Best Foodie Cities in America

Adam McCann, Financial WriterOct 3, 2022

Adam McCann, Financial Writer
Oct 3, 2022

Americans today apply the term “foodie” to anyone who loves gourmet dining. But foodie culture isn’t limited to restaurants. Foodies enjoy discovering new and unique flavors wherever they can find them, including in their own kitchens and less prominent establishments like street food stalls. For these people, the experience of eating is elevated to a hobby or even a lifestyle.

Naturally, being a foodie can be quite expensive, especially during the heavy inflation of 2022. Restaurant prices rose 8% just between August 2021 and August 2022. Even cooking your own gourmet meals can be pricy, as grocery store prices rose 8.3% between August 2021 and August 2022.

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.

Table of Contents

Main Findings

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Best Food Cities in America

Overall Rank	City	Total Score	Affordability	Diversity, Accessibility & Quality
1	Portland, OR	69.96	36	4
2	Orlando, FL	66.63	101	5
3	Miami, FL	66.15	172	2
4	San Francisco, CA	65.10	176	1
5	Austin, TX	63.19	24	14
6	Sacramento, CA	62.89	81	7
7	Seattle, WA	62.58	177	3
8	Tampa, FL	61.80	74	10
9	Las Vegas, NV	61.20	88	13
10	San Diego, CA	60.78	141	8
11	Denver, CO	60.10	68	16
12	Chicago, IL	58.91	150	12
13	Washington, DC	58.27	122	17
14	Atlanta, GA	58.19	154	15
15	Los Angeles, CA	58.16	163	11
16	Pittsburgh, PA	57.42	86	19
17	Portland, ME	57.31	66	21
18	New York, NY	57.27	180	6
19	Charleston, SC	56.84	29	27
20	Oakland, CA	56.23	174	9
21	Cincinnati, OH	55.73	40	28
22	St. Louis, MO	55.20	144	20
23	Richmond, VA	55.10	41	30
24	Milwaukee, WI	55.00	2	41
25	Grand Rapids, MI	54.88	6	40
26	Vancouver, WA	54.47	102	26
27	Philadelphia, PA	54.17	133	22
28	Rochester, NY	53.81	77	31
29	Minneapolis, MN	53.59	64	32
30	Salt Lake City, UT	53.51	139	24
31	Houston, TX	53.48	42	37
32	Louisville, KY	52.80	17	42
33	Buffalo, NY	52.66	96	35
34	Phoenix, AZ	52.53	38	39
35	San Antonio, TX	52.35	9	48
36	Raleigh, NC	51.81	45	43
37	Albuquerque, NM	51.49	20	50
38	Fort Lauderdale, FL	51.48	165	25
39	Santa Ana, CA	51.41	93	38
40	Jersey City, NJ	50.62	70	46
41	New Orleans, LA	50.61	158	29
42	Honolulu, HI	50.59	179	18
43	Aurora, CO	50.08	8	70
44	Columbus, OH	50.03	56	51
45	San Jose, CA	49.98	173	23
46	Tucson, AZ	49.94	39	53
47	Boston, MA	49.83	159	34
48	Charlotte, NC	49.65	98	44
49	Anaheim, CA	49.53	99	45
50	Providence, RI	49.41	106	49
51	Nashville, TN	49.24	167	33
52	Tempe, AZ	49.19	7	94
53	St. Petersburg, FL	49.17	53	59
54	El Paso, TX	49.11	33	66
55	Reno, NV	49.07	69	52
56	Indianapolis, IN	49.05	23	68
57	Scottsdale, AZ	48.94	32	65
58	Colorado Springs, CO	48.75	52	55
59	Manchester, NH	48.71	47	74
60	Des Moines, IA	48.52	12	95
61	Oklahoma City, OK	48.50	58	56
62	Wilmington, DE	48.38	134	47
63	Fresno, CA	48.25	62	58
64	Billings, MT	48.14	1	108
65	Omaha, NE	47.86	65	67
66	Salem, OR	47.81	14	86
67	Madison, WI	47.74	83	62
68	Lexington-Fayette, KY	47.55	3	101
69	Cleveland, OH	47.11	111	54
70	Tulsa, OK	46.92	50	84
71	Santa Rosa, CA	46.47	175	36
72	Spokane, WA	46.34	120	61
73	Newark, NJ	46.32	131	60
74	St. Paul, MN	46.05	100	73
75	Dallas, TX	45.98	105	71
76	Bakersfield, CA	45.97	54	91
77	Garden Grove, CA	45.83	95	83
78	Hialeah, FL	45.77	148	57
79	Knoxville, TN	45.75	85	82
80	Greensboro, NC	45.60	78	88
81	Plano, TX	45.56	18	110
82	Stockton, CA	45.55	107	75
83	Jacksonville, FL	45.53	94	79
84	Long Beach, CA	45.49	135	64
85	Baltimore, MD	45.31	103	76
86	Modesto, CA	45.16	71	100
87	Casper, WY	45.01	31	127
88	Burlington, VT	45.01	149	69
89	Glendale, CA	44.94	82	98
90	Oceanside, CA	44.91	59	103
91	Gilbert, AZ	44.73	4	144
92	Virginia Beach, VA	44.72	125	77
93	Tacoma, WA	44.45	152	63
94	Durham, NC	44.42	46	104
95	Overland Park, KS	44.37	112	92
96	Chandler, AZ	44.25	4	136
97	New Haven, CT	44.13	142	85
98	Chula Vista, CA	44.12	73	112
99	Fort Worth, TX	44.05	26	120
100	Bridgeport, CT	44.05	157	72
101	Sioux Falls, SD	44.03	55	117
102	Laredo, TX	44.03	25	137
103	Pembroke Pines, FL	43.96	126	93
104	Missoula, MT	43.74	11	129
105	Kansas City, MO	43.71	90	105
106	Detroit, MI	43.71	27	121
107	Nashua, NH	43.48	87	114
108	Columbia, SC	43.40	80	109
109	Rapid City, SD	43.24	110	107
110	Boise, ID	43.17	117	97
111	Fargo, ND	43.10	51	131
112	Warwick, RI	43.09	155	80
113	Lincoln, NE	43.06	61	122
114	Anchorage, AK	43.02	113	99
115	Norfolk, VA	43.01	79	118
116	Mesa, AZ	42.88	44	124
117	Irving, TX	42.86	13	150
118	Irvine, CA	42.85	147	89
119	Huntington Beach, CA	42.80	138	96
120	Cape Coral, FL	42.78	136	106
121	Corpus Christi, TX	42.69	16	146
122	Little Rock, AR	42.56	63	132
123	Toledo, OH	42.51	19	152
124	Baton Rouge, LA	42.29	127	111
125	Amarillo, TX	42.27	15	156
126	Springfield, MO	42.24	121	113
127	Glendale, AZ	42.21	21	143
128	Lewiston, ME	41.86	49	141
129	Columbia, MD	41.64	92	130
130	Oxnard, CA	41.56	151	102
131	Newport News, VA	41.38	57	155
132	Brownsville, TX	41.34	37	162
133	Port St. Lucie, FL	41.27	75	139
134	Tallahassee, FL	41.15	97	128
135	Cedar Rapids, IA	41.05	140	119
136	Riverside, CA	41.00	118	115
137	Charleston, WV	40.95	22	171
138	Worcester, MA	40.93	145	116
139	Fremont, CA	40.80	169	87
140	Las Cruces, NM	40.72	34	158
141	Dover, DE	40.57	129	126
142	Santa Clarita, CA	40.46	104	135
143	Akron, OH	40.39	48	154
144	Arlington, TX	40.35	30	163
145	South Burlington, VT	40.31	170	90
146	Fayetteville, NC	40.27	10	176
147	Peoria, AZ	40.13	60	165
148	Fort Wayne, IN	39.98	28	170
149	Huntington, WV	39.89	67	159
150	Chattanooga, TN	39.84	124	134
151	Birmingham, AL	39.73	137	125
152	Wichita, KS	39.73	108	138
153	Bismarck, ND	39.56	119	142
154	Chesapeake, VA	39.51	72	157
155	Lubbock, TX	39.47	43	166
156	Memphis, TN	39.29	128	133
157	Aurora, IL	39.10	160	123
158	Cheyenne, WY	38.73	35	177
159	Juneau, AK	38.43	178	78
160	Winston-Salem, NC	38.43	116	153
161	San Bernardino, CA	38.32	123	145
162	Garland, TX	38.17	91	161
163	Ontario, CA	37.89	132	147
164	Fort Smith, AR	37.52	164	140
165	Henderson, NV	37.32	88	169
166	Huntsville, AL	37.21	114	164
167	Yonkers, NY	36.77	181	81
168	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	36.49	84	174
169	Augusta, GA	36.34	76	178
170	Mobile, AL	36.09	115	173
171	Grand Prairie, TX	35.52	146	160
172	Gulfport, MS	35.34	156	167
173	Columbus, GA	35.20	109	179
174	North Las Vegas, NV	34.92	166	149
175	West Valley City, UT	34.89	168	148
176	Nampa, ID	34.54	171	151
177	Fontana, CA	34.52	162	168
178	Jackson, MS	32.68	153	180
179	Shreveport, LA	32.40	130	182
180	Moreno Valley, CA	32.10	161	172
181	Montgomery, AL	31.76	143	181
182	Pearl City, HI	24.83	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.

Cost of Groceries

Lowest

Lowest
1. Brownsville, TX
2. Corpus Christi, TX
3. Fort Wayne, IN
T-4. Raleigh, NC
T-4. Knoxville, TN

Highest

Highest
178. San Jose, CA
179. New York, NY
T-180. Juneau, AK
T-180. Honolulu, HI
T-180. Pearl City, HI

Avg. Beer & Wine Price

Lowest

Lowest
1. Brownsville, TX
2. Gulfport, MS
3. Missoula, MT
4. Durham, NC
5. Indianapolis, IN

Highest

Highest
178. Rochester, NY
179. Salem, OR
180. New York, NY
181. Atlanta, GA
182. Seattle, WA

Restaurants per Capita

Most

Most
T-1. Orlando, FL
T-1. Miami, FL
T-1. Las Vegas, NV
T-1. San Francisco, CA
T-1. Chicago, IL

Fewest

Fewest
178. Fontana, CA
179. Lewiston, ME
180. South Burlington, VT
181. West Valley City, UT
182. Pearl City, HI

Ratio of Full-Service Restaurants to Fast-Food Establishments

Highest

Highest
1. Cape Coral, FL
2. Santa Rosa, CA
3. Portland, ME
T-4. Portland, OR
T-4. Vancouver, WA

Lowest

Lowest
178. Shreveport, LA
179. Baton Rouge, LA
180. Birmingham, AL
181. Montgomery, AL
182. Jackson, MS

Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Shops per Capita

Most

Most
T-1. Orlando, FL
T-1. Las Vegas, NV
T-1. Miami, FL
T-1. Tampa, FL
5. San Antonio, TX

Fewest

Fewest
178. New Haven, CT
179. Burlington, VT
180. Casper, WY
181. Lewiston, ME
182. South Burlington, VT

Craft Breweries & Wineries per Capita

Most

Most
T-1. Santa Rosa, CA
T-1. Portland, OR
T-1. Seattle, WA
T-1. San Diego, CA
T-1. Portland, ME

Fewest

Fewest
130. Hialeah, FL
131. Garland, TX
132. North Las Vegas, NV
133. Pembroke Pines, FL
134. San Bernardino, CA

Coffee Shops per Capita

Most

Most
T-1. Salt Lake City, UT
T-1. Orlando, FL
T-1. Richmond, VA
T-1. Spokane, WA
T-1. Pittsburgh, PA

Fewest

Fewest
178. Columbus, GA
179. Laredo, TX
180. West Valley City, UT
181. Lewiston, ME
182. Pearl City, HI

Gourmet Specialty-Food Stores per Capita

Most

Most
T-1. Orlando, FL
T-1. St. Louis, MO
T-1. Honolulu, HI
T-1. Cincinnati, OH
5. Tampa, FL

Fewest

Fewest
178. Nashua, NH
179. Henderson, NV
180. Santa Clarita, CA
181. West Valley City, UT
182. Pearl City, HI

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 2022 and how is inflation affecting 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

Darryl L. Holliday
Ph.D., CRC – Associate Professor of Food Science, Director of the Food Science Program – University of Holy Cross
Read More

Karthik Namasivayam
Ph.D. – The John and Becky Duffey Professor of Hospitality Business and Director, The School of Hospitality Business, Broad College of Business – Michigan State University
Read More

Andrea Graves
Business Planning and Marketing Specialist, Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center – Oklahoma State University
Read More

Makarand Mody
Ph.D. – Associate Professor of Hospitality Marketing; Director of Research; Chair of Undergraduate Programs (Interim) – Boston University School of Hospitality Administration
Read More

Wayne Smith
CEC CCE – Associate Technical Professor, Culinary Arts – Western Colorado Community College
Read More

Claire Stewart
Associate Professor – New York City College of Technology, The City University of New York
Read More

More Experts

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 (2020 vs 2015): 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 Against COVID-19: 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:

Questions & Answers(5 questions)

Where is Savannah, GA?

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Wallet Boy

“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.””Savannah only has 145k making it the 185th biggest city in the country and the 5th biggest in Georgia.

Why is San Juan, Puerto Rico not on the list?

Upvotes

What does Covid vaccination status have to do with foodie rating and why is that even weighted?

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how did you miss ann arbor, MI?

Upvotes

How could you leave Greenville SC out of this list? It is definitely a top 20 city in the US as a "foodie location. "

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