What city has the best food in the U.S.? Now that’s a question that could lead to more than a few arguments – but personal finance website WalletHub has sought to answer it anyway.
WalletHub’s experts ranked 180 U.S. cities based on 28 indicators of “foodie-friendliness” that include both food consumed at home and out on the town. Categories included the cost of groceries, affordability and accessibility of high-quality restaurants and how many food festivals the towns host.
“In the best foodie cities, including Miami, Fla.; Portland, Ore., and San Francisco, Calif., there are tons of unique culinary experiences to try, from food trucks to specialty-food stores to, in some cities, Michelin-starred restaurants,” said WalletHub analyst Chris Lupo. “The top cities cater not just to people who enjoy dining out, but also to foodies who enjoy putting their own skills to the test by exploring new flavors in their own kitchens. In addition, these cities make delicious dining affordable for residents and visitors alike.”
Here’s WalletHub’s Top 10 list of “foodie-friendly” cities in the nation:
- Miami, Fla.
- Portland, Ore.
- San Francisco, Calif.
- Seattle, Wash.
- Austin, Texas
- Orlando, Fla.
- Tampa, Fla.
- Las Vegas, Nev.
- Sacramento, Calif.
- Denver, Colo.
Miami landed at the top of the list due to the combination of its diverse and affordable restaurant scene and resources for cooking at home. According to WalletHub’s analysis, it leads the country in restaurants rated at least 4.5 stars out of 5 that won’t break the bank and it has an extremely high number of restaurants per capita. Affordability isn’t the end of the story in Miami, however.
“Miami also has high-quality choices,” said WalletHub. “The city has the 12th-most diversity when it comes to the types of restaurants available, and the ninth-best ratio of full-service restaurants to fast-food chains. On top of that, foodies who want to partake in fine dining can choose from 12 Michelin-starred restaurants. One of them, L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, even has two Michelin stars.”
For those who prefer to get creative in the kitchen, Miami has plenty of options. WalletHub’s report found that it has the third-most farmers’ markets, 10th-most gourmet specialty food stores, third-most butcher shops, and the second-most kitchen supply stores per capita in the nation.
Portland, at the north end of Oregon’s Willamette Valley, snagged that second-place spot in part due to its food festival offerings, as well as food and wine tours. It also stood out due to its craft breweries and wineries, herb and spice shops and its decision not to tax food.
“Like the other top cities, it also has a very high number of restaurant choices, especially ones with at least 4.5 out of 5 stars,” said WalletHub. However, Portland doesn’t have any Michelin-starred restaurants.
In the number three spot, San Francisco has a “staggering” 25 spots with Michelin stars. Three of those have three stars apiece: Atelier Crenn, Benu, and Quince.
Furthermore, “the Golden Gate city has the sixth-best diversity of restaurant types in the country, along with the fourth-best access to healthy food options. San Francisco also has a large number of food festivals and cooking schools per capita, allowing foodies to enjoy new culinary experiences,” said WalletHub.
While these cities ranked the highest on WalletHub’s list, there’s amazing food to be found throughout the country, with the Associated Press reporting earlier this year that people around the world fell in love with America’s food during the World Cup. Even the lowest ranked city (Pearl City, Hawaii – high prices dinged its score), The Pearl restaurant – a learning spot for culinary students – gets great reviews.
