A surprising number of foods people associate with other countries or global cuisine were actually first created in the United States.
1. Buffalo Wings
Buffalo wings were created in 1964 at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York.
Teressa Bellissimo reportedly prepared the spicy wings as a late-night snack, and the dish eventually became one of America’s most recognizable sports foods.
2. Chocolate Chip Cookies
The chocolate chip cookie was invented by Ruth Wakefield at the Toll House Inn in Massachusetts during the 1930s.
She added chopped chocolate pieces into cookie dough expecting them to melt fully, but instead created an entirely new dessert style.
3. Ranch Dressing
Ranch dressing was developed in California by Steve Henson in the 1950s at Hidden Valley Ranch.
It later became one of the most popular salad dressings in the United States.
4. Fortune Cookies
Despite being strongly associated with Chinese restaurants, fortune cookies are widely believed to have originated in California.
Most historical evidence points to Japanese-American bakers helping develop the modern version.
5. Tater Tots
Tater tots were invented in Oregon in the 1950s by the founders of Ore-Ida.
The company created them as a way to use leftover potato scraps from french fry production.
6. The Reuben Sandwich
The Reuben sandwich is commonly linked to Omaha, Nebraska, where it was reportedly first served during poker games in the early 1900s.
Its mix of corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and rye bread became an American deli staple.
7. S’mores
The first published s’mores recipe appeared in an American Girl Scouts handbook in 1927.
The dessert later became deeply tied to American camping and campfire culture.
8. California Rolls
California rolls were created in the United States as an American adaptation of sushi.
The use of avocado and imitation crab helped introduce sushi to many North American diners.
