The Top US Cities for Food and Drink Right Now, From New York to New Orleans
You can find a great meal in virtually any corner of America, if you know where to look. In some cities, though, an array of talented and ambitious chefs, cooks, and bartenders converge to create a truly standout food scene.
Food & Wine’s third annual Global Tastemakers Awards spotlights the top cities that define American dining in 2025. In New Orleans, an enduring culinary heritage touches both century-old institutions and brand-new additions. In Austin, a memorable meal can be found at a tasting menu or a taco truck. The sheer number of restaurants in New York City means you never have to go far to eat well. This list highlights newcomers like Houston, where a multicultural population meets Texas tradition, and Philadelphia, where a perfect cheesesteak only scratches the surface of the scrappy city’s culinary ingenuity. These are the best cities in America to taste this year.
Winner: New York City
Courtesy of Raf’s
With tens of thousands of places to eat, from revered fine-dining institutions to destination-worthy food trucks and fast-casual spots, it’s no surprise that New York City tops this list. You can zigzag across boroughs for hand-pulled noodles in Flushing, coal-fired pizzas in Brooklyn, and jollof rice in the Bronx. Or you can stay in one neighborhood and experience century-old appetizing traditions and ethereal smoked fish at Russ & Daughters for breakfast, a vegan Superiority Burger for lunch, and plates of buttery ravioli at Raf’s, care of 2024 F&W Best New Chefs Mary Attea and Camari Mick, all within a few blocks.
Chicago
Courtesy of Lauren Murray
If The Bear caused you to pine for a classic Italian beef sandwich, plan a trip to get a taste of the Windy City. 2022 F&W Best New Chef Damarr Brown is behind the refined Southern cuisine at Virtue in Hyde Park and has a few suggestions for places to eat, including Demera for Ethiopian food and early evening drinks on the beautiful patio at Piccolo Sogno. For dinner, try the Michelin-starred tasting menu at Esmé in Lincoln Park, which he calls intellectual, delicious, “and also really fun.” For the sandwich, his pick is the classic: Al’s #1 Italian Beef. And if you’d like to try the chocolate cake from the hit FX show, head to Loaf Lounge, home of the original dense, three-layer dessert.
Los Angeles
Courtesy of Shelby Moore
LA’s restaurant scene draws on the city’s creative, always-evolving energy. See it at Holy Basil, where 2024 F&W Best New Chef Wedchayan “Deau” Arpapornnopparat bridges Thai tradition brilliantly with California ingredients and innovation in dishes like the yellow curry rigatoni and khao soi pasta, or Birdie G’s, where Jeremy Fox makes magic with vegetables. While you explore the city’s electric food scene, don’t miss tried-and-true classics like Philippe for French dips, Bay Cities for a Godmother Italian sandwich, and Cielito Lindo for taquitos, all of which can steal the show.
Austin
Courtesy of Eva Kolenko
In the Texas capital, you can find a world-class meal at a barbecue truck as easily as at a hallowed fine-dining institution (or anything in between — as underscored at lauded but unfussy counter service spot Birdie’s, Food & Wine’s 2023 Restaurant of the Year). While the city’s culinary scene extends far beyond tacos, you have to try them on tortillas made using corn nixtamalized in-house at Nixta Taquería, from 2023 F&W Best New Chef Edgar Rico, or Suerte, care of 2021 F&W Best New Chef Fermín Núñez.
New Orleans
Cedric Angeles
New Orleans is celebrated for its culture, music, and joyful festivals. But the city may be best known for its culinary identity, thanks to a pitch-perfect blend of deeply rooted traditions and bold flavors. Classic dishes are reinterpreted in soulful and ingenious ways like the lump crab-flecked gumbo made by 2024 F&W Best New Chef Nicole Cabrera Mills at Pêche, and the Mexican-inspired seafood feast at Acamaya, the new restaurant from 2022 F&W Best New Chef Ana Castro in the Bywater neighborhood. Even at Emeril’s, the snoballs that come on a rolling cart toward the end of the exquisite tasting menu are doused in pink, cream of nectar flavor from famed local shop Hansen’s.
Charleston
Courtesy of Lindsey Harris Shorter
Restaurants in Charleston could easily just lean on the port city’s natural beauty and famously warm hospitality. But diners can expect so much more, like the freshest local seafood, a robust cocktail culture, and plenty of Lowcountry cuisine. To get a taste, make for classics like The Charleston Grill, FIG, and Leon’s Oyster Shop, and mark your calendar this November for the return of the Food & Wine Classic.
Miami
Courtesy of Daniel Zuliani
Miami’s culinary scene captures the city’s dynamic, multicultural heart, and there’s more than one way to experience it. Score a table at one of the flashy destination restaurants like Carbone or Thomas Keller’s The Surf Club for an over-the-top, see-and-be-seen night out. Sip Cuban coffee in Little Havana, and sample seafood at Itamae AO, where 2023 F&W Best New Chef Nando Chang seamlessly blends Peruvian and Japanese flavors. Or, wait for a table at Joe’s Stone Crab, the 110-year-old Miami institution, to crack open crustaceans alongside slices of cold key lime pie.
San Francisco
Courtesy of John Troxell
San Francisco’s proximity to plentiful farms, fresh seafood, and world-class wine regions propels the city to stand among the world’s most celebrated dining scenes. Explore the country’s oldest Chinatown for xiao long bao, or seek out iconic local specialties like sourdough at Tartine or Josey Baker Bread, the pick of 2021 F&W Best New Chef Gaby Maeda. (Maeda also loves the burritos at El Farolito, a taquería in the Mission District.) And book a table at one of the city’s beloved fine-dining meccas, like Lazy Bear or Atelier Crenn.
Houston
Courtesy of Tatemó
The addition of Houston to this list is no surprise to anyone who’s experienced the Texas city’s vibrant and diverse food scene. Sample Viet-Cajun cuisine with crawfish doused in garlicky butter at Crawfish & Noodles, try handmade corn tortillas and heritage corn tepache at Tatemó from 2023 F&W Best New Chef Emmanuel Chavez, or Texas-style brisket at Truth BBQ.
Philadelphia
Courtesy of Neal Santos
Don’t go to Philadelphia for its famed cheesesteaks (well, not just its cheesesteaks). Go for Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon’s transformative Thai cuisine at Kalaya. Or the Cambodian hot dog and mango coconut rice pudding at Mawn, the Malaysian burger, wrapped in a thin egg crepe, at Kampar, and the mind-bendingly innovative cocktails at Friday Saturday Sunday. Go for whatever’s on the menu at 2023 F&W Best New Chef Amanda Shulman’s warm and delightful supper club Her Place. And yes, don’t leave Philly without the pure pleasure of unwrapping a cheesesteak drenched in long hot pepper Cheese Whiz from Angelo’s — the line will stretch down the block, but it moves fast.
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.
