Missouri is renowned for its delicious and unique cuisine, with a variety of dishes that have become iconic in the Show Me State. From toasted ravioli and provel cheese to barbecue and sticky buttercake, Missouri has something for everyone. The state's most famous dishes are all examples of Midwestern comfort food, with a unique twist. Toasted ravioli is a regional favorite in St.
Louis, although the name is somewhat misleading. The pasta pockets are actually filled with meat and fried, not roasted, before being sprinkled with parmesan and served with marinara sauce. Locals refer to the dish as “T-ravs”. Sticky buttercake is another St.
Louis specialty that was supposedly created by accident in the 1930s. A baker mistakenly reversed the proportions of butter and flour, resulting in a flat, sticky cake instead of a light and fluffy one. The mistake was a success, and the cake is now a beloved local treat. It has a brownie-like texture and is usually served as a type of coffee cake, rather than a dessert cake. Provel cheese is another St.
Louis staple that has become popular throughout the state. It is a processed white cheese made from provolone, Swiss cheese and white cheddar cheese, giving it a smoky flavor and sticky texture. Provel is often used to top St. Louis-style pizza, which has an ultra-thin, crunchy crust and is usually topped from crust to crust with sauce and oregano-spiced toppings. The St.
Louis Slinger is another regional favorite that has become popular across the city. The dish is often described as a cure for a hangover, as it consists of potato croquettes, eggs and a ground beef burger topped with chili con carne and grated cheese. It can be any combination of potatoes, protein and cheese that can be “put together”, hence the name. It is usually served with hot sauce and is popular late at night among college students. The Paul sandwich is another misnomer: the sandwich was actually invented in St.
Louis by Steven Yuen in the 1940s. It consists of pork chop suey served on white bread with mayonnaise and pickles. The sandwich can now be found at Chinese restaurants across the city, as well as at Mai Lee, a Vietnamese restaurant in Brentwood that offers several different varieties of St. Paul sandwiches with pork, ham, beef, chicken or shrimp added to the traditional recipe. Frozen Custard by Ted Drewes has been turning dessert around for more than 90 years in Missouri.
The custard is so thick that it can be served upside down without falling out of the cup; this earned it the nickname “concrete”. There are still two Ted Drewes locations open in St. Louis where customers can enjoy dozens of concrete flavors with even more toppings and add-ons available. Vess sodas have been enjoyed in Missouri for more than 100 years; they are fruity, bubbly soft drinks created by Sylvester Jones in 1916 (the brand “Vess” is an abbreviated version of his name). Red Hot Riplets are another local favorite; they are ribbed French fries covered in a sweet condiment that gives them an extra kick.
Red Hot Riplets can be found in convenience stores, family stores and supermarket chains throughout Missouri. Missouri's most famous foods are all examples of Midwestern comfort food with unique twists that make them stand out from other regional dishes. From toasted ravioli to Red Hot Riplets, there's something for everyone in the Show Me State.
