I took a road trip vacation in 2022, driving from Los Angeles to Salem, Massachusetts, and back. It was the best experience of my life. Recently, it was time for me to go visit my family in Philadelphia. So, instead of suffering through the process of going to the airport, I piled in the car with my road dog, Sassy, and set out for the East Coast, with a goal of eating my way across America.
I did a little bit of research to find some of the unique or iconic foods from the states that were on my journey. However, since the ultimate goal was to get to Philadelphia relatively quickly, I was limited in finding “the best” version of each food and more focused on “the food that I can easily get without diverging too far from my route.”
Luckily for me, I found some absolute bangers along the way. I’ll start with my favorites.
1. Wawa Grand Slam — Wawa is as good as people say it is. For lunch one day, I had the Wawa Grand Slam: a shortie Italian hoagie, Herr’s chips, Wawa iced tea, and a soft pretzel.
2. Scrapple — My mom also surprised me with a scrapple breakfast. Scrapple is the best breakfast meat in the world, and I won’t hear otherwise. All of these things are beyond criticism, so don’t waste your time.
Onion Burger — This onion burger was, without exaggeration, the best burger I’ve ever had in my life: the greasy, thin beef patties mixed with the perfectly caramelized onions, melted cheddar cheese, and delicious toasted bun, emblazoned with the Bunny’s logo. I screamed for joy as I ate it, standing next to my car in the parking lot. I will think about this burger until the day I die.
Navajo Taco — I actually had a Navajo taco before in Badlands, South Dakota. It was pretty good, but this one I got from a restaurant named Abuelita’s put that one to shame. Native American fry bread has a light, delicious crunch, and the taco filling was very flavorful.
Nashville Hot Chicken — I think getting “Nashville” hot chicken in Los Angeles is a lot like getting a “Philly” cheese steak anywhere outside of Philadelphia. It’s pretty good, but nothing hits like the real thing. I stopped at Hattie B’s in Nashville for a three-piece hot chicken with medium spice, baked beans, and pimento mac ‘n’ cheese.
Runza — This simple-looking sandwich is called a runza. A roll filled with moist meat, cheese, cabbage, and onions, the runza appeared in the Midwest thanks to German and Russian immigrants.
1. Pastrami Burger — Imagine your typical fast-food burger, but instead of bacon as a topping, it’s pastrami. If you like both things, you’ll like the pastrami burger. Mine was a little dry, but if I had made it up to Salt Lake City, I bet I would have found one that was better.
2. Dirty Soda — The real treat was the “dirty soda.” Utah has a large Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints population that, according to their religion, is forbidden to have hot drinks like coffee. In order to get their caffeine fix, they turn to soda. This allows chains like Swig to thrive. I got the Spring Fling: a Dr. Pepper mixed with vanilla, strawberry puree, and coconut cream. It reminded me of a classic soda fountain drink and filled me with nostalgia for my hometown’s old fountain that has recently closed.
1. Skyline Chili — I prefer my chili the Texas way: spicy and without noodles. But I couldn’t drive through Cincinnati without giving their famous Skyline Chili a try. I ordered it four-way with beans, and I was surprised at the relative sweetness of the chili with hints of cinnamon and other spices I would not expect in a dish like this. However, I still can’t get behind the noodles.
2. Goetta — What I can get behind is another Ohio food: goetta. I stopped by Eckerlin’s Meats to try their goetta sandwich, and it was incredible. Goetta reminds me of my beloved scrapple as a fellow mysterious breakfast meat. However, the texture of goetta is more crumbly, and it has a different spice profile, making it stand on its own. I highly recommend it.
Kansas City BBQ — This BBQ meal rounds out the official Big 4 of BBQ for me: Texas, Memphis, Carolina, and now Kansas City. I was not able to visit one of the big restaurants in the area, instead opting for a place where I could quickly pick up food along the way. I ordered pork ribs, brisket, and their famous burnt ends.
1. Kolach — The kolach is a Czech-inspired pastry that resembles a traditional Danish. A chain restaurant called Kolache Factory peppers the Midwest states, offering the sweet treat that is filled with a variety of fruits. I got a strawberry one and it was decent, but I still prefer the Danish. The kolach pastry was dry by comparison.
2. Savory Kolach — The restaurant also sold what they called savory kolache, and I preferred that one much more. The sausage and cheese-filled pastry reminded me of the runza and, apparently, has a lot of similarities to another pastry called a bierock. The names seem interchangeable throughout the Midwest, but whatever name they go by, they’re good.
Sonoran Hot Dog — Amongst the many kitschy roadside attractions along the historic road is the Route 66 Dog Haus, an A-frame drive-thru that specializes in hot dogs. Their version of the Sonoran hot dog is a bacon-wrapped weiner topped with mustard, mayo, jalapeño, tomato salsa, and, strangely, crushed potato chips.
Rocky Mountain Oysters — Rocky Mountain oysters. By far, the most polarizing food I had on my trip. The idea of eating bull’s testicles sounds adventurous, but ultimately, my experience was disappointing.
Fried Catfish and Okra — Catfish is a big catch in Arkansas, thanks to the huge amount of freshwater fishing available in the state. Traditionally, it is fried in cornmeal, which I actually liked. But the flavor of the fish was bland. Along with it, I tried fried okra for the first time, and it was not for me.
Brunswick Stew — While the origins of the stew are disputed, Virginia still proudly holds a claim on it. This stew has a tomato base filled with beans, corn, potatoes, and some kind of meat, usually chicken or pork. Here’s the thing about the Brunswick stew I tried: It was perfectly fine. But was I going to write a postcard home about how amazing it was? No.
Chicago Hot Dog — I made a crude attempt to build my own Chicago hot dog at a highway rest stop, which paled in comparison to the real thing. A hot dog is a hot dog, so more often than not, it’s going to be edible. But I just knew what I was missing out on, which made this particular dog taste just a little bit worse.
Bologna Sandwich — At a roadside ’50s diner, I got this pathetic excuse for a sandwich. I am all for fried bologna; it is similar in taste to another of my favorite breakfast foods, pork roll. And I admire the beauty in the sandwich’s simplicity. But I may as well have been eating the styrofoam container in which the sandwich came.
If I happened to insult your home state, I am sorry. There was obviously a flaw in my trip due to how quickly I was trying to get from point A to point B and back. Given more time, I am sure I could uncover a cornucopia of culinary delights in the entire lower 48. But I think one important thing I took away from my trip is this: For as much as the landscape changes in each state, there is as much variety in the foods you can try in any place you stop. And it’s that variety that I find beautiful.
If you’re not planning a road trip across the US any time soon, download the free Tasty app to browse and save recipes for some regional favorites.