GO on a flavor-packed road trip across America. Tasty Trails serves up the best regional bites from every corner of the country.
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Meet Matt, your travel guide!
Food writer and flavor-chaser Matt Meltzer has crisscrossed the country, tracking down the dishes each state does best. He’s your insider on what to try, why it matters and where to find it.
Bibs on. Butter melted. This is how the Northeast eats.
In New England, eating is an occasion. One that starts with a fresh catch and ends with a slice of something sweet. Whether you're biting into a buttery lobster roll or spooning through creamy clam chowder, there's pride baked into every bit. And let's not forget dessert: tart, crumbly and made with fruit that knows a frosty fall.
Rustic, refined and relentlessly satisfying, New England hits every note.
Sweet tea, slow heat, and Sunday suppers that stick with you.
In the South, food isn't rushed, it's revered. From golden fried chicken to smoky whole-hog barbecue, these dishes are slow cooked and soul-deep. There's a peach cobbler cooling on the windowsill and hush puppies just out of the fryer. Every bite tells a story, and every meal is a reason to gather.
It's comfort and it's culture, and it never leaves you hungry.
County fairs, front porches and food that feels like home.
The Midwest doesn't need flash to be unforgettable. It's a region that celebrates the honest beauty of comfort food. Just meals made with heart, heritage and plenty of cheese. From Wisconsin's squeaky cheese curds to Illinois' drippy Italian beef, there's a cozy, familiar feel to every dish. This is where casseroles are king, pies are always homemade and potlucks are a way of life.
The flavors are humble, but the cravings are real. Dig into the Midwest's finest.
Wide open spaces and good tastin’ places.
In the Great Plains, food is honest, just like the people who make it. Whether it's a skillet of chislic or a plate of cinnamon rolls beside chili (yes, really), these dishes are built on traditions as wide as the horizon. Expect big portions, warm welcomes and desserts fried to golden perfection.
This is the prairie where the flavors are anything but flat.
Red dirt roads and redder chiles.
In the Southwest, the flavor runs deep, and the spice runs hot. This is the land of mesquite, masa and meals wrapped in warmth and smoke. Tacos? Legendary. Brisket? Award-winning. And don't even think about leaving without trying something smothered in green chiles.
It's bold cooking for bold country.
Frontier flavors with altitude and attitude.
Up in the mountains, the food is as rugged and real as the landscape. There's heat from the chiles, comfort in the stews and a whole lot of pride in every roadside diner and cabin kitchen. Elk, lamb and even the unexpected take center plate.
Rustic. Satisfying. And never afraid to go big.
Deli counters, boardwalk bites and no shortage of flavor.
You'll find grit and gusto on every plate in the Mid-Atlantic. Think stacked sandwiches, flaky crab cakes and just the right amount of vinegar in your fries. Whether it's from a food truck in Philly or a dockside shack in Maryland, the flavors are rich, regional and unforgettable.
Bold, briny and built for grabbing with both hands, this region plays for keeps.
Catch it. Pick it. Plate it. That's the West Coast way.
Whether it's seafood straight off the dock or fruit that just fell from the tree, the Pacific region puts freshness first. Think salmon from Alaska, berries from Oregon, and tacos that taste like the ocean. There's Hawaiian comfort, California color and a whole lot of laid-back flavor.
Soak it in. Savor it slowly. This coast always cooks.
