10 Food Dishes That Are Absolute Symbols of California

California is a state that many people strive to visit. Ultimately, people love the sunshine and ocean that comes with the Golden State. But other factors are attractive to people who visit California or even those who live here. Moreover, California has some amazing food dishes that are unique to the state.

But what are the food dishes that are unique to California? And what makes them so special? We have the answers for you.

We will share the 10 food dishes that are absolute symbols of California and some background history about these dishes. Additionally, we will showcase where you can find some of these dishes.

10. Avocado Toast

The first dish on our list is a California staple that has become very popular among vegetarians and vegans. Overall, it is also the easiest food dish to make. But where did avocado toast come from? Opinions differ on the topic. Ultimately, some say it did not debut until the 1970s.

But one search into the dish’s history reveals that people ate and enjoyed avocado toast in 1937. Yes, a store in Los Angeles called Best Drugs Store Inc. allegedly sold a sandwich that included a sliced avocado in it, according to the New Yorker.

Today, there are thousands of businesses that sell avocado toast. Likewise, if you wish to eat the dish without going to a restaurant, you only need bread, avocado, tomato, and some herbs. Add some egg if you are not vegan or vegetarian and wish to put some protein on it. Avocado toast continues to be a treat in the Golden State and is one of the food dishes that are absolute symbols of California.

9. Sourdough Bread

It is such a simple concept. Yet, sourdough bread is still a food dish that has become part of California lore.

Sourdough goes back thousands of years in different variations. However, the California version goes back to 1849. Boudin SF was one of the first businesses to use sourdough as a specialty in their sandwiches and bread, according to Boudin history.

The Sourdough Bread Company also revealed that the original creation of sourdough in California came from immigrants from France who had traveled to San Francisco and showed off their bread. Moreover, the difference between sourdough and regular bread is how the baker cooks it. It became a hit during the gold rush, with many people enjoying the taste of sourdough. It is also why many people recognize San Francisco as the sourdough home.

8. California Roll

Sushi has been a staple of Japan for thousands of years. Likewise, the California Roll has been a staple of the Golden State since the early 1960s. It all started with a chef named Ichiro Mashita.

Mashita was a chef in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles. Allegedly, he came up with the idea of wrapping nori seaweed around the outside of the roll. But when Americans rejected it, he reversed the roll and put the rice on the outside. Additionally, he used real crab in the roll.

Since then, it has become one of the most famous delicacies in California. Therefore, it is definitely among the many food dishes that are absolute symbols of California.

7. Dungeness Crab

The Dungeness Crab is a historic animal in California and also one that residents of the state enjoy eating. Originally, the first Dungeness crab meal came from Washington. But Californians have since adapted the meal, and it especially became a hit in San Francisco.

Dungeness crab is the ultimate special treat meal in California. Moreover, it is a delicacy that residents have enjoyed and one of the food dishes that are absolute symbols of California.

6. Burritos

Californians have enjoyed burritos for decades. However, there is debate over the origin. There is speculation that immigrants from Mexico brought the burrito to the state in the 1940s. Coincidentally, taquerias began to spring up in the 1960s.

San Francisco has the Mission-style burrito, which they created in 1961 at El Faro, a grocery store in the Mission District. Likewise, San Diego created the “California Burrito” in the 1980s. Today, burritos remain a staple of California lore, with people filling them with everything imaginable, from bacon to turkey to eggs.

5. Tacos

Tacos are similar to burritos in their origin. Significantly, tacos came before burritos as Mexican immigrants brought them over in the early 20th century. But it exploded in the 1960s as tacos grew in popularity.

It is almost impossible not to come across a taco truck in California, especially in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and Orange County. Likewise, many taco restaurants have come and gone through the years, as they basically represent California cuisine in the best way possible. Tacos are the ultimate staple and one of the food dishes that are absolute symbols of California.

4. French Dip

Two businesses, Phillipe the Original and Cole’s, claim to be the originators of the French dip. Phillipe claims that they invented the sandwich in 1908. Conversely, Cole’s also claims they invented the sandwich in 1908, according to the Electrical Railway Historical Association of Southern California. Both Southern California restaurants have served Los Angeles for over 100 years.

The French Dip is a delicious sandwich that California residents enjoy every day. Ultimately, there are numerous places to go to enjoy this dish. You can also make it at home with bread, roast beef, cheese, and the perfect sauce.

3. Cioppino

If you want a fish or seafood stew in California, you cannot go wrong with Cioppino. This meal originated during the Gold Rush in San Francisco when Italian fishermen would use leftovers from various seafood parts such as shrimp, crab, and fish. Then, they would mix with tomato, onions, and wine with the seafood to create the perfect soup.

The name of the meal comes from the Ligurian word ciuppìn, which means “to make soup from fish.” Today, Cioppino is a very popular dish in San Francisco and across the state. Subsequently, it has become one of the most popular food dishes that are absolute symbols of California.

2. Cobb Salad

Cobb salad is similar to avocado toast due to its health advantages. Moreover, a cobb salad is a California dish everyone should try at least once. The origin of Cobb salad comes from Robert Howard Cobb, according to Get Cracking. Historically, Cobb co-owned the Brown Derby and allegedly created the first Cobb salad after not eating anything all day.

The original basic ingredients for a Cobb salad were tomato, salad, avocado, bacon, and celery. Significantly, the restaurant would later add chicken and hard-boiled eggs. Cobb salads are still a California specialty and have been eaten by millions of residents over the last eight decades.

1. California Pizza

People from New York and Illinois will tell you their pizza is better. Regardless, California Pizza is a special brand on its own. The history of California Pizza goes back to 1971 when Alice Waters began cooking wood-fired pizzas with toppings people were not accustomed to seeing at her restaurant, Chez Panisse, in Berkeley. Later, in 1982, Wolfgang Puck hired Ed Ladou to make the ultimate pizza. Eventually, Ladou crafted a pie with ricotta cheese, pate, red peppers, and mustard.

When California Pizza Kitchen opened, they also hired Ladou to make his own style of pizza. Therefore, three businesses crafted what would become a signature pizza that stands out from any other kind of pie. It is why it is one of the best food dishes in the Golden State.

Summary of the Food Dishes That Are Absolute Symbols of California

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