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7 Regional U.S. Specialties You Need To Try

By Cynthia Barnes
Read time: 5 minutes
September 29, 2025
Updated: September 29, 2025

We tend to think of America as a “melting pot,” and in some senses that’s true. Foods such as Buffalo wings, tacos, and Detroit-style pizza are popular all over the country. But some dishes don’t melt, so to speak, remaining (with rare exceptions) firmly tied to specific regions, cities, or even a specific restaurant. Here are the menu items you should be sure to try when traveling to these seven U.S. destinations. 

Conch Fritters – The Florida Keys

Basket of conch fritters with dipping sauce
Credit: R.J. Johnston/ Toronto Star via Getty Images

Key lime pie is undeniably delicious (and the official state pie of Florida), but the sweet treat is by no means hard to find. For conch fritters, though, you’re going to need to head to the Florida Keys. Pronounced “konk,” this delicacy originated in the Bahamas but can be found in both red plastic baskets and on white tablecloths up and down U.S. Route 1, the overseas highway that stretches all the way from Key Largo to the southernmost point in the United States. (Speaking of conch, in 1982, the city of Key West satirically seceded from the U.S. and declared itself the “Conch Republic.”) 

Conch is a sea snail known for its distinctive spiral shell, and fritters are made from the chopped meat; bound with egg, milk, and flour; and bursting with onion, peppers, and spice. The batter is shaped into balls and fried until crispy, then served with a creamy dipping sauce brightened with fresh lime juice. You can find conch fritters throughout the Keys, but our favorite version is served at the no-frills Hogfish Bar & Grill on Stock Island, just east of Key West.

Shrimp De Jonghe – Chicago, Illinois

Server holding plate of shrimp De Jonghe
Credit: Scott Suchman/ The Washington Post via Getty Images 

Almost everyone knows deep-dish pizza, Italian beef sandwiches, and Chicago-style hot dogs (no ketchup, please), but a dish you’ll rarely find outside the Windy City is shrimp De Jonghe. This surprisingly elegant casserole was first served at De Jonghe’s Hotel and Restaurant and quickly became a popular appetizer or entree at many of the city’s favorite eateries. Peeled shrimp are baked in herb- and garlic-laced butter, spiked with sherry, and blanketed with a luxurious layer of crumbs. Although famous for their ribs, Carson’s does an excellent version of shrimp De Jonghe, as does steakhouse Gene and Georgetti.

Sponge Candy – Buffalo, New York

Bowl of sponge candy, specialty of Buffalo, New York
Credit: ZUMA Press, Inc./ Alamy Stock Photo 

After eating wings and beef on weck, many Buffalonians like a little something sweet. Enter sponge candy, a unique treat that’s been a Queen City favorite since the 1940s. To concoct these treats, sugar, corn syrup, and water are boiled to a caramel stage. Baking soda is added to create the signature “sponge” texture, and the confections are cut into squares (or sometimes bars) and double-dipped into creamy chocolate. Fowler’s claims to be the original, Park Edge claims to be the best, and you can try lots of challengers on the Sponge Candy Trail.

Yakamein – New Orleans, Louisiana

Person eating ramen with chopsticks
Credit: KPS/ iStock via Getty Images Plus 

In the Big Easy, it’s easy to overindulge on the city’s famous adult beverages. Locals in the know swear by late-night or morning-after bowls of yakamein to ward off any unpleasant consequences of too many Sazeracs. Everyone has their favorite version, but this classic spicy noodle soup usually features spaghetti or other noodles swimming in a salty broth with chunks of beef, seasoned with Cajun spices, bulked up with the “holy trinity” (onions, celery, and bell pepper), jazzed with a shot of Worcestershire or soy sauce, and topped with a scattering of green onions and a hard-boiled egg. You’ll find it at corner convenience stores and sno-ball carts, but for a late night sit-down meal, hit the Avenue Bar & Grill.

Gooey Butter Cake – St. Louis, Missouri

Slices of gooey butter cake on cutting board
Credit: bhofack2/ iStock via Getty Images Plus 

Legend has it that a baking accident led to St. Louis’ favorite dessert. Flat and dense with a crackly top, gooey butter cake — though sometimes St. Louis locals omit the “cake” — is sweet, moist, and bears a strong resemblance to German butterkuchen. You can find it all over the metro area, but Park Avenue Coffee has an endless variety of flavors and ships nationwide to homesick natives. Want to try your hand at making your own? Here’s a recipe that doesn’t rely on cake mix.

Runzas – Nebraska

Runzas on tray
Credit: Simon Reddy/ Alamy Stock Photo 

Part Russian piroshki, part German bierock, and 100% Nebraskan, these tasty pastries were brought to the Great Plains by European immigrants in the 1800s. Rich, slightly sweetened yeast dough encases a filling of ground beef, onion, and cabbage, making for a delicious and satisfying (sort-of) sandwich. Runzas are so popular in Cornhusker country that an entire chain of restaurants is built around them. The Runzas chain started in Nebraska’s capital, Lincoln, in 1949, so that’s as good a place as any to get your fill, although they’re even starting to spread to neighboring states.

Sloppers – Pueblo, Colorado

A plated slopper, specialty of Pueblo, Colorado
Credit: Alexander Mychko/ Alamy Stock Photo

You may need a bigger supply of napkins: These chili-smothered burgers are as messy as they are delicious. A specialty of Pueblo, a city famed for its chiles, a slopper consists of a (usually open-faced) burger, topped with cheese, raw onion, and French fries. It’s then drowned in a generous amount of chili made from locally grown peppers. Locals will disagree about where the gooey gustation was invented, so choose your side carefully. Both contenders (Gray’s Coors Tavern and Star Bar) will satisfy your hunger. And after you try those, challenge yourself to complete the city’s Slopper Tour. Related: 9 Regional U.S. Pizza Styles You Need To Try

Related: 10 U.S. Cities Famous for Their Culinary Creations
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About the author
Cynthia Barnes , Contributor
Cynthia kicked around the world for a while before landing in Colorado. Her work has appeared in Food & Wine, the Boston Globe, and National Geographic, among others. She loves dives — both scuba and bars — baseball, the Oxford comma, and live music.

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