Michigan’s Most Iconic Meal Revealed—and It’s Surprisingly Spot-On

If you had to craft the most Pure Michigan meal possible, what would you include? What are the sides, the entree, and the drink? How about a nice dessert to finish it off?

After two and a half years of living in Michigan, I've come to the conclusion that Michigan's food scene is wildly underrated. Whether you're roaming the concrete jungle in Detroit with a Coney dog in hand, sipping Faygo by the Great Lakes, or eating way too much fudge at Mackinac Island, the culture of Michigan is bolstered by great food.

Of course, the initial question varies from person to person. I'm happy with a slice of Detroit-style deep dish pizza, a Two-Hearted, and maybe some Hudsonville ice cream to satisfy the sweet tooth. That's a fairly Pure Michigan meal, but one combination might have mine beat.

Michigan's Signature Meal

Cheapism recently published an article that built the perfect signature meal for each state across America, leaning on the brands and cultural foods those states cling to the most. Michigan is notorious for its local brands and unique culinary options, so they had plenty of combinations to choose from.

Still, Cheapism nailed what a signature Michigan meal looks like: Detroit-style Coney dog, Better Made potato chips, Vernor's or Faygo, and Superman ice cream.

First off, a critique: Faygo is the right beverage choice here. Vernor's is great, but its medicinal powers aren't necessary here - but a flavored soda (look at a Faygo label sometime, it says soda in the description, not pop. Sorry, not sorry.), a flavored soda goes perfectly with a Coney dog and Better Made chips. I may not be a Superman ice cream guy (cherry flavors, no thanks), but it's certainly the most Pure Michigan choice to put a bow on this meal.

While there are other options and combinations that folks across the Mitten State might enjoy better on a personal level, it's hard to argue against the combo Cheapism brought to the table.