Despite a reputation for the ridiculous, both in calories and portions, the United States has a deep and colorful food culture. There is an abundance of items, from snacks to ingredients that tend to not exist anywhere else.
Someone asked, “Non-Americans, what’s your favorite American food you can’t get in your country?” People shared their experiences and dishes that they simply could not recreate outside of the USA. So get comfortable, assemble some snacks, and get scrolling. Be sure to upvote your favorite posts and comment your thoughts below.
Image credits: ballroombritz
#1
A friend of mine who’s a foreign exchange student misses Wisconsin deep fried cheese curds the most.
Image source: anon, Sarah Stierch
#2
American pancakes. Doughnuts. Basically diner food! I want American diners in Norway!
Image source: Gobagogodada, Polina Tankilevitch
#3
Was in Houston in August 2016. Me and my girlfriend (British) went to a mexican bar/restaurant called Paparruchos.
Honestly, ruined Mexican food for us. We can’t ever have it in the UK again, I’ve tried three or four times since from various places and it just doesn’t even begin to compare to the pure culinary joy we got from Paparruchos.
Image source: Sam0n, Vinícius Caricatte
#4
Dr Pepper is for the ascended Gods who have transcended the coke vs pepsi debate
Image source: CosmicMemer, cyclonebill
#5
Mozzarella Sticks with Marinara Sauce! Ugh I loved that when I went to the states. Come back to Australia, and cannot find them anywhere!!
Image source: alannah_rose, Sarah Stierch
#6
Jesus hasn’t anyone still mentioned MAC AND CHEESE?
Creamy, tasty, super delicious
Image source: Toutouka19, Texasfoodgawker
#7
It’s almost sacrilegious of me to say as an Englishman but I miss breakfasts. I love my full English but breakfast is something the US does so well. I lived in Manhattan for a few months and a diner, somewhere on Essex I think, did poached eggs with fried potato and onions for about $2-3 and I must’ve eaten that dozens of times whilst there. Pancakes and bacon too, we have US style places here but it is not the same.
Image source: reWindTheFrog, WordRidden
#8
When I was living in the UK, I couldn’t find good Tex-Mex for the life of me. People would swear by some places, “no, this place has THE BEST burritos in all of the UK! The chef is from Tijuana, gets all the ingredients imported, it’s amazing!” I show up, it’s burnt and dried-up meat, a half a can of s****y beans, and some other stuff rolled into a tortilla in the shape of a softball. Terrible.
To be fair, I think it’s not the fault of the restaurants, but the lack of ingredients. Even my own home-made guacamole was terrible over there. The avocados just weren’t the same as the standard California ones, they had no flavor at all. No matter how you try to make the Tex-Mex over there, it’s just never going to be the same.
Image source: chemistographer, Travis Yewell
#9
Every time I’m down in Montana, Sonics is my go to. I barely eat fast food in Canada, but I’m drawn to those cherry lime slushies, and those delicious massive f*****g chili dogs. God damn it. I’m hungry now.
Image source: anon, Natalia Marcelewicz
#10
Can’t get biscuits and gravy in the UK. Or goldfish crackers.
Image source: anon, Michael Kmak
#11
Australian here. I have dreams about eating another everything bagel. 😭
Image source: LadyEmry, Sarah Stierch
#12
I will forever have a empty feeling knowing I may never get to eat American buffalo wings again. I’ve tried to make them, bought them at restaurants here in Australia but nothing will ever fill the void they left. That and gumbo. I’d F*****g kill a man just to sniff the sponge that washed the plate they were served on. But seriously if anyone has a good recipe/link to a recipe for either gumbo or wings I’ll give you and upvote and a personal message of thanks cos I have no idea how reddit gold works or what it is
Image source: ilikgunsanddogs, Scott Eckersley
#13
Reeses anything
Image source: Releaseform, Nick Amoscato
#14
Almond M&Ms.
Image source: MazzW, davidjmclare89
#15
Root beer
Image source: anon, Meredith P.
#16
Well I moved to the US, so it’s not much of an issue anymore, but before recent times, the UK was so far behind on what constituted as BBQ.
If I flip the question, now I miss actual Fish & Chips. It’s common to see on a menu here but they come out with tiny thin fries and no malt vinegar to be found. :/
Image source: Pink_Flash, Luis Quintero
#17
I’m from the UK and went to America for the first time last Summer. I absolutely loved Cracker Barrel! You can get similar meals back home but their fried chicken and honey mustard sauce were something else.
Image source: I_am_not_a_Cat_meow, Mike Mozart
#18
southern style sweet potato casserole with cinnamon and crushed walnuts
Image source: AstronautApe, sousvideguy
#19
Fried Oreos! I was initially horrified at hearing how they were made, but damn, after I had them, it was love at first taste!
Image source: PintSizedandCuddly, Kitchen Life of a Navy Wife
#20
I’m American but ran across a guy from the UK earlier this year and he couldn’t get enough of gas station beef jerky. He talked about how good it was for a solid 10 minutes.
Image source: cmoneyrockchalk, Mike Mozart
#21
Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing/dip.
My mum made the dip every Christmas. We had to wait for someone to travel to the US to get us a load. Still got a few boxes left..
Image source: Munchomania, Willis Lam
#22
Tie between Crab cake sandwich and Cornbread. Pure heaven
Image source: foxesarepuppercats, Eric E Castro
#23
Well in grew up mostly in the UK, but would visit my maternal grandparents every year spending the whole summer.
Whenever I comeback, I always miss BBQ, very few countries have a good BBQ tradition like the US, and none of them are in Europe. British BBQ is burnt bland sausages and either over cooked or undercooked burgers.
Mexican and Tex-mex , Though Pakistani and Indian food, kind of fill that void at times for me.
American Chinese food- I know it’s not authentic but damn if it’s so good.
Chicken sandwiches have improved a lot in the UK, especially thanks to British Asian community, but cheese burgers have a long way to go.
My grans fried chicken, gumbos, cornbread and fried catfish, they the best.
Beans – canned bland Heinz beans aren’t proper beans, Brits think they a nation of bean eaters but they really not.
Image source: Afro-Paki, Scouse Smurf
#24
Those $1 huge cans of iced tea
Image source: PopularStuff, Connor Dickson
#25
Here’s a ‘favorite’ I haven’t even tried, but as a Canadian who doesn’t mind a nice burger & fries, and who has heard so many frustratingly good reports about this place, it *really* bugs me we don’t have In-N-Out Burger.
Image source: anon, Divya Thakur
#26
Wendy’s, we dont have it in the UK and I always wanted to try it so i heard they had a few restaraunts in Dubai so when my dad took me to Dubai (not just to try wendy’s btw) We spent hours trying to track one down and wow! It was worth it. Great burgers and not overly expensive considering the size.
If they had Wendy’s in London i would be at a serious risk of getting fat cause I’d be in there on a regular basis. I heard there used to be one in Covent Garden in London but it got closed down i think.
Wendy’s if you’re listening, make this happen.
Image source: jag_skills, Sarah-Rose
#27
Lots of things, really, but the true gut-punch is the sheer **variety** of stuff you can get in the US now, especially online. Specialty ingredients can be tough to come by, and substitutes sometimes don’t do much – try making Mexican food without the fantastic range of chillies.
Image source: jamescaleb, Marta Branco
#28
There’s a few, but the ultimate is Dippin’ Dots. Holy s**t, that ice cream was *awesome* and I miss it everyday. Also, Taco Bell (though I only had it once) and Starbucks.
Image source: SeaBeeDecodesLife
#29
Velveeta, Mountain Dew, Twinkies, giant snow crab legs from Costco and Ring Pops.
Image source: BluMondae7, Mike Mozart
#30
I lived in Austria in the late 80s and had to have my mother send me taco seasoning. The need for Tex-Mex is powerful.
Follow Us
