In the Big Apple itself at Four and Twenty Blackbirds in Brooklyn, two sisters born and raised in South Dakota serve up salted caramel apple pie from a southern family recipe made with local apples from the Hudson Valley. The best pies in New York!

When in California you’ve got to hoe into an In-N-Out Burger. Burger lovers should also head to the lesser-known Pie ‘n Burger in Pasadena where they’ve been serving up the same burger recipe for over 50 years.

You can’t swing a loaf of bread around in Texas without it hitting some kind of smoked meat. Diehard barbecue fans head to Lockhart – the sleepy town is dubbed the ‘barbecue capital’ of Texas and has not one, but five write-home-worthy barbecue joints.

Best chicken and waffles in the USA? Short answer? West Coast = Roscoe’s House of Chicken n’ Waffles. East Coast = Pies ‘n’ Thighs. It might seem a little crazy to the uninitiated, but this classic combo is 101 for Soul Food in the USA. Sing it!

From Chicago Deep Dish to paper-thin New York Slice, pizza might just be the most loved food in America. NYC is home to nine of the top 50 pizzerias in the country. If a slice that tastes straight out of Naples is your mission, Una Pizza Neapolitan on Orchard Street is a hands down winner.

When in Louisiana, Gumbo is the dish du jour, especially in New Orleans. Every gumbo is a little different, with secret spice this and hidden ingredient that, but you can expect heartwarming stew with unique Cajun or Creole flavours. 

Have your pie and eat it from Key West to Key Largo. For sky high meringue – head to Blond Giraffe Key Lime Pie Factory. If you’re all about the base – Kermit’s Key West Lime Shoppe is the place.

A sandwich worth getting passionate about – its origins are contested between Tampa, Florida’s historic Cuban hotspot and Miami, home to the largest Cuban population in the US. In Tampa, you can’t go past The Columbia, the oldest restaurant in Florida. At Enriquetas Sandwich Shop in Miami, those in the know will order the El Especial with housemade croquetas.

LA and NYC battle it out for the best Pastrami on Rye on the continent, nay, the world! This signature Jewish deli sandwich was originally invented in 1888 at Katz’s Delicatessen in NYC and is undeniably famous to this day. If you’re on the West Coast however, Langer’s is an undisputed LA institution. 

Portland has become famous for hipsters and the aforementioned fried dough. Locals will say Voodoo Doughnuts are for tourists and Blue Star is for ‘bougie-ists’ with fancy flavours like Pumpkin Panna Cotta Brulee. Whatever your preference, you can’t have a doughnut without coffee.

Canada takes chips and gravy up a notch with the addition of cheese – specifically cheese curds. While you can get this moreish dish all over the country, Montreal’s Le Banquise is a tourist hotspot for good reason – open 24 hours and serving over 30 types of poutine.

When you see hand stretched fried pastries known as BeaverTails, you’ll understand the moniker. Order the ‘Killaloe Sunrise’ at the landmark BeaverTail location where the BeaverTail hype began back in the 70s at Ottawa’s ByWard Market.

Around two-thirds of the world’s maple syrup comes from Quebec! If you ask the organisers of the various maple syrup festivals that happen annually across the country, they’ll tell you maple syrup is like a fine wine. See maple taffy made in the snow and indulge in everything maple from cotton candy to ice cream.