American food

American cuisine encompasses the cooking style and range of dishes prepared in the United States. It principally derives from a mixing of European cuisine, Native American and Alaskan cuisine, and African American cuisine, known as soul food. The Northeast, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, South, West, Southwest, and insular areas all have distinctive elements, reflecting local food resources, local demographics, and local innovation. These developments have also given some states and cities distinctive elements. Hawaiian cuisine reflects substantial influence from its native Polynesian cuisine and from East Asian cuisine, while Louisiana Creole integrates elements from French, West African, and Native American cuisines. Proximity and territorial expansion have also led to substantial influence from Latin American cuisine, including new forms such as Tex-Mex and New Mexican cuisine. Native American cuisines such Las Tlingit cuisine have persisted. Modern mass media and global immigration have brought influences from many other cultures, and some elements of American food culture have become global exports. Some traditions are regional heritages associated with a particular ethnic group, including Cajun and Pennsylvania Dutch. Several states have unique cuisines, such as Minnesotan cuisine and California cuisine. Some immigrant groups have had their cuisines evolve, resulting in a distinct tradition, such as Chinese American, German American, Italian American, Lebanese American, Greek American, Jewish American, and Mexican American.

Wikipedia. CC BY-SA 4.0. Updated Jul 12, 2026.