17 of the best foods invented in the US

Cuisine from the USA combines culinary inspiration from all over the globe. So, it’s no wonder that Philly cheesesteaks, lobster rolls and corn dogs are just some of the tantalising foods invented in the USA. 

Below, we’ve put together a list of some of the best dishes, when they were invented and where you can find them. So, whether you’re planning a food-themed USA road trip or you just want to know about foods invented in the USA, you’re in the right place.

Key lime pies are one of the many foods that were invented in the USA. The tart and aromatic taste gives the pie a flavour you just can’t get in other citrus desserts. 

This fluffy meringue-topped treat was invented in the 1800s and has been an integral part of the Florida Keys’ culture ever since. There’s even an annual Key Lime Pie Festival on 4 July weekend in Florida.

Lobster rolls may have got their start in Connecticut, but these days you’ll find the best seafood shacks on Maine’s wild shores. 

This seafood snack comprises fresh lobster meat in a freshly buttered hot dog bun. Also dressed with mayonnaise, butter, lemon juice and other seasonings – this roll is nothing short of delectable. 

Wind your way up the coast in Maine to try out a lobster roll for yourself.

Ah, chocolate chip cookies – one of the greatest foods invented in the US. There’s nothing as comforting as a freshly baked tray washed down with a glass of milk. This moreish treat was invented in 1938 by Chef Ruth Graves Wakefield at the Toll House Inn. This site is easily reachable, being less than a one-hour drive from Boston Logan International Airport. Now, chocolate chip cookies are so ubiquitous you can find them nearly anywhere in the world. 

In San Francisco in the 1800s, many Italian immigrants made their living off the sea. If these fishermen ever came back to port empty-handed, they searched the docks for leftovers. What ended up in their pot became cioppino. 

Cioppino consists of crab, clams, shrimp, scallops, squid and mussels – all cooked in an aromatic tomato broth. Fast forward two hundred years and it’s a San Franciscan staple which you can enjoy when you search flights to California. 

This deep-fried meaty goodness is attributed to Neil Fletcher. At the 1942 Texas State Fair, he thought his hot dogs would sell faster if they were breaded, fried and put on a stick. 

Turns out, he was right. Eating them remains a revered pastime, especially in their birthplace, where you can enjoy a city break in the heart of Dallas. 

This beloved makizushi sushi roll is most often credited to Chef Ichiro Mashita in the 1960s. He had the stroke of genius to replace fatty tuna with avocado during the fish’s off season. 

There’s some discussion around this mighty sushi roll, as some believe it may have been invented in Canada. 

The tale goes that the California roll came from the Canadian chef Hidekazu Tojo in 1971. Tojo tried trademarking his sushi, which featured fresh crab, avocado, egg and spinach. Yet, the trademark wasn’t successful as Mashita's roll had pipped him to the post. Tojo’s version became known as the Inside Out roll but is now aptly called the Tojo roll.

Today, this avo-crab-cucumber roll is a hit all around the world. Treat yourself to the most authentic roll with a stay in Los Angeles.

This delicious snack was created in Buffalo by Teressa Bellissimo in 1964 at the Anchor Bar, which is still in business today. 

Buffalo wings are the perfect balance of spicy and refreshing. Unbreaded chicken drumsticks are deep fried and then doused in cayenne pepper sauce, served with a side of blue cheese dressing and celery sticks. 

Interestingly, buffalo sauce may have been inspired by Chicagoan roots – another popular spot. The wing was actually known as ‘mambo’ or ‘mombo’ before it became the beloved ‘buffalo’.  You can try out the original buffalo wings for yourself if you get car hire atBuffalo Niagara International Airport, only a 15-minute drive away from Anchor Bar.

New England chowder is one of the foods invented in the US that offers true coastal comfort. Fresh clams are steamed in a creamy broth of potatoes, onions and plenty of butter, then served with crusty bread and oyster crackers. 

This variety of chowder most likely originated from Boston settlers in the 1700s. The way it’s made differs depending on your location. If you drive to some New England states, a clam chowder – or Manhattan clam chowder – is a stew or soup made with a tomato broth. Alternatively, a New England clam chowder is a cream or milk base.

Plan your next journey to discover more delicious dishes when you search flights to Boston.

The po’ boy holds a special place in Louisianan hearts, with the first ‘poor boy’ shops dating back to the Great Depression. 

These crispy baguette sandwiches are stuffed with everything. From shrimp to catfish or roast beef, not forgetting the ‘fixin’s’ which combine pickles, mayo and hot sauce. Po’ boys aren’t New Orleans’s only food speciality, so make a holiday of it by taking a road trip and see all that Nola has to offer.

In the 1940s, the chefs Ike Sewell and Ric Riccardo reinvented pizza with the Americanised Neapolitan pizza pie.

This featured a thin, crispy crust stuffed to the brim with cheese, baked in the oven and then slathered in tomato sauce. Chicago is of course the best place to try it: for a real cosmopolitan vibe, explore Chicago with the Go City – Chicago Explorer Pass.

Some credit potato chips, or crisps in the UK, to a recipe in an English cookbook from the 1800s. Yet most believe this is one of the foods invented in the US, by chef George Crum in Saratoga Springs. 

The story goes that in 1853, he tried to appease an unhappy customer with thinner fries – ending up with an instant classic. Whatever you believe, Saratoga Springs is a beautiful place to visit and should feature on your road trip to discover different foods from the USA. 

Deep-fried beef smothered in peppery white gravy, chicken fried steak is best served the size of your face. The disputed birthplace of this food invented in USA is Lamesa, a cattle-ranching town on the South Texas plains. Here you can attend the annual chicken fried steak competition and then sleep it off at our holiday rentals in Lamesa.

A Philly Cheesesteak is beautiful in its simplicity and is arguably one of the most renowned foods invented in the US. 

The cheesesteak was invented by Pat Olivieri in 1930 at his Philadelphian restaurant – called Pat's King of Steaks. The origins of this mighty sandwich began with a hot dog stand, where Olivieri got inventive and challenged what meat should go in the bun. 

The sandwich places thinly sliced beef between two doughy Hoagie rolls and adds plenty of cheese. There is much debate on the choice of cheese, with Provolone, American and the beloved Cheese Whiz all vying for first place. Decide for yourself when you search for holiday rentals in Pennsylvania. 

There are conflicting reports on the Reuben’s invention. One story is that Lithuanian-born Jewish grocer Reuben Kulakofsky created it during a 1920s poker game. Others credit the New York City deli owner, Arnold Reuben. 

Whoever made it, we’re glad they did. Corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Russian dressing on rye bread is a flavour-packed stroke of genius. To really show your Reuben love, visit Omaha on 14 March for Reuben Sandwich Day.

It’s thought that Spanish settlers brought the basics of jambalaya to New Orleans along with some West African and French culinary traditions. Jambalaya consists of rice, meat, onions, peppers and seasonings making for a culturally delightful dish.

Jambalaya’s popularity spreads further than the fans of the dish. For example, jollof rice may have been the driving influence for the creation of the Creole dish – red jambalaya.

Although disputed, it is generally thought that Chimichanga originated from Tucson, Arizona. 

Chimichanga isn’t Tex-Mex, but what Arizonians deem as fusion food Sonoran-style – relating to when Arizona was part of Sonora.

The chimichanga was thought to have been invented when Monica Flin was cooking in 1922 in her restaurant called El Charro Cafe. The cafe is still going strong today, which you can visit if you’re planning a Tucson road trip. 

The tale goes that Flin accidentally threw a burrito into the deep-fryer and uttered in frustration “chimichanga”, roughly translating to ‘thingamajig’. The rest is history and the chimichanga became an immortalised staple.

Eponymously named, the Boston cream pie is another one of the delicious foods invented in the US. 

This dessert was invented by Chef M. Sanzian who worked in the Omni Parker House hotel in 1856. Sanzian wanted to transform the existing pudding-cake pie and after a few modifications, the Boston cream pie was born.  Masterfully combining simplicity with flavour, the Boston cream pie consists of vanilla sponge cake, pastry cream and chocolate ganache. It’s no wonder that this Boston creation is such a popular dessert.