Americans today apply the term “foodie” to anyone who loves gourmet dining. But foodie culture isn’t limited to restaurants. More importantly, far fewer than the many who claim to be foodies truly deserve the label. “Authentic” foodies, according to experts, not only crave new and different flavors but also savor the exploratory experience of eating, learning and discovering food.
Naturally, the foodie lifestyle can be quite expensive, considering that restaurant prices rose 5.4% just between July 2020 and July 2021. Even cooking your own gourmet meals can be pricy, as grocery store prices rose 3.5% between 2019 and 2020. Overall food spending decreased by $100 billion in 2020, though, in part due to financial difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fortunately, culinary hotspots across the U.S. offer plenty of affordable options for cash-strapped foodies. These wallet-friendly cities cater to diners who prefer to cook at home, explore the local flavors or both. To determine the best and cheapest foodie scenes, WalletHub compared more than 180 U.S. cities across 29 key indicators of foodie-friendliness. Our data set ranges from cost of groceries to affordability and accessibility of high-quality restaurants to food festivals per capita.
Main Findings
Best Food Cities in America
Overall Rank |
City |
Total Score |
Affordability |
Diversity, Accessibility & Quality |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Portland, OR | 70.77 | 56 | 3 |
2 | Orlando, FL | 70.67 | 26 | 5 |
3 | Miami, FL | 68.85 | 153 | 2 |
4 | San Francisco, CA | 67.89 | 173 | 1 |
5 | Austin, TX | 64.91 | 14 | 11 |
6 | Sacramento, CA | 63.59 | 85 | 8 |
7 | Denver, CO | 62.98 | 45 | 14 |
8 | Las Vegas, NV | 62.93 | 100 | 9 |
9 | Seattle, WA | 62.91 | 178 | 4 |
10 | Tampa, FL | 62.17 | 73 | 12 |
11 | Los Angeles, CA | 60.17 | 149 | 10 |
12 | San Diego, CA | 60.01 | 134 | 13 |
13 | Portland, ME | 58.81 | 57 | 20 |
14 | Oakland, CA | 58.46 | 172 | 7 |
15 | Washington, DC | 57.96 | 155 | 15 |
16 | St. Louis, MO | 57.88 | 127 | 18 |
17 | Grand Rapids, MI | 57.69 | 1 | 39 |
18 | Chicago, IL | 57.68 | 143 | 16 |
19 | Atlanta, GA | 57.68 | 140 | 17 |
20 | Houston, TX | 57.32 | 15 | 32 |
21 | Cincinnati, OH | 57.04 | 23 | 31 |
22 | Pittsburgh, PA | 56.97 | 91 | 22 |
23 | New York, NY | 56.87 | 181 | 6 |
24 | Charleston, SC | 56.64 | 96 | 23 |
25 | Rochester, NY | 56.63 | 62 | 25 |
26 | Buffalo, NY | 56.22 | 43 | 30 |
27 | Salt Lake City, UT | 55.97 | 87 | 24 |
28 | Milwaukee, WI | 55.58 | 22 | 38 |
29 | Louisville, KY | 55.56 | 18 | 37 |
30 | Albuquerque, NM | 55.18 | 8 | 43 |
31 | Minneapolis, MN | 54.84 | 66 | 33 |
32 | Richmond, VA | 54.67 | 46 | 36 |
33 | Indianapolis, IN | 53.83 | 4 | 50 |
34 | Vancouver, WA | 53.73 | 139 | 26 |
35 | San Jose, CA | 53.60 | 165 | 21 |
36 | Philadelphia, PA | 53.56 | 120 | 28 |
37 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 53.33 | 126 | 29 |
38 | San Antonio, TX | 52.76 | 20 | 49 |
39 | Santa Ana, CA | 52.45 | 88 | 41 |
40 | New Orleans, LA | 52.38 | 157 | 27 |
41 | Omaha, NE | 52.05 | 16 | 57 |
42 | Raleigh, NC | 51.85 | 49 | 48 |
43 | Fresno, CA | 51.82 | 27 | 55 |
44 | Honolulu, HI | 51.80 | 179 | 19 |
45 | Tucson, AZ | 51.58 | 40 | 51 |
46 | Tempe, AZ | 51.55 | 10 | 80 |
47 | Wilmington, DE | 51.50 | 98 | 45 |
48 | Madison, WI | 51.48 | 54 | 52 |
49 | Scottsdale, AZ | 51.31 | 82 | 46 |
50 | Boston, MA | 51.05 | 145 | 35 |
51 | Des Moines, IA | 50.89 | 7 | 86 |
52 | Providence, RI | 50.85 | 122 | 42 |
53 | Jersey City, NJ | 50.74 | 67 | 53 |
54 | Cleveland, OH | 50.45 | 52 | 56 |
55 | Anaheim, CA | 50.41 | 108 | 47 |
56 | Aurora, CO | 50.37 | 33 | 67 |
57 | Manchester, NH | 50.36 | 17 | 95 |
58 | Charlotte, NC | 50.32 | 121 | 44 |
59 | St. Petersburg, FL | 50.08 | 70 | 60 |
60 | Columbus, OH | 49.59 | 50 | 70 |
61 | Dallas, TX | 49.54 | 69 | 59 |
62 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | 49.45 | 2 | 97 |
63 | Phoenix, AZ | 49.38 | 39 | 73 |
64 | New Haven, CT | 49.30 | 72 | 68 |
65 | Colorado Springs, CO | 49.20 | 28 | 79 |
66 | Garden Grove, CA | 49.17 | 110 | 54 |
67 | Spokane, WA | 49.16 | 80 | 58 |
68 | Jacksonville, FL | 49.02 | 34 | 77 |
69 | Baltimore, MD | 48.75 | 79 | 61 |
70 | Virginia Beach, VA | 48.46 | 63 | 74 |
71 | Newark, NJ | 48.28 | 111 | 62 |
72 | Oklahoma City, OK | 48.16 | 55 | 78 |
73 | Reno, NV | 47.97 | 83 | 66 |
74 | Salem, OR | 47.97 | 36 | 87 |
75 | Mesa, AZ | 47.82 | 37 | 91 |
76 | Nashville, TN | 47.81 | 169 | 40 |
77 | Santa Rosa, CA | 47.77 | 176 | 34 |
78 | Knoxville, TN | 47.72 | 90 | 71 |
79 | Gilbert, AZ | 47.33 | 5 | 135 |
80 | Bridgeport, CT | 47.17 | 105 | 82 |
81 | Bakersfield, CA | 47.08 | 47 | 99 |
82 | St. Paul, MN | 47.00 | 106 | 75 |
83 | Casper, WY | 46.91 | 25 | 128 |
84 | Plano, TX | 46.87 | 35 | 101 |
85 | Tulsa, OK | 46.87 | 61 | 90 |
86 | Long Beach, CA | 46.80 | 124 | 64 |
87 | Billings, MT | 46.77 | 21 | 112 |
88 | El Paso, TX | 46.54 | 53 | 100 |
89 | Tacoma, WA | 46.29 | 129 | 65 |
90 | Hialeah, FL | 45.96 | 150 | 69 |
91 | Columbia, SC | 45.70 | 89 | 89 |
92 | Toledo, OH | 45.64 | 12 | 140 |
93 | Fort Worth, TX | 45.58 | 31 | 111 |
94 | Chandler, AZ | 45.56 | 6 | 137 |
95 | Boise, ID | 45.33 | 93 | 94 |
96 | Baton Rouge, LA | 45.29 | 141 | 81 |
97 | Stockton, CA | 45.26 | 154 | 72 |
98 | Glendale, CA | 45.15 | 113 | 96 |
99 | Missoula, MT | 45.11 | 29 | 121 |
100 | Lincoln, NE | 45.01 | 64 | 114 |
101 | Laredo, TX | 44.92 | 11 | 158 |
102 | Amarillo, TX | 44.91 | 13 | 149 |
103 | Burlington, VT | 44.91 | 166 | 63 |
104 | Fargo, ND | 44.78 | 75 | 116 |
105 | Sioux Falls, SD | 44.76 | 68 | 110 |
106 | Nashua, NH | 44.68 | 48 | 134 |
107 | Detroit, MI | 44.66 | 24 | 127 |
108 | Overland Park, KS | 44.62 | 129 | 92 |
109 | Irving, TX | 44.45 | 38 | 142 |
110 | Fort Wayne, IN | 44.43 | 3 | 162 |
111 | Durham, NC | 44.27 | 59 | 109 |
112 | Kansas City, MO | 44.01 | 114 | 102 |
113 | Glendale, AZ | 44.01 | 32 | 138 |
114 | Port St. Lucie, FL | 43.90 | 81 | 122 |
115 | Norfolk, VA | 43.89 | 58 | 133 |
116 | Springfield, MO | 43.83 | 117 | 108 |
117 | Greensboro, NC | 43.79 | 65 | 120 |
118 | Huntington Beach, CA | 43.72 | 144 | 88 |
119 | Warwick, RI | 43.50 | 164 | 76 |
120 | Riverside, CA | 43.47 | 109 | 104 |
121 | Irvine, CA | 43.33 | 148 | 93 |
122 | Chula Vista, CA | 43.19 | 97 | 125 |
123 | Columbia, MD | 43.18 | 101 | 130 |
124 | Corpus Christi, TX | 42.92 | 9 | 166 |
125 | Cedar Rapids, IA | 42.80 | 136 | 106 |
126 | Little Rock, AR | 42.62 | 95 | 136 |
127 | Arlington, TX | 42.54 | 41 | 157 |
128 | Newport News, VA | 42.53 | 60 | 155 |
129 | Pembroke Pines, FL | 42.52 | 142 | 107 |
130 | Worcester, MA | 42.38 | 123 | 113 |
131 | Modesto, CA | 42.37 | 147 | 105 |
132 | Oceanside, CA | 42.29 | 116 | 117 |
133 | Dover, DE | 42.15 | 131 | 119 |
134 | Birmingham, AL | 42.08 | 103 | 132 |
135 | Peoria, AZ | 41.97 | 76 | 153 |
136 | Lewiston, ME | 41.90 | 86 | 145 |
137 | Oxnard, CA | 41.86 | 158 | 103 |
138 | Henderson, NV | 41.84 | 74 | 144 |
139 | Rapid City, SD | 41.74 | 138 | 118 |
140 | Cape Coral, FL | 41.62 | 168 | 98 |
141 | Anchorage, AK | 41.60 | 128 | 115 |
142 | Santa Clarita, CA | 41.54 | 107 | 141 |
143 | Tallahassee, FL | 41.31 | 132 | 124 |
144 | Memphis, TN | 41.18 | 102 | 143 |
145 | Yonkers, NY | 41.04 | 174 | 84 |
146 | Chattanooga, TN | 40.95 | 137 | 131 |
147 | Akron, OH | 40.93 | 84 | 152 |
148 | Charleston, WV | 40.88 | 19 | 177 |
149 | Fremont, CA | 40.78 | 175 | 85 |
150 | Lubbock, TX | 40.74 | 44 | 167 |
151 | Fayetteville, NC | 40.55 | 42 | 170 |
152 | Aurora, IL | 40.54 | 156 | 126 |
153 | Cheyenne, WY | 40.53 | 51 | 174 |
154 | South Burlington, VT | 40.41 | 177 | 83 |
155 | Las Cruces, NM | 40.35 | 30 | 176 |
156 | Wichita, KS | 40.15 | 104 | 150 |
157 | Winston-Salem, NC | 40.02 | 118 | 147 |
158 | Brownsville, TX | 39.94 | 115 | 159 |
159 | Garland, TX | 39.86 | 99 | 160 |
160 | Bismarck, ND | 39.81 | 112 | 161 |
161 | Fort Smith, AR | 39.78 | 162 | 123 |
162 | Huntington, WV | 39.77 | 71 | 171 |
163 | San Bernardino, CA | 39.24 | 135 | 148 |
164 | Huntsville, AL | 39.05 | 125 | 154 |
165 | Mobile, AL | 38.44 | 119 | 164 |
166 | Chesapeake, VA | 38.41 | 77 | 173 |
167 | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | 37.72 | 92 | 169 |
168 | North Las Vegas, NV | 37.66 | 161 | 139 |
169 | Columbus, GA | 37.15 | 94 | 178 |
170 | West Valley City, UT | 37.00 | 159 | 151 |
171 | Gulfport, MS | 35.98 | 152 | 172 |
172 | Fontana, CA | 35.97 | 163 | 163 |
173 | Grand Prairie, TX | 35.93 | 151 | 165 |
174 | Nampa, ID | 35.68 | 167 | 156 |
175 | Ontario, CA | 35.57 | 171 | 146 |
176 | Augusta, GA | 35.45 | 78 | 181 |
177 | Juneau, AK | 34.97 | 180 | 129 |
178 | Shreveport, LA | 34.08 | 146 | 180 |
179 | Jackson, MS | 33.28 | 160 | 179 |
180 | Montgomery, AL | 33.05 | 133 | 182 |
181 | Moreno Valley, CA | 32.16 | 170 | 168 |
182 | Pearl City, HI | 25.13 | 182 | 175 |
Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that city, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.
Ask the Experts
Wallet-conscious foodies don’t always have to sacrifice quality for price. For money-saving advice and policy-related tips for improving the local food scene, we asked a panel of experts to weigh in with their thoughts on the following key questions:
- What tips can you provide to foodies on a tight budget?
- In evaluating the best foodie cities for your wallet, what are the top five indicators?
- What are the dining out trends for 2021 and how has the pandemic affected Americans’ eating out habits?
- What tips can you offer to health-conscious foodies who like to eat out?
- What role, if any, can local authorities play in improving the food scene in their city?
Ask the Experts
Ph.D. – Associate Professor, Hospitality and Tourism Management Purdue University West Lafayette
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Adjunct Instructor, Department of Health Studies, College of Arts and Sciences – American University
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EdD, MS, RDN, LD – Clinical Assistant Professor; Director FACS Education Program, Interim FACS Coordinator of Food Safety and Preservation – University of Georgia, Department of Nutritional Sciences
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Executive Director, Kenny Guinn Center for Policy Priorities, Nevada; Adjunct Instructor, Nevada System of Higher Education; Senior Fellow, William S. Boyd School of Law – University of Nevada, Las Vegas
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DCN, MPH, MHR, RD, FAND – Assistant Professor, Department of Nutrition – Cedar Crest College
Read More
Methodology
In order to determine the best and cheapest local foodie scenes, WalletHub compared 182 cities — including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state — across two key dimensions, “Affordability” and “Diversity, Accessibility & Quality.”
We evaluated those dimensions using 29 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions and costs for foodies. For metrics marked with an asterisk (*), we used the square root of the population to calculate the population size in order to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across cities.
Finally, we determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order the cities in our sample. In determining our sample, we considered only the “city proper” in each case and excluded surrounding cities in the metro area.
Affordability – Total Points: 30
- Cost of Groceries: Double Weight (~7.50 Points)
- Accessibility & Affordability of High-Quality Restaurants: Full Weight (~3.75 Points)
Note: This metric measures the prevalence of affordable restaurants with ratings of at least 4.5 stars. - Restaurant Meal Cost: Double Weight (~7.50 Points)
- Sales Tax: Full Weight (~3.75 Points)
- Food Tax: Full Weight (~3.75 Points)
- Average Beer & Wine Price: Full Weight (~3.75 Points)
Note: “Average Beer Price” refers to the average price, excluding any deposit, of a six-pack of 12-ounce Heineken containers, and “Average Wine Price” refers to the average price of a 1.5-liter bottle of Chablis or Chenin Blanc or any white table wine.
Diversity, Accessibility & Quality – Total Points: 70
- Restaurants per Capita*: Triple Weight (~7.50 Points)
- Ratio of Full-Service Restaurants to Fast-Food Establishments: Triple Weight (~7.50 Points)
- Growth in Number of Full Service Restaurants (2019 vs 2014): Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Restaurant Diversity: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Presence of Michelin-Starred Restaurants: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Average Ranking of Restaurants on Yelp’s “Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S.” List: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Food Trucks per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Access to Healthy Food Options: Double Weight (~5.00 Points)
- Percentage of Residents Who Are Fully Vaccinated: Double Weight (~5.00 Points)
- Farmers Markets & CSA Programs per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
Note: “CSA” refers to community-supported agriculture. - Food Freshness: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
Note: The share of workers involved in agricultural activities was used as a proxy for this metric. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Shops per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Craft Breweries & Wine Bars per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Coffee & Tea Shops per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Gourmet Specialty-Food Stores per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
Note: “Gourmet Specialty-Food Stores” includes, among others, candy stores, chocolatiers and cheese shops. - Grocery Stores per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- International Grocery Stores per Capita*: Half Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Butcher Shops per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Herbs & Spices Stores per Capita*: Half Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Kitchen Supplies Stores per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Food Festivals per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Cooking Schools per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Food & Wine Tours per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Council for Community and Economic Research, Federation of Tax Administrators, Tax Foundation, County Health Rankings, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Sale-Tax.com, Numbeo, Wikipedia, TripAdvisor and Yelp.
Supporting Video Files:
- YouTube - National (for web embedding)
- YouTube - Portland, OR (for web embedding)
- Raw video files (for editing into clips)