Favorite Foods of the Northeastern United States

Get recipes for some of the favorite dishes of the Northeast with a long history to add extra flavor.

Long a landing point for immigrants, New England is a rich cultural stew pot into which new arrivals add their food traditions.

Pilgrim's Progress

When the pilgrims first arrived in the New World, they encountered a culinary landscape full of unfamiliar foods. Of course, the very foods that first confounded the pilgrims – like turkeys, cranberries, and squash – now comprise our most storied national feast, the Thanksgiving dinner.

Rise of the Regional

In the 17th century, Native Americans and English immigrants came into contact along New England's rocky coast. The culinary outcome of their convergence includes the chowders, baked bean casseroles, stews, and succotash dishes that have helped define Northeastern regional cooking. In the 19th century, Irish and Italian immigrants would leave a lasting impression of their own upon the cuisine. The New England Boiled Dinner, for example, reflects an Irish influence.

Boston Baked Beans
Boston Baked Beans | Photo by Allrecipes.

Go Ahead, Bite the Big Apple

Nothing exemplifies the American "melting pot" like New York City. Arriving from all corners of the earth, immigrants enriched the city with their culinary traditions. Jewish specialties like pastrami and all manner of Italian and Chinese dishes tantalized New Yorkers before gradually being absorbed into the culinary culture of the entire country. Russians, Puerto Ricans, Middle Easterners, Greeks – the list of those who have added to the flavor of New York City spans the globe, making New York's boroughs a treasure of world cuisines.

Reuben Sandwich II
Reuben Sandwich II | Photo by Molly.

Notable Nibbles of the Northeast

In Pennsylvania, Italian immigrants created what would become the famous Philly cheesesteak (note: to be truly legit, use Cheez Whiz), while Americans of German descent developed warm comfort foods like chicken pot pie and regional wonders like scrapple, shoofly pie, and the soft pretzel. Up north in Vermont, a formidable Cheddar cheese industry took shape to rival the best farmhouse Cheddars of England. And all across New England, clam shacks also served up a Maine classic: the lobster roll.

Lobster Roll
Photo by Meredith.

For Cod's Sakes

In the 17th century, the waters of the northern Atlantic were said to be so stuffed with cod that a person could bound from boat to boat across their glistening backs. As with the bison of the prairie, the seemingly infinite cod proved all too finite. Though depleted by over-fishing, cod (mostly Pacific cod now) remains a very popular fish nationwide. Oyster, clam, and lobster industries have also thrived in the Northeast.

New England Clam Chowder
New England Clam Chowder | Photo by Meredith.

Now THAT'S Italian-American!

No one has contributed more foods to the American dinner table than Italian immigrants. In the Northeast, strong Italian-American enclaves in New York City, Boston's North End, and South Philly have helped shape a new American hybrid cuisine. Based on Old World traditions, Italian-American cuisine is marked by an enthusiastic appreciation for (and appropriation of) the New World's abundance, which translates into dishes piled high with meat, cheese, and sauce.

Melissa's Chicken Cacciatore
Melissa's Chicken Cacciatore | Photo by LYNNINMA.

Americanizing the Restaurant

The Northeast played a major role in establishing America's restaurant culture. The classic American diner evolved from the horse-drawn lunch wagons of the 1870s. The "takeout" concept got its start with Chinese restaurants in New York City during the 1930s. And on the high end, New York City's Delmonico's, whose doors first opened in the 1820s, set the standard for fine dining in America. Delmonico's chefs are credited with inventing such well-known dishes as Chicken a la King, Eggs Benedict, and Lobster Newberg.

classic eggs benedict
Meredith

The Beautiful Swimmer

For many food-minded folks, Maryland means one thing: the blue crab. This fast-moving crustacean ("the beautiful swimmer") populates the waters of Chesapeake Bay and features prominently in crab cakes and soups. Often it is simply packed with dry spices and steamed whole in beer. Many crab houses prepare their own spice blends. These spicy seasoning blends were influenced by formerly enslaved people of the Caribbean, who brought a taste for island spices when they resettled around the Chesapeake Bay.

Maryland Crab Cakes
Maryland Crab Cakes | Photo by Meredith.

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