Done New York? Here are the 10 best US cities for food lovers to visit next

When it comes to food destinations in the US, cities like New York and Los Angeles tend to capture the imagination of gourmands all over the world. But once you’ve ticked these essential bucket list destinations off the list (perhaps several times) there are a whole host of incredible food cities to be discovered across the country, offering forward-thinking, exciting food scenes without the overwhelming crowds.

With more travellers embracing ‘second city’ tourism, seeking out places that are just as vibrant but less overrun with tourists, there’s never been a better time to explore these alternative destinations. By spreading the love beyond the usual suspects, you can delve into unique food cultures and perhaps even get a glimpse of the next big thing before everyone else. From soulful Southern cooking and Michelin-starred barbecue to famous food markets and legendary bakeries, these ten American cities prove that the best meals aren’t always found where you’d expect.

How long do you need for a US city break?

With American cities differing greatly in size, from small town Portland to the big city bustle of Austin, the amount of time you need in each city will vary depending on the destination. Some cities are perfect for a whirlwind weekend of eating and exploring, while others reward a longer stay, particularly if they have lots of smaller national food scenes to discover (such as in Chicago or San Francisco). It’s also worth researching nearby attractions, to see if you can combine a city break with a National Park or even time on the beach – hello Miami sun. America is the land of the road trip, of course, and you can easily combine a few of these cities in one visit if you had a couple of weeks. Consider, for example, starting a Pacific coast road trip in Portland Oregon and driving all the way to LA via San Francisco. Or start in Charleston before heading south to Savannah and touring the Deep South until you reach New Orleans. In America, you can be guaranteed to find something good to eat along the way.

10 US cities to visit next for excellent food

Portland, Maine

Best for fresh seafood and coastal New England charm

For a small New England coastal city of just 65,000 people, Portland, Maine enjoys a rather outsized reputation for its food scene – and deservedly so. Stepping into the limelight in 2018 when Bon Appetit declared it America’s ‘restaurant city of the year’, Portland now boasts an incredible array of independent restaurants, breweries and bakeries, all underpinned by an abundance of fresh seafood and local produce. Much of the action is contained within a few attractive blocks of 19th-century buildings surrounding the old port, where fishing boats still unload their daily catch onto the cobbled streets, so you can cover a lot in a long weekend. For seafood lovers, unmissable dishes to seek out include classic lobster rolls from the Highroller Lobster Co; local Maine oysters from the Island Creek Oyster Co; fresh seafood from the raw bar at hotspot Eventide; lobster toast and scallop crudo from The Honey Paw; and sushi from Izakaya Minato. The Holy Donut, meanwhile, makes good use of Maine’s other famous crop, potatoes, adding mashed potato to their doughnuts for an ultra-smooth texture – the maple bacon is the best. To drink, head to one of Portland’s excellent local craft breweries such as Lone Pine, Goodfire or Rising Tide.

San Francisco, California

Chinatown street decorated with traditional Chinese lanterns, San Francisco, USA

Best for farm-to-table and legendary sourdough

San Francisco has long been a pioneer in America’s food scene, blending creative flair with California’s incredible array of fresh produce. As famous as the Golden Gate Bridge (for food lovers at least) is Chez Panisse, which was opened by chef Alice Walters in 1971 and became the birthplace of California cuisine, championing hyper-seasonal farm-to-table cooking. Even after all these years it’s an essential pilgrimage for foodies. Elsewhere, San Francisco’s restaurant scene is as varied and dramatic as its Pacific coastline, from Michelin-starred tasting menus at Quince to fresh Dungeness crab at Fisherman’s Wharf. As with many American cities, immigration has played a huge role in the local food culture: for steaming hot dim sum, roast duck, and noodles head to San Francisco’s Chinatown (the oldest in the US), or for great Mexican food, the Mission District is teeming with tacos and burritos. San Francisco also has an unmissable bakery scene – this is the home of Tartine Bakery which kickstarted the global sourdough revolution. Other top spots include B Patisserie for Kouign-amann; exquisite pithiviers and pâté en croute at Maison Nico; and kaya toast and black sesame croissants at Breadbelly.

Portland, Oregon

Best for coffee and craft beer

“Keep Portland Weird” is an oft-repeated local slogan, owing to the Pacific Northwest city’s reputation for wackiness, which even led to its own spoof TV show, Portlandia. Deserved or not, there is a certain independent, creative spirit to the city and its food scene, from the praline-crusted bacon at brunch spot Screen Door, to the unusual (yes, perhaps wacky) flavours at Voodoo Doughnut. Portland is divided in two by the Willamette River, with a business-like downtown to the west and a more low-key residential feel to the east. Downtown, you’ll find many of the city’s famous food carts – over 500 in total – offering everything from Korean-Mexican fusion to Hat Yai chicken. The best restaurants, however, are on the Eastside, including French bistro Le Pigeon; modern Korean at Han Oak; and exceptional Thai BBQ at Eem. Coffee and beer thrive here too: Stumptown Coffee Roasters helped put Portland on the specialty coffee map, while Portland’s craft beer scene is second to none, with breweries like Breakside, Great Notion, and Cascade Brewing among the many highlights. Just south of the city is the Willamette Valley, one of the world’s premier Pinot Noir regions, where rolling vineyards and biodynamic wineries make for an ideal day trip.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Blue Hour, Philadelphia, Skyline, Pennsylvania, America

Best for iconic sandwiches and historic markets

Philadelphia may be best known for its namesake cheesesteak – thinly sliced beef and melted cheese in a hoagie roll in its purest form – but the city offers much more than just this famous sandwich. That said, you can’t leave without trying one; locals are divided on the best spot, but Pat’s King of Steaks and Geno’s Steaks, located across the street from each other in South Philly, are the famous rivals. Reading Terminal Market, one of the oldest public markets in the US, is also a must-visit – stop by Tommy DiNic’s for a roast pork sandwich with broccoli rabe and sharp provolone, or grab a soft pretzel from Miller’s Twist, made in the Pennsylvania Dutch tradition. There’s cutting edge in Philly too: the city is home to one of the country’s most exciting Thai restaurants, Kalaya, where chef Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon’s bold Southern Thai cooking has earned national acclaim, including an episode on Netflix’s Chef’s Table.

Chicago, Illinois

Best for iconic comfort food

Although not all Chicago kitchens are as frantic as that depicted in The Bear, the hit TV show does reflect the uncompromising energy to be found in one of America’s top food cities. Chicago rivals New York in terms of iconic dishes, which include the Vienna beef hot dog, the Italian beef sandwich, and of course, Chicago deep-dish pizza, best sampled at spots like Lou Malnati’s or Pequod’s, known for its caramelised crust. Chicago is also famous for steakhouses, with Gibsons and Bavette’s serving up some of the best prime cuts in the country. But this is just the start – Chicago’s diverse neighbourhoods offer excellent Mexican fare in Pilsen, great Greek in Greektown, and Vietnamese on Argyle Street. Award-winning chef Stephanie Izard’s restaurants, including Little Goat Diner and Girl & the Goat, are must-visits, while for something special, splash out on Alinea, one of the most celebrated fine dining restaurants in the world. Need to burn a few calories afterwards? The Windy City is located along the shore of Lake Michigan, one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world, with 26 miles of lakefront beaches, parks, and paths, including the Lakefront Trail.

Miami, Florida

Multi-coloured vibrant art deco hotels along the Ocean Drive on a sunny day, Miami Beach, Florida, USA

Best for Cuban culture

Miami, once synonymous with wild nightlife and sun-soaked spring break revelry, has recently emerged as one of the most exciting food scenes in the US. Among its standout restaurants is Michelin-starred Boia De, celebrated for its inventive wood-fired cooking, as well as the James Beard Award-winning Peruvian hotspot Maty’s and its sister restaurant, the Nikkei-inspired Itamae. Over on Miami Beach, the old institutions are still going strong – Joe’s Stone Crab has been serving fresh Florida stone crab claws since 1913, cracked to order and served chilled with Joe’s signature mustard sauce. If you're in the area, stop for a drink at Mac’s Club Deuce, the iconic dive bar featured in Miami Vice, or head to the old-school 11th Street Diner for a coffee and a stack of pancakes. No trip to Miami is complete without sampling some Cuban fare in Little Havana, where El Rey de las Fritas serves up Miami’s best frita – Cuba’s answer to the burger, topped with crispy shoestring potatoes. At Versailles or Sanguich, you’ll find the city’s best Cubano sandwiches; and while you’re in the neighbourhood, be sure to grab a guava and cheese pastelito from one of the many local bakeries.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Best for Creole cooking

Few American cities can match the culinary heritage of New Orleans, where French, Spanish, African, and Caribbean influences come together in a genuinely unique (and thrilling) food scene. The city is the birthplace of Creole and Cajun cuisine, and you’ll find iconic dishes everywhere, from gumbo and jambalaya to beignets dusted in powdered sugar at the famous Café du Monde in the historic French Quarter. The city’s po’ boys – French bread stuffed with the likes of fried shrimp or roast beef – are essential, best sampled at spots like Domilise’s or Parkway Bakery & Tavern. Given its location on the Gulf of Mexico, seafood is a must in New Orleans, and Pêche delivers excellent Gulf-caught fish, while Casamento’s is the gold standard for fresh oysters. During spring and summer, look out for restaurants hosting crawfish boils, where piles of hot boiled crawfish are poured out on long newspaper-lined tables. The city’s cocktail culture is as legendary as its food and music scenes – this is the birthplace of the Sazerac after all – but its best to give the gaudy bars of Bourbon Street a miss in favour of beautiful bars like Napoleon House, craft cocktails at the 50 Best Bars-rated Cure, or a jazz filled evening at Snug Harbour.

Savannah, Georgia

Best for historic charm and classic Southern cuisine

With its cobblestone streets, Spanish moss-draped oaks, and 18th-century architecture, Savannah is the picture-postcard image of the American South – and its food scene is just as big a draw, offering classic soul food and Southern cuisine. The city’s standout restaurant is The Grey, housed in a restored Greyhound bus station. Helmed by James Beard Award-winning chef Mashama Bailey, the restaurant reinvents Southern flavours with dishes like foie gras and grits, smoked collard greens, and country pasta with pork belly and egg yolk. For a taste of old-style Savannah, head to Mrs. Wilkes’ Dining Room for fried chicken, cornbread, and mac and cheese, or nearby Tybee Island, where Bubba Gumbo’s offers fresh seafood from a rustic shack by the creek. And Leopold’s Ice Cream, a Savannah institution since 1919, serves up old-fashioned scoops in flavours like butter pecan and Tutti Frutti. Savannah is also one of the few cities in the country to have an open container law, meaning you can freely sip a mint julep while wandering past the city’s grand antebellum mansions – conversely, the city is also home to America’s only prohibition museum!

Austin, Texas

Best for Michelin-level BBQ and Tex-Mex

Austin’s food scene is as vibrant as its live music (it’s known as the Live Music Capital of the World for its high concentration of gig venues and festivals like SXSW), fuelled by barbecue, Tex-Mex, and excellent local beers. Barbecue is a serious business in the Texan capital, and it’s now even rubberstamped by Michelin, with three barbecue restaurants – Interstellar BBQ, La Barbecue, and LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue – picking up a coveted star in the first ever Texas guide in 2024. Several more received Bib Gourmands and Michelin recommended status, showing that slow-smoked ribs, brisket, and sausage can compete with the best food in the world. Once you’ve had your fill of BBQ, try some of Austin’s famous Tex-Mex, including Veracruz All Natural for their famed migas taco, or enchiladas smothered in rich chili con carne at Matt’s El Rancho. Modern spots like Suerte take a more refined approach, hand-pressing heirloom masa into tortillas and layering them with slow-cooked brisket and fresh salsas. To drink, head to Birdie’s for wine and casual dishes; whilst craft beer fans should check out Workhorse to try 50 local brews on tap (though not all at once).

Charleston, South Carolina

Cobblestoned street and historic buildings,USA

Best for modern Southern dining

Charleston is undoubtedly one of the most interesting food cities in the US right now, giving rise to several ambitious restaurants in recent years. One of the most exciting is Lowland, which reinvents Southern flavours with a smoky twist, serving ember-roasted oysters and whole grilled fish cooked over the wood fire. Meanwhile, Husk takes a hyper-local approach, using only Southern ingredients to create dishes like shrimp and grits or cornmeal-crusted catfish. For a more classic Lowcountry experience, The Ordinary serves pristine seafood platters and legendary oyster sliders in a beautifully restored bank building. And no visit to Charleston is complete without a stop at Rodney Scott’s BBQ, where the James Beard Award-winning pitmaster slow-cooks whole hog barbecue over wood coals. While most of the action is concentrated in Charleston’s fairly compact historic downtown, its proximity to the Atlantic makes a seaside daytrip a breeze – head to Sullivan’s Island, just a 15 minute drive from Downtown, where you can feast on pizza and fresh seafood at The Obstinate Daughter, just a few steps from the beach.