7 unexpected food trails across the USA

Foodies, rejoice! Food trails, which group together similar culinary offerings in a given region, are popping up from coast to coast. And while you might already be familiar with some of America’s most famous ones, like the Napa Valley Wine Trail or the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, there are dozens of others scattered across the country, featuring everything from the red hot chile pepper to the hot juicy tenderloin.

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Green Chile Cheeseburger | Photo courtesy of @brisketeater_57cinco

1. Amazing Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail

New Mexico didn’t invent the hamburger, but it did add the spice. Green chile cheeseburgers are a Land of Enchantment staple, having been served up there for more than 50 years. A thick juicy patty is grilled, smothered in melted cheese and topped off with enough green chile to tingle the tastebuds. There are more than 100 places aroundthe state that serve the burger, including some McDonald’s locations. To find the best, follow the Amazing Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail.

2. The Salsa Trail

Right over the border from New Mexico sits Graham County, Arizona. The Salsa Trail here also celebrates the chile, which is grown around these parts. Among the hot stops on the Salsa Trail are El Charro Restaurant and Mi Casa Tortilla Factory, both in the county seat of Safford.

El Bajio Taqueria | Photo courtesy of @joshgriggs

3. Milpas Taco Trek

Even if Mexican food is nacho thing, it’s still likely you love the taco. Walk along the Milpas Taco Trek in Santa Barbara, California, and sample a variety of authentic options. Although La Super-Rica Taqueria is little more than a shack, there are usually extended lines, thanks to its international reputation. If you don’t have the patience, wander up the street to Taqueria El Bajio or Taqueria La Colmena, or a handful of other places.

Ice Cream Trail | Photo courtesy of Laura Powell

4. Ice Cream Trail

Residents of New Hampshire, don’t have a cow that neighboring Vermont lays claim to Ben & Jerry’s. After all, the Granite State has its very own Ice Cream Trail featuring dozens of artisanal coneheads. Beech Hill Farm and Ice Cream Barn in Hopkinton, Hayward’s Homemade Ice Cream in Nashua, and Moo’s Place Homemade Ice Cream in Derry are among the top spots on the trail.

Widmers Cheese | Photo courtesy of Don Abrams

5. Great Wisconsin Cheese Trail

Still in the moo-d for more dairy? Then it’s off to Wisconsin, the land of milk and….milk.  The Great Wisconsin Cheese Trail includes dairies, factories (with tours), cheesemaking museums and cheese shops. Sounds gouda to us.

Tenderloin Sgt Peppers in Lafayette | Photo courtesy of Laura Powell

6. Tenderloin Trail

Indiana is crazy for oversized pieces of deep-fried pork….so much so that the Hoosier State has developed a Tenderloin Trail. The ongoing state debate is whether you should eat your tenderloin hand pounded, hand breaded, deep fried or grilled. Try it your way at one of 27 locations on the Tenderloin Trail. Some of the most atmospheric places to indulge in the succulent steak are Larrison’s Diner in Seymour and Ray’s Drive-In in Kokomo.

7. Hoosier Pie Trail

Indiana also takes a bite out of dessert. The Hoosier Pie Trail celebrates the official state pie, which is actually a sugar cream delight. That said, the Hoosier Pie Trail does notdiscriminate—it’s open to all pies. The proof is in the pudding: Storie’s Restaurant in Greensburg, makes as many as 50 kinds of pies every day.

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