By Adam McCann, WalletHub Financial Writer

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 times of high inflation. Restaurant prices rose 6.5% just between August 2022 and August 2023. Even cooking your own gourmet meals can be pricy, as grocery store prices rose 3% between August 2022 and August 2023.

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 28 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.

Miami Is 2023’s 4th Best Foodie City in America

Best Food Cities in America

Overall Rank	City	Total Score	Affordability	Diversity, Accessibility & Quality
1	Orlando, FL	69.38	108	3
2	Portland, OR	68.19	94	5
3	Sacramento, CA	67.62	58	7
4	Miami, FL	66.92	172	1
5	San Francisco, CA	66.03	176	2
6	Tampa, FL	64.84	143	6
7	San Diego, CA	63.90	142	8
8	Las Vegas, NV	63.66	88	11
9	Austin, TX	63.27	70	13
10	Seattle, WA	62.17	181	4
11	Denver, CO	61.64	46	17
12	Atlanta, GA	61.55	135	12
13	Los Angeles, CA	61.42	158	9
14	Chicago, IL	60.03	132	15
15	Richmond, VA	59.99	27	21
16	Pittsburgh, PA	58.99	55	20
17	Washington, DC	58.48	152	16
18	St. Louis, MO	57.59	122	19
19	Houston, TX	57.56	60	23
20	New York, NY	56.99	179	10
21	Oakland, CA	56.16	177	14
22	Phoenix, AZ	55.61	84	25
23	Santa Ana, CA	55.49	49	33
24	Grand Rapids, MI	55.24	5	45
25	Cincinnati, OH	55.22	81	29
26	Vancouver, WA	54.70	112	26
27	Fort Lauderdale, FL	54.59	153	22
28	Milwaukee, WI	54.52	22	44
29	Portland, ME	54.15	114	30
30	Charleston, SC	53.98	113	31
31	Minneapolis, MN	53.85	57	36
32	Honolulu, HI	53.69	174	18
33	San Antonio, TX	53.63	38	41
34	Philadelphia, PA	53.35	145	24
35	Scottsdale, AZ	53.02	48	42
36	Salem, OR	52.75	4	63
37	Salt Lake City, UT	52.74	127	32
38	Charlotte, NC	52.73	116	34
39	Louisville, KY	52.26	12	56
40	Anaheim, CA	52.16	77	43
41	Buffalo, NY	51.98	100	39
42	New Orleans, LA	51.85	157	27
43	Indianapolis, IN	51.01	34	53
44	Garden Grove, CA	50.74	33	62
45	Virginia Beach, VA	50.69	11	74
46	Reno, NV	50.58	44	55
47	Tucson, AZ	50.42	93	46
48	Rochester, NY	50.33	148	37
49	St. Petersburg, FL	50.13	90	49
50	Baltimore, MD	50.07	85	48
51	Fresno, CA	50.02	28	61
52	San Jose, CA	49.96	169	28
53	Aurora, CO	49.83	13	78
54	Cleveland, OH	49.35	95	52
55	Columbus, OH	49.34	65	59
56	Raleigh, NC	49.09	124	47
57	Colorado Springs, CO	48.87	36	71
58	Jersey City, NJ	48.83	69	66
59	El Paso, TX	48.72	24	79
60	Tulsa, OK	48.70	51	72
61	Newark, NJ	48.63	74	67
62	Billings, MT	48.54	17	90
63	Dallas, TX	48.53	75	60
64	Long Beach, CA	48.49	111	54
65	Tempe, AZ	48.45	79	73
66	Providence, RI	48.40	123	57
67	Jacksonville, FL	48.32	101	58
68	Spokane, WA	48.31	131	51
69	Boston, MA	48.22	162	40
70	Nashville, TN	48.13	167	38
71	Albuquerque, NM	48.01	138	50
72	Bakersfield, CA	47.72	66	76
73	Oklahoma City, OK	47.31	78	75
74	Madison, WI	47.23	50	83
75	St. Paul, MN	47.20	45	85
76	New Haven, CT	47.13	67	84
77	Amarillo, TX	47.10	3	136
78	Manchester, NH	46.99	76	88
79	Springfield, MO	46.92	63	86
80	Knoxville, TN	46.91	102	69
81	Omaha, NE	46.84	107	70
82	Burlington, VT	46.80	133	68
83	Detroit, MI	46.78	41	87
84	Cedar Rapids, IA	46.43	31	108
85	Gilbert, AZ	46.27	6	134
86	Stockton, CA	46.26	104	77
87	Modesto, CA	46.22	99	80
88	Des Moines, IA	46.17	25	112
89	Columbia, SC	46.10	71	89
90	Santa Rosa, CA	45.95	180	35
91	Fort Worth, TX	45.89	20	109
92	Plano, TX	45.88	37	99
93	Wilmington, DE	45.60	59	107
94	Corpus Christi, TX	45.53	2	146
95	Overland Park, KS	45.35	39	116
96	Tallahassee, FL	45.27	61	103
97	Glendale, AZ	45.26	9	130
98	Lincoln, NE	45.11	35	122
99	Lexington-Fayette, KY	44.96	47	104
100	Greensboro, NC	44.85	64	101
101	Oxnard, CA	44.71	80	96
102	Laredo, TX	44.47	1	171
103	Oceanside, CA	44.45	62	113
104	Kansas City, MO	44.30	105	93
105	Newport News, VA	44.09	26	143
106	Missoula, MT	44.09	23	128
107	Tacoma, WA	44.04	161	64
108	Mesa, AZ	43.97	87	105
109	South Burlington, VT	43.90	163	65
110	Casper, WY	43.77	110	114
111	Chesapeake, VA	43.69	8	152
112	Toledo, OH	43.63	19	138
113	Sioux Falls, SD	43.62	72	124
114	Irving, TX	43.51	29	144
115	Arlington, TX	43.49	29	135
116	Lubbock, TX	43.43	21	142
117	Warwick, RI	43.31	128	97
118	Pembroke Pines, FL	43.04	156	82
119	Cape Coral, FL	42.83	103	120
120	Norfolk, VA	42.81	89	123
121	Fort Wayne, IN	42.76	10	160
122	Brownsville, TX	42.76	7	170
123	Worcester, MA	42.64	32	141
124	Durham, NC	42.63	83	119
125	Boise, ID	42.56	139	95
126	Wichita, KS	42.53	82	127
127	Dover, DE	42.44	73	121
128	Huntington, WV	42.44	16	165
129	Glendale, CA	42.42	134	111
130	Nashua, NH	42.31	125	118
131	Birmingham, AL	42.24	130	110
132	Memphis, TN	41.95	129	115
133	Henderson, NV	41.85	14	155
134	Fayetteville, NC	41.79	18	166
135	Huntington Beach, CA	41.74	149	94
136	Akron, OH	41.58	43	149
137	Garland, TX	41.58	15	163
138	Santa Clarita, CA	41.56	68	145
139	Fort Smith, AR	41.53	136	126
140	Anchorage, AK	41.45	106	125
141	Irvine, CA	41.44	149	98
142	Chandler, AZ	41.41	52	137
143	Baton Rouge, LA	41.19	160	92
144	Yonkers, NY	41.02	166	91
145	Lewiston, ME	40.84	42	164
146	Fargo, ND	40.79	91	147
147	Little Rock, AR	40.77	97	139
148	Riverside, CA	40.23	118	129
149	Aurora, IL	40.06	141	132
150	Bridgeport, CT	39.78	168	100
151	Hialeah, FL	39.76	175	81
152	Peoria, AZ	39.67	53	167
153	Huntsville, AL	39.67	86	156
154	Rapid City, SD	39.66	164	102
155	Charleston, WV	39.62	40	175
156	Chattanooga, TN	39.35	159	117
157	Winston-Salem, NC	39.28	98	151
158	Chula Vista, CA	38.97	155	131
159	Ontario, CA	38.90	109	150
160	Bismarck, ND	38.07	151	140
161	Fremont, CA	37.91	171	106
162	Cheyenne, WY	37.91	144	154
163	North Las Vegas, NV	37.62	121	148
164	Columbus, GA	37.49	92	176
165	San Bernardino, CA	37.39	118	162
166	Gulfport, MS	37.13	120	169
167	Las Cruces, NM	37.08	56	177
168	Grand Prairie, TX	36.94	117	160
169	Columbia, MD	36.82	147	159
170	Port St. Lucie, FL	36.38	154	153
171	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	36.23	96	172
172	Juneau, AK	35.86	173	133
173	Augusta, GA	35.47	54	180
174	Fontana, CA	35.05	137	173
175	Jackson, MS	34.79	140	178
176	Moreno Valley, CA	33.72	115	174
177	Mobile, AL	33.47	170	158
178	Montgomery, AL	33.05	126	181
179	West Valley City, UT	32.56	165	168
180	Nampa, ID	32.18	178	157
181	Shreveport, LA	31.37	146	182
182	Pearl City, HI	25.24	182	179

FULL REPORT

2023’s Best Foodie Cities in America

WalletHub Study

Miami Is 2023’s 4th Best Foodie City in America

Best Food Cities in America

It’s Time to Get Spooky on South Street!

New Research On Women And Breast Cancer Screenings

Related Videos