What culinary trend-spotters would describe as regional-food revivalism, some wags might peg as the rise of the Redneck Diet. Either way, American food, in all its deep-fried, cheez-glopped, hickory-smoked glory, is having its moment. And it goes deeper than cheesesteaks and barbecue, both of which have infiltrated our borders and show no signs of retreating. Suddenly, we’ve got signature sandwiches from Buffalo and Louisville. Spam sushi from Hawaii. Pork scraps from Cincinnati. Even—cover your ears, sensitive fromagères!—pimiento-cheese dip. Does this portend the end of decades-long Mediterranean and Asian domination over our urban palates, and maybe a coming together of red- and blue-state appetites? Try some of these regional delicacies—listed below with their place of origin—and decide for yourself.
Goetta
Cincinnati
Pork scraps stewed with oats, then pancake-fried—like a heart-happy alternative to scrapple. (At Alias, 76 Clinton St.; 212-505-5011.)
Beef-on-Weck
Buffalo
Sliced roast beef in its juices shoved into a hard German roll called a “kummelweck,” served with horseradish. (At Gravy, 102 Smith St., Boerum Hill.)
Roast Pork Italian
Philadelphia
The thinking man’s cheesesteak—roast pork with sharp provolone and broccoli rabe. (At Tony Luke’s, 576 Ninth Ave.; 212-967-3055.)
Fried Grits
Carolinas
They eat it for breakfast down South, and now for brunch on the Upper West Side. (At Jacques-Imo’s, 366 Columbus Ave.; 212-799-0150.)
Benne Crackers
Charleston
Toothsome crackers traditionally made with lard and toasted sesame seeds, served here with a delicious pimiento-cheese dip. (At Rib, 357 West St.; 212-336-9330.)
Fried Pickles
Mississippi
Battered and deep-fried, the best thing to happen to pickles since Gus. (At Uovo, 175 Ave. B; 212-475-8686.)
Beignet
New Orleans
Just another name for a doughnut—albeit a fancy one. (At Bourgeois Pig, 122 E. 7th St.; 212-475-2246.)
Corn Dog
Dallas
You no longer need to slum it to your local street fair when the craving strikes. (At Schnäck, 122 Union St., Carroll Gardens; 718-855-2879.)
Spam Musubi
Hawaii
A slab of Spam hitched to a brick of rice with a bungee cord of seaweed. Yum. (At L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, 64 Fulton St.; 212-629-9708.)
Tuna Poke
Hawaii
Tuna tartare, Hawaiian style—seasoned with soy and mirin, and served atop deep-fried wontons. (At Kitchen & Cocktails, 199 Orchard St.; 212-420-1112.)
Fish Tacos
San Diego
Once a rarity on these shores, the surfer-dude staple is a hit at local taquerias. (At La Esquina, 106 Kenmare St.; 646-613-1333.)
Kentucky Hot Brown
Louisville
Roast turkey, griddled tomato, and bacon on savory French toast, smothered with Mornay sauce—makes a chicken parm seem dietetic. (At Bar Americain, 152 W. 52nd St.; 212-265-9700.)