Travel And Leisure Releases Top Foodie Cities In America List (PHOTOS)

In San Francisco, the food community was hurt. Then, confused. New Orleans? In Travel and Leisure’s “America’s Best Cities for Foodies” readers poll, San Francisco was beat out by New Orleans?

Outrage ensued.

First, Eater SF handed out a hearty serving of sarcasm, and made sure to mention the magazine’s apparent cluelessness in using the term “foodie.” Eater Atlanta slammed the publication for shafting the Georgia city. Finally, upon discovering that New York was beat out by Providence, Rhode Island, we all breathed a sigh of relief. Clearly, the readers of Travel and Leisure had no idea what they were talking about.

But curiosity has gotten the best of us. What is Providence hiding? Does New Orleans actually hold the crown? Where are these readers eating?

For pride’s sake, those of us in San Francisco and New York tend to snub any food list that doesn’t include SF and NY securely in the top two spots. And it’s likely that many readers and food-lovers might protest the results in Travel and Leisure. But we all know where to find Manresa and Mission Chinese Food. And we’ve had our March reservations at Per Se since last December. What we didn’t know before was that the nation’s best fried alligator is at New Orleans’s Cochon. And that in Providence, they don’t bake their pizzas, but grill them for extra blister.

It appears the Travel and Leisure outrage may contain a deliciously seasoned silver lining. Check out our slideshow below for some unexpected cities that take food seriously:

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Comments

[Marlene Rubin Sabba]

07:29 PM on 11/18/2011

Do I have to watch a commercial EVERY TIME I click on a video? The SAME commercial???
How about just one for all in one article?

[Cantinflas]

03:48 PM on 09/23/2011

I love San Antonio. and there is a lot of good food to be had there, but I feel that there is not the diversity there to make it one of the top ten food cities in the US, unless the criterion is regional cuisine.

[unklsara]

11:02 AM on 09/22/2011

What? Where is Philly????

[yappnmutt]

03:31 AM on 09/22/2011

without miami that list is bogus.

[giono]

07:08 PM on 09/20/2011

nary city in Florida .... anyone surprised?

[journ student]

06:31 PM on 09/20/2011

I agree that Philadelphia got gypped, and I'm surprised Washington DC isn't included also. I wholeheartedly support Chicago's inclusion; I LOVE visiting and eating, not only pizza but also its Chinese food.

[plazmaorb]

12:25 PM on 09/21/2011

Philadelphia is hit and miss when it comes to food... a cheese steak does make it a foodie city.
Washington DC has a few good restaurants, but the thing is... there arent a lot of them to go to compared to these other cities.

[sf girl]

05:57 PM on 09/20/2011

I hate the term "foodie."

[Karl Wilder]

04:25 PM on 09/20/2011

Having living in San Francisco, New York, and New Orleans I would indeed put New Orleans at the top of this list, but Seattle would not make the list at all.

[Christine Casabar]

11:50 PM on 09/20/2011

My husband says New Orleans is one dimensional...he's lived there, too. SF, NYC, and I can only guess that Chicago, has the ethnic population and sophistication to offer a broad spectrum of fab food.

[skraeling]

02:17 AM on 09/21/2011

I agree with your husband...Nola is a one trick pony and most places just don't seem to know when to stop adding ingredients....I was very disappointed...Los Angeles should be on this list..besides the best Chinese, Korean, Lebanese, Persian, Japanese, soul and American foods, LA has an atmosphere to go with it. I look forward to going to LA more than any big city in America.

[plazmaorb]

12:38 PM on 09/21/2011

Im not a fan of NO food at all either.. only cause I find cajun/creole food to be boring and muddy tasting. Yeah, they have the french influence in their food, but its not refined to me.

[plazmaorb]

12:25 PM on 09/21/2011

Seattle has a better food scene, that is more hip and fresh and innovative than New Orleans...

[mortrefuge]

02:20 PM on 09/20/2011

http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-tamales-20110908,0,244825.story

[mortrefuge]

01:45 PM on 09/20/2011

One need only to read some Jonathan Gold to discover that LA has one of the best food cultures in America. The ethnic diversity is simply amazing.

[skraeling]

02:17 AM on 09/21/2011

BINGO!

[mortrefuge]

01:40 PM on 09/20/2011

The mere existence of the San Gabriel Valley should have put Los Angeles in the top 10. Huge immigrant communities Korea, China, Vietnam and beyond. Plus all of the Americas with their unique foods and restaurants. Oh well I guess that's what happens when you stay in Beverly Hills for all your meals.

[Annie12]

07:24 PM on 09/20/2011

AGREED!

[skraeling]

02:19 AM on 09/21/2011

Beverly Hills was not on the list...you sound bitter...I agree LA has the best food variety and is the equal to anything in the East..certainly better than Portland or New Orleans or Seattle.

[plazmaorb]

12:40 PM on 09/21/2011

When is the last time you have been to Seattle? Their food scene is exploding right now... its amazing the things that they are doing in that city right now and the ethnic communities have some pretty amazing things going on also, especially if you head down the the business district.

[Joel Brown]

01:37 PM on 09/20/2011

It's a crime that Portland, MAINE isn't on the list!

[plazmaorb]

12:27 PM on 09/21/2011

it would be a crime to put it on there... Maine is not known for their food.. they are only known for the lobster.. that doesnt make it a food centric city

[mellene]

01:14 PM on 09/20/2011

I think New Orleans beat out SF simply because of the uniqueness of the cuisine, not overall quality.

[OutAtFirst]

01:12 PM on 09/20/2011

Put a bunch of cities in a hat, pull out 10, call it a list, and let the arguments begin.

[cameron d]

12:07 PM on 09/20/2011

I love that the Portland picture is "put a bird on it."