What are the all-time best dishes America has to offer, the ones you must taste before they vanish, so delicious they deserve to be a Holy Grail for travelers? Where’s the most vibrant Key lime pie in Florida? The most sensational chiles rellenos in New Mexico? The most succulent fried clams on the Eastern Seaboard? The most memorable whoopie pies, gumbos, tacos, cheese steaks, crab feasts? In 500 Things to Eat Before It’s Too Late, “America’s leading authorities on the culinary delights to be found while driving” (Newsweek) return to their favorite subject with a colorful, bursting-at-the-seams life list of America’s must-eats.

Illustrated throughout with mouth-watering color photos and road maps, this indispensable guide is organized by region, then by state. Each entry captures the food in luscious detail and gives the lowdown on the café, roadside stand, or street cart where it’s served. When “bests” abound—hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, apple pie, doughnuts—the Sterns rank their offerings. Sidebars feature profiles of idiosyncratic creators, recipes, and local attractions.