What Dish Best Represents Illinois Food

A new survey looking at which state makes the best food revealed some big surprises.

Mainly, California, New York, Texas, Louisiana, and Florida were called the five best food states in America, according to research done by Talker for HelloFresh.

Frankly, I was surprised and a bit bummed to see Illinois left off the list,t considering two of the most popular foods in the country are made famous in the Land of Lincoln.

READ MORE: Illinois and Wisconsin’s Most Expensive Restaurants Revealed

Iconic Dishes that Define Illinois

Scripps News shared the findings and later answered this question:

WHAT DISH/FLAVOR BEST REPRESENTS YOUR STATE?

For Wisconsin, that was cheese and the fish fry. Make sense, in a word association kind of way.

Knowing this, what do you think is the dish or flavor best representing Illinois?

READ MORE: The Ten Best Hole-in-the-Wall Restaurants in Rockford According to Yelp

Deep Dish Pizza vs. Chicago-Style Hot Dogs

If you thought "Deep-Dish Pizza," you're half right. That's because the other half is Chicago-style hot dogs.

Deep-dish pizza is just built differently. Some people call it a pie, a quiche, or even a casserole. To me, it reminds me of home.

Chicago-style hot dogs taste just like regular hot dogs; it's the toppings that set them apart. Throw mustard, relish, chopped onion, some tomatoes, a pickle spear, and a dash of celery salt, and bam, you've got something.

Don't forget the poppy seed bun.

The Perfect Chicago-Style Hot Dog

So when people from out of town think of Illinois cuisine, they think of pizza and hot dogs.

If you meet someone who has never tried deep-dish pizza or a Chicago-style hot dog, what would you recommend they eat first?