California has a huge population and the people who live there have diverse backgrounds. This means they will probably like different types of food, but we can make some assumptions about their favorites by looking at data from some Californian cities.
Like in other parts of the US, there are various types of cuisines available in California and when looking at the most popular dishes it seems like Cali natives like Asian food. Many Californian cities (see below) have a high percentage of Asian population and people who visit these places to eat can also see this trend in the offered dishes.
The most popular Asian foods are sushi, ramen, and pho which can be easily found in many cities on this list.
Sushi is one of the most famous dishes from Japan, but it is also common in California because of the large Japanese presence there since the early 20th century. There are several types of sushi and if we look at the most popular types, California residents seem to love tuna the most.
It is a mild-flavored fish that can be found in many different types of sushi. California’s vegan population is also large and it seems like they have a taste for sushi as well.
Ramen noodles are originally from China and they consist of wheat flour dough that is filled with soup and vegetables. This dish became very popular in Japan and it has spread around the world as well.
Pho (or pho bo) is a Vietnamese noodle soup consisting of broth, linguine-shaped rice noodles, a few herbs, and meat (or other toppings). It was originally created in the early 20th century by Vietnamese refugees who fled to Southeast Asia during the French colonization of Vietnam.
There are many types of Mexican food, but Californian cities also have some more unique dishes that can only be found there. Tacos are one of the most popular Mexican dishes and they are usually made with corn or wheat tortillas, meat (or sometimes vegetables), salsa, and cheese. Californians also like burritos which are very similar to tacos but contain more ingredients than just the ones mentioned above.
People who visit California often fear that all meals in the state will be expensive. However, there are many affordable places that serve high-quality food. Many Californian cities have sandwich shops that offer cheap and delicious sandwiches (such as banh mi) made with baguettes that are originally from Vietnam.
Like the rest of the US, there are also several chain restaurants in California offering well-known dishes at affordable prices. One of the most popular fast-food chains in California is Del Taco which was founded in Yermo, California back in 1964.
Del Taco specializes in American-style Mexican cuisine and it quickly became very popular among Californians. The chain offers over 1,000 different food options including burritos, tacos, nachos, salads, quesadillas, and much more. The most famous items on the menu are Del Tacos’ Shredded Beef Burritos and Seasoned Potato Soft Tacos.
If you want to visit California but don’t know what to eat there, just follow the locals’ example! Hopefully, this article will help you decide what dishes to try.