Food is an important part of daily life and when traveling, trying the local cuisine is the perfect way to get to know the locals and learn more about the culture of the destination. Street food is a great way to get an authentic taste of what the city you’re visiting has to offer.

Since many international borders are still closed, here are the 5 best street foods in the U.S. that you have to try!

Unsplash | Marcel Heil

Rumor has it that the cheeseburger was invented in the mid-1920s by a 16-year-old cook in Pasadena, California. Before then, hamburgers did not have cheese, but when Lionel Clark Sternberger, who worked at the time at a restaurant called The Rite Spot added a slice of American to the meat patty, it became a hit. Today there are cheeseburgers made with a ranges of cheeses such as Swiss, cheddar, mozzarella and more, but the original is made with American cheese.

When mentioning Philadelphia, the first thing that comes to mid for many is a Philly cheesesteak. This infamous sandwich is made up of lots of thinly sliced steak and gooey cheese on a mouthwatering hoagie roll. 

Side view portrait of a young woman eating junk food

Made up of thinly sliced roast beef on an Italian-style roll, this delicious sandwich is dipped in gravy and can be topped with mozzarella or cheddar cheese.

Heading to D.C. this winter? You have to stop by one of the many hot dog carts in the city and get a taste of this delicious beef and pork sausage in a roll with chilli, mustard and diced onions on top!

If you frequented your local mall as a teenager, chances are you stopped by a pretzel stand and indulged in a soft pretzel. The New York-style pretzel has a hard exterior but when you bit into it, you get the soft melt-in-your-mouth goodness of this delicious treat.