There’s no question that the United States has some of the best food in the world and because of the diverse cuisine options, there’s truly something for everyone. Foodies looking for travel destinations across the US should consider visiting these 10 destinations for some of the best restaurants and local dishes in the country.
10 New Orleans, LA
New Orleans is undeniably one of the top cities to visit in the United States when seeking the best food options. Cajun and Creole dishes like gumbo, po’boys, and Jambalaya are popular here. Creole is a fusion, unique to the region, of West African, Native American, French, and Spanish fare. Boiled crawfish is another specialty in New Orleans, and for dessert, visitors should find themselves a slice of pecan pie.
9 San Francisco, CA
San Francisco has tons of Michelin-star restaurants for high-end dining, but it also has an incredible budget-friendly food scene, ensuring there’s something for every traveler. Because of its location on the Pacific Coast of the US, seafood varieties are must-try dishes when visiting this city. Dungeness crab and bay shrimp are two of the local foods to have while in San Francisco. The city also has some incredible Asian cuisine options in Japantown and Chinatown.
8 New York City, NY
Everyone knows that New York City is bursting with delectable food options. There are five 3-star Michelin-star restaurants in the city, but there are also plenty of budget-friendly cafés and sandwich shops where travelers can grab a New York bite. The top foods to try while in NYC are New York-style bagels, New York style-pizza (large with thin crust), pastrami sandwiches, New York-style cheesecake, and Manhattan clam chowder. New York City is also home to some delicious food trucks like Birrialandia (serving affordable Birria tacos) and King Souvlaki.
7 Seattle, WA
Seattle is uniquely situated in the Pacific North West as a coastal city with Asian influences. This has resulted in a vibrant foodie scene with a variety of flavors to please your palate. Oysters are one of the foods Seattle is most well-known for; they’re in season locally during the winter, spring, and fall, making this an ideal time to visit for seafood lovers. There is also a significant Asian American population in Seattle, so it’s a fantastic city for eating Pho, Sushi, and Teriyaki. Pike Place Market is a large farmer’s market in Seattle where travelers can spend a day tasting a range of specialty foods in one location.
6 Houston, TX
The Southern states are well known for these delicious barbecue techniques and cuisine, so meat lovers will appreciate the foodie scene in Texas. Houston, specifically, is a large city with a diverse population, meaning there’s more to it than just barbecue. Tex-Mex is infamous in Houston, originating from the Tejano people of Texas. Although Tex-Mex features some elements of Mexican cuisine, it has a much narrower selection of ingredients and its own unique flavor.
5 Philadelphia, PA
Everyone’s familiar with a Philly cheesesteak sandwich, and while that’s a good reason to visit Philadelphia, it’s not the only foodie attraction in the city. The classic Philly cheesesteak features thinly sliced beef and American cheese, either provolone or Cheese Whiz. When ordering, a traditional shop will ask the customer if they want their sandwich “wit” or “witout”, and this question refers to whether they want onions on the sandwich. Besides a Philly cheesesteak, travelers visiting Philadelphia should look for roast pork sandwiches, Philly soft pretzels, and hoagies.
4 Charleston, SC
Charleston, South Carolina is a port city with a long history. The cobbled streets, horse-drawn carriages, and charming French Quarter attract tourists from around the world who want to experience a taste of the South. Some specialty dishes in the city include shrimp and grits, cornbread, hush puppies, fried green tomatoes, and deviled crabs. She crab soup is another dish that emphasizes the Charleston love of crab. The soup is made of female crabs and topped with orange roe.
3 Chigaco, IL
If you went to Chicago and didn’t try a deep-dish pizza, did you really go to Chicago? This city in Illinois is famous for its Chicago-style pizza which has a thick crust, baked in a pan, and layered with meats and cheeses. Besides this obvious choice to try while visiting Chicago, travelers will also love the local Italian beef sandwiches, flaming saganaki (fried cheese), and a Chicago-style hot dog. When you ask for a hot dog “all the way” in Chicago, it comes topped with mustard, relishes, onions, peppers, tomatoes, and pickles on a poppy seed bun.
2 Nashville, TN
Besides the incredible music community in Nashville, it’s a Southern state with some of the best comfort foods in the country. Southern barbecue has its place in Tennessee, with Nashville boating incredible ribs, tender pulled pork, and brisket. Nashville is also known for its country ham, salt-cured and served boiled or fried. Common side dishes in Nashville include baked beans, mac and cheese, fried green tomatoes, and potato salad.
1 Honolulu, HI
Honolulu, Hawaii has a completely different food culture to the rest of the United States, so it’s definitely a city that foodies should add to their travel bucket lists. Poke bowls are popular in Honolulu; marinated raw fish, diced, and layered on a nutritious bowl of veggies with a rice base. On a hot day, shave ice is the only thing travelers in Honolulu will be craving to cool off. In addition to these better-known dishes, Honolulu is also famous for its coconut milk-based custard called Haupia, lomi-lomi (salmon), and Kalua pig.