A popular phrase states that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.

A new survey wanted to put that statement to the test and asked thousands of men to weigh in on the foods that make them weak in the knees.

DatingAdvice.com asked over 3,000 gentlemen to determine the top 10 treats guaranteed to make them hear wedding bells.

Men were asked to rate classic American desserts, sandwiches, fried dishes, and more until only the top 10 remained. Coming in #1 and #7 were these juggernaut dishes that originated in New York.

Which is pretty rich for the state that also has the largest percentage of eligible bachelors in the country.

Read More: Study Finds New York Has the Highest Number of Unmarried Men

American men voted a New York-style pastrami on rye sandwich the seventh best dish in the country.

Respondents said they crave the succulent pastrami that's piled high on lightly toasted or warmed rye bread and smothered in mustard.

Coming in as America's #1 food that can make a man's heart go aflutter is New York's signature cheesecake.

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This rich, creamy, and decadent dessert can apparently make any man melt. Must be the crumbly graham cracker crust and velvety texture that satisfies their cravings.

Coming in second was the savory powerhouse, the Philly cheesesteak. Third place went to Detroit-style pizza while Chicago's deep-dish pizza claimed fourth place.

Photo Credit: Bill Keeler / WIBX, TSM
Photo Credit: Bill Keeler / WIBX, TSM
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West Virginia's biscuits and gravy rounded out the top 5.

Here's how American men voted on the foods that are the keys to their hearts.

  1. New York Cheesecake
  2. Philly Cheese Steak
  3. Detroit-Style Dish Pizza
  4. Chicago Deep Dish Pizza
  5. West Virginia Biscuits and Gravy
  6. Kansas City Style BBQ
  7. New York Pastrami on Rye
  8. Wisconsin Fish Fry
  9. Nebraska-Style Reuben
  10. Kentucky's Fried Chicken

The list included the top 100 dishes, so several other New York contenders managed to make the cut.

Joshua Resnick
Joshua Resnick
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Coming in 14th was New York-style pizza while Buffalo wings claimed #21.

Finally, the fourth and final New York dish to make the list was NYC-style bagel and lox, which landed in 90th place.

Hilariously, it seems not a single dish that could be considered healthy made the roundup - and a health expert says there's an interesting reason why that is.

Dr. Wendy Walsh, relationship expert with DatingAdvice.com, explained why men overwhelmingly picked greasy, caloric feasts as their beloved meals.

Another reason men crave what we like to call 'comfort foods,' those high in carbohydrates and fat: They stimulate dopamine production.

She explained dopamine is "a neurotransmitter that can trigger motivation for a reward" and the reward, in some cases, is a lovely lady.

"It’s true, dopamine has been involved in reward-seeking behaviors for food, drugs, and, yes, sex. It’s sometimes called the hedonistic hormone," Walsh explained.

That said, if you're a woman that's out to snag herself a husband, now you know the art of culinary courtship.

Let us know who sells the best cheesecake here in Central New York!

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