Allie ’ s Donuts Specialty doughnuts have been all the rage for a few years now , but local favorite Allie ’ s has been ahead of the game with handmade doughy goodness since 1968 . You ’ ll probably come face-to-face ( or glaze to mouth ) with one of its extravagant doughnut cakes at an office party or kid ’ s birthday . facebook . com / AlliesDonutsOfficial

Del ’ s Sure , you ’ ve probably had frozen lemonade before , but not like this . Sweet yet tart , cold and refreshing , Del ’ s is the lifeblood of beachgoers in the summer months . It ’ s also cited as one of the things Rhode Island transplants miss most when they move out of state ( besides family , we ’ re sure ). dels . com

Grilled Pizza Al Forno in Providence made grilled pizza a “ thing ” in the U . S . when a cook confused a wood-fired brick oven with a grill back in 1980 . Best “ mistake ” ever ! alforno . com

Calamari Locals ’ appreciation ( read : obsession ) for calamari prompted the state to designate the dish as Rhode Island ’ s official state appetizer in 2014 . Don ’ t miss Rhode Island-style calamari ( of the wild-caught variety , courtesy of the Town Dock in Narragansett ): fried squid served with hot cherry peppers and garlic . towndock . com

Pizza Strips One of the more controversial RI-based foods among the tastes of natives , party pizza is made up of thick ciabatta strips smothered in tomato sauce … and that ’ s it . There ’ s no cheese involved , and they ’ re served cold . They ’ ve become a staple at most get-togethers . Pick up a box at D . Palmieri ’ s Bakery in the north or Colvitto ’ s Pizza & Bakery in the south . dpalmierisbakery . com ; colvittospizza . com

Zeppole A large and proud Italian population inhabits the state , so it ’ s no wonder zeppole ( traditional Italian pastry bursting with sweet ricotta cannoli filling ) seem to fly off the shelves at spots like DeLuise Bakery come St . Joseph ’ s Day . facebook . com / deluisebakery

Clam Cakes and Chowder This classic combination is practically a rite of passage for any wannabe Rhode Islander . Clam cakes are small balls of fried dough filled with bits of clams that taste best when dunked in New England clam chowder ( if you really want to fit in , request a bowl of “ chowdah ” at places like Blount Clam Shack in Warren ). blountretail . com

Hot Wieners Savory hot wieners can only be made and consumed one way in Rhode Island : all the way ( meaning topped with a blend of yellow mustard , onion , celery salt and meat sauce ). And make no mistake ; the wiener may be a cousin of the hot dog , but you ’ ll be laughed out of Olneyville New York System if you ask for ketchup . olneyvillenew yorksystem . com

Coffee Milk Autocrat coffee syrup is to Rhode Island what maple syrup is to Vermont ; we can ’ t get enough of the stuff , especially in our milk ! ( P . S . It ’ s even our official state drink .) facebook . com / autocrat . coffee . syrup

Stuffies One might suspect stuffies earned their name because of their tendency to make people stuff their faces . Or , maybe it stems from the preparation involved : Chopping up a quahog ( aka a giant clam ) and stuffing the shell with oregano , olive oil , garlic and onion-laced breadcrumbs . Come summertime , order one ( or five ) at Quito ’ s in Bristol . quitosrestaurant . com

Iggy ’ s Doughboys To the rest of the country , they ’ re known simply as “ fried dough ,” but here we call them doughboys . Why ? Who knows ! All that matters is that you sprinkle them with plenty of powdered sugar for best results . Grab a ’ boy of your own during a fair , at a beach kiosk or , of course , at Iggy ’ s Doughboys and Chowder House . iggysdoughboys . com

Awful Awful Don ’ t let the name fool you : This ultra-thick concoction of whole milk , flavored syrup and “ frozen ice milk ” is awfully amazing . It can be found exclusively on Newport Creamery — an iconic New England tradition in its own right — menus . newportcreamery . com

New England COLOR : White BROTH : Milk- or cream-based , rich and robust . INGREDIENTS : Clams , potatoes , onions and , depending on whom you ask , salt pork . Bonus : crushed oyster crackers for added thickness . ORIGIN : Though Indigenous peoples had been longtime consumers of clams and French fishing villages were developing fish chowder recipes as early as the sixteenth century , the New England chowder we know and love today didn ’ t gain major traction until its addition to many Boston ( and later Maine ) menus in the early 1800s .

RI-Style COLOR : Clear BROTH : Clam juice-based , thin and light . INGREDIENTS : Quahogs , bacon or pork , onions , potatoes and butter . ORIGIN : Why , Little Rhody , of course . More specifically , clear chowder ’ s ( said to be one of the earliest forms of chowder ) roots can be traced back to the state ’ s southern coast .

Manhattan COLOR : Red BROTH : Tomato paste-based with chunks of tomatoes for good measure . INGREDIENTS : Clams and tomatoes plus an array of veggies like potatoes , onions , peppers , celery , carrots and / or garlic for added flavor . ORIGIN : Also Rhode Island , believe it or not . Many sources attribute its creation to Rhode Island ’ s Portuguese fishing communities who were known both for their traditional tomato-based stews and their frequent travels to New York City ’ s Fulton Fish Market during the mid-1800s .

FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY : GETTY IMAGES ; OLNEYVILLE NEW YORK SYSTEM ; IGGY ’ S DOUGHBOYS AND CHOWDER HOUSE ; DISCOVER NEWPORT ; GO PROVIDENCE ; ILLUSTRATION GRAPHIC : GETTY IMAGES .