We Asked Travel Experts Their Favorite Food Cities In America

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From the West Coast to the East, the Midwest to the Southwest and everywhere in between, America is home to some powerhouse food cities. World-famous metropolises like Los Angeles, New York City, and Miami often receive much of the attention, but smaller gastronomic destinations get noticed, too. Naming "the best food city" in the U.S. is highly subjective, and there are many different ways to evaluate what makes for a culinary hotspot. For example, according to Yelp is Asheville, North Carolina, is a top food city. To help answer the question, Mashed turned to three travel experts: Alena Warfield, Marquita Harley, and Darren Burn.

The interviewees shared their favorite food cities, the reasoning behind their picks, and what they look for when traveling to a new locale. For instance Harley, offered this set of criteria: "When I explore a new city, I look for three things: authenticity, diversity, and local passion. For me, food isn't just about taste — it's the story a destination tells through every flavor." In all three cases, the experts not only talked about delicious destinations, but also provided some food for thought.

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Alena Warfield, a travel agent at Vincent Vacations, shared with Mashed that her favorite food city in the United States is Las Vegas, Nevada. Warfield said of Sin City, "Las Vegas is full of incredible restaurants from world-class chefs and the kind of dining experiences that are just too good not to post on Insta." On the Strip, any type of cuisine and establishment can be found, including celebrity chefs' restaurants, decadent steakhouses, and hole-in-the-wall joints serving up late-night comfort food. Of course, the city also boasts world-renowned buffets that allow diners to pile their plates with dishes from various cuisines. (Here's our ranking of the best and worst buffets in Las Vegas.)

Foodies visiting Las Vegas shouldn't exclusively stick to The Strip, though. There's the city's downtown, the Arts District, and Chinatown, all of which offer a more approachable and typically more affordable experience. As far as deciding where to eat or drink in a new city, Warfield offered a few tips: "When I'm traveling, I love getting a feel for the local food scene — where are locals actually eating? Is it a quiet diner, a family-run BBQ joint, or a food truck with a line down the block? I enjoy a nice photo-worthy restaurant as much as any Instagrammer, but unless it's a work event, I'd rather be where the locals grab a bite. A greasy food truck or small-town cafe scene says so much about the destination!"

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Marquita Harley, CEO & Owner of Getaway Globe Travel, couldn't choose just one favorite city (understandably). The expert shared, "My top food cities are New York City, Houston, Washington, D.C., and Charleston. Each captures a different flavor of America — literally and culturally." What makes each of these stand out? Harley explained, "What makes these cities shine is their culinary storytelling. Each bite reflects the people, history, and traditions that shaped the region. Whether it's Charleston's Gullah-Geechee roots, Houston's cultural fusion, or Harlem's soulful legacy, food becomes the connection point between travelers and community."

Diving into the details, Harley sees New York City is the ultimate melting pot, perfectly summarizing the dining scene by saying, "You can dine around the world without ever leaving the city — from Harlem's iconic Sylvia's and Melba's to Marcus Samuelsson's Red Rooster, where soul food meets global influence." In Houston, Texas, Harley appreciates the celebration of diversity through food and the fusion of Southern, Latin, and Asian influences. 

A favorite restaurant of Harley's is based in Washington, D.C.: Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley, which elevates soul food and cocktails with flair and finesse. When it comes to Charleston, Harley explained the city is where comfort meets class, and that "The Lowcountry cuisine and genuine hospitality make every meal unforgettable." When traveling through the city, Harley always makes a stop in the airport at Kardea Brown's Southern Kitchen, which is inspired by Gullah-Geechee heritage and serves regional classics like shrimp and grits, mac and cheese, and red rice.

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Darren Burn is the founder and CEO of Out of Office and Travel Gay, and he named two favorite food cities on opposite coasts. "I'd highlight two that give you completely different experiences: Honolulu and Miami," he said. The Aloha State may not get the same culinary credit as Miami, but as Burn explained, "With Hawaii, it's the ingredients — you simply cannot get that quality of seafood, those tropical fruits, that volcanic soil anywhere on the mainland. The food tastes different because it comes from a completely distinct ecosystem — assuming it hasn't been imported, of course." Those traveling through Honolulu must try a poke bowl, which Burn described as "next level" for its simple, fresh, and nutritionally rich ingredients. He also cited Polynesian-Hawaiian fusion as an exciting combination. This might include specific dishes like poi (a thick paste made from taro root), laulau (pork wrapped in leaves and steamed underground), and SPAM musubi.Even McDonald's in Hawaii is influenced by these regional specialties.

Burn is a personal fan of Miami because "The high-end scene there rivals New York or San Francisco, but with this distinct Latin American and Cuban influence that makes it feel entirely unique." Here, take advantage of the opportunity to try Cuban, Peruvian, Colombian, and Caribbean influences that combine in a way that's difficult to replicate elsewhere.

When traveling in a new city, Burn evaluates the food scene by looking for: "Something unique to the destinations, like the multicultural dynamic you find in Miami, for example. Buzz is important too — it's great to dine in an environment where there are lots of interesting people and conversations happening."