Well, it’s official, according to the thousands of Rhode Islanders who voted in our bracket over the past few months, the best Rhode Island food is named after another state.

That’s right folks, the winner of the The Providence Journal Rhode Island Food Bracket is the New York System Wiener.

To get to this point, wieners beat out clam cakes in the final round with more than 60% of the vote, after beating out pizza strips, grinders and lobster rolls. Rhode Island’s two state foods – calamari and coffee milk – were knocked out in the second round of voting.

Why does Rhode Island like New York System Wieners so much?

A Rhode Island delicacy, New York System Wieners – which are a mix of beef, pork and veal – come in a natural casing that makes a 20-foot rope that the restaurants have to cut to size by hand. Once in the bun, it’s covered with mustard, chili, onions and celery salt.

It might, at first, seem like a humble dish, so we asked Greg Stevens, the owner of the famous Olneyville New York System to explain the appeal.

“I think it’s a 50/50 mix of nostalgia – it’s what we all grew up with – and uniqueness,” Stevens said.

NY System Wieners, he said, have been a thing for over 100 years in Rhode Island, before Olneyville New York System even opened. Generations of Rhode Islanders have had their parents bring them to their local wiener spot, for two all the way with a tall glass of coffee milk, he said. That creates a soft spot.

And then, they’re also the exact type of unusual and unique that Rhode Islanders gravitate toward.

“Hot dogs or wieners are made all over the country and everyone prepares them differently,” Stevens said. “Some have sauerkraut, some have pickle relish … in Rhode Island, we have prepared the hot wieners they way we do for over 100 years.”

What’s the history of the New York System Wiener?

According to the New England Historical Society, the New York System wiener first entered the culinary scene in the 1900s, when hot dogs were still new and “New York System” was a marketing term. The name meant you were getting an authentic wiener and was originally associated with Coney Island.

It wasn’t long until Providence’s Greek community turned the “New York System wiener” into the wiener we know today, effectively changing the meaning of the name. From there, they took off.

Does this mean New York System Wieners should become the state food in Rhode Island?

While four weeks of polling via the bracket shows that Rhode Islanders think New York System Wieners are the most Rhode Island food out there, it’s not currently recognized by the legislature as one of the official state foods.

Do you know all of the RI state symbols?Take a look at what we chose to represent the state

Perhaps, it should be considered for a designation at the official state food next session.

“It did win the bracket,” Stevens said.