NYC Tops Travel & Leisure’s List of Best Cities for Foodies (And Other Front Runners)
Almost every city — in all of the country’s states — has good cuisine to speak of. But some are more likely to be flocked by foodies than others. NYC, for instance, is often named one of the best cities for foodies for several good reasons (and dishes) — and we’ll let you know a few reasons why. But the US also has other cities with unique dishes that are worthy of mentioning as well.
Here are some of them.
5 of USA’s Best Cities for Foodies
1. New York City, NY
The city of New York is home to several Michelin-star restaurants, artistic up-and-coming restaurateurs who continuously innovate, and food trucks that cater to hungry and busy people from all walks of life — this may be just one way to describe NYC’s food culture, but they’re essentially what you get when you visit the Big Apple. But if you take a deep dive as to why New Yorkers love their food so much, a part of it is because it’s home to different cultures that harmoniously blend.
NYC has Asian restaurants inside and outside Chinatown, and Italian food trucks and restaurants where you can find pizzas — lots of cheesy pizzas! But New York City won’t be New York City without its bagels — which, again, shows NYC’s diversity as it’s a pastry that originated from Jewish immigrants. With almost every restaurant or food truck you stumble upon in NYC, the city’s food will be one to remember — and crave again.
2. Houston, TX
If you ever get lost — and hungry — in Texas, one city you can’t go wrong with is Houston. Regardless of what you’re craving, chances are, the Bayou City already has that dish waiting to be served. However, if you’re already down south anyway, why not try Houston’s Viet-Cajun crawfish that they’re known for? And if you do go to Houston for the barbecue, there won’t be any shortage of it — and it also has a scent of bold and fragrant flavors that will be hard to miss.
If you’ll be staying in Houston for a couple of days, they won’t disappoint you with their breakfast foods — as they’re fortunate enough to be greeted “good morning” by the number of breakfast tacos available for you to purchase in just about every corner. But if you get tired of breakfast tacos, Houston also has chicken and waffles — whether you choose to go to The Breakfast Klub or the Waffle Bus, you’re guaranteed to have a gastronomic good time!
3. New Orleans, LA
Creole cuisine is a must-try for every foodie — because you’ll get to taste different cultural influences in one bite (Caribbean, African, European, etc.) but you’ll experience what “comfort food” really feels like. And who knows how to make dishes like that better than New Orleans? If you’re not sure where to start, you can try gumbo or jambalaya. If you’re craving seafood, go for crawfish etouffee. And if you have a sweet tooth, then bananas foster or beignets are the way to go!
4. Chicago, IL
We can probably guess what you’re thinking — deep-dish pizza! And, yes, it’s as good as it’s hyped up to be! Therefore, if you visit Chicago, it’s something you have to try at least once! And Lou Malnati’s deep-dish pizza is often cited as one of the best ones in Chicago. However, there’s often a long line for the cult classic — but a true foodie knows either to wait for the worthy slice or to ask locals for alternatives.
Another Chicago staple is the city’s Chicago-style hotdogs — even the late Anthony Bourdain enjoyed munching on this signature sausage! If you want to enjoy Chicago-style hotdogs like a local, tip: don’t squeeze ketchup on it. Use mustard only — and this is an actual “thing”; even news sites like NBC had to report on this debate.
5. Louisville, KY
Louisvillians seem to know how to make every dish fancy — but in a way, Louisville actually is. Not only do they have the right to boast about their bourbon, even one of their sandwiches has a chic name — the Queen Anne sandwich (of The Cafe in Paristown); it’s like a Kentucky BLT — sans the “T” — but an artisan walnut wheat bread is used instead!
If you’re in Louisville for bourbon, then you probably already know that you should try the bourbon balls. But if you’re looking for other bourbon-based drinks, you can also try mint julep; and your food blog can surely use a picture of one — either in a traditional julep glass or in a derby glass. Either way (or glass), both are Louisville-themed. Other dishes that the city of Louisville is known for are its burgoo, pulled pork, and Kern’s Kitchen’s trademarked derby pie.
Good Food, Good Mood!
The fact that there’s no single type of cuisine to define “American food” makes the US food culture unique — because as Americans, we’ve learned to embrace diversity right from the introduction of the dishes shared with us by different backgrounds. And some of the listed best cities for foodies are just a few of the places that are mentioned — in reality, however, almost every city you’re in probably has a hidden gem that’s waiting to be discovered.
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