These are America’s Next Great Food Cities
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Next-Great-US-Food-Cities-FT-BLOG0725-St-Petersburg-FL-The-Tides-Market-1bfc053f687b40e9ab7bda9779106321.jpg?w=780&resize=780,470&ssl=1 "These are America’s Next Great Food Cities")
It’s no surprise that America’s most populous city consistently tops the list of the country’s best food cities, often appearing alongside other heavy hitters like Los Angeles, Charleston, and Chicago. And while there is much to love about New York City’s vast and diverse dining landscape, there are plenty more unsung corners of the U.S. where electric food scenes flourish. Corners that show off that convergence of boundary-pushing tasting menus, buzzy cocktail bars, creative pop-up dinners, and iconic family-run gems that have stood the test of time.
There’s a palpable excitement in the air when a city’s food scene starts to take off, when locals proudly whisper about their favorite hidden gems to friends from bigger cities. And that energy begets more energy. More chefs and makers are drawn to the destination, and the momentum fuels the confidence to experiment, collaborate, and push beyond the status quo. Below, find the eight cities not-so-quietly positioning themselves as the country’s next culinary stars.
Sacramento, California
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Less than 90 miles northeast from San Francisco, California’s capital city has become a haven for talented chefs drawn by unparalleled access to the state’s farm-fresh ingredients and substantially lower operating costs — a combination that’s sparked a thriving culinary renaissance. The city is home to Michelin-starred spots The Kitchen and Localis, and beloved gems like the historic Jim-Denny’s diner, reopened by influential chef Gina Guyton. 2021 Food & Wine Best New Chef Matt Horn recently brought his acclaimed Horn Barbecue to the region, showcasing his “West Coast style” that blends Texas technique with California ingredients. New arrivals like Bill Ngo’s Chu Mai continue elevating the scene, and Sacramento’s rising star status was cemented when it hosted this year’s Michelin Guide California ceremony, with three local restaurants — Kin Thai, Majka pizzeria, and Pho Momma — earning coveted stars.
Madison, Wisconsin
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Every Saturday, Madison’s Capitol Square brims with stalls selling local produce, raw honey, and artisanal cheeses that underscore Wisconsin’s calling card as America’s Dairyland. Dane County Farmers Market, the country’s largest producer-only market, not only feeds the city’s restaurants but is one of many elements elevating Madison’s food scene well beyond its famous cheese curds. (Although they’re also a must-try, get a taste at James Beard Award-winning chef Tory Miller’s Graze, overlooking the square.) At The Harvey House, find Joe Papach’s take on the region’s traditional supper club serving Brandy Alexanders and refined Midwestern classics. The former French Laundry sous chef and his wife, Shaina, also run fried chicken hot spot Butterbird. At pop-up turned brick and mortar Ahan, chef Jamie Brown-Soukaseume is behind creative Southeast Asian dishes, including standout tropical soft serve adorned with housemade chili oil. The city’s wine scene thrives, too, in bars like Square Wine Co (a retail/bar hybrid with daily tastings and happy hour) and the new natural wine-focused GlouGlou. Also new, Lola’s Hi/Lo Lounge is a vibe with late night icy martinis set to a Motown soundtrack. And even the city’s timeless institutions feel fresh — try Tornado Steak House for white tablecloth wedge salads and ribeyes, and Ha Long Bay, which just reopened in a newly-renovated space, for classic Vietnamese food.
St. Petersburg, Florida
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Situated on Florida’s Gulf Coast, the Sunshine City’s culinary scene gets a boost from unfettered access to fresh seafood. The city is home to several Michelin recommended restaurants featured in the Florida guide, including, including modern Italian Il Ritorno, omakase Sushi Sho Rexley, the French-influenced Asian Fortu, and The Tides Market, a casual restaurant-retail hybrid serving the fresh catch. Sample the city’s buzzy cocktail scene at the pink-hued Wild Child bistro and bar, and its new sister spot Slim Charmer. St. Pete’s food scene also benefits from Caribbean influences, taste them at long-standing Pipo’s Cuban Cafe, Sid’s Caribbean Grill, serving staples like Jamaican beef patties and goat curry, or The Floribbean for fast casual Caribbean fusion paired with island-brewed beers.
Durham, North Carolina
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In the span of just a few city blocks, Durham packs in a bounty of world-class cocktail bars that rivals any major city. There’s James Beard Award semi-finalist The Bar Beej, where chef Preeti Waas (of acclaimed Cheeni) crafts Desi-inspired cocktails, “farm-to-sip” cocktails at Alley Twenty Six, subterranean Kingfisher, where expertly-made drinks are passed across the elegant handmade tiled bar, and the rooftop Velvet Hippo, which draws crowds for signature cocktails and dog-friendly “yappy hour.” The restaurant scene is equally dynamic. Beloved Nanas, shuttered during the pandemic, reopened under chef Matt Kelly. Prolific Chef Oscar Diaz has launched three new restaurants — Little Bull, Aaktun, and TaTaco — in just two years. At Saltbox Seafood Joint,chef Ricky Moore’s daily menus highlight North Carolina’s seasonal coastal catch, while Lutra Cafe and Bakery produces exceptional pastries. And adding to that ever-evolving drinks scene, there’s Corpse Reviver cocktail bar inside Durham Distillery and the new Champagne-focused Coupe & Stein.
Providence, Rhode Island
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Home to Johnson & Wales culinary school, Providence has a robust chef population, with many graduates staying to open standout restaurants. At the charming There, There find sophisticated cocktails and small plates, Gracie’s elevates New American cuisine through seasonal tasting menus and impeccable hospitality, and Persimmon showcases chef Champe Speidel’s artful approach to modern fine dining. Chef Ben Sukle’s playful takes on seafood shine at Gift Horse and sister restaurant Oberlin. Frank & Laurie’s reinvents casual comfort food, and chef Nikhil Naiker’s pop-up Nimki at Courtland Club spotlights vibrant South Asian flavors. Beyond the culinary school’s grads, the city’s vegan food scene also thrives thanks to Plant City, a visionary food hall serving plant-based burgers, tacos, and pasta. Dune Brothers delivers pitch-perfect seafood classics, and Industrious Spirit Co., Providence’s first distillery since Prohibition, crafts inventive spirits like the first-of-its-kind oyster vodka. Wherever you dine, don’t leave town without a visit to Aleppo Sweets for exquisite Syrian-style baklava.
Reno, Nevada
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Long overshadowed by its glitzy Nevada neighbor, Reno is now home to ambitious locals transforming its food scene while retaining plenty of hometown charm. Start the day at Pangolin Cafe with a pistachio latte paired with a complimentary house-made Turkish delight, or at one of Perenn Bakery’s three locations for buttery French pastries. Cocktail enthusiasts love Death & Taxes or new sister bar Curse of Cain, specializing in rum-based drinks. At Cosmo’s Snack Bar, wood-fired pizzas pair with mini negronis and soft-serve drizzled with olive oil, and in the dreamy backyard at dive bar Abby’s Highway 40, the Dumpling Queen food truck dishes out savory snacks to pair with craft cocktails and Miller Lites. Royce Burger Bar proves great food doesn’t need tweezer plating, and for classic Basque food, Louis Basque Corner has been a local favorite since 1967.
Columbus, Ohio
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For proof of Columbus’ fiery food scene, look no further than the city’s Brewery District. Within a few blocks, find Agni, Top Chef alum Avishar Barua’s Bengali-American tasting menu, Cobra, serving Asian-American inspired cocktails and bites like the fried bologna sandwich with house- made Vietnamese sausage, and James Beard semifinalist Law Bird, where Annie Williams Pierce — the first woman to win Bombay Sapphire’s Most Imaginative Bartender competition — mixes innovative cocktails, like the Banana Sotol Negroni from the current MoMA-inspired menu. Beyond this single lively neighborhood, though, Ohio’s capital city is filled with a collaborative, rising-tide-lifts-all-boats spirit and a flood of talent that, after gaining experience in other markets, has returned to open buzzy spots. One is BJ Lieberman, former head chef of DC’s Rose’s Luxury, who runs Chapman’s Eat Market and Ginger Rabbit Jazz Lounge, and is slated to open his third spot, Metsi’s, this summer.
San Antonio, Texas
Robert Lerma
As the birthplace of Tex-Mex cuisine, San Antonio is no stranger to fusion and innovation. The food scene has evolved over the last decade-plus to reflect the south-central Texas city’s influx of Asian immigrants. Jennifer Hwa Dobbertin’s Best Quality Daughter combines her Chinese- American heritage and Texas upbringing, while Curry Boys BBQ earned a James Beard nomination for its Southeast Asian-Texas BBQ fusion. The Pearl district’s Pullman Market exemplifies the city’s commitment to sustainability and local sourcing, featuring four distinctive restaurants that reduce kitchen waste while celebrating regional ingredients, including the innovative dessert omakase Nicosi from 2020 Food & Wine Best New Chef Tavel Bristol-Joseph. Newer to the scene from two Chinese-Mexican-American chefs: Leo Davila’s Anacacho Coffee & Cantina, inside the historic St. Anthony Hotel, and Wok Wey, UNESCO chef ambassador Jaime Gonzalez’s new food truck featuring Cantonese-style dishes inspired by his mother’s heritage. On the local wine front, Re:Rooted 210 Urban Winery showcases some of the best producers in Texas.
To uncover the best food and drink experiences for travelers, Food & Wine polled over 400 chefs, travel experts, food and travel writers, and wine pros from across the globe for their top culinary travel experiences. We then turned the results over to our Global Advisory Board, who ranked the top nominees in each category. For the full list of all 165 winners, visit foodandwine.com/globaltastemakers.
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