United States

What to eat in United States: top 10 dishes

Traveling to United States? These are the ten dishes it is best known for, from everyday staples to festive classics, with a short background and a tip on where and when to eat each one. Ranked by how widely they are known around the world.

  1. Hamburger
    01

    Hamburger

    A hamburger, often known as a burger, consists of fillings—usually a patty of panfried or grilled ground meat, typically beef—placed inside a sliced bun, sesame seed bun, or bread roll.

    Travel tip Found everywhere, from fast-food counters and diners to sit-down burger restaurants. Ordering a combo usually adds fries and a drink.

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  2. Hot dog
    02

    Hot dog

    A hot dog is a grilled, steamed, or boiled sausage served in the slit of a partially sliced bun. The term hot dog can also refer to the sausage itself.

    Travel tip A classic at baseball games, street carts and backyard barbecues. Toppings such as mustard, ketchup and onions are usually added at the counter.

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  3. Pancake
    03

    Pancake

    A pancake, also known as a hotcake, griddlecake, or flapjack, is a flat type of batter bread like cake, often thin and round, prepared from a starch-based batter that may contain eggs, milk, and butter, and then cooked on a hot surface such as a griddle or…

    Travel tip A common breakfast and brunch dish, served in stacks with butter and maple syrup at diners and cafés. Weekend brunch is especially popular.

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  4. Marshmallow
    04

    Marshmallow

    Marshmallow (UK:, US: ) is a confection made from sugar, water and gelatin whipped to a solid-but-soft consistency. It is used as a filling in baking or molded into shapes and coated with corn starch.

    Travel tip Sold in bags at supermarkets and often toasted over a campfire for s'mores. It is also a common topping for hot chocolate.

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  5. Mochi
    05

    Mochi

    Mochi is a Japanese rice cake made of mochigome (もち米), a short-grain japonica glutinous rice, and sometimes other ingredients such as water, sugar, and cornstarch. The steamed rice is pounded into paste and molded into the desired shape.

    Travel tip Not a native American dish, but mochi and mochi ice cream are widely sold in Asian grocery stores, Japanese restaurants and some supermarkets. It is soft and chewy, so eat small bites.

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  6. Muffin
    06

    Muffin

    A muffin is a type of individual-sized baked good. It is often a small, sweet quickbread or cake in a cup-shaped container. It may be named for additional ingredients, e.g., the blueberry muffin contains blueberries.

    Travel tip A grab-and-go breakfast item sold at cafés, bakeries and coffee shops, often with blueberry or chocolate chip. It usually pairs with coffee.

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  7. Cupcake
    07

    Cupcake

    A cupcake (AmE, CanE), fairy cake (BrE), patty cake (AuE), or bun (IrE) is a small cake designed to serve one person, which may be baked in a small thin paper or aluminum cup.

    Travel tip Sold at bakeries and cafés and a popular choice for birthdays and parties. They come in many frosting styles and flavors.

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  8. Cheeseburger
    08

    Cheeseburger

    A cheeseburger is a hamburger with melted cheese on top of the meat patty, added near the end of the cooking time. Cheeseburgers can include variations in structure, ingredients and composition.

    Travel tip The default order at most burger places, where you choose the cheese and toppings. Many restaurants ask how you want the patty cooked.

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  9. Banana bread
    09

    Banana bread

    Banana bread is a type of sweet bread or cake made from mashed bananas. Banana bread is typically classified as a quick bread, relying on chemical leavening agents such as baking soda or baking powder rather than yeast, which allows it to be prepared without…

    Travel tip Often baked at home to use up ripe bananas, and also sold in cafés and bakeries. Eat a slice for breakfast or with coffee, sometimes warmed with butter.

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  10. M&M's
    10

    M&M's

    M&M's is a brand of sugar-coated dragée chocolate confectionery made by the Mars Wrigley Confectionery division of Mars Inc. since 1941. The confection has a dyed candy shell protecting its chocolate or variety filling from melting.

    Travel tip A packaged candy sold at supermarkets, convenience stores and checkout counters, in many varieties. It is a common snack and baking ingredient.

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Description: Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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