Sunday night’s AFC and NFC championship games solidified the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers would be competing in Super Bowl XVIII. The game will be held in just under two weeks on Sunday, February 11 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. Even if you’re not a fan of either of these teams, throwing a Super Bowl party with amazing food is always a fun time. Chicken strips and wings and chips and dips are all classic crowd-pleasers for your party, but the two teams competing this year both represent cities that have rich food histories. Here is the perfect menu for your Super Bowl party inspired by Kansas City and San Francisco.
Kansas City
Barbecue brisket
Kansas City is known as the barbecue capital of the world for a reason. This can be traced back to the 1920s when Henry Perry began selling barbecue out of a streetcar barn next to an outdoor fire pit. To pay true homage to Perry, you can serve your brisket wrapped in newspaper, just like he did.
Cheesy corn
Cheesy corn is a side dish invented by Jack Stack BBQ, a barbecue restaurant and chain famous in Kansas City. And it’s so easy and different. Combine corn and cheese, and if you’d like you can add bacon or ham. Stirring in barbecue sauce, some hot sauce, and KC dry rub. This is a really great side dish that gives some variety to the usual potato skins or french fries.
Fried Chicken
For those who still love some crispy chicken dipped in barbecue sauce on game day, this one’s for you. Kansas City started to become famous for fried chicken in World War II, when beef was being rationed. Guy and Helen Stroud served fried chicken at their barbecue joint, Stroud’s, and since then, a ton of fried chicken restaurants have popped up all over Kansas City.
Kansas City Mud Pie
Although the mud pie technically originated in Mississippi, it has found its way up to the people of Kansas City, with a few variations. Layered cream cheese and chocolate pudding serve as the soft and delectable base. However, instead the cookie crust is replaced by a pecan one in the KC version.
San Francisco
Dungeness crab dip
Depending on where you’re hosting from, you may not be able to get your hands on the Dungeness crabs of the west coast. But you can still incorporate the San Francisco crab element into a crab dip that makes for a great appetizer.
Mission Burrito
The Mission District of San Francisco is famous for its monstrous Mission Burrito. La Cumbre taqueria is credited with creating the original mission style burrito in 1972. For the sake of the party and catering to a lot of people, I recommend making four to five giant burritos with your choice of filling and cutting them up into smaller portions to make them more of a finger food.
Sourdough bread bowl
Sourdough bread’s popularity in San Francisco dates all the way back to the Gold Rush in 1849. How fitting! Gold miners found it relatively easy to obtain yeast, and San Francisco’s climate was perfect for the yeast and bacteria in sourdough to grow. Serve a sourdough bread bowl filled with clam chowder, or with a warm dip.
Doughnuts
One thing about the Bay Area is that they love their doughnuts. There’s no big historic punch to this, except that Bob’s Donuts, opened in 1960, is one of the most famous shops in San Francisco. But a true San Franciscan can tell you that there’s a good doughnut shop in just about every neighborhood. Order a dozen from your favorite doughnut shop and let your guests enjoy.