4. Manhattan Clam Chowder

a bowl of clam chowder with a side of crackers

This one may not come as such a surprise. As evidence by its name, Manhattan Clam Chowder did actually originate in New York City. However, Portuguese immigrants in Rhode Island were purportedly the first to experiment with the use of tomatoes as the base of the dish (instead of milk).

The soup migrated to New York in the 1890s, where it was perfected, and first called “Fulton Fish Clam Chowder” or “New York Clam Chowder.” Residents of Maine began referring to the dish as “Manhattan Clam Chowder” around the 1930s.