wine country nearby, French, Italian, and Mediterranean inspired food is prominent, as well as Asian-inspired fare. Many of the restaurants, cafes, bistros, and grills use ingredients sourced from local growers and farmers' markets.[2][3] A unique sourdough-style bread has its origins in San Francisco.[4]
Sunset, a lifestyle magazine of the West published in California, has featured recipes that have influenced the cuisine of California, including the promotion of outdoor eating.
Shellfish and seafood
In
Central Coastal region, Dungeness crab is abundant. Sardines, oysters, and salmon were formerly major industries in the state, before declines in fish stocks.[6][7][8] The Chinook salmon is native to California and are known to spawn in local rivers, however they are considered an endangered species in 2023.[9][10]
Asian and Oceanian influences
As one of the
Oceanian American populations, the state tends to adopt foods from those national styles.[11] The American style of sushi possibly began in California; the term "California roll
" is used to describe sushi with avocado as a primary ingredient.
East Asian confectionery such as mochi ice cream and boba have gained popularity throughout California and the United States, with many establishments that produce them beginning in California.
Latino and Hispanic influence
Mexican ranchers, Mexican and Spanish-origin cuisine is very influential and popular in California, particularly Southern California.[12]
In addition to Mexican food, California restaurants serve up nearly every variation of Central American food there is. For example, pupuserías are common in areas with a large population of Salvadorans (pupusas are stuffed tortillas from El Salvador).[14]
"Fresh-Mex" or "Baja-style" Mexican food, which places an emphasis on fresh ingredients and sometimes seafood, inspired by
Fusion cuisine is quite popular in California.[15] The emphasis of California cuisine is on the use of fresh, local ingredients which are often acquired daily at farmers markets. Menus are changed to accommodate the availability of ingredients in season. Some restaurants create a new menu daily.
Barbecue has been a part of California cuisine since Mexicans cooked beef in pit barbecues on ranches since the 1840s. Santa Maria, California, is famous for the tri-tip, a special kind of beef cut that can be grilled, baked, braised, or roasted.[18]
California's barbecue style is also influenced by the styles of Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma, brought by Dust Bowl migrants. Chicken, beef ribs, sausages, and steaks are also grilled or smoked in a barbecue pit.
The barbecue sauce used in this state is tomato-based,[19] as with all other western states. Santa Maria barbecue, however, uses no sauce, relying instead on the flavor of the tri-tip and the slow live-oak fire over which it is cooked.
Pork baby back ribs are popular for barbecue in the Western region in comparison to the popular use of spare ribs in the United States.
Regional fast-food menus differ, generally depending on the ethnic composition of an area. In Southern California, smaller chains like The Hat feature hamburgers, Mexican food, chili fries, and pastrami.[31][32]
In Northern California, smaller chains like
ahi burgers, salads, and they have a full wine bar with many local varieties;[33] and the local chain Original Joe's is a steakhouse that serves Italian-American food, which includes their noted dish Joe's Special.[33]
While gastropubs are not unique to California, the concept of the gourmet hamburger is very popular.
California-style pizza focuses on non-traditional pizza ingredients, such as fresh produce and barbecued meats. First popularized by Wolfgang Puck's Spago restaurants, it was later brought to the masses by restaurants such as California Pizza Kitchen.[34]
Cioppino is an Italian-American seafood stew invented in San Francisco.[37][38] It often features crab, shrimp, clams and firm-fleshed fish cooked with herbs in olive oil and wine, with onions, garlic, tomatoes and sometimes other vegetables.[38] It was said to be created by immigrants in San Francisco from Genoa in the late 1800s, it is a type of Buridda and may be related to the Bourride and Bouillabaisse.[38]
Crab Louie is a type of salad that prominently features crab meat. The recipe dates back to the early 1900s and originates on the West Coast of the United States.[39] The exact origins of the dish are uncertain, but it is known that Crab Louie was being served in San Francisco as early as 1910 and was popularized in the 1930s in Fisherman's Wharf.[39][40]
A French dip sandwich, or beef dip, is a hot sandwich consisting of thinly sliced roast beef on a "French roll" or baguette that is usually served plain, but a variation is to top with Swiss cheese, onions, and a dipping container of beef broth produced from the cooking process (termed au jus, "with juice").[41]
A Mission burrito is a type of burrito that first became popular during the 1960s in the Mission District of San Francisco, California.[13] It features a large size, the inclusion of rice, and is often cooked on the flattop.[46]
Gourmet food products
Bakeries
Gourmet bakeries and makers that had their start in California, include:
. It's taking an extra moment to really savor ... a lunch based on luscious fresh vegetables from your own garden or bought at your local farmer's market.
^"California's Central Valley". USGS California Water Science Center. United States Geological Survey. 2017-03-20. Retrieved 2017-06-13. Using fewer than 1% of U.S. farmland, the Central Valley supplies 8% of U.S. agricultural output (by value) and produces 1/4 of the Nation's food, including 40% of the Nation's fruits, nuts, and other table foods.
^Villanueva, Ivan (2014-08-12). "A View From Within: Salvadorans in America". Retrieved 2017-06-13. Consequently, there are more Salvadorans in Los Angeles than any other place in the world outside of El Salvador
^Morris, Jim (July–August 2007). "Legendary barbecue". California Country Magazine. Sacramento, California: California Farm Bureau Federation. Retrieved 2017-06-13.
^"Our Company". Jack in the Box. Archived from the original on 2017-11-19. Retrieved 2017-06-13. In 1951, a businessman named Robert O. Peterson opened the first Jack in the Box restaurant in San Diego
RoadsideAmerica.com
. Retrieved 2017-06-13. In-N-Out Burger was started in Baldwin Park [California] in 1948 by Harry and Esther Snyder.
^"CKE Restaurants - History". CKE Restaurants. Archived from the original on 2017-05-18. Retrieved 2017-06-13. In 1956, Carl expanded his business by opening the first two Carl's Jr. restaurants in Anaheim and nearby Brea.
^Kallas, Anne (2011-12-15). "Original Tommy's opens in Ventura". Ventura County Star. Retrieved 2017-06-14. Original Tommy's was founded in 1946 by Tom Koulax, and the first stand opened at Beverly and Rampart boulevards in Los Angeles.
^Slavin, Barbara (1978-08-10). "Drive-ins and carhops are things of the past". The Day. New London, Connecticut. New York Times News Service. p. 5. Retrieved 2017-06-13. the California-based chain Bob's Big Boy—a chain whose founder, Bob Wian, is generally credited with opening the first drive-in restaurant on Aug. 6, 1936, in Glendale