Counting the ballots…
Counting the ballots…
“Santa Maria tri-tip is California barbecue and is the greatest barbecue dish in the world. Texas can kiss my ass!”
“Unlike the Mission burrito, the California Burrito wasn’t named after a neighborhood. We aimed higher and named it after the entire state. Lolita’s does it best.”
“It's peak California. It's the ocean, the local ingredients. It's the fiery shimmer of sunset over the Pacific as surfers catch their last waves of the day. It's home.”
“Didn't know Dutch Crunch was rare until I moved from the Bay Area to L.A. We buy some every time we visit our old hometown. NOBODY does it better than Prima Deli Redwood City CA!”
“It’s a modern classic, both loved and pilloried, which makes it a perfect icon of California itself. Let’s hear it for healthy fats!”
California's ballot splits north and south. The north keeps Cioppino, Sourdough Bread, and Dutch Crunch, all San Francisco inventions. The south answers with the French Dip from downtown LA, the California Burrito stuffed with fries in San Diego, the Fish Taco, and Korean BBQ Tacos, which launched the food-truck era. The Mission Burrito and Santa Maria Tri-Tip, grilled over red oak, hold the middle. Avocado Toast escaped and conquered brunch everywhere. California is famous for reinventing lunch, and every entry here proves it. So what is California's official state dish? Voting closes November 1, 2026.