Lefse is a soft Norwegian potato flatbread, usually spread with butter and sugar, then rolled up and eaten warm or cold.

A Baltimore lemon peppermint stick is a halved lemon with a soft peppermint stick pushed into it like a straw. You suck the lemon juice through the candy, and somehow tart lemon plus melting peppermint becomes springtime magic.

Lexington-style barbecue is pork shoulder smoked over hardwood coals, chopped or sliced, and served with a tangy vinegar-ketchup “dip.”

Livermush is a western North Carolina pork loaf made with pig liver, pork scraps, cornmeal, and spices, then sliced and fried until crisp.

Lobster Newburg is a rich New York seafood dish made with lobster in a creamy, sherry- or cognac-scented sauce.

A Maine lobster roll is chilled lobster meat lightly dressed with mayo and tucked into a buttery toasted split-top bun.

Loco Moco is rice topped with a hamburger patty, brown gravy, and a fried egg. It is simple, saucy, filling, and one of Hawaii’s greatest comfort-food inventions.

Long Island clam chowder splits the difference between New England and Manhattan styles, blending clams, potatoes, vegetables, and a tomato-kissed broth that can be creamy, brothy, or somewhere in between.

A loose meat sandwich is seasoned ground beef served loose on a soft bun, usually with mustard, pickles, and onions. It is like a burger that decided patties were too formal.

Lowcountry boil, also called Frogmore stew, is a one-pot feast of shrimp, sausage, corn, and potatoes boiled with seasoning and dumped onto a table for everyone to share.

An over-the-top Southern-style burger made with glazed doughnuts instead of regular hamburger buns. It’s usually a bacon cheeseburger sandwiched between two glazed doughnuts, often Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

Mackinac Island fudge is rich, creamy fudge made in big slabs, often worked by hand on marble tables.

A malasada is a Portuguese-style fried doughnut, usually rolled in sugar and served hot. In Hawaii, it is pillowy, golden, and often filled with custard, haupia, or tropical creams.

Manhattan clam chowder is the tomato-based red chowder made with clams, potatoes, vegetables, herbs, and a bright brothy base.

A maple creemee is Vermont’s beloved maple soft serve, made rich, smooth, and deeply flavored with real maple syrup.

Vermont maple syrup is boiled-down maple sap, graded by color and flavor from golden and delicate to dark and robust.

Marionberry pie is Oregon’s signature berry dessert, made with sweet-tart marionberries baked into a flaky crust.

A Massachusetts-style hot dog is usually a snappy grilled or steamed frank served in a New England split-top bun with simple toppings like mustard, relish, onions, or chili.

Memphis style BBQ is pork-focused barbecue known for ribs, pulled pork, dry rub, and tangy tomato-based sauce on the side.

A Mexican burger usually refers to a hamburger topped with green chile, a regional favorite made with roasted green chiles, tomatoes, onions, and spices.