You Know You’re from the East Coast If You’ve Tried All of These Foods

Lobster

Whether it’s lobster tail, a lobster roll, or the whole kit-and-caboodle, this crustacean is a big part of New England cuisine.

Don’t forget the clarified butter for dunking!

Everything Bagels

Chewy, delicious bagels are a staple in and around the city. Just make sure you don’t ever toast it!

Crab Cakes

The East Coast is swimming with fresh seafood, especially near Delaware and Maryland. These scrumptious crab cakes have the perfect balance between meat and filler (hint: more crab meat!).

Boston Brown Bread

This hearty, dense brown bread is traditionally steamed in a can and served across the New England area.

Blueberry Pie

With 10% of blueberries in North America grown in Maine alone, it’s easy to say these juicy fruits are big on the East Coast. One favorite way for locals to enjoy these berries is in a pie, like this delicious recipe.

Taste the most iconic pie from every state.

Clam Chowder

Clam chowder and New England go hand in hand. Given the abundance of clams of the Northern Coast, it’s no surprise.

Speaking of clams, ever have an old-fashioned New England clambake?

Philly Cheesesteak

Soft bread, hot steak, peppers and lots and lots of cheese come together to make this iconic sandwich from Philadelphia.

Disco Fries

Borrowed from our Northernly neighbor, Canada, disco fries (aka poutine) are a staple on old-school diner menus.

We found the best diner in every state!

Boston Cream Pie

This iconic pie, which is actually a cake, was created at the Parker House Hotel in Boston in 1856.

Hot Apple Cider

In this recipe, brown sugar and spices add extra flavor to already delicious apple cider. —Marlys Benning, Wellsburg, Iowa

Bean & Bog Cassoulet

This dish combines the New England cuisine, like cranberries and baked beans, with the area’s French past.

Grinder

Pastrami on a soft hoagie roll from a deli is standard lunch fare in Pennsylvania.

Whoopie Pies

This sweet dessert combines two New England favorites: whoopie pies and real maple syrup.

Seafood Chowder

The the sheer abundance of seafood on the East Coast, one excellent way to make the most of it is in a chowder, like this recipe.

Cranberry Sauce

I turn to this recipe frequently because I can prepare it a day ahead—it's so convenient when company's coming. And with only a trace of fat, the fruity side dish is nutritious and delicious.—Nancy Zimmerman, Cape May Court House, New Jersey

Cucumber Salad

The largest population of Pennsylvania Dutch, whom we credit with this salad, are located in the Eastern half of Pennsylvania, though there are communities in Michigan, Wisconsin and even California and Canada.

Hero Sandwich

Pennsylvanians have hoagies, New Yorkers and New Jerseyans have heros.

New York-Style Cheesecake

New York cheesecake is made with sour cream, like in this recipe, to give it an extra kick.

Hot Weiners

The Rhode Island way to spell wiener is with an ‘ei’ and to serve them ‘all the way’ with meat sauce, mustard, onion and a sprinkle of celery salt.

Wash ’em down with coffee milk!

Waldorf Salad

The Waldorf salad was first tossed up at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on March 14, 1896.

Funny Cake

This unique Pennsylvania Dutch bake gets its name by being half a be a cake and half a pie.

Add all our Pennsylvania Dutch-inspired dishes to your recipe box.

Bagels and Lox

Lox and a schmear is an American Jewish breakfast and lunch dish that has spread across New York.

Boston Baked Beans

Rum, the unofficial liquor of New England, is a welcome addition to this Bostonian staple.

New York-Style Pizza

In the war of ‘who has the best pizza in the US,’ New York throws its cap in with its super thin crust.

Frappe

If you order a milkshake in Boston, you’ll be served a glass of milk and syrup. To get the blended pice cream dessert, be sure to order a ‘frappe’ (that’s pronounced FRAP, not frap-PAY)!

Do you know how to pronounce these other foodie words?

Pastrami on Rye

Pastrami from a New York Jewish deli is about as New York as you can get.

Haddock

These fish are abundant off of Massachusetts’ coast.

Matzo Ball Soup

With the highest population of Jewish Americans living in New York City (over 1.1 million!), it’s no surprise that traditional Matzo Ball Soup is a common comfort food.