Ranked: The Best American Cities for Foodies
Originally posted on CNTraveler.com
Travelers love to eat. That’s why, every year in our Readers’ Choice Survey, we ask our readers to rate the U.S. cities that have the best restaurants. This year, we were surprised by some of the winners in our Top 20. We think you will be too. Agree with their picks? Disagree? Want to see your favorite foodie city in the winner’s circle next year? Vote in the next Readers’ Choice Survey at cntraveler.com/vote.
19. SAN DIEGO
Readers’ Choice Rating: 79.9
Our Top 20 list starts off with a tie between the East and West Coasts. Representing the west, we have san Diego, where the growing food scene is one of the hottest in Southern California. Get your fill of local seafood at La Jolla mainstay George’s at the Cove, or nab a seat at Sushi Ota’s sushi bar. Chef Hanis Cavin’s Carnitas’ Snack Shack (pictured), a favorite newcomer, is your best bet for gourmet-casual fare. —Valentina Silva
19. PORTLAND, ME
Readers’ Choice Rating: 79.9
Just as the city of Portland has transformed itself from scruffy to sophisticated, so too has its cuisine—which explains why it finds itself on our Top 20 list, tied with San Diego. Yes, there’s still ample opportunity to chow down on a fresh lobster roll by the water at old-school institutions like DiMillo’s, but bolder seafood options await around every corner. Sam Hayward’s Fore Street is the restaurant that kicked off Portland’s food revolution nearly 20 years ago and continues to be one of its great innovators with a daily changing menu of locally sourced items, prepared rustic-style in a wood-burning oven. While (relative) newcomers like Eventide Oyster Co. (pictured), a tribute to the old-fashioned raw bar, and the Miyake family of Japan-meets-Maine eateries are a testament to the city’s increasingly adventurous palate. —Jennifer M. Wood
18. TELLURIDE, CO
Readers’ Choice Rating: 80.3
Stunning mountain scenery, exclusive ski resort, sophisticated seclusion—this historic hamlet wrapped in 14,000-foot peaks has it all while retaining just enough of its mining-boomtown roots to keep it rowdy. Start your feast with a late lunch at Bon Vivant, an alfresco perch elevating French comfort food to match the San Juan views; pair a sharp Alsace Pino Gris with the gruyere-smothered onion soup dunked with a slow-braised short rib. The ski slopes tumble into town where the après scene stays cool at There by Nobu alum Andrew Tyler. The ramshackle-hip hut filled with mountain bric-a-brac combines craft cocktails and choice Colorado-Asian fusion small plates like crispy duck breast steamed buns and rare Wagyu steak served with four dipping sauces. Dinner is served at 221 South Oak where Top Chef alum Eliza Gavin’s locally sourced game sausages and extensive wine list are served in a cozy restored Victorian home. Unruly dudes and famous faces alike have sidled up to the historic New Sheridan Bar since 1895, and these days the hotel preserving it is a perennial Readers’ Choice fave. All the better, then, to wrap your night here with a pint Telluride Brewing’s Face-Down Brown Ale, a Great American Beer Festival gold-medal brew. —Alex Pasquariello
17. NAPLES, FL
Readers’ Choice Rating: 80.5
Given its tropical climate and Gulf of Mexico perch, you’re going to get at least one seafood option at almost any restaurant you visit in Naples. And if that’s why you’re here, the boat-to-belly offerings at Truluck’s—including their famous stone crabs—are some of the area’s freshest. But Naples is a cosmopolitan city, and as such has a vast number of impressive international eats. For French Provencal, there’s Claudio Scaduto’s Côte d’Azur; for Spanish tapas off-the-beaten path, try IM Tapas. Caffe dell’Amore is a top choice for Italian, while Inca’s Kitchen serves up authentic Peruvian dishes like lomo saltado (sautéed beef loin) in a comfortable setting. If you can’t choose just one, Mereday’s offers an eclectic mix of flavors from around the world (think mussels with Indian madras curry and coconut milk). —Jennifer M. Wood
16. AUSTIN, TX
Readers’ Choice Rating: 80.7
Austin has never been short on good food (take, for example, the piled-high pulled pork at Franklin). But these days, chefs are adding all sorts of culinary twists to the Texas capital. At his new namesake restaurant (pictured) Paul Qui—of East Side King clout—offers Southwestern staples like short ribs covered in Thai herbs, followed by a decadent cheddar cheese ice cream for dessert. And the East Austin food truck scene deserves a Zagat guide unto itself. —Laura Carroll
See Also: America’s Best Sandwiches
15. SAVANNAH, GA
Readers’ Choice Rating: 81.2
Now that Paula Deen’s waterfront hub Uncle Bubba’s Oyster House is closed, what, pray tell, will anyone talk about? How about the arrival of James Beard Award winner and Top Chef judge Hugh Acheson, who makes his Savannah debut in May with Italian restaurant Florence? Or the continued excellence of The Olde Pink House (pictured), where diners can enjoy a juicy bourbon-molasses grilled pork tenderloin with collard greens and sweet potatoes in an 18th-century mansion, followed by a beer downstairs in a bar that seems plucked from the colonial era? Or how about the fact that Savannah was ranked third-friendliest city in the U.S. by our readers? Clearly, it seems there’s plenty to keep travelers talking about this southern city. —Laura Dannen Redman
14. NEWPORT, RI
Readers’ Choice Rating: 81.3
Though there are fish shacks aplenty in this tony New England city—Flo’s Clam Shack is a 78-year-old institution—Newport’s most noteworthy eateries offer more upscale takes on seafood in more formal settings. Which makes sense, given Newport’s island location and former life as a Gilded Age playground. At Castle Hill Inn Dining Room overlooking Narragansett Bay, chef Karsten Hart emphasizes local ingredients in dishes like broiled cod with smoked seaweed butter. At Spiced Pear, fine diners line up for the New England Tasting Menu, which—if you’re lucky—will include chilled local oysters with horseradish bacon sorbet. —Jennifer M. Wood
13. SEATTLE
Readers’ Choice Rating: 81.7
Yes, Seattle has (excellent) coffee and salmon, and the fishmongers will toss the fresh catch of the day for your amusement in Pike Place Market, but the city is so much more than its stereotypes. Chefs walk the walk here, showing true dedication to local ingredients and innovation, from James Beard Award nominee Renee Erickson’s soul-cleansing oysters at The Walrus and the Carpenter to the lamb popsicles at Shanik (pictured), sister restaurant to the famed Vancouver, B.C., Indian eatery Vij’s. Ethan Stowell is another of Seattle’s James Beard Award nominees, and his family-style Italian Sunday dinners at Tavolàta (which, dare we say it, rival our grandmother’s) are not to be missed.—Laura Dannen Redman
12. LAS VEGAS
Readers’ Choice Rating: 82.0
Headliners of the stage aren’t the only big names in Vegas. In recent years, celebrity chefs have set up their own culinary residencies in Sin City’s biggest casino hotels. The star-studded list includes Michelin-starred French chefs like Joel Robuchon at MGM Grand and Pierre Gagnaire at the Mandarin Oriental, while Jose Andres experiments with Mexican and Chinese cuisine side by side (not fused together) at China Poblano at The Cosmopolitan (pictured). For sushi lovers, chef Nobu Matsuhisa opened his first Nobu hotel at Caesars Palace, serving green tea waffles and specialty bento boxes through room service.
And then there are the TV chefs: Bobby Flay, Gordon Ramsay, Tom Colicchio, Buddy V a.k.a. The Cake Boss, and Giada de Laurentiis, who will serve simple Italian plates at her firstever restaurant at The Cromwell, opening next month. As for the answer to the ageold Vegas question, “Where’s the best steakhouse?,” there’s no right or wrong choice nowadays, thanks to Wolfgang Puck’s CUT, Mario Batali’s Carnevino, Charlie Palmer Steak, Steve Wynn’s SW Steak, and NYC’s Old Homestead. —Juliana Shallcross
See Also: The Best Foodie Hotels
11. ASPEN
Readers’ Choice Rating: 82.5
America’s premier winter playground adds another celeb-chef notch to its belt this spring with the opening of David Burke Kitchen. Executive chef Matt O’Neill (poached from The Little Nell) will lend the place his locavore cred—don’t miss the local elk, lamb and beef that will be prepared in a custom dry aging room. For seafood, hit Iron Chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s sushi outpost, an eternally a hot table for A-listers and X-Gamers alike. Aspen’s après scene isn’t just about food though; locally made beers add to the city’s culinary cred. Toast a powder day at Aspen Brewing Company’s Tasting Room over pints of Independence Pass Ale, Pyramid Peak Porter and Conundrum Red Ale. A stylish speakeasy-slash-restaurant in the historic wheeler Opera House, Justice Snow’s is the spot to sample locally distilled spirits in craft cocktails by “Lead Libation Liaison” Joshua-Peter Smith including a Chepita cobbler with Woody Creek Colorado Potato Vodka, Carlson Plum Wine, honey, a muddled peach, cherries and bit of tarragon shaken with crushed ice. —Alex Pasquariello
10. BOSTON
Readers’ Choice Rating: 83.1
While history may associate Boston dining with such old-school (and often bland) dishes as brown bread, baked beans, and clam chowder, there’s been a changing of the guards in recent years. Chefs who have spent years studying under the city’s most notable cooks are breaking out and opening up their own joints, which couple upscale eats with laidback vibes. In the South End, Merrill & Co. promotes sharing plates of fried oysters in a squid ink aioli, cast iron mussels with red curry and ginger, and pork belly with baby carrots and za’atar. In Harvard Square, Alden & Harlow (pictured) does the gastropub trend proud with a ‘secret’ burger that is packing crowds in. While in Downtown Crossing, The Merchant is putting a New England spin on the American brasserie, serving up everything from green curry mussels to fish and chips into the wee hours of the morning. —Jennifer M. Wood
9. HEALDSBURG, CA
Readers’ Choice Rating: 83.6
Ask any twenty- or thirty-something in the Bay Area to name their favorite city in California wine country, and chances are you’ll hear Healdsburg’s name. Like the locals, the food scene is friendly and welcoming, with an impressive range of creative talent for such a small place. Chalkboard has a contemporary vibe and house-made pastas with accents like duck fat breadcrumbs. And SHED Café (pictured) serves delightfully simple and seasonal brunches in an airy, indoor-outdoor setting. —Stacy Adimando
8. SANTA FE
Readers’ Choice Rating: 84.2
An introduction to New Mexican cuisine usually starts with a declaration of allegiance: green chile or red chile? Start by sampling both at The Shed, a James Beard Award–winning restaurant that’s been managed by the same family since 1953, and serves some of the city’s best chicken enchiladas, wrapped in blue corn tortillas and smothered in red and green chile sauce. But the Santa Fe experience has grown beyond the chile war to embrace fusion fare: Mark Kiffin’s Compound (pictured) blends Southwestern and Mediterranean flavors, while Restaurant Martín dishes out ‘progressive American cuisine’—Southwestern and Asian influences with French technique. —Laura Dannen Redman
See Also: Is This the Best In-Flight Cocktail?
7. CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA, CA
Readers’ Choice Rating: 85.0
This coast city’s quaint downtown area is a perfectly walkable size, which means you can cover a lot of ground (and some notable restaurant newcomers) in just one weekend. Mundaka, a Spanish tapas bar, has a rotating paella of the day and a new, next-door café pouring Ritual coffee. The attentive staff at Akaoni (24381 San Juan Rd, 831-620-1516) serves top-quality, traditional sushi, and La Bicycletta spins out inventive thin crust pizzas with combos like butternut squash and speck. Some say the three are among the best spots to dine in all of Monterey County. —Stacy Adimando
6. CHICAGO
Readers’ Choice Rating: 85.0
The Second City’s food scene has never been hotter, thanks to a healthy ratio of stalwart restaurateurs—notably Paul Kahan (posh Italian spot Nico Osteria (pictured) is his newest; perennial New American favorite Blackbird is his calling card) and Brendan Sodikoff (High Five Ramen opens in May; flattop burger joint Au Cheval is the favorite)—and a smattering of ethnic eateries reflecting the city’s diversity. In this town, to-die-for taquerias like L’Patron are just as popular as molecular-gastronomic mainstays like Next. —Lauren Viera
5. NEW ORLEANS
Readers’ Choice Rating: 85.4
This food-obsessed city is constantly redefining its local flavor, perfecting beignets and gumbo while experimenting with the latest from nearby farms. New French Quarter restaurant Eat serves comfort food—chicken and dumplings, red beans and rice, fried green tomatoes—with the freshest ingredients; while Isaac Toups proves he’s a master of Gulf shrimp, dirty rice and pork skin cracklins at Toup’s Meatery. Pork paradise Cochon (pictured) delivers traditional Cajun fare in a renovated warehouse in the Lower Garden District. And we’ll follow creative Chef Ian Schnoebelen from fine-dining restaurant Iris, which (sadly) closes in May, to his Italian-inspired Mariza in the Bywater. —Laura Dannen Redman
4. CHARLESTON, SC
Readers’ Choice Rating: 86.0
Our readers’ favorite city in America (and the one they also voted the friendliest) has gone way beyond standard-issue Southern in recent years, with restaurant creativity to rival much larger cities’ and, in the form of a local edition of the food blog Eater, the discriminating diners that go with it. New restaurants like The Ordinary (pictured)—where local oysters are shucked inside a former bank vault—and Xiao Bao Biscuit—where Lowcountry riffs make Asian recipes sing—prove that the trendsetting Husk—while still a winner—is far from the only game in this electric eating town. —Paul Brady
See More: The World’s Best Bagels
3. SAN FRANCISCO
Readers’ Choice Rating: 86.5
There’s no doubt SF has earned its reputation as one of the top food cities in the U.S., thanks to culinary destinatons like the 18-course seasonal-fare spot Saison (which started out as a pop-up) and off-duty-chefs’ favorite Rich Table. But to experience the rustic, farm-to-table dining that helped put it on the map, have lunch at Delfina Pizzeria. Start with young fried favas or Sonoma-derived duck conserva with giardiniera, and don’t miss the housemade fennel sausage pie, which comes out perfectly charred and bubbly. Speaking of pie, head to the unfussy corner spot Mission Pie (pictured) for dessert. Plop down with a rhubarb-filled slice and do an hour of people watching among the hipster patrons. —Stacy Adimando
2. NAPA
Readers’ Choice Rating: 87.1
It wasn’t always a foodie destination, but locals will tell you the food scene across Napa Valley (which is loosely collected into a “city” for our Readers’ Choice Survey) is improving every day. Of course, it started with a bang, thanks to Thomas Keller’s French Laundry. And now, there’s plenty more to taste. To experience a new world example, eat at the bar at Goose and Gander (pictured). The dim-lit pub-like interior is a fun contrast to the bright, fresh food and exquisite seasonal cocktail list by Scott Beattie. Don’t miss out on the more classic fare, like Model Bakery’s light as air English muffins, a dream come true when slathered with butter. —Stacy Adimando
1. NEW YORK CITY
Readers’ Choice Rating: 87.3
It’s no surprise that New York landed in the No. 1 spot on our readers’ list of America’s top food cities. This is, after all, a city of culinary experts and of culinary upstarts. It’s the foodie mecca where other chefs come to learn to be chefs, and where regular citizens learn to be food critics. This is where David Chang, April Bloomfield, Daniel Boulud, Wylie Dufresne, Bill Telepan, Tom Colicchio, and Marcus Samuelsson ply their trades. This is where you can eat burgers at Shake Shack, indulge in authentic curry in Queens, and throw back oysters and cocktails at Maison Premiere. But it’s not all about famous chefs in this town—it’s about authentic international cuisine and small mom-and-pop kitchens too. Oh, and desserts. It’s definitely about dessert. After all, this is the town where the cronut was created. —Billie Cohen
Agree? Disagree? Vote now in our Readers’ Choice Survey.
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