The American South is best understood with a fork in hand. A new editorial roundup from Wanderlust traces a flavour route through seven states — Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, North Carolina, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee — where the story is told in smoked pork, melted cheese and bourbon rather than mileage.

Start in Arkansas, where cheese dip is the unofficial state religion. It was invented at North Little Rock's Mexico Chiquito in the 1930s, and today you can even find a cheese dip ice cream at Loblolly Creamery in Little Rock, plus a World Cheese Dip Championship each autumn. The state also takes its barbecue seriously: Jones Bar-B-Q Diner in Marianna has been smoking pork shoulder sandwiches for over a century, while Wright's Barbecue in the Ozarks has earned James Beard nominations for its wood-fired pit work. Thirsty? Superior Bathhouse Brewery in Hot Springs is the only US brewery inside a national park, and it brews with thermal spring water.

Kansas City is the heavyweight of the barbecue world, a status built on stockyards, local hickory and the traditions Black pitmasters brought during the Great Migration. Burnt Ends — caramelised, fatty brisket ends in tangy sauce — are mandatory, and institutions like Arthur Bryant's and Gates Bar-B-Q sit alongside modern players such as Q39 and Char Bar. There's even a dedicated Museum of BBQ. Missouri adds toasted ravioli, cracker-thin St Louis pizza, and Stone Hill Winery in Hermann, founded in 1847 with North America's largest series of underground arched cellars.

In Louisville, Kentucky, pilgrims queue for the Hot Brown — an open-faced turkey sandwich with bacon and Mornay sauce invented in the 1920s at The Brown Hotel to soak up after-dance appetites. Bardstown and the James B Beam Kitchen Table in Clermont round out a bourbon-focused itinerary.

North Carolina bills itself as the 'Napa Valley of Oysters', with a dedicated NC Oyster Trail of boat trips and raw-bar stops, plus wood-smoked pork barbecue in Lexington and 47 Michelin-recognised restaurants including the star-rated Counter in Charlotte. Mississippi pairs Gulf shrimp and Delta catfish with hot tamales — a Delta staple born from Mexican and African American field workers sharing traditions — best found at Hicks' in Clarksdale or Tony's in Ridgeland. South Carolina delivers shrimp and grits, a Gullah Geechee breakfast dish turned fine-dining staple, best eaten in Charleston or over the marshes at Murrells Inlet's Dead Dog Saloon.

Tennessee closes the loop with Memphis barbecue, Nashville hot chicken, Chattanooga's MoonPie and Benton's smoky country ham — and 36 restaurants in the inaugural Michelin Guide American South. Two standouts: an immersive Dinner in the Creek under festoon lights in Leiper's Fork, and jazz-and-tapas nights at The Joint in Columbia.

Who is this for? Anyone who plans holidays around meals — road-trippers, bourbon fans, barbecue obsessives and seafood lovers alike. The South rewards slow travel: pick two or three states, follow the smoke, and let dinner set the itinerary. Source: Wanderlust.