Do you ever wonder “what food is Missouri known for?” If so, the following list is for you! If you don’t think you’re hungry, you will be after taking a look at this list of iconic Missouri foods. You won’t believe how delicious No. 2 is!

1. St. Louis-style pizza
Amy Meredith/Flickr.com
This is a love-it-or-hate-it dish—there's no in-between. To be considered St. Louis-style pizza, it must have a thin, crisp crust, Provel cheese, and be cut into squares.
2. Toasted ravioli
Liza Lagman Sperl/Flickr.com
Who doesn't love ravioli? St. Louis kicked it up a notch by deep-frying the delectable pockets of pasta stuffed with meat or cheese to crunchy, golden perfection. Dip it in marinara---we dare you not to love it.
3. Gooey butter cake
Annie/Flickr.com
The name says it all—this sweet treat is gooey and buttery. Dusted with powdered sugar, it's an irresistible crowd-pleaser.
4. Kansas City barbecue
Shelby Bell/Flickr.com
No matter what popular 'cue house you're loyal to, one thing is for sure: Kansas City-style barbecue is finger-lickin' addicting. It requires slowly smoked meats slathered in a thick tomato- and molasses-based barbecue sauce.
5. Concretes
artistmac/Flickr
Although many ice cream shops sell concretes, an ice cream treat so thick it's like—you guessed it—concrete, the best (and original) example can be had at Ted Drewes in St. Louis.
6. Pork steaks
Jeffreyw/Flickr.com
When St. Louisans (or Missourians, for that matter) say they want to grill up a steak, they may not be talking about the cow variety. Pork steaks, cut from a pig's shoulder, are usually cooked low and slow or simmered in barbecue sauce.

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7. St. Paul sandwich
Eugene Kim/Flickr.com
Invented in St. Louis Chinese restaurants and spread to other outposts in the state, this old-school classic sandwiches an egg foo young patty between two pieces of white bread. It's usually dressed up with pickle, onion, mayo, lettuce, and tomato.
8. Slingers
Alowplay8/Commons.Wikimedia.org
The savior of many late nights overimbibing, the slinger is a St. Louis classic made with eggs, chili, hashbrowns, and a hamburger, T-bone steak, or another meat.
9. St. Louis-style ribs
bltslammer/Flickr.com
Can you tell yet that this state loves its grilled meats? St. Louis-style ribs are spare ribs with the sternum bone, cartilage and tips removed.
10. Red Hot Riplets
Paul Sableman/Flickr.com
These crunchy potato chips are burn-your-face-off hot. Also: dangerously habit-forming.
11. Ice cream cones
Leo Hidalgo/Flickr.com
Although (thankfully) now found all over the world, the ice cream cone made its world debut at the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904.
12. Snoots
Derek/Flickr.com
Yes, another meat product. This time, pig snouts are cooked until crispy and usually served with barbecue sauce.

You might not be ready to try out that last one (pig noses, anyone?), but the rest of these iconic Missouri foods are lip-licking delicious. Did we miss any of your favorites? If someone asked you “what food is Missouri known for?” what would you say? If you happen to be in Kansas City, you’ll want to discover these 10 classic Kansas City dishes too.

Looking for more Missouri claims to fame? Here are 14 things Missouri is famous for!

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What food is Missouri known for

Sarah M. | September 27, 2022

In addition to food, what else is Missouri known for?

Food is certainly a big part of Missouri culture, but we have some other really cool claims to fame in the Show-Me State, too! And St. Louis is where pretty much EVERYTHING that's wonderful and unique about Missouri comes together. With its epic children's museum, world-famous cuisine, and iconic attractions, St. Louis is a Midwest town that belongs on your bucket list. And the Gateway Arch truly is St. Louis; the glorious gateway to the West. The title attraction in the city's Gateway Arch National Park, this iconic structure symbolizes the importance of St. Louis as the "Gateway to the West." Shimmering against the city skyline, the arch attracts visitors from all over Missouri and beyond, making it one of the most-photographed landmarks in the country. The Arch has been a permanent part of the St. Louis skyline since it opened in 1965, welcoming more than 135 million visitors from around the world. At 630 feet tall, the Arch has the distinction as the U.S.'s tallest man-made landmark, coming in ahead of The Washington Monument and The Statue of Liberty, and riding up to the top is a rite of passage sure to fill you with a newfound appreciation for the Midwest.

In terms of fun historic things for which Missouri is well known, The Pony Express, the birthplace of Budweiser, home of Mark Twain, and Missouri's place as a key battleground state in the American Civil War (literally -- Missouri was the site of more than 1,000 battles during this war) all rank up there, too!

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