The top 10 best food cities in America

Best Food Cities in America

Our site/blogs may contain some affiliate/compensated links, which may earn us a small commission if you make a purchase through our links, at no extra cost to you. Learn more

Being a great food city surely takes some work, it helps to have a hungry Populus that strives for more, a geo classical dish or two, and a demographic that loves to gulp.

It all down with a drink.

Scouting in more than a dozen destinations meted out against each other for qualifying the gold standards of a food hub — including culinary skills, community food lovers, and traditional cuisines, to back it all up among other shoes to fill— we have listed the Top rated 10 of America’s Best Food Cities in America.

Period.

There were plenty of surprises on the cards right here.

Let the food wars and debates begin!

However, don’t just glide into these cities, it’s about more than a few bites that it takes to judge the best.

Before rating the subjects, remember it’s a war to win the race among all restaurants, bars, food stores, and farmers markets across the board.

10. Charleston

Image Source: Southern Living

The tiniest in the list, Charleston is one of the best food cities in america projects it’s future as it’s so-food rich past. Harboring the latest food by trend and fashion packed with some country trinkets– straight from the lazy kitchen garden ingredients that are available at every corner shop here farm-to-table is envisaged anew.

Charleston, home to sous chef Sean Brock and the cookbook maverick Nathalie Dupree, is not cosmopolitan although it surely serves the best shrimp and grits unfailingly on the planet.

Moment of glory: Scrumptious golden fried chicken, moist shrimps and unmatched hospitality at the idyllic food purveyor Martha Lou’s Kitchen.

Take on tradition: Juicy Shrimp and masa grits powered by chili sofrito at the Minero, a Mexican delight well deserved from Charleston best sous chef Sean Brock.

Also check our blog post: Best Places to Invest in Real Estate in USA

9. Washington D.C.

Image Source: Thrilist

Best Indian food haven across the States, a scrunchy countryside inn, finesse Spanish tapas the city hosts the best, and arguably the longest, on the list of the country’s top food draws.

If grocery shopping is top notch the local wines are drool worthy too including the local fast-food faves think steak and Sweet Greens!

Moment of glory: Barmini, the lousy lounge by Andrés, serving the best cocktails.

Best Of the best: Partisan, roster of 30-plus meats arranged like wines. The meat lovers Haven has an iridescent bresaola punched with Thai spices.

8. New York

Image Source: Devour Tours

The city still counts for over 45,000 restaurants, 200 cuisines hosting some of the biggest names in the business

New York is resting on its considerable laurels. Sevomakase at Masa or supper at Eleven Madison Park’s rare bottle of fine winery or Cosme, a Mexican new joint or Peter Luger Steak House, a past Brooklyn icon the Sushi Nakazawa adds onto Japanese flavor, and Le Bernardin remains the fave four-star, alongside a cheap $3 hot dog at Gray’s Papaya, bowing to the Big Apple for its unmatched bagels when more is just more. Maximalist brag.

Moment of glory: The klieg-light-bright Masa haven.

Best take on tradition: Shalom Japan in Brooklyn’s classic Jewish-Japanese. Okonomiyaki is served with sauerkraut and pastrami.

7. Chicago

Image Source: The Hat Chicago

Best Fine dining on par with the country’s creme de la creme Chicago can possibly claim that distinction, too with ease.

Food experimentation and accessibility propels the Windy City’s F&B landscape, second to New York’s for the shared recognition, backed up with its fleet of first-class eateries, like Grant Achatz of Alinea, serving fruit-flavored balloons for dessert, alongside piping steaks and sumptuous tacos.

The new kid on the block Fat Rice hosting the food of Macau serves fragrant jasmine rice, Chinese sausages, Portuguese chicken thighs, pickles, prawns and much more.

Moment of glory: The mouthwatering menu at the Parachute food joint that serves bibimbap and Spanish mackerel with pickled lemon.

Best fast-food haven: Xoco – Featuring (Chicago’s sous chef Rick Bayless) serving piping hot chocolate with cacao beans from Tabasco roasted and grounded here.

6. Philadelphia

Image Source: Visit Phiadelphia

Better known for its cheesesteaks, good Italian reputation and BYOB restaurants: Philly is self-aware as a blue-collar food town counting 50 or so breweries in the area alongside vegetarian restaurants, the contemporary Jewish standard-bearers and its Fishtown and East Passyunk – growing irresistible by the season.

Noord Eetcafe charm and other varieties stocked by Fante’s Kitchen Shop in its historic Italian Market this City knows best how to cook, eat, drink and be merry.

Magic moment: the full vegan menu at Vedge serving a whole roasted carrot metamorphosed in a meatless “Reuben.”

Going Vegan: V Street in Philadelphia serves meatless street food like jerk trumpet mushrooms, carrot asado salad alongside cocktails.

5. Houston

Image Source: The Plant D

The city with the best Vietnamese cooking returns including delicious Chinese menus, Mexican, alongside seafood-themed Caracol and Cuchara, centered around the city’s signature: aside fajitas, the classic Asian-Cajun seafood boils.

Only a Few food scenes enjoy the same as this west Texas-sized camaraderie or the new L.A. and New Orleans brainchild

Miracle Moment: Food renaissance at Killen’s Barbecue, serving unmatched smoked meats to gulp down with some gratis beer.

Best food deal: ECK Bakery in Houston serving flaky custard-filled Chinese pastries for a dollar a piece.

4. New Orleans

Image Source: Food & Wine

The city with an outsized appetite.

Be it cayenne-spiked pork chop or Hansen’s Sno-Bliz for snowballs (in hot summers!) Galatoire’s red beans and rice, this is undoubtedly the only city with its own cuisine and the home of the Sazerac, the Vieux Carré and even having its own food museum.

Magic moment: Friday afternoon brunch of the Galatoire’s Sazeracs

Best hospitality: JoAnn Clevenger, at the Upperline in New Orleans

3. Los Angeles

Image Source: Conde Nast Traveler

With diners serving big-eyed tuna, sea urchin and furikake, bursting with fresh produce and impeccable seafood spreads, that’s the best in the country. Like Portland, Los Angeles prefers its fine dining food scene more towards the laid-back side.

Moment of glory: Hollywood Farmers’ Market spread.

Idyllic grocery shopping experience: The Hollywood Farmers Markets best produce

2. San Francisco

Image Source: Conde Nast Traveler

The best food stomping ground on the West Coast hosting the first pop-up in the country is Tadich Grill, born as a coffee stand for erstwhile gold miners back in 1849.

The Ferry Building Marketplace fresh salads and lush greens makes one appreciate a city were Food meets the heart.

Moment of glory: supper at Quince, with house baked breads.

Cookbook galore: Mastering the Art of French Cooking” by Julia Child along with 2,000 and other so titles.

1. Portland

Image Source: Oregon Public Broadcasting

The city that’s best known for its (stellar) breakfasts, offering unmatched vegan fare.

Round the clock fast-food operators, like Burgerville, rolling raspberry milkshakes and Walla Walla onion rings and over 300 kinds of truffles, berries coming from the first-class farmers markets or some of the country’s best mouthwatering Asian retreats (like Pok Pok!) Portland’s flavors are piquing with some superb coffee, wine and bread spreads.

Moment of glory: New Seasons Markets blueberries and honeysuckle from Siberia.

An idyllic breakfast: The southern Screen Door restaurant’s buttermilk fried chicken pasted on a sweet potato. Simply Delicious!