The Favorite Comfort Food From Each State

When it comes to classic American comfort foods, you might think we all grew up loving the same kinds of stuff: ooey gooey mac and cheese; savory, juicy homemade meatloaf; decadent mashed potatoes with hot brown gravy. But as much as those kinds of comforting staples can automatically start your mouth watering, it's worth remembering that they aren't the only comfort foods out there!

The U.S. is home to so many varied individuals from different regions and cultural backgrounds. This spectacular depth and diversity are also major parts of what makes the country so great — especially when it comes to food. The U.S. has been fortunate enough to develop an amazing culinary scene filled with countless regional favorites and classic region-specific recipes. These comfort foods may be incredibly familiar to one area and completely foreign to another. And because they're so unique and distinctive to specific regions, it also means that these regional favorites are worth identifying and celebrating — not just so you remember them but so that others can search them out and try them as well!

So what regional comfort food defines your state? What classic meal brings back a flood of childhood memories, nostalgia, warmth, and security? What food can you eat that will immediately make you feel happier and reconnect you with the best days from your past? Read on to see if your favorite made our list. And then order some for an amazing evening of comfort-fueled memories, recollection, and re-connection.

In and around Juneau and throughout the Frontier State, king crab legs are a favorite regardless of whether they've been boiled, grilled, steamed, or baked. Tender, sweet, and succulent on their own and only better when dipped in a vat of butter, the king crab has come to serve as a symbol of Alaska's resilience and tenacity in an unforgiving environment. Harvested in abundance in the cold waters of the Bering Sea, this prized delicacy is especially treasured by locals who get to enjoy it at its freshest and most flavorful in-season peak.

Like a souped up version of traditional chicken and noodles, chicken and dumplings take everything we love about the classic cold remedy and make it even more delicious. Created in the Appalachian region, the hearty soup is typically made from a biscuit-like mixture of flour, baking powder, salt, and milk — the dumpling — which is then dropped into a pot with hot broth and chicken and cooked until doughy, like a noodle. Once a staple for lower-income families, the dish has since become a favorite throughout the state, including some of Little Rock's most high-end restaurants.

In and around the Rockies, people from Colorado are often called "Greenies." The nickname is said to be due to the state's distinctive green license plates. But there's another reason to call Colorado locals "greenies" as well — their love of chili verde or green chili. A popular dish first dreamt up by visiting Spanish settlers, green chili is a slow-cooked mixture of pork or chicken plus green chilies, potatoes, beans, or tomatoes. It's a hearty, spicy, and slightly sweet stew that's perfect for the state's outdoor active lifestyle and brisk, unpredictable — and often chilly — weather.

Like Arkansas' favorite chicken and dumplings, Delaware's slippery dumplings are another wildly popular regional variation on the beloved staple chicken and noodles. In this case, the dish originated with the Pennsylvania Dutch, who also settled parts of Delaware. And those slippery dumplings they brought with them? They're a lot like traditional noodles but also chewier and more satisfying, thanks to their jumbo size. Because of their thickness, slippery noodles also tend to soak up all the flavors of the chicken broth they're cooked in, creating a delicious combo of savory and slightly sweet flavors in every bite.

Not to be outdone by its neighbor to the east, Georgia too chooses pie as its favorite comfort food of choice. Only in this case, it's a pie that pairs perfectly with the state's official moniker — the peach pie! Made with fresh, juicy peaches that are baked between two layers of flaky golden crust, peach pies have become ubiquitous within this state to some of the nation's top peach farms. A staple of Georgia cuisine, the dessert is the go-to option for countless family gatherings and picnics where everyone clamors for a slice of the peachy goodness.

Idaho may be known as the potato state. But when it comes to comfort foods, its residents choose beef all the way! A half century or so back, as legend goes, a chef in Boise started serving up finger-sized strips of breaded, battered, deep-fried top round steak — and a regional favorite was born! Finger steaks have been popular throughout the state ever since. Typically served with a side of cocktail sauce, these crispy, tender shards of beef are salty and savory on the outside and moist and juicy inside — perfect for a quick snack or a full-on meal. 

The European nation of Austria and the state of Indiana may not appear to have much in common at first glance. But if you dig a little deeper, you'll find some surprising similarities. They're both around the same size. They're both in the 'heart" of their respective regions. And the populations of both love tenderloin sandwiches! In Austria, it's the veal Wiener Schnitzel. And the comfort food of choice in Indiana is the pork tenderloin sandwich — a slab of luscious pork tenderloin thinly pounded, breaded, and served on a billowy bun. Talk about comfort!

It's hard to imagine, but there was once a time when barbecue pitmasters cut off the ends of the brisket they cooked to perfection and threw them away, thinking no one would want them because they were "burnt." Oh, how wrong they were! These misguided meatheads eventually caught on to the error of their ways, and burnt ends — the rich, smoky, and crisp yet juicy tips of barbecued brisket — have become the star of the show ever since. In Kansas City in particular, home to great barbecue, burnt ends are the comfort food of choice for many! 

No dish says Louisiana more than jambalaya. And no comfort food is more requested or desired in and around the Pelican State than this hearty and flavorful one-pot rice dish. A centuries-old pairing of Spanish paella plus French and African culinary traditions and cooking techniques, jambalaya usually includes a selection of meat (chicken, sausage, or shrimp), vegetables (onions, peppers, and celery), and spices (such as cayenne, thyme, and bay leaves), all simmered together with rice in a tomato-based broth. It's a savory and slightly sweet entrée with a subtle kick of heat that Louisianans can't help but crave.

Like the lobster roll, crab cakes are another dish inspired by a regional abundance of seafood — in this case, Maryland and the state's incredible blue crabs. Considered a cousin of England's iconic fish cake, a classic Maryland crab cake usually includes fresh lump crab meat, mayonnaise, bread crumbs, Old Bay seasoning, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. These ingredients are mixed together and shaped into patties that are then fried or broiled until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It's a dish so popular that locals have been scarfing it down for nearly a century!

How does a Coney Island-inspired hot dog end up the comfort food of choice in Michigan? Thank a number of ingenious Greek immigrants who were inspired by the hot dogs they ate in Brooklyn (after entering the U.S. at Ellis Island) and took that idea west to their new homes. Numerous Coney Island-style restaurants popped up throughout Detroit in the early 1900s — some are still in operation today. The star of their menu? The classic coney — a beef hot dog topped with all-meat chili, yellow mustard, and diced onions and served in a warm, steamed bun. Fuhgeddaboudit!

As legend has it, the po' boy got its start when a pair of former streetcar conductors turned restaurateurs and opened a popular eatery. Inspired by their success, the men sometimes handed out free sandwiches to folks who were down on their luck to help keep their spirits up. The sandwiches varied considerably — some had roast beef, some contained chicken fingers, and some packed fried seafood. But they all had one thing in common: They were served on a French-style baguette they called po' boy bread. The name stuck, and Mississippians are still clamoring for the sandwich even now. 

Few things are more decadent or delicious than fried bread. Unless, of course, you take that fried bread and top it with even more deliciousness in the form of spicy seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, cheese, salsa, and sour cream. No wonder the fry bread taco is such a favored comfort staple. A classic Native American dish that's been popular in Montana for generations, fry bread tacos take everything there is to love about Mexican food and elevate it with the warm, yeasty, crisp bite you only get from fresh baked bread. It's a must try!

Maybe it's Nevada's link to all those famous 19th century cattle drives. Maybe it's because Las Vegas was home to the first ever "all-you-can-eat" buffet where prime rib was a main attraction. Maybe it's the famous roaming "Prime Rib Cart" at Lawry's The Prime Rib in Las Vegas, which carves and serves up slice after slice of succulent prime rib tableside. Whatever the reason, when it comes to comfort food in Nevada, nothing gets more love in America's entertainment and casino mecca than tender, juicy prime rib. Even for locals, this beef is worth the gamble. 

Depending on where you grew up in Jersey, you may call the state's official sandwich a pork roll or you might call it a Taylor ham — but however your order it, the ingredients are the same: slices of processed, smoked pork roll ham that's pan-fried until crispy and then topped with egg and cheese and placed between two slices of a Kaiser roll (or a sliced bagel if you're fancy). It's simple. It's affordable. It's versatile — it works for every meal. And for folks living in the Garden State, nothing tastes more like home. 

Most popular things that come from New York state get their start in the Big Apple. But did you know that this classic comfort food actually originated in a town about six hours away from Manhattan? That's right! Buffalo wings were created in Buffalo, New York, at the Anchor Bar, which is still in operation today. These crispy fried wings are doused in a tangy, spicy sauce and served up with a side of blue cheese dressing — plus celery! They remain a favorite across the Empire State even now, nearly 60 years later.

Leave it to the folks in North Dakota — one of the nation's leading producers of potatoes — to figure out the ideal way to make an already craveable potato even more delicious. All you have to do is dip your chips in chocolate, of course. On paper, the combination of potato and cocoa sounds unsettling. But in reality, that unique marriage of salty and sweet is an ideal union. And this is one treat you don't have to live in North Dakota to experience — just melt some chocolate and add a chip. It's that simple. 

Like Indiana's breaded pork tenderloin sandwich, Oklahoma's comfort food of choice also draws inspiration from the classic Austrian dish Wiener Schnitzel. Only in this case, the protein in question is a breaded piece of steak. And instead of eating it between two pieces of bread, the classic chicken fried steak is typically served next to a mound of mashed potatoes and topped with a rich, savory gravy. It's the perfect down-home traditional meal for one of the states that leads the nation in beef production. Simple. Classic. And out-of-this-world delicious. 

In Pennsylvania, the comfort food of choice has taken an unexpected approach to gaining mass popularity. Here, the comfort food most people in the state can't get enough of combines bits of ham, bacon, sausage, and other unwanted pork scraps plus cornmeal and spices to make something altogether new and unique: scrapple! Cut into slices and fried up with breakfast or cubed and added to omelets, soup, or stew, scrapple is a meat product you have to try in order to appreciate. But ask someone from the Keystone State what they think, and most will swear by it!

In most states, comfort foods take the form of a meaty entrée or snack. A few places let their sweet tooth win and go for dessert. But the comfort food that folks in South Carolina jones for the most is actually a dip. And an incredible one at that — pimento cheese! Made from a simple blend of grated sharp cheddar cheese plus diced pimentos (a state specialty) and mayonnaise, this spreadable "comfort in a bowl" is great with fresh veggies or crackers. It can also be used in sandwiches. Try it in a grilled cheese. Life-changing!

Everybody knows and loves classic American fried chicken, but kick that crisp, juicy treat up a notch by adding a bunch of heat — including cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper — and you've got a Tennessee favorite: hot chicken. Believed to be the result of another fortuitous kitchen blunder, this time occurring when a chef accidentally added too much spice to her fried chicken, the dish has now become part of the cultural fabric of Nashville. Make sure to order yours with dill pickles! The cool acidity helps to cut through all that fire.

Don't let the slightly morbid name scare you off: Funeral potatoes aren't some deadly potato mixture. That's just the name Utah's Mormon community have given this highly comforting potato casserole classic that's ideal for feeding a grieving family, but also perfect for a lazy Sunday brunch, large family get-together or any community potluck! The basic funeral potato recipe includes cubed potatoes, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, and shredded cheddar cheese, mixed together, and topped with corn flakes or bread crumbs before baking. Creamy, savory, and perfect for sharing!

Long before the time of Egg McMuffins and frozen breakfast sandwiches, there was the Virginia ham biscuit — one of the first portable grab-and-go meals and a classic Old Dominion comfort food even to this today. First created back in the colonial era, ham biscuits were originally all about the ham. Almost all rural families raised and smoked their own meat, and putting a couple of slices of that homegrown ham in the middle of a fresh biscuit — perhaps with some added mustard, mayo, or honey — was considered an ideal way to help the meat shine.

One of West Virginia's most beloved regional specialties, the pepperoni roll (or pep-roll as locals call it) is a bit like a rolled up slice of pizza except it's made with a thicker, flakier bread dough. And the average pepperoni roll tends to be stuffed with way more filling: mountains of pepperoni, shredded mozzarella, onion, peppers, and marinara sauce all heated to perfection inside that portable bread shell. Originally created by Italian immigrants working in the state's coal mines, the humble pepperoni roll has since gone on to become the official meal of the Mountain State.

Last, but certainly not least, comes Wyoming — one of the largest states in the nation but also the least populated. Fortunately, all that wide-open space leaves plenty of room for natural wonders, including the country's largest herds of buffalo, or bison (a free-roaming cousin of the domesticated cow). Bison burgers use some of that abundant meat, swapping it for beef in any classic hamburger recipe. The result is a leaner, grassier, slightly sweet-tasting burger that folks in the Equality State can't get enough of, with the popularity of bison burgers exploding in recent years.