Cuisine of the Midwest

Midwestern cuisine in the United States features simple dishes such as pot roast, sausage, scrapple, pancakes and other comfort foods. Dairy is an important ingredient, especially cheese. Meals tend to be served family style or smorgasbord rather than in courses. Seasoning is light, not spicy.

As with most cuisines, it is heavily influenced by the immigrant groups which settled in various areas of the Midwest. In the northern Midwest, that consists of mainly Northern European groups, so Swedish and Norwegian lutefisk, Cornish pasties, or Polish pączki are common. Missouri and Illinois were destinations for many ethnic German immigrants, so sausages and potatoes are more prevalent. Seymour, Wisconsin, a Midwestern city, claims to be the birthplace of the modern hamburger, although several other locations make similar claims. Italian cuisine is popular in Chicago and St. Louis. Neighborhoods like The Hill have many Italian restaurants, and Chicagoland Italian restaurants offer pizza all ways – thin-crust, deep-dish, or stuffed.

Some midwestern dishes include:

Saint Louis, Missouri, reflecting its varied immigrant influences, is known for dishes such as "toasted ravioli" (which is actually breaded and fried), frozen custard, and for making the ice cream cone a popular food.

See also