CW's bread pudding with berries, David Spencer/The Post

What exactly is American food? Perhaps it’s something comforting, like meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Or something regional, like Philly cheese steaks or Boston baked beans. Or something ethnic: Pizza may have been invented in Italy, but it came of age in 20th-century America.

With the Fourth of July around the corner, I decided it was high time to create a list of 25 all-American foods, focusing on ones that can easily be enjoyed locally. Some may disagree with my picks, but the right to express one’s opinion speaks to the essence of our democracy. Let freedom ring, I say.

1. Apple pie
What makes it American: As the commercial says, “baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet.” But even if the American car brand has lost some of its sparkle, the American pie retains its prominent place in our culture. So what if it came to our shores courtesy of European settlers? It proved so popular that the boys who went to battle during World War II said they were fighting for “mom and apple pie.”

Where to enjoy it locally: A great apple pie is a thick apple pie. And you won’t find a much thicker version than the one served at Raindancer Steak House (2300 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., West Palm Beach; 561-684-2810; raindancersteakhouse.com), especially when it’s paired with ice cream that comes from Luke’s, a local favorite.

2. Baked beans
What makes it American: Native Americans made beans a staple of their diet. And so did the Puritan settlers, who typically served them baked and sweetened with molasses for Saturday supper.

Where to enjoy them locally: Of all the reasons to love the Anchor Inn Lakeside (2810 Hypoluxo Road, Lantana; 561-966-9955; anchorinnlakeside.com), my personal favorite is their odd tradition of serving a dish of baked beans as a gratis appetizer.

3. Banana split
What makes it American: The classic ice cream dish was created in the heyday of the soda shop during the early 20th century, though historians are divided as to where. Some say it was in Latrobe, Pa., others give credit to Wilmington, Ohio.

Where to enjoy it locally: For a twist on the traditional split, try the version at Dairy Belle (2635 Broadway, Riviera Beach; 561-844-1038). It’s a “vertical” split, served in a tall cup.

4. Barbecue
What makes it American: Cooking on an open flame probably dates to the caveman era. But cooking, smoking and flavoring meat with rubs and sauces has been an American tradition since the 17th century, with regional variations (Texas, Kansas City, Carolinas) galore.

Where to enjoy it locally: While there are good local ’cue joints, there’s only one great one — but you can partake of it just once a year. I’m talking about the traveling Porky’s concession, which makes its way to the South Florida Fair annually. Make sure to try the oversized pork chops.

5. Blackened fish
What makes it American: This is a Cajun method of cooking fish — blackening with spices is a clever way to replicate charcoal cooking in a pan. Credit New Orleans chef Paul Prudhomme with making this dish a hit on restaurant menus nationwide.

Where to enjoy it locally: No one does fish locally like chef Mike Moir of Little Moir’s Food Shack (103 S. U.S. 1, Jupiter; 561-741-3626; littlemoirsfoodshack.com) and Little Moir’s Leftovers Café (451 University Blvd., Jupiter; 561-627-6030; littlemoirsfoodshack.com). And that goes for his nicely spicy rendition of blackened fish as well.

6. Bourbon
What makes it American: Forget moonshine. The true American whiskey is this spirit made from corn. It takes its name from Bourbon County, Kentucky.

Where to enjoy it locally: The best bourbon cocktail I’ve tried at a local watering hole has to be the Sweet & Smoky Old-Fashioned poured at Forte (225 Clematis St., West Palm Beach; 561-833-3330; fortepalmbeach.com). It’s a beguiling blend of bacon-infused (yes, bacon-infused) Jack Daniel’s and maple syrup.

7. Bread pudding
What makes it American: Bread pudding has been around for as nearly as long as bread itself, since it’s a great way to make use of anything that’s gone stale. But it became part of the American vernacular as early as colonial times and is today considered a fixture in the South.

Where to enjoy it locally: Head to CW’s BBQ. This great hole-in-the-wall barbecue joint (11150 S.E. Federal Highway, Hobe Sound; 772-546-6860) offers a different homemade bread pudding or cobbler every day. For $4.75 for a 1-pound “chunk,” it’s all you could ask for — and more.

8. Buffalo wings
What makes it American: No, America didn’t invent the chicken wing — chickens did! But America — specifically, the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, N.Y. — gave us the spicy Buffalo wing. As foodstuffs go, it’s a relatively recent invention, created almost by chance one night in 1964.

Where to enjoy it locally: There are wing chains and wing-crazed sports bars aplenty. But for some meaty wings, fried to perfection and smothered in an outstanding array of sauces, try Teddy’s Wing Shack (1632 S. Military Trail, West Palm Beach; 561-642-7067; teddyswingshack.com). My favorite: the coconut curry wings.

9. Caesar salad
What makes it American: It may be on the menu of every Italian restaurant, but this zesty salad, with romaine lettuce and a garlic dressing, is generally thought to have been created in the ’20s by Italian immigrant Caesar Cardini, who lived in San Diego and worked in Tijuana. (Talk about a melting pot of a dish!) It became a favorite of the Hollywood set — they often went across the border during the Prohibition era.

Where to enjoy it locally: Call it a deconstructed Caesar: That’s what chef Anthony de Palma offers at his “modern rustic” eatery Dolce de Palma (1000 Okeechobee Road, West Palm Beach; 561-833-6460; dolcedepalma.com). The genius of the dish: The chef places the soft-boiled eggs to the side (rather than incorporating them into the dressing), so you can dip the lettuce leaves into the yolks and fashion the salad for yourself.

10. California roll
What makes it American: It’s sushi using American ingredients. The popular roll, dating from the ’70s, is generally credited to the Los Angeles sushi chef Ichiro Manashita.

Where to enjoy it locally: Even though imitation crab meat may be one of the main ingredients in a California roll, there’s nothing to say you can’t use real crab meat. That’s what they do at The Blue Fish (110 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach; 561-330-3474; thebluefishsushi.com), one of our best local sushi restaurants.

11. Catfish
What makes it American: True, you can find catfish throughout the world. But they were a big part of the American diet — the Native American diet, that is — long before America was discovered.

Where to enjoy it locally: A confession here: I’m not much of a catfish fan. But I’ve always known that the best catfish comes from the Glades. And my Glades sources tell me the best there comes from Poppa Jimmy’s Catfish & More (149 S. Lake Ave., Pahokee; 561-924-9199).

12. Chili
What makes it American: The dish may be influenced by Mexican cuisine, but it’s considered a product of Texas (San Antonio in particular) and the American Southwest, going all the way back to the late 19th century. By 1893, it was being served at the World’s Fair in Chicago.

Where to enjoy it locally: The salad-centric Sweet Tomatoes chain (sweettomatoes.com), which has locations in West Palm Beach (1900 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., 561-640-5720) and Boca Raton (7110 Beracasa Way, 561-750-3303), also excels in soups. I always grab a bowl of their satisfying chili when I visit.

13. Clam chowder
What makes it American: The seafood soup supposedly has French roots — chowder likely comes from chaudiere, the French word for cauldron — but it’s been a big part of the New England diet for centuries. Recipes for it appear in American cookbooks dating to 1800.

Where to enjoy it locally: If a restaurant has “seafood” in its name, you know it has to take its chowder seriously. Such is the case at The Breakers’ Seafood Bar (1 S. County Road, Palm Beach; 888-273-2537; thebreakers.com), where they make the classic New England cream-based version.

14. Corn bread
What makes it American: If corn is the ultimate New World food, corn bread may be the best expression of it. Native Americans started the tradition of using the vegetable as a basis for breads and cakes of all kinds. Early European settlers eventually followed.

Where to enjoy it locally: True, Captain Charlie’s Reef Grill (12846 U.S. 1, Juno Beach; 561-624-9924) is best known for its eclectic array of seafood dishes. But it also makes a mean corn bread, filled with whole kernels of corn, as an accompaniment to its Caribbean Chili.

15. Crabs (Maryland-style)
What makes it American: Maryland blue crabs were devoured by Native Americans long before there was a Maryland. By the 19th century, they were commercially fished. And by the 20th century, they found their true complement — Old Bay seasoning, a created-in-Maryland spice mix.

Where to enjoy it locally: Two words: Riggins Crabhouse (607 Ridge Road, Lantana; 561-586-3000; rigginscrabhouse.com). They do justice to the Maryland favorite, but make sure to save room for their peanut butter pie, too. (And yes, peanut butter is an all-American food as well.)

16. Hamburger
What makes it American: Don’t let the name fool you. The chopped steak may be traced to the German city of Hamburg. But the chopped steak on a bun? That’s American, with roots in dining spots in Connecticut, Wisconsin, Texas or New York (it depends on which story you believe) around the turn of the 20th century.

Where to enjoy it locally: There are plenty of favorites, from the Brass Ring Pub in North Palm Beach and Royal Palm Beach to the Five Guys chain. But I’m going with the best burger I’ve had of late — the Bistro Burger at Joseph’s Classic Bistro (4595 Northlake Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens; 561-691-6992). It’s a creative affair, stuffed with mozzarella cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and roasted red peppers and topped with prosciutto.

17. Hot dog
What makes it American: Sausages became an American staple thanks to the German and Austrian immigrants who arrived at our shores in the 19th century. But it took a little American marketing savvy to transform the wiener into a “hot dog.” Lots of stories abound as to how, where and when the term was coined, but it’s likely been around since the 1890s.

Where to enjoy it locally: Since baseball and hot dogs make for a perfect pairing, that brings to mind an obvious candidate for top dog — namely, the plus-size Dean Dog sold at Roger Dean Stadium (4751 Main St., Jupiter; 561-775-1818; rogerdeanstadium.com) during spring training and the minor-league baseball season.

18. Iced tea
What makes it American: Tea may not be the American beverage of choice, but iced tea is an American classic. Its roots are supposedly in the South, especially the sweetened version (best known as — what else? —- sweet tea). But it became a national sensation after it was introduced at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis.

Where to enjoy it locally: Sweet tea and barbecue are a perfect fit. Especially at Park Avenue BBQ Grille (numerous locations throughout Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast — go to pabbqgrille.com for details). The local ‘cue chain serves a version of the drink that‚s just right — icy cold and not too sweet.

19. Meatloaf
What makes it American: Recipes using ground beef are hardly unique to America: Think everything from Swedish meatballs to Middle Eastern kofta. But American-style meatloaf came into being in the 19th century and spread in popularity by the mid-20th century, thanks to women’s magazines and food manufacturers’ test kitchens, as a tasty, economical way to prepare beef.

Where to enjoy it locally: Meatloaf is the quintessential comfort food — and that’s what Southern Kitchen (801 N. Federal Highway, Lake Park; 561-844-1735) specializes in. But I admit that it’s hard choosing between their meatloaf and pot roast as my favorite menu item.

20. Philly cheese steak
What makes it American: Consider the Philly cheese steak a regional expression of the great American sub, a sandwich that came to this country by way of Southern Italy in the beginning of the 20th century. The Philadelphia version is said to have been introduced by Pat and Harry Olivieri in the City of Brotherly Love in the 1930s.

Where to enjoy it locally: You can’t find a much more authentic cheese steak than the ones they serve at Big Al’s Steaks (450 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach; 561-819-1888; bigalssteaks.com). The family behind it hails from Philly and they continue to ship in their bread from the city.

First Watch's pancakes, Taylor Jones/The Post

21. Pancakes
What makes it American: Pancakes are common to many countries, served in a variety of ways and made from a variety of ingredients. Native Americans prepared a cornmeal version. But the ones we enjoy today for breakfast are said to be of Scotch derivation — light and fluffy and typically made with baking powder.

Where to enjoy it locally: Forget IHOP (I’ve never forgiven them for taking buckwheat pancakes off their menu). My new favorite is the First Watch chain (firstwatch.com), with locations in Boca Raton, Jupiter and Stuart. They serve some of the biggest flapjacks around — one will usually make for a satisfying morning meal — and they come flavored with your choice of bananas, cranberries or blueberries (or you can opt to have them plain).

22. Pizza
What makes it American: How did an Italian item become arguably the most all-American of foods? Through Italian immigrants: It’s generally agreed that the first American pizzeria was Lombardi’s in New York’s Greenwich Village, which opened in 1905 and served a thin-crust pie based on the Italian original. The concept spread to Italian neighborhoods in other cities. But pizza didn’t gain true popularity until after World War II, when returning soldiers brought with them a taste for the pizza they had in Italy.

Where to enjoy it locally: For a big slice of Big Apple-style pizza, head to Pizza Girls (114 S. Clematis St., West Palm Beach; 561-833-4004; pizzagirls.com). Just fold it the traditional New York way, open your mouth as wide as possible and start strutting through downtown West Palm. Pretty soon you’ll feel like John Travolta in his Brooklyn-era Saturday Night Fever glory.

23. Potato chips
What makes it American: There are no arguments about this one: Potato chips were invented by chef George Crum at a restaurant in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., one night in 1853. As the story goes, one customer didn’t like his potatoes cut too thickly. So the chef created as thin a version as possible. Over the course of the next century, they went from the restaurant kitchen to the store shelf, becoming one of the world’s most popular snack foods.

Where to enjoy it locally: Sure, most folks buy bagged chips. But if you want to experience the chip in its original form — namely, as a restaurant delicacy — head to Brewzzi (brewzzi.com), with locations in West Palm Beach’s CityPlace and Boca Raton. They offer a sinful version topped with Gorgonzola cheese as an appetizer. As their menu says, “You’ll never go back to plain ol’ chips.”

24. S’mores
What makes it American: The campfire treat is a version of the sandwich cookie, which has been around since Victorian times. The exact origins of this particular cookie, combining graham crackers, marshmallow and chocolate, is unclear, but it likely emerged in America some time in the early 20th century. The Girl Scouts of the USA first touted them in a 1927 camping guide.

Where to enjoy it locally: No, you don’t have to go camping to have some s’mores. There’s actually one local restaurant, the outdoors-themed Tall Tales within the Gander Mountain store (100 Gander Way, Palm Beach Gardens; 561-627-5642) that features them on their dessert menu. You can go for the traditional chocolate version or one made with peanut-butter cups.

25. Wine (California)
What makes it American: Think of California as the Bordeaux of America, a wine region of greatness and a great degree of variety. But what makes the state distinctly American as a wine locale is that it not only accounts for 90 percent of this country’s wine production, it also specializes in wines that are very much in a class by themselves, a New World style that’s fruit-forward and higher in alcohol.

Where to enjoy it locally: Almost any good restaurant will have several California wines on its list. But at Seasons 52 (seasons52.com), with locations in Boca Raton (2300 N.W. Executive Center Drive, 561-998-9952) and Palm Beach Gardens (11611 Ellison Wilson Road, 561-625-5852), you’ll find California accounts for about half the list, with the wines pairing smartly with the restaurant’s American bistro-style menu. Seasons 52 sommelier George Miliotes suggests seeking out the Christopher Vineyard zinfandel, which was created in partnership with the restaurant group.