Two soft round chocolate cakes sandwiched around fluffy white marshmallow-cream filling, traditionally palm-sized. Designated Maine's official state treat in 2011 (the blueberry pie remains the state dessert).
Where to eat it: 3 restaurants across 1 city.
The whoopie pie's origin is contested among Maine, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. Maine's claim rests on the Labadie's Bakery (Lewiston, 1925) and on Amish recipes adapted by Maine bakers in the early 1900s. The Maine state legislature designated the whoopie pie as the state's official treat in 2011 (with the blueberry pie remaining the state dessert). Two Fat Cats Bakery and Wicked Whoopies (Gardiner, Maine, also sold in Portland) are the canonical commercial sources; family bakeries across Maine each have a personal recipe.
Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Egg
Tip from the editors. The cakes should be soft and cake-like, not chewy like a cookie. Underbake slightly; pulling them at 10 minutes keeps the bounce.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Two Fat Cats on Lancaster Street, founded 2005 by the Fore Street team and bought 2012 by Stacy Begin, runs whoopie pies, fruit pies and cakes.
Tip: Open Monday to Saturday. Pre-order whole pies 48 hours ahead via the operator site.
Worth the queue: Wild Maine blueberry pie
Rosemont Market on Congress Street Munjoy Hill, founded 2005 by John Naylor and Scott Anderson, is the Portland farm-and-cheese grocery cluster.
Tip: Daily 08:00 to 19:00. Cheese counter is the strongest in the city; wine cellar lives in the basement.
Public Market House on Monument Square, since 2006, runs seven food vendors under one roof: Mediterranean, Latin and Vietnamese counters and shared tables.
Tip: Daily 11:00 to 20:00. Counter ordering at each vendor; shared seating in the central corridor.
More cities are in research. Want whoopie pie covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.