Eat Your Way Across America

If a road trip is in your summer plans, mark your maps and eat your way across the country. Be sure to stop in these cities, whose famous food draws hungry tourists year round.

Get yourself the fabulous Philadelphia cheesesteak  (“wiz wit”), a Philly tradition since 1930. Pat Olivieri, of Pat’s King of Steaks, started it all from his hotdog cart and developed it into a city-wide phenomenon. Today, Pat’s is one of the most visited cheesesteak vendors in South Philadelphia. Whether your loyalty is to Pat’s or Geno’s or Jim’s, Philly is a must-stop on your trip.  

 

New York is known for the best-of-the-best pizza and bagels, but don’t forget to follow the ladies of Sex and the City to Magnolia Bakery. “ That place is heaven,” says Courtney Breese, senior art major at Brookdale Community College. “I go everytime I go to the city!”

Still hungry?

 

Try buffalo wings from Buffalo, New York. Buffalo Wings Anchor Bar, “Home of the Original Buffalo Wings,” is the place to stop for your wing fix. In 1964, Teressa Bellissimo put together a spontaneous creation of chicken wings, deep-frying, and secret sauce for some of her son’s hungry friends. “Although many have tried to duplicate buffalo wings, the closely guarded secret recipe is what makes Frank & Teressa’s the proclaimed ‘Best Wings in the World,’” they say.

 

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is home to local favorite Primanti Bros. Get any sandwich loaded with French fries. Where else can you get coleslaw and fries on your egg and cheese, pastrami or tuna fish sandwich? With 15 locations in the downtown area, you’re bound to find a Primanti Bros. no matter what you’re doing. “The sandwiches are huge!” says Francesca Ritchey, freshman at Pruontos Hair Design Institute.

 

If you’re taking a quick trip up to New England, grab a bowl of New England clam chowder in Boston. For your chowder fix, try Union Oyster House, around since 1826. “Yummm,” Clemson University sophomore Genna Opatut says of “America’s Oldest Restaurant.”

 

Next stop? Chicago, Illinois, for the famous deep-dish pizza.

The original pizza was created in 1943 at Pizzeria Uno’s and Due’s. Locals urge visitors not to mistake the franchise pizzeria for the real deal. Another Chicago-style favorite is Lou Malanti’s Pizzeria!

 

Moving west, make sure you hit the cheese capital of the country for some delicious bratwursts. The results of the Great Brat Challenge in 2009 proved Schwai’s Tender Hometown Bratwurst to be the best of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The 30 contestants were judged by locals and food critics. Wash it down with some Milwaukee brew.

 

Last stop is San Francisco, California.

Indulge in vanilla ice cream mashed between two oatmeal cookies and dipped in chocolate. The “It’s It” cookie sandwich from Diddy Reise Cookies has been a San Fran favorite since 1928. In fact, it has been deemed, “The Official Food of San Francisco.”

Years later, the ever-popular Diddy Reise expanded to Los Angeles. Customers can chose between nine different cookies and 14 ice cream flavors to make their cookie sandwich creation. “It’s a big hot spot on UCLA’s campus…there’s always a line out the door,” says Sara Wahlberg, a University of Delaware graduate.