BBQ and sweet tea.

North Carolina

[img width=480 height=640]http://i25.tinypic.com/do79k9.jpg[/img]
photo added by JoeCamper

I haven't lived in the Pacific Northwest for many years.  I've been gone longer than I was ever here, really.  But Olympia oysters, steelhead and salmon are typical PNW foods.

As for Ms PinnMcrack's "sweet tea", for those of you not in/around that area, it's simply called tea or swi'tea.  If you order it unsweetened, they're going to bring you sugar, or pseudo-sugar because they're sure you really don't want unsweetened tea.  And by barbecue, it's not beef, it doesn't have a red sauce.

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I've lived in RI, FL, and NH and have found good eats where ever I've been, but Rhode Island just has great food. I don't know where to start.
If you want Italian pick anywhere-it will all be good, but particularly Federal Hill in Providence. I love Angelo's and their melt in your mouth Veal & Peppers, and the calamari is so tender it barely needs chewing Mmm. http://www.angelosonthehill.com/
Our seafood is fabulous. I love heading down to Sand Hill Cove and eating Iggy's chowda, clamcakes, and stuffies on the picnic benches out back http://www.iggysdoughboys.com/store/ . Also, since we've moved to the East Bay, we can walk to Blount's Clam Shack, and they are really very good too. http://www.blountretail.com/
Another place within walking distance (I love my new neighborhood!) Is Rod's Grille for hot wieners, which are probably the food I most associate with RI (and what I CRAVED when pregnant with my daughter-probably because I couldn't get them in SWFL) They are a veal-natural casing wiener, served in a steamed bun, and topped with meat sauce, mustard, chopped onion, and celery salt for "gaggers all the way" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_wiener
Oh, I can't forget the ice cream. We have the BEST ice cream! When I moved to FL I couldn't understand how ice cream shops closed due to lack of business...not here. We have tons of great places. Dot's Dairy, Scoops, The Fruity Cow (DD loves the Muddy Udder Sundae),but the best in my opinion (and anyone I've taken there) is Brickley's Homemade Ice Cream in Narraganset RI. Good googly moogly it's good. I will drive nearly an hour to get it, and just make a day of it LOL. http://www.brickleys.com/ .
It's not ice cream, but next to coffee milk (http://quahog.org/factsfolklor......php?id=56 a bit long, but a nice recipe at the end for coffee syrup for those that want to try it), Del's frozen lemonade is the drink of choice here (although truth be told, I'm more of a Palagi's girl, because they were my neighbors, and gave us free stuff off the truck  ;D), It's a daily treat from the Del's truck at the playground. http://www.dels.com/
There is so much more, and it's due mainly to the diverse cultures and people that make up our small state, and also to the wonderful Johnson and Wales University that turns out so many amazing chefs (Hi Steve A.  :chef: ), many of whom decide to stay here, and open wonderful restaurants that usually thrive. The restaurant industry isn't hurting in this state, and it's one of the few that isn't. So if you decide to take a trip to little Rhody, at least your dining itinerary is all set, and if after reading this you need a place to stay here's a campground link LOL http://www.riparks.com/fisherma.htm
Man I'm hungry now, time to go fridge foraging!  ;D

[quote author=Balisa1 link=topic=1567.msg12677#msg12677 date=1334725654]
I've lived in RI, FL, and NH and have found good eats where ever I've been, but Rhode Island just has great food. I don't know where to start.
If you want Italian pick anywhere-it will all be good, but particularly Federal Hill in Providence. I love Angelo's and their melt in your mouth Veal & Peppers, and the calamari is so tender it barely needs chewing Mmm. http://www.angelosonthehill.com/
Our seafood is fabulous. I love heading down to Sand Hill Cove and eating Iggy's chowda, clamcakes, and stuffies on the picnic benches out back http://www.iggysdoughboys.com/store/ . Also, since we've moved to the East Bay, we can walk to Blount's Clam Shack, and they are really very good too. http://www.blountretail.com/
Another place within walking distance (I love my new neighborhood!) Is Rod's Grille for hot wieners, which are probably the food I most associate with RI (and what I CRAVED when pregnant with my daughter-probably because I couldn't get them in SWFL) They are a veal-natural casing wiener, served in a steamed bun, and topped with meat sauce, mustard, chopped onion, and celery salt for "gaggers all the way" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_wiener
Oh, I can't forget the ice cream. We have the BEST ice cream! When I moved to FL I couldn't understand how ice cream shops closed due to lack of business...not here. We have tons of great places. Dot's Dairy, Scoops, The Fruity Cow (DD loves the Muddy Udder Sundae),but the best in my opinion (and anyone I've taken there) is Brickley's Homemade Ice Cream in Narraganset RI. Good googly moogly it's good. I will drive nearly an hour to get it, and just make a day of it LOL. http://www.brickleys.com/ .
It's not ice cream, but next to coffee milk (http://quahog.org/factsfolklore/index.php?id=56 a bit long, but a nice recipe at the end for coffee syrup for those that want to try it), Del's frozen lemonade is the drink of choice here (although truth be told, I'm more of a Palagi's girl, because they were my neighbors, and gave us free stuff off the truck  ;D), It's a daily treat from the Del's truck at the playground. http://www.dels.com/
There is so much more, and it's due mainly to the diverse cultures and people that make up our small state, and also to the wonderful Johnson and Wales University that turns out so many amazing chefs (Hi Steve A.  :chef: ), many of whom decide to stay here, and open wonderful restaurants that usually thrive. The restaurant industry isn't hurting in this state, and it's one of the few that isn't. So if you decide to take a trip to little Rhody, at least your dining itinerary is all set, and if after reading this you need a place to stay here's a campground link LOL http://www.riparks.com/fisherma.htm
Man I'm hungry now, time to go fridge foraging!  ;D

You forgot one of the greatest places to eat in Providence, Haven Brothers. Granted, it isn't fine dining, but it was good food. I have so many memeories of eating in that truck. I graduated from Johnson & Wales in 1990, but I was business, not culinary. Do they still have the Italian festival every year? I used to call home to my parents to send extra money so we could go up there and eat every year.

Best Regards,
Norm

You guys are missing out!
It's Wisconsin!!

Cheese [img width=640 height=640]http://www.5dollardinners.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Wisconsin-Cheese-Logo.jpg[/img]
Brats (pronounced like brots) [Image Can Not Be Found]
Beer (whether a national brand like the big ones of Miller and Old Style or a more local brew like Leinenkugles, or the truly local like Great Dane, Red Eye, Fox River, and others)

From Rochester where i work the Garbage Plate.

A Garbage Plate is a combination of one selection of cheeseburger, hamburger, red hots, white hots, Italian sausage, chicken tender, fish (haddock), fried ham, grilled cheese, or eggs; and two sides of either home fries, French fries, baked beans, or macaroni salad. On top of that are the options of mustard and onions, and Nick's proprietary hot sauce, a sauce with spices and slowly simmered ground beef. It's served with rolls or Italian toast on the side