Adventures in USA Foodie Travels

When I think about travel, I think about trying all the cuisines of the world. It is an integral part of our travel experience and learning about cultures and places. Our USA foodie travels have taken us to the southern states for a barbecue tour, to New York where we played food bingo, and to Georgia to eat Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe.

Here’s are some of the other food highlights we have enjoyed while road-tripping around the USA. It’s not all haute-cuisine, it’s a diverse range of American classics, haling from various cultures, and suiting all budgets.

USA Foodie Adventures : The Highlights

Chorizo Stuffed Dates from Avec in Chicago

If there is one meal I would send people around the world for, it’s the chorizo stuffed dates wrapped in bacon, from Avec Restaurant in Chicago. These unassuming parcels were introduced to us by Chicago native, Kelly from The Thirsty Tales. We weren’t expecting just how incredible this menu item was – so just take my advice… if you’re ever in Chicago, eat at Avec.

No, I was not paid to say this – I just LOVE this dish!

A Tale of Two Dogs – Hot and Corn

I’m a fan of all kinds of food, and especially ones that are part of the cultural fabric that makes up a country. Many would argue that hotdogs and corndogs should not be given such gravitas, but I think they are more than deserving.

Going to a baseball game and getting an overpriced hotdog is some kind of American rite of passage, right? Me and my perfect baseball hotdog and AT&T Park in San Francisco thought so! Corndogs have long been my go-to dog – purely for the mustard factor. But this one from Pike Place Market in Seattle was a particularly yummy – a good mix between the slightly sweet batter and sharp mustard.

Chinatowns

One of my favourite things to do in any big city is pay a visit to Chinatown. I am a huge fan of how immigration leads to more variety cuisine-wise. Chinatowns provide amazing access to food from around the world, right on your doorstep.

Tip : Choose the restaurants packed with locals, the tiny holes in the walls, the places filled with students – these are usually the most authentic and delicious!

Pictured below, the most incredible beef rendang, from a divey place in Boston‘s Chinatown. And the chilli green beans from a nondescript place in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Incidentally, SF’s Chinatown is one of the oldest in the US, and certainly one of the best we’ve ever visited.

The Art of Breakfast

Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day. I don’t like eating it at breakfast-time mind you, so diners that serve it all day long are a marvellous invention. The USA have all-day breakfast places down to a fine art.

A tradition on our USA foodie travels is to visit a diner and order all the dishes we don’t usually see on UK / Europe menus. Whether it’s biscuits in gravy (OMG, who knew?!), or my personal favourite, huevos rancheros. We visited Breakfast King in Denver, Colorado, after a huge road trip through Wyoming, Montana and South Dakota. Their green chile-smothered huevos was ugly-perfection.

Fast Food Fun – Trying New Brands

Road trip food traditions are a peculiar thing – there’s always something that you will eat on a road trip but not in your daily life. Trying new fast foods is a kick, especially since they vary widely from state to state.

In Nebraska, we tried Taco John’s and fell in love with their Potato Olés. These mini hash browns are covered in a tangy seasoning and are so moreish. In LA, we drove 30 minutes out of our way to go to get an In-N-Out Burger and fries (‘animal style’ + jalapeños, naturally). If you haven’t heard of In-N-Out Burger’s not-so-secret menu, try it one day – it’s about as wild as this strait-laced burger joint gets… but is very tasty!

America Knows Pickles

America knows pickles. Firstly, they know how to make ’em (thank you to the Jewish immigrants who introduced kosher dill pickles in the late 1800s); but they have also elevated the humble pickle to exciting new heights. Fried pickles, or ‘frickles’ as they are commonly known, are a fabulously naughty bar snack.

Combine with a spicy mayonnaise for frickle-perfection!

If you’re ever in Atlanta or The South, try fried okra too – a taste revelation!

Friends at FIG

Some places you don’t necessarily remember for just the food, but you remember because of the whole experience. FIG in Santa Monica was one of those places. This lovely bistro in the Fairmont Miramar Hotel offers gorgeous charcuterie and bread options, and a delectable wine list.

Why does FIG stick in my memory? Partly for the puffed bread, that I had fun popping… but mostly because of the awesome group of friends we met up with there. Pam, luxury blogger from Always5Star, and writers Jess Lipowski and Mara Krausz – a great night with a great group of people.

Wine Tasting in Napa

Do you taste the local wine varietals when you visit a new country?

We love to learn about the different grapes grown, the terroir that influences the flavours, and obviously sup the end result. We took a wine tour of Sonoma and Napa and loved not only the wines we tried (the Starmont Chardonnay was the winner for me), but also having a sober driver the whole day!

Tasty Regional Cocktails

You’re going to think I’m a lush, but trying local liquors is also a favourite pastime. This huckleberry vodka ‘Montana Mule’ from The Silver Dollar Bar in Jackson Hole was a flavour delight. I had not heard of huckleberries before, so it was not only a chance to discover new flavours, but also try local produce.

What’s the best locally produced liquor you’ve tried?

Adventures in USA Foodie Travels

Diversity makes USA foodie travels some of the best in the world. Being able to indulge in cuisines from around the globe, and see the evolution of food from immigration through to crossover. Diversity makes things interesting… and delicious!

Tell me all about your foodie adventures in the USA in the comments below – I can make a list of food to try next time we visit!

Some of the best foodie cities are in the USA – try beignets in New Orleans, or Savannah for cocktails!

All photos & content © Hannah Henderson and may not be used without permission (sharing this blog post is fine, though!). Images shot with a Canon DSLR T3i Rebel + Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM; and an iPhone.