16 Iconic Foods Invented in Missouri

From Toasted Ravioli to 7-Up: A Guide to Missouri’s Culinary Firsts

Missouri has a surprisingly deep resume of food and beverage “firsts.” Many of these icons were born out of the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. Others were from the creative kitchens of the state’s Italian and Chinese immigrant communities. And others were just pure mistakes.

The 1904 World’s Fair “Big Bang”

The St. Louis World’s Fair is credited with popularizing (and in some cases inventing) several global staples:

• The Ice Cream Cone: Popular legend says a waffle vendor (Ernest Hamwi) rolled his waffles into cones to help an ice cream vendor who had run out of dishes.

• Iced Tea: Though tea had been served cold before, vendor Richard Blechynden is credited with popularizing it by adding ice to hot tea during a record-breaking heatwave at the World’s Fair.

• Cotton Candy: It was originally called “Fairy Floss. ” It was the brainchild of a dentist in Nashville but made its massive commercial debut at the St. Louis Fair.

• Puffed Wheat & Puffed Rice: These were first introduced to the public at the Fair as “the eighth wonder of the world.”

Iconic Foods

• Toasted Ravioli: A St. Louis legend consisting of breaded and deep-fried meat ravioli. Several restaurants on “The Hill” (St. Louis’s Italian district) claim its accidental invention in the 1940s.

• Kansas City Barbecue: Known for its thick, tomato-and-molasses-based sauce and Burnt Ends—the flavorful, charred tips of a smoked brisket. And if you want to try a Kansas City legend, make your way to Arthur Bryant’s.

• Gooey Butter Cake: A flat, dense, ultra-sweet cake invented by accident in the 1930s. It came to be when a baker from St. Louis messed up the proportions of a standard coffee cake.

• Cashew Chicken (Springfield Style): Invented by David Leong in Springfield in 1963. It features fried chicken chunks covered in brown gravy and cashews to appeal to local Midwestern palates.

• St. Louis-Style Pizza: The Square Beyond Compare. Our pizza is defined by its cracker-thin crust, square “party cut,” and use of Provel cheese. In case you’re wondering, Provel is a processed blend of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone. And there is one name that stands out above the rest; Imo’s.

• The St. Paul Sandwich: A Chinese-American creation found mostly in St. Louis. It consists of an egg foo young patty served between two slices of white bread. But you must add the mayo, lettuce, and pickles.

• Pancake Mix: The first ready-made pancake flour (Aunt Jemima, now Pearl Milling Company) was invented in St. Joseph in 1889.

Beverages & Snacks

• 7-Up: Invented by Charles Leiper Grigg in St. Louis in 1929. It was originally named “Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda” and actually contained lithium until 1948.

• Budweiser: Introduced by Adolphus Busch in St. Louis in 1876, it became the first nationally franchised beer brand.

• Vess Soda: A cult-favorite soda brand founded in St. Louis in 1916, famous for its Whistle Orange and fruit flavors.

• Cherry Mash: Cherry Mash was created by the Chase Candy Company in St. Joseph in 1918. It is still one of the oldest candy bars in the U.S.,

• Red Hot Riplets: St. Louis’s signature spicy, barbecue-seasoned potato chips produced by Old Vienna.

Sure, the word “invented” may be a stretch on some of the listings. But I think we all get the point that Missouri can claim ownership to a lot of amazing foods.