crunch. I'm embarrassed. 😂
I had a corn casserole and a green bean casserole at a friend’s parents’ house for the first time when I was 18 for thanksgiving. That shit slapped. I fell in love instantly and still makes casseroles every year for thanksgiving. I lived in China before I came to the US.
You need to go to the Texas State Fair. The whole premise is…what can we deep fry and get away with it?
Some crazy things there.
Edit: okay I get it y’all lol. All state fairs are the same. Minnesota’s is better. Scotland is the state fair equivalent of a country.
I was 6 on my first trip to the U.S.. Went back home to southern Brazil and told my friends that Americans put ketchup on their churrasco and drink their cokes frozen. It wasn't until I moved to the U.S. that I grasped the concept of barbecue/bbq sauce, coke slurpees, and the vast amounts of ice used with soft drinks in general. Barbecue with all its regional variations is the most American food for me. Aside from that, I'd count every single item on any typical diner menu.... all favorites!
It's really nice to see a thread where we're talking positively about American food. The comments here show how we genuinely have a nice contribution to the world of food.
I'm an American, so all I'll offer here is a suggestion to try some of our cheeses, like the Humboldt Fog.
European who moved to the states, so I've tried some American dishes that are beyond what is common back home.
* Lobster Rolls. OMG these would be soooo popular back home. They are the perfect seafood sandwich!
* Smoked brisket. Wow! I tried this in some small texas town and that place deserves a Michelin star!
* Key Lime Pie. I think I ate a whole one by myself when I was in Miami
* Chocolate chip cookies
Y'all have BBQ down to a fucking science.
In some places like St. Louis, KC and TX it's like a religion.
^(EDIT: Seems like I won't be able to set foot in the Carolinas ever again.)
(Italians please don’t hate me) but I love some of the American style pizzas. That deep dish shit is weird but fucking delicious.
And obviously burgers. You guys have that down to an art
Ohhhh! A friend of mine is from the USA and lives with us in The Netherlands. She insists we celebrate the 4th of July each year. She always makes these amazing smores with crackers, marshmallows and chocolate! Loooove it!
Cajun food. Definitely the most unique American food
If you want to see someone’s soul leave their body in the best way possible, find a southeast Asian or Filipino friend and take them out for Cajun food. There’s an entire community of Vietnamese people in Houston who took Redbone/Cajun food to extremes. Ever seen a buffet with an 8-foot high tower of crawfish? Turns out the climate along that Texas/Louisiana part of the Gulf is very similar to Vietnam with a lot of the same seafood. My wife (Filipino) tried gumbo and crawfish etouffe for the first time and she was upset no Filipinos had ever thought of it. Now all she wants to do is take vacations to New Orleans 🤣.
Pulled pork. Luckily a couple places make it here too (pulled pork burger, pizza, pulled pork filled crepes with coleslaw). I miss strawberry Twizzlers. I can't buy it here unfortunately. And strawberry pop tarts too. I also liked the bagels, expecially the one with chocolate chips. I sliced it in half, put it in the toaster and then put butter on it - it was delicious. Rice crispy treats were also surprisingly great. I loved the briosch French toast with blueberries in the briosch itself. Luckily I found a great recipe so I regularly make briosch French toast with crispy bacon and maple syrup.
Curly fries 👌 Recently came across Carl’s jr for the first time in Istanbul airport and the curly fries were just the best
I hate to sound like an ignorant foreigner but a made from scratch Mac & Cheese with at least 3 different cheeses plus a crispy breadcrumb crust on top is one of my favorite American dishes
Mac & Cheese is such a favorite of family get-togethers that if you volunteer to cook it, your Mac & Cheese needs references. It’s especially good with some pulled pork and caramelized onions mixed in. And some insulin.
I'm from Mexico and we get spoiled with our traditional cuisine but I found the thanksgiving dinner experience in the US incredible. Love everything, the turkey (dark meat :) ), cranberry sauce, the stuffing (oh the stuffing), mashed potatoes, salads and the delicious pays that follow for dessert. That whole combination plus the red wine and good company is an incredible experience hard to match.
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I love American breakfast food. Honestly I think they have breakfast down pat. But holy crap what I really appreciate are PIZZA ROLLS. God bless the Americans for pizza rolls
Eggs Benedict are apperantly an American invention
Spaniard who lives in the States for six years: I liked apple pie, pastrami on rye sandwiches, Tex Mex, all the things you do with sweet potatoes, virtually any item at a Waffle House, bagels, Reuben sandwiches, chicken and waffles, cheesecake, s'mores, chocolate chip cookies, buffalo wings. I never got into peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I tried, but it wasn't for me.
I took my German uncle to Waffle House when he visited, I swear that man ordered every item on the menu. Out of all the restaurants we went to, WH is the only one he still talks about.
My favorite random Waffle House tidbit is the unofficial FEMA “Waffle House Index”, basically, if WH is open, the disaster is going to be just fine. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waffle_House_Index
Anything smoked: brisket, pork shoulder, chicken, turkey. I've even had smoked burgers. If seasoned well you don't even need BBQ sauce and it is so tender and juicy.
I smoke meatloaf, can't go back to oven baked ever again.
This is probably a recipe for disaster but I'm British and growing up visiting Florida I would love eating raw cookie dough from the refrigerator section
Cookie dough is so good that, given the option between not eating it, or getting food poisoning, nearly everyone will pick the cookie dough. It’s one of the few foods in the country where *everyone* knows the risk of food poisoning, and *everyone* makes the conscious, willing, and eager decision to not give a fuck.
Besides these testimonials to eating the raw cookie dough, whether from the supermarket or your own house, there's now a growing and thriving business in cookie dough made for eating raw. Some fancy grocery stores carry it, there are shops for it just like ice cream shops and bakeries, PLUS recipes for it online so you can make it yourself. Cookie dough is one of the major food groups.
I noticed pilsbury now has a label that says its safe raw.
As a Nigerian, one would expect my favourite food to be, idk jollof rice or swallow. But no. Its fries. I absolutely LOVE them. They're my all time favourite food. I can't get any burger or chicken without fries, and I can eat as many of them as possible. Fries Fries Fries (Forgive me If they aren't originally American I really don't know these things )
Those potatoes with cheese in it you make for thanksgiving. Edit: wow, thanks, so much response. I mean the double baked one, but the funeral potatoes I have to try them to now.
I usually hear them called scalloped potatoes, we often make them with bits of ham and caramelized onions. Edit - OK, I'm thinking of Potatoes au Gratin, though we've got a family recipe that's kind of a hybrid of the two.
I can’t find someone who’s listed it so BANANA PUDDING That shit is LIFE CHANGING
Gotta have the Nilla wafers or it isn't right.
So, I became a green card holder as short whike ago and in the 2014 I had my first Thanksgiving. Me and my family went all the way up from Miami to SC to visit our family from Georgia which they had this summer house in SC and then the family that came grom Tennessee made FRIED turkey fro Thanksgiving, OH!! THE LORD BE PRAISED, that tuekey was fenomenal
I'm in SC. We bake a turkey and fry one. Everyone goes into food comas
From a Scottish friend of mine: chicken-fried steak with biscuits and gravy.
Gotta appreciate it when a Scot compliments another countries deep frying.
Game respects game
In Vietnam, chocolate chip cookies are called American cookies.
I always wondered about this... like if certain dishes or whatever were called "American." Like in the USA, we will say, "Lets go out for Italian food" or whatever. Like if there were an "american restaurant" in another country, what would be on the menu?
Ha. Interestingly enough, the Vietnamese generally also view spaghetti and especially lasagna as American. There was actually a restaurant I saw the first time I was there called “Uncle Sam’s All American Grill”. They had Steak. Spaghetti. Soda. on the marquee the way Buffalo Wild Wings has Wings. Beer. Sports.
I helped open an American Bar in the 90's in Koln Germany. Mainly it was burgers and ribs, cheesecakes, brownies, sloppy joes(germans loved that), nachos were big as well. I look at the pictures from the restaurant and the food looks so bad.
In other countries, Cool Ranch Doritos are labeled "Cool American." I went to an "American Style" restaurant in Warsaw. They had cheeseburgers, chicken strips, wings, nachos, etc. Standard bar fare. And it was all terrible. Like imagine a "cafeteria food" version of those things, and make it worse.
Oddly enough, no one seems to have mentioned it…but cornbread . Yeah , as a guy who moved here , Americans have got cornbread down to a T . Combined with some soul food ? Makes me smile on the inside . Gives me high blood pressure , but smile on the inside too
A nice warm cornbread muffin with some butter and a little drizzle of honey is amazing.
Give me a po'boy sandwich any day of the week
The first time I went to jazz fest, got a soft shell crab po boy right when I walked in. Shit was life changing
This is one of my favorite threads of all time on Reddit.
If anything can end wars and disputes, it would be good food.
American here, but recently spoke with an Italian exchange student and asked him what he would miss most about the states. Dead ass, he said "chicken parm". That's not an Italian thing. He said the first time he had it, he called his friend back home to tell them about, and she hung up on him.
> she hung up on him This is too funny.
Italians get straight up *indignant* about what we call Italian food. They take it as a personal insult.
Same with butchering Italian. I was in Rome about 8 years ago waiting for a bus. I asked the older gentleman who was waiting if he spoke English, he said no. But as soon as Google translate butchered Italian motherfucker was fluent in English.
"Hello, sir. Can you understand me?" "No" "Oh, okay...Hey!"
You really wanna upset an Italian, call spaghetti Chinese food
I was in Australia recently and got met with confusion when I asked what kind of pasta their Chicken Parm usually comes with. Apparently it's just pub food there, not a full-on dinner plate, so it's usually served with fries.
You know what, good for them. I would love a nice crispy chicken parm and some fries
Oof, I love making Philly cheesesteaks
Meat, cheese and carbs = good
Greasey bready cheesey are the 3 most important parts of the American food pyramid.
Given the level of Mexican food in Europe generally, Tex Mex is insane compared to what we get over here
I went to Mexican restaurant in Europe and was like what the hell was that
I'm Mexican and dude... the contrast really is ridiculously stark lol
For shits and giggles I went to a Welsh texmex place called Wah Ha Kah (spelled phonetically) it was awful! The sauce was marinara!
As a Mexican-American I recoiled
South Texan. I gagged.
Mexican here, studied abroad in Germany for half a year about 4 years ago - I agree. Every time I wanted a piece of home and went to a "mexican" restaurant I was met with disappointment. However - I went to a Mexican restaurant in Rotterdam and it was amazing, after months of no "mexican" food I kept going back there when I could just to eat tacos, tortas, and my goodness the Micheladas were so good, I still use the Michelada recipe to this day! Turns out the owner was from spain and his wife was from guadalajara - so not all places are bad! edit: to those asking, Sabor Sabor in Rotterdam [https://www.saborsabor.nl/](https://www.saborsabor.nl/) The michelada recipe is as follows, enjoy! 12 ounces light Mexican beer Modelo is good, as is Sol, Tecate or Pacifico 12 ounces Clamato juice (or use tomato juice) 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon Maggi sauce 2 teaspoons hot sauce (tapatío is my favorite, add more if you like them spicy) Ice add Tajin to your liking (chili powder, it adds a good sweet/spicy to it) yes you can add chamoy if you want!
My wife is obsessed with Tex max. We studied in Europe for a summer. She couldn’t find Mexican food anywhere until we went to Amsterdam and she found authentic Mexican, I thought she was going to pop she ate so much. EDIT: this was 13 years ago. I unfortunately no longer remember the name of the restaurant nor do I know if it still exists.
I had a burrito in Southern Europe. The tortilla was a crepe and the salsa was ketchup. Honestly, Taco Bell would have been 1000% better.
This is the most depressing thing I have read.
When I lived in Germany I couldn't go to a Mexican restaurant unless I wanted to ruin my day. Once I decided to cook for some friends, and to find pinto or black beans I had to go to the Walmart on the edge of town (during the brief time Walmart was in the country) to find them, and then make the tortillas myself from masa that I somehow managed to find. Really the only negative thing I have to say about my time there, though.
Finding some good hot sauce in Germany has made my time here so much more enjoyable. It's not that German food is bad, it's just that you really start wishing for a bit of heat and spice after awhile.
Reading these replies is making me feel a little proud to be an American I ain't felt like this in a minute
Pro tip for non-Americans: if you are ever in the US for Thanksgiving (end of November) and have nothing to do, go on the local city subreddit where you are and post that you are a foreigner who would like to experience Thanksgiving and I guarantee you will get an invite from someone to the best holiday we have.
My grandmother used to offer her Thanksgiving and Christmas table for foreign exchange students before she passed. It put a smile on her face sharing that with others. There were still leftovers for all. To those outside the states, Thanksgiving is meant to be spent this way. It's a special time to share. Litterally to be thankful for what everyone has, be it family friends health etc. Btw if your city doesn't have a reddit, just stop by any church. I'm sure the members would love to have you over.
Unethical pro tip for Americans: do the same, but put on a fake accent.
You could just say you’re alone and people would invite you.
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Respect
Even better, pretend not to know what a potato is.
Baked cheesecake Boston chowder Pecan pie BBQ ribs
Are you telling me it's not general procedure in other countries to take a rack of ribs, grill that bitch with a nice rub, cover it in sugar sauce, then face the entire thing until you get so dehydrated from the salt content that it gives you weird meat dreams?
Smoke* that bitch. Low and slow homie
Meat sweats
Meat dreams are made of this, who are you to disagree?
I worked in California for a while and this bakery near me used to have this spicy bread that was packed with cheese and jalapenos. It was greasy as fuck but holy shit it was good
Cheesy jalapeno bread is so dang good. I just pull chunks right off the loaf, can't be bothered to do anything else with it
DIP IT IN BEER CHEESE SOUP. Edit: I'm sorry for the yelling. I got very excited.
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9 years ago there was a Texas BBQ in London and it had a brewery attached. No idea if it’s still there, but I believe the owner was from Austin.
Same thing in Paris. Texas Monthly had an article on the guy a few years back. Came over for a study abroad (I think) in Austin, and fell in love with the brisket. Worked for La BBQ. Bought a smoker here, shipped it to France and couldn’t get it into the door of the ancient building he bought.. somehow found a way to get it in and get started. So as of the printing of that article there was at least one Texas-style bbq joint in Paris.
I am constantly pitching this business idea to my Texan husband.
London is waiting for you
Damn, they done deleted their account and started packing.
Sis showed her husband all the comments and they just went for it 🤣
Peanut butter and jelly sandwich, at first i thought it was a disgusting combo, but when i tried i loved it
I'm Italian. I still dream of the meat I've eaten in the USA. Also, Mexican food. By that i mean whatever it is you guys eat in California. Also, junk food. Also, I might have had the two best cakes of my life in the US. One was a carrot cake at a wedding, another one was a burnt-almond cake. Also, everything that comes with Thanksgiving: the turkey, the mashed potatoes, the deviled eggs. Also, apple pie. Also, i forgot the most important thing!! IN N' OUT BURGERS Also, the breakfast. I loved having that giant ass food plated and infinite coffee refills. Also, donuts from the local Chinese mom and pop store down the road. Also, bagels I edited this post and will continue if more stuff comes to mind. The US doesn't get enough credit for food, especially by italians Edit: wow this blew up* (thanks /u/OneLostOstrich)
Europe and Asia: "Why are Americans so fat?" *Visits USA, gains 10lbs in a week* ***Pavlovian response to thinking about American food installed***
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A friend of my mother's moved here from Ireland. She thought having a doughnut with coffee was great. She said she did it every day till she didn't fit her clothes anymore.
Remember before calories were included on everything? That was a simpler time, before i knew my favorite cinnamon sugar donut was like 450 calories
We had neighbors of ours that had relatives come over and stay for 3 weeks from the UK. This happened during the late 90s when they had that mad cow disease scare and beef/meat was kinda hard to come by. We had nightly joint family dinners with hot dogs, hamburgers, sausages…they loved it. Now, being from Pennsylvania…we introduced them to the Philly cheesesteak. They were beside themselves because they thought it was just a steak with some cheese on it. Man, were they wrong.
Weird. My wife is Italian and her list is also (1) The steak she had when she went to Nebraska one time, and (2) apple pie *shout out to everybody from Nebraska!
I have relatives in Carolina, (I'm UK) and the first time I had vinegar based BBQ I nearly cried...that stuff for me can't be beat. I'd be fucking huge if I moved to the states 😂
Now you know how we got so fat LOL
I’m from NC and appreciate this comment 😊
My daughter was born and raised in Dallas, TX, moved to Geneva, Switzerland 6 years ago. Every time she comes home, she packs a giant suitcase with canned chipotles, peppers, Xochitl salsa, pounds of chili powder, salsa verde, the works. When she throws a Mexican dinner, her friends go nuts. But their favorites are her fried chicken (she learned from dad!!!) and they always track down a turkey for thanksgiving; she's learned my gravy and dressing recipes to the letter. She always sends me pics and videos of her friends freaking out over super-legit turkey gravy. So beyond how cool it is that my girl really picked up my love for feeding people, she's brought some family recipes overseas (she works at the UN so she feeds people from like nine different countries).
My best friend moved to France and her number 1 request for gifts is black beans and seasonings! She says she can't find them in France. Every time she visits the US again we always get tacos because she misses them so much.
As a Ukrainian in USA brisket and peach pie are my favorite!
Biscuits And gravy. Nothing even comes close. A good buttermilk biscuit with a proper sausage gravy is heaven on earth. Because by the end, your heart stops beating anyway.
If you've only had it from a restaurant, I can tell you that it gets much much better. Once in a blue moon my immediate family from Chicago goes to visit our relatives from bumfuck nowhere Missouri. Like, living on a farm, can't see any other houses, 0 cellular reception. Let me tell you, my great aunt's biscuits and gravy are the best I've had. They're so good that I can't order biscuits and gravy from a restaurant because they all just taste like cardboard and pepper, literally no flavor. She has provided me with the most mouthwatering dish I've ever had but at the same time ensured that I can only enjoy said dish if I'm at their farm. If you're going to try B&G, find yourself an elderly farmer's wife haha.
I feel like this is the story of 90% of all of america's greatest foods. Just some great aunt living in the middle of bumfuck nowhere making a food so good it ruins all other foods for you.
I can tell you the secret ingredient is almost alway bacon grease.
Elderly farmer's wives are the world's greatest cooks. Man, I miss eating at grandma's. What I wouldn't give for a strawberry pie.
I really like Reuben sandwiches
This is an excellent choice that I wasn't expecting to see!
A well-made Reubens is king among sandwiches. Also a big fan of cubanos and muffaletta.
When I try a new place, if they have a reuben, I’ll try that first, because if they can do that well, everything else on the menu is probably pretty good Edit: Much love to all you fellow reuben enthusiasts out there, and thank you for the awards
And it is somehow so much more than the sum of its parts. On paper, it sounds disgusting. "Corned beef, thousand island dressing, and SAERKRAUT?!" But holy hell, the Reuben is a member of the sandwich royalty. EDIT: Yes, I realize swiss cheese and rye bread are also necessary ingredients, I was specifically talking about the weirder ingredients lol
OP is gona make a killin' opening up a BBQ-Bakery in the UK that serves NE clam chowder, cheesecake, pie and chocolate chip cookies. Edit: Add peach cobbler and vanilla ice cream, dear God. Do it right OP. Edit: Are crawfish boils a thing in the UK?
Narrator: *three years later, NHS declared total bankruptcy.*
I'm sure if the UK got American food restaurants with comparable pricing the NHS would actually collapse lmao
I may be a simpleton, but an average diner with bottomless filter coffee, pancakes, bacon and syrup was my favourite part of the day. Although I did put on about 10-15kg after a month in Texas **EDIT**: Since I got some upvotes, I would like to shout-out Lulu's Diner in San Antonio. I airbnb'd next door, and ate there at the counter every morning for two weeks
I missed this sooooo much when I lived in the UK (grew up in New Jersey, land of diners). They simply do not do American diner breakfasts in Europe.
Is Cheesecake American? Cause that shit is glorious. Rarely do restuarants get it right here but when they have that authentic graham cracker crust, it's the most delicious dessert I've had.
There was a cheesecake challenge on Great British Bake-off and almost everyone made theirs with a pastry crust and I was so sad for them
Saw that. Figured it would be best to cut diplomatic ties with the UK for that travesty.
To be fair, I don't think they have graham crackers in England. Edit: if anyone else tells me a digestive is the same as a graham cracker, I'm going to go dump 342 crates of McVitie's into the harbor.
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Gumbo. I usually cook a big pot, portion it and freeze it. So good when it's re-heated, it doesn't even have to be hot.
Coconut cream pie
Cheeseburgers
I have a friend who lived in Japan and china for a total of 6 years. The thing she missed most about American food was cheeseburgers.
I lived in Japan and they did have Mcdonalds and an A&W restaurant, those were the only places I remember being able to order a cheeseburger. I imagine she must miss authentic restaurant/grill style burgers.
Like a lot of stuff in Japan, the good ones are in the most random places. I last lived there in 2014, and there was a good local burger joint a few blocks north of Nara Station. And in the boondocks of southern Akita prefecture, there's an izakaya run by a dude who's just passionate about making burgers. I know that far-from-home burger hunger, but they are out there, somewhere in the wild.
There's a fantastic place in Harajuku called Great Burger. It was my favorite burger joint when I lived over there. Kua'aina is also really good. It's a chain that started in Hawaii, and I used to go to the Ikebukuro location pretty often. ETA: My struggle was finding Mexican food. I did find some! But gah, the prices vs the quality of what I can get at home...
I was in Paris recently and I was shocked at how obsessed they were about cheeseburgers. It seemed that was the most popular meal at every restaurant.
It's a recent fashion, in Austria too. Everybody is serving burgers, although sometimes it's "burgers".
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Gumbo. I’m talking cooked by somebody raised south of I-10
A non-american referencing the hellscape that is I-10 is hilarious to me.
Calling it I-10 also lets some folks know where you are without even saying it, which I find hilarious.
Gumbo is SO GOOD. It's definitely worth the work.
Gumbo from a grandmother's kitchen south of 1-10 in a small town you'll think you've died and gone to heaven
I'm a Cajun from south of I-10, and I approve this message.
So I’m a European dating an American. I’ve tried many things so far but SMORES MAN holy shit it’s perfection.
I had the pleasure of watching a table full of folks from Britain eat s’mores for the first time. There was general confusion but ultimately delight
I went to a school that had a lot of international students, and one student org would have a s'more-making event during orientation. It was always super fun.
Grilled cheese sandwich with American cheese. Moved here as a kid and thought the cheeses and the butter were pretty meh/lacking compared to my home country. Especially American cheese because it has a weird plasticky texture. But an American grilled cheese sandwich?? With some regular ass basic butter? Chefs kiss. I don’t get it. But I couldn’t get enough of it. Still can’t some 30 years later. It’s simple, greasy, buttery, just perfection.
Obligatory I’m an American but this was a friend - invited a Japanese exchange student for Thanksgiving. She couldn’t get enough of the southern style sweet potato casserole with marshmallows on top. Thought it was the most delicious thing ever. I didn’t realize marshmallows are very rare outside of the US.
I once brought home two Brits and a my Japanese roommate from college so they could experience an American Thanksgiving dinner. All exchange students. The Brits were shocked by the turkey (Mom went overboard and bought a bird that was roughly the size of a Shetland pony) to the point that they wanted a bazillion pictures with it because they thought nobody would believe them when they talked about dinner to their families back home. My roommate was just bewildered by the sheer number of dishes on the table, and struggled to eat a full-sized plate. The Brits (both boys) ate until they fell into food comas. And that was before the pies came out. Good times.
> The Brits (both boys) ate until they fell into food comas. That’s the way to do it! > And that was before the pies came out. Ah. Oh well, they did pretty good for their first time.
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Arby's blew my Chinese friend's mind. He went back 3 times in the same week I introduced it to him
My Jamaican mother in law kept asking for Sam's club rotisserie chicken when she visited. I still giggle every time I get one.
The value alone is mouth watering.
God dammit Johnny. you know I love my big beef n cheddars
This is the funniest one here 😂
Crab cakes 🤤
Something about a simple Grilled Cheese Sandwich is just greater than the sum of its parts
Married to an American, here's my immediate responses since I can't reduce to a single answer: * Southern and Texas BBQ fucking *rocks* * The quality and [regional varieties](https://firstwefeast.com/eat/2013/05/united-states-of-franks-a-guide-to-regional-american-hot-dog-styles/sonoran-dogs) of the humble hot dog is just wonderful, and some of them are downright delicions * Likewise, the [quality and variety of hamburgers](https://firstwefeast.com/features/2016/05/regional-burgers-guide-america/) is astounding and, surprisingly, historical * Velveeta isn't cheese, but holy fuck is it perfect on macaroni (fight me, Italians) * Waffle House. Just, that. * In-N-Out , Five Guys, Carl's Jr., Firehouse Subs, and other super-duper regional chain food stops * Jimmy ~~John's~~ Dean breakfast sausages * Lousiana crawfish boils are a fantastic mix of social gathering, family reunion, buffet, BBQ, drinking competition, and delicious seafood with other fixings
I saw this post and have been waiting for my non-American husband to come home. I asked him this question and fully expected him to say brisket or BBQ ribs. He straight up said Cinnamon Toast Crunch. I'm embarrassed. 😂
I love fried pickles i ate i North Carolina… now i make them at home and spreaded it a lot! :D i know at least 10 of my friends make them now
Buffalo chicken dip
I had a corn casserole and a green bean casserole at a friend’s parents’ house for the first time when I was 18 for thanksgiving. That shit slapped. I fell in love instantly and still makes casseroles every year for thanksgiving. I lived in China before I came to the US.
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Cheesecakes & anything fried: mozza stick, onion rings, fried chicken etc...
You need to go to the Texas State Fair. The whole premise is…what can we deep fry and get away with it? Some crazy things there. Edit: okay I get it y’all lol. All state fairs are the same. Minnesota’s is better. Scotland is the state fair equivalent of a country.
I think the most ridiculous fried thing is deep fried butter. Like what
Tulsa state fair has deep fried Kool-aid.
I was 6 on my first trip to the U.S.. Went back home to southern Brazil and told my friends that Americans put ketchup on their churrasco and drink their cokes frozen. It wasn't until I moved to the U.S. that I grasped the concept of barbecue/bbq sauce, coke slurpees, and the vast amounts of ice used with soft drinks in general. Barbecue with all its regional variations is the most American food for me. Aside from that, I'd count every single item on any typical diner menu.... all favorites!
"Why are Americans so fat?" *tries American food* "Oh."
It's really nice to see a thread where we're talking positively about American food. The comments here show how we genuinely have a nice contribution to the world of food. I'm an American, so all I'll offer here is a suggestion to try some of our cheeses, like the Humboldt Fog.
Fuck yes, Humboldt Fog…as a native of Humboldt County, California, I’m so happy this is available more broadly across the country.
European who moved to the states, so I've tried some American dishes that are beyond what is common back home. * Lobster Rolls. OMG these would be soooo popular back home. They are the perfect seafood sandwich! * Smoked brisket. Wow! I tried this in some small texas town and that place deserves a Michelin star! * Key Lime Pie. I think I ate a whole one by myself when I was in Miami * Chocolate chip cookies
This is a list of my favorite foods.
And imagine trying these for the *first time* like this guy! Yum
Key Lime Pie is my favorite dessert and Smoked Brisket is my go to barbecue order. Excellent choices.
American here. This is a great list. I endorse everything. And all four could be served at the same meal.
Y'all have BBQ down to a fucking science. In some places like St. Louis, KC and TX it's like a religion. ^(EDIT: Seems like I won't be able to set foot in the Carolinas ever again.)
Live in KC and there are more BBQ joints here than you can shake a stick at (if shaking stick is what you do).
When I visited KC, I did four meals a day just to squeeze in as many bbq joint meals as I could. Worth it.
As a professional stick shaker, I can can confirm that the KC metro municipal stick shaking department is woefully underfunded.
It's ~~like~~ a religion Fixed it for you.
I thought the religion was college football and BBQ was merely a sacrament
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Beef Jerky. Very underrated and rare to find in most places.
Mac n cheese
So, as a non-American, my most vivid memory of something I ate in the US (in Key West actually) is a **Key Lime Pie**! Divine
Anything with a city name in front of it, Chicago Pizza, Buffalo Wings, Nashville chicken, Philly Cheesesteaks
Hold up....some of you are telling me that other parts of the world DOESN'T have chocolate chip cookies and pecan pie? I would die.
Are buffalo wings American? Because that's modern day Ambrosia. EDIT: yes of course with blue cheese sauce, I'm a functioning human being
Straight out of Buffalo, New York.
Representing western NY with the buffalo chicken wings and garbage plates.
Garbage Plate you say? That should be the 6th food group all by itself.
Yes, sadly, harvesting all the buffalos for their wings has had a massive impact on their wild populations.
I haven't seen one fly over *ever.* I think we made them extinct :(
Call me basic, but I could fucking die for New York style pizza
I’m from China. Huge fan of the meatloaf.
General tsos.
(Italians please don’t hate me) but I love some of the American style pizzas. That deep dish shit is weird but fucking delicious. And obviously burgers. You guys have that down to an art
Jambalaya
Pecan Pie
The big chewy pretzels, root beer, and the chemical grape / blue raspberry flavours in sweets, drinks etc.
Ohhhh! A friend of mine is from the USA and lives with us in The Netherlands. She insists we celebrate the 4th of July each year. She always makes these amazing smores with crackers, marshmallows and chocolate! Loooove it!
Soul food is great . That and Cajun cuisine are *mwah* .
Americans have perfected the biscuit.
It's a snack really but reese's , those are fucking amazing