When it comes to food, some Americans tend to go crazy at times. You could probably find plenty of posts where people from other countries are shocked by deep frying, burger, and some other cultures that are widely spread in the United States.
But there are certainly some American foods that sometimes don’t get enough attention and are great in every sense of the word. When one Redditor asked what those foods are, people didn’t hold back listing the dishes that Americans got right. Scroll down to see what they are!
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The US has plenty of high quality cheese. Why do Europeans eat one Kraft single and assume that’s all we have?
Tex-Mex just ain’t right in Europe. Whenever I’ve had it anyway.
My wife will confidently inform you that Tex-Mex isn't good anywhere but Texas. I tend to agree, but I also like the southwestern flavors that they add in NM and AZ
I’d say anything Cajun or Creole. I want to spend a week in the gulf coast just eating food until I groan, sleeping it off and then doing it again.
Can't believe nobody said Chili
In as many varieties as BBQ. Purists would say that the picture does not show chili (thank you, Sheldon)
Biscuits and sausage gravy with lots of black pepper
Absolutely delicious. Banquet makes a pot pie with sausage and gravy in it, which is the closest I get these days, but for cheap frozen food, they're quite good. Real biscuits and gravy, though? Manna from Heaven.
Gumbo.
Mmmm with cornbread and rice or (as one panda taught me) ontop of potato salad mmmmmm
Corn muffins. It's one of the few American foods I still make after moving away. Proper ones with buttermilk.
Also buttermilk pancakes.
Mac and cheese. Specifically made by Black people. I'm sure I'll be tagged as racist for this, and I know mac and cheese is tagged as generally Southern, but soul food mac and cheese cannot be beat.
S’mores. Do not ever hand me a marshmallow with chocolate ganache on it, sandwiched between two digestives and tell me it’s a “s’more.” Like f**k it is. Graham crackers and a a square of milk chocolate or GTFO.
Mexican food.
I lknow it's not "American" but I'm from the west and every time I've lived abroad the Mexican food is the worst. When I come home I shovel my mouth full of tacos. We've probably got the best Mexican food outside of Mexico/Central/South America.
Mexican food is also American food. I grew up in California and grew up eating/learning Mexican culture.
Oooo street tacos. Mini tortillas filled with whatever is just, pure bliss!
Preferably consumed on the hood of your car in a random parking lot
Load More Replies... The best Mexican food I've had was in Ireland. Ended up taking to the owner quite a bit as they were very curious how it tasted (was traveling with people from Texas). Found out he flew to Mexico to hire a chef specifically for this restaurant.
Most U.S. American food is really Tex-Mex. But New Mexico and Arizona each have their own styles. True Mexican food can be incredibly diverse. I prefer the Cozumel style, but then I have a deep love for seafood. And that's scratching the surface. "Mexican" food is so diverse, that it can't be pigeon-holed to Taco Bell or El Chico.
Mexican food is so hyper regional. I grew up in Southern California and live in Northern California and there is a difference in the food. So much so that when my friends or I would go back to SoCal, we'd stock up on our favorite burritos (I'm talking like 30+) and bring them back to give to each other and to freeze for later.
The bay area does NOT put fries in our burritos, keep that s**t in SoCal lol.
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I struggle to find good Mexican food even in the States besides Texas. Born and raised in Texas, there was a place to get tacos on every road. Now I live in AR, haven't truly found a good place yet. All my friends will recommend places, but all of it is just white people Mexican food. Not even Tex-Mex.
I have to agree that Mexican food is something I've tried in the US and nothing in Europe compares. I wish I could try it in Mexico though. :)
The best burritos I've ever eaten were in Japan right outside Atsugi Naval Base. Rock 'N Roll Burritos
Most "Mexican" food in the US is actually Tex-Mex. Which is also distinctly American. But authentic Mexican cuisine is a completely different experience from Tex-Mex and can be very hard to find away from the border.
I knew a Mexican guy who made me real tamales mmmmmmmmmmm
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"E.g. sorry to say but US looses on the cheese competitions,"
Best blue cheese in the world, several years in a row, according to the European competitions - Rogue River Blue, from Central Point, Oregon.
Shout out to my neighbors! *(Shakes fist American-ly)* Whoop, whoop!
There are some truly marvelous cheeses in the US. Don't be distracted by Kraft Singles or Velveeta
Key Lime Pie.
This is shared with Canada but maple syrup. I’ve tried birch syrup in Europe before but it has a very different flavor that has its own merits. Candies made from maple syrup such as fudge are a real treat and of course it’s hard to beat on buttermilk waffles, pancakes, or French toast.
That's like saying "I tried beer but it just doesn't taste like wine". Just buy maple syrup. It's not unheard of in Europe.
American Chinese food. Nothing like it.
Truth. American Chinese fried rice is is taste sensation. And seafood - free !
The one thing i crave when I'm overseas is chocolate chip cookies.
Queso! With the 100% disclaimer that I have not had cheese dip in mexico.
But I still dream of that texan queso. I love fondue and similar melted cheese dishes but that one… hoh boy
Since it’s Thanksgiving week, I’ll put Pecan Pie on the list.
And honestly, if you’ve been to the South for any amount of time, you’ll realize not many places outside of the South get it right lol.
Funny you mention spinach dip. Ours didn’t make it to Thanksgiving…Hopefully she’ll make more haha
Speaking of dip, one thing Euro gets right is baguettes. The best baguette we have here is two hours away. Why? Why can we not make decent baguettes here lol
Been to steakhouses around the world. Nothing compares to a properly cooked Ribeye or NY strip from a great steakhouse in the US.
Breakfast. I got back from a week long trip to the states a couple of days ago and the best thing was the simple breakfast. Almost any diner could give you credible versions of any combination of simple breakfast foods at a reasonable price. Marvellous.
My favorite meat is bacon, the crispier the better. Dipping it in the egg yolk is just to die for. Then, catch the leftover yolk and tiny bits of bacon with hot, buttered toast.
Green Chile Cheeseburger. We have a Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail in New Mexico. The hunt for the best one is as good as finding the best one ha ha
BP chose to show a... cheese burger, not one with green chiles. THIS is a New Mexico Green Chile Cheese Burger: image_2023...1e-png.jpg 
BBQ (not grilling, but slow cooked / smoked BBQ)
NY itself with reinventions of foods from the mother land provides:
NY Style Pizza - It's not italy, nor is it supposed to be, but it's pretty amazing when done right (could argue Chicago Style pizza as well for a different approach that can't be found elsewhere).
Kosher and Kosher style delis, specifically Pastrami/Corned Beef and other such sandwiches (Canada has great "smoked meat" but much of Canada and the US has cultural and culinary overlap).
NY Bagels (our breads in general fall so short of other countries... heck I love going to Mexico for the bread and pastries!... but Bagels we do right in a select few areas).
Corned Beef sandwich from Carnegie Deli in NYC: Capture-65...b2617b.jpg 
Agree with a lot of food listed here, but American fusion foods are my favorite. The kind that combines two American-ized or regional foods into one? Like bulgogi tacos, birria ramen, pastrami dumplings, or like most Hawaiian food. It’s the kind of thing that happens naturally here, when so many cultures are mixed together, and it’s delicious.
Honestly, brownies. I don’t know what it is but I’ve never had a brownie in another country (excluding the brownies my Canadian friend makes) that tastes like a brownie. It sounds silly because there are a million ways to make them and I’ve had everything from super fudgey to cakey brownies in the US and they’re just not the same elsewhere. It just seems like chocolate cake here in Spain even when billed as a brownie. That’s just my experience though and I’m absolutely not saying they don’t exist elsewhere! I’d be curious to hear if others have the same perspective or if you’ve had a good one outside of the US!
Boiled peanuts! We do them either regular plain salted or Cajun style. I have a slow cooker and it takes about 12 hours to make. Sit on the porch with a cup of hot boiled peanuts, ice cold beer and enjoy the simple things in life.
If you want to make them, you need raw or green peanuts. Roasted will not work. Wash them in water until the water runs clear. Then fill up a slow cooker or big pot, season with whatever you want and boil until done. Slow cooker takes about 12 hours on high and boiling in a big pot takes about 6 hours. They’re done when they are the same texture as cooked beans since it is a legume after all. Not crunchy or raw tasting and “al dente”.
I live just north of Georgia, this is nasty. Boiled peanuts are just nasty.
Burgers. Whatever is sold as a burger in your country does not compare to any burger any American would make at home.
Depends on your definition of food, but the US has the best craft beer industry in the world. In Europe, the styles are very traditional. You’ll see lots of “we’ve been brewing this same beer in our village for 400 years” and so on. It’s really good beer, but you won’t find the same variety of styles.
In other continents like Asia, Africa, and South America; light lagers are dominant.
The US is crazy. Huge amounts of variety with innovation taking precedence over tradition. It’s more like “we wanted to see what a peanut butter flavored beer tasted like, so we made it”. There’s a ton of experimentation going on. Other countries have growing craft breweries of their own, but the movement started in the US and it’s still the most developed here.
"The number of US operating craft breweries in 2022, climbed to an all-time high of 9,552, including 2,035 microbreweries, 3,418 brewpubs, 3,838 taproom breweries, and 261 regional craft breweries."
American-style sushi in general with the saucy over-the-top rolls is a thing of beauty (though correct me if I’m misattributing it to the States). The Lion King Roll (California topped with salmon and a house sauce, usually a riff on a spicy mayo with masago, and baked) will forever be one of my comfort foods.
I love all sorts of traditional sushi too, but when I’m outside of CA, American-style sushi is one of the things I miss most. When my relatives from Taiwan visit, it’s one of the stops they request because while authentic sushi is easily accessible, big American-style rolls are relatively rare over there.
Personally I hate those inside out rolls. Especially when they put anything other than soy sauce or wasabi near it as a sauce.
Creamed spinach - the luxe version they serve in fancy steakhouses.
Those pretzels with cream cheese in the middle that you get at gas stations.
Coney dogs- a Michigan specialty of a Greek gravy with ground beef heart onto of a hot dog with onions and mustard
Love me some Coney dogs and Michigan has the absolute best! Sadly I'm quite a distance from MI but (unlike many other parts of the US), the northeast has a good number of vendors making Coneys that are more than serviceable...
Italian beefs and mission burritos
For the record, an Italian Beef is a type of roast beef sandwich from the Midwest. It is not the sad cheap cut of meat pictured above.
TIL there is a comment section at the end of the list. As I asked above, where was the love for soul food?
Do Europeans have access to genuine Hawaiian cuisine? Go get da grinz. It break da mouth!
I mean, most mainland Americans don't have access to trued Hawaiian cuisine! I've never had what you mentioned either. :( Landlocked. The best I can do it Spam. LOL
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I’ve not lived in Europe, but have in AUS, NZ, Japan, China and Malaysia. Most stuff I can get easily or make myself. The exception, except Australia, is turkey.
A unique-to-NY thing: Boiled street-vendor hot dogs. It sounds gross, and there may even be laws against this in other states. But in New York, they keep boiling the hot dogs in the same water all day long. The water just keeps collecting the umami of the hot dogs until you get such a punch of rich flavor.
Did you know that what they call "Canadian bacon" in the US is just called ham in Canada? Why did Americans go to Canada, eat one slice of breakfast ham, and decide that's what we have for bacon?
Your pickles. I've tried all the South African ones. They don't compare. It's not cheap or easy to get pickles couriered to you from the US either.
I've recently started making my own pickles. Latest ones I tried were sweet and spicy gherkins, using what Aussies are calling Qukes (baby cucumbers).
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From something as simple as praising the food served, it is one of the recommended manners. In this case, the Prophet once praised the food he ate, even though it was only a side dish of vinegar, which could be said to be the simplest side dish. For clearer information, you can visit our website https://foodfunandfotos.com/
In a large skillet, heat 1 half of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for about 5 minutes on each side, or until fully cooked and no longer pink in the center. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium. Reduce the heat to low and gradually add the grated Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes smooth. For clearer information, please visit the website https://foodfunandfotos.com/
This is hilarious. So many posts about americanized versions of food that originated somewhere else. "italian meat", "pretzel", "sushi", "pizza" ... I mean, it's one thing to prefer your own version of something but saying "italians can't get pizza right" is blasphemy. That said, I prefer thick american pan pizzas to the thin italian ones :-) EDIT: seems like BP changed the title from "euro can't get right" to "americans miss".
Ah bless, you do know that *gasp* North America is a land of immigrants. Who would have knew?
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TIL there is a comment section at the end of the list. As I asked above, where was the love for soul food?
Do Europeans have access to genuine Hawaiian cuisine? Go get da grinz. It break da mouth!
I mean, most mainland Americans don't have access to trued Hawaiian cuisine! I've never had what you mentioned either. :( Landlocked. The best I can do it Spam. LOL
Load More Replies... I’ve not lived in Europe, but have in AUS, NZ, Japan, China and Malaysia. Most stuff I can get easily or make myself. The exception, except Australia, is turkey.
A unique-to-NY thing: Boiled street-vendor hot dogs. It sounds gross, and there may even be laws against this in other states. But in New York, they keep boiling the hot dogs in the same water all day long. The water just keeps collecting the umami of the hot dogs until you get such a punch of rich flavor.
Did you know that what they call "Canadian bacon" in the US is just called ham in Canada? Why did Americans go to Canada, eat one slice of breakfast ham, and decide that's what we have for bacon?
Your pickles. I've tried all the South African ones. They don't compare. It's not cheap or easy to get pickles couriered to you from the US either.
I've recently started making my own pickles. Latest ones I tried were sweet and spicy gherkins, using what Aussies are calling Qukes (baby cucumbers).
Load More Replies... From something as simple as praising the food served, it is one of the recommended manners. In this case, the Prophet once praised the food he ate, even though it was only a side dish of vinegar, which could be said to be the simplest side dish. For clearer information, you can visit our website https://foodfunandfotos.com/
In a large skillet, heat 1 half of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for about 5 minutes on each side, or until fully cooked and no longer pink in the center. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium. Reduce the heat to low and gradually add the grated Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes smooth. For clearer information, please visit the website https://foodfunandfotos.com/
This is hilarious. So many posts about americanized versions of food that originated somewhere else. "italian meat", "pretzel", "sushi", "pizza" ... I mean, it's one thing to prefer your own version of something but saying "italians can't get pizza right" is blasphemy. That said, I prefer thick american pan pizzas to the thin italian ones :-) EDIT: seems like BP changed the title from "euro can't get right" to "americans miss".
Ah bless, you do know that *gasp* North America is a land of immigrants. Who would have knew?
Load More Replies...