The term 'foodie' means different things to different people. For some, it conjures images of diners obsessed with all things gourmet – the kind of people who feast at Michelin-starred restaurants on the regular. For others, it might translate to something more laid-back, like a trusted friend who stays on top of the best new restaurants in town. A new study from personal finance website WalletHub proposes a bit of both.
The site's 2021 list of the best foodie cities in America focuses more on affordability, diversity and accessibility than fancy-pants gastronomy. They evaluated 182 cities on a 100-point scale that includes 29 metrics like cost of groceries, farmers markets per capita, restaurants per capita, restaurant diversity and presence of Michelin-starred restaurants. In this sense, the term 'foodie' takes on a new and more inclusive meaning.
So, which city took the top spot? Scoring 70.77 of the possible 100 points, top honors go to Portland, Oregon. WalletHub notes that Portland excelled thanks to overall accessibility, affordability of high-end restaurants, a rich food truck scene and an ample supply of breweries.
Florida scored big on the study with three cities – Orlando, Miami and Tampa – making the top 10. Take a look at the highest-ranking cities below, and cruise the full list for even more delicious destinations.
2. Orlando
3. Miami
5. Austin
6. Sacramento
7. Denver
8. Las Vegas
9. Seattle
10. Tampa
Still hungry? Peep the world’s 10 best cities for eating and drinking.