Think about your favorite meal you’ve ever had while traveling. Maybe it was steamed crab drizzled in various tempting sauces in Bali. Fresh pasta in Bologna. Charred kangaroo tartare in Melbourne. Even when you narrow your options down to one country, choosing just one favorite dish is a daunting task. When we’re talking about the whole of the United States, It’s nearly impossible.
These destinations across the country are worth traveling for their culinary scenes alone. Here’s where – and what – you should eat when you get there.
1. Los Angeles
Eating out in LA is more than tacos and breakfast burritos (but we won’t pass up on either of those). If you do go for one, go with a fresh take; Just What I Kneaded in Frogtown has mastered the vegan burrito with soyrizo, tofu egg scramble and avocado. Or tackle the lemon ricotta pancakes with fried chicken at Marelle in Santa Monica. At lunchtime, a historic hotdog from Tail O’ the Pup (who reopened their original 1946 stand in 2022) will keep you full and happy until dinner. When the sun goes, sink into a couch at East Hollywood’s Lolo Wine Bar, a glass of natural orange in hand.
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Guide to eating and drinking in Los Angeles
2. Charleston, South Carolina
In case you haven’t heard, Charleston’s been dubbed the food capital of the South, championing elevated southern classics and, of course, fresh oysters. It’s the birthplace of Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit, whose products you may have seen in your local grocery store, but there’s nothing like the real thing fresh from their tiny King Street kitchen, topped with pimento cheese, gravy, jam or goat cheese. Keep the carbs coming at lunchtime with a piled-high sandwich from The Pass. Order the “Such a Nice Italian Boy” with pickled Calabrian chili relish and pistachio-loaded mortadella. You can’t leave Charleston without trying locally caught oysters and caviar, and downtown’s Chubby Fish has the raw bar for the job. Or, if you really want a luxurious meal, the five- and eight-course tasting menus at Honeysuckle Rose make it hands-down the place to go.
Guide to eating and drinking in Charleston
3. Miami
“As the unofficial capital of Latin America, Miami does one thing better than just about anyone else: it brings together an envious roster of Latin cuisines from around the Caribbean and South America in one gloriously simmering pot melding flavors with passion, chispa (spark) and a gustatory history of a tropical homeland an ocean away,” writes Miami native Jackie Gutierrez-Jones. The day begins with Cuban coffee, or cafecito, most likely from a venanita (walk-up window) like Little Havana’s Versailles. Take your pick of 26 vendors at Julia & Henry’s food hall, from Venetian tapas to poke and ramen. Or head to Dr Limon for a full ceviche bar (potatoes on the side, trust us). From there, you could spend the whole night sipping cocktails or natural wine and dancing until the sun comes up.
Guide to eating and drinking in Miami
4. San Francisco
While the pandemic led to the closing or relocation of many beloved San Francisco restaurants, the city’s food scene is still buzzing with constant new openings. “Look increasingly to residential neighborhoods for some of the best local bites in the city,” says SanFran native Margot Seeto. For flaky, cinnamony goodness, pick up a morning bun at Tartine to go with a cardamom blend from Delah Coffee – or bite into the flaky miso bacon egg cup at Tiny Croissanterie. Lunchtime is perfect for dim sum. You’ll find the best in one of San Francisco’s four Chinatowns, including the very first US dim sum parlor: Hang Ah Tea Room. Come dinner time, plan ahead and order Singaporean chili crab from the delivery/pick-up only Dabao Singapore, or sit down at Dumpling Home and bite into their famous pan-fried pork soup dumplings.
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5. New Orleans
NOLA’s distinctive, Creole-influenced food scene is one of the most recognizable in the country, thanks to “the intermingling of cultures, access to great ingredients, and an aversion to cutting corners,” says travel writer Adam Karlin. And nowadays, the local palette is becoming increasingly international. So order the gumbo when it’s on the menu, but also dig into curry chicken at Queen Trini Lisa and the pani puri at Mister Mao. And no visit to the Big Easy is complete without a night (or day – we don’t judge) on the town, sampling craft cocktails like a classic NOLA Sazerac at Bar Tonique and the gingerita at Pal’s Lounge.
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6. New York City
Like every New Yorker, our team in NYC has plenty of strong opinions about where to eat. It seems like there’s always a TikTok-viral pastry or pizza joint with a cult following around every corner. In short, you’re never scrambling for options that will satisfy whatever kind of craving you have. For bagels, it’s got to be Barney Greengrass on the Upper West Side, a classic Jewish deli where lox and sturgeon are the specialties, or head to Brooklyn for a bagel sandwich from Gertie with a side of latkes. Grab a crispy New York-style slice at L’Industrie (Williamsburg and the West Village) or Scarr’s when you’re in the mood for a casual dinner. Save room for dessert: the daily sundae at Caffè Panna in Gramercy. Then wash it all down with a nightcap and live jazz at Ornithology Jazz Club in Bushwick or HiLot in the East Village.
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Guide to eating and drinking in Brooklyn
7. Tucson
Eating in Tucson is never boring, thanks to its multifaceted influences and abundance of heritage crops. What’s a heritage crop, you may be wondering? These plants have sustained locals for millennia, and Tuscon is home to several of them, like prickly pear fruits and wolfberries. It’s also claimed the title of the first UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy in the US, so just about any culinary adventure in Tuscon will impress. Start your day with chilaquiles at Seis Kitchen (don’t skip the guac), but save room for tacos at lunchtime. Tacos abound in all kinds in Tuscon, like crispy fish tacos from Taqueria Pico de Gallo or birria tacos at Rollies. Dinner is when you’ll find the most elevated meals in Tuscon, like the sea bass crudo at James Beard Semifinalist Tito & Pep.
Guide to eating and drinking in Tucson
8. Kansas City
“Kansas City is synonymous with barbecue, but if you’re visiting just for the burnt ends, you’re missing out on the ever-expanding, diverse menu of flavors that KC dishes up daily – so save room,” writes KC local Lauren Keith. You’ll want to plan your food tour of KC on both the Missouri and Kansas sides. The Bandit, a roast beef sandwich with raspberry jam from Bay Boy, will surprise your taste buds in the best way possible. Multicultural coffee shops are found all over, like the city’s first Vietnamese cafe, Cafe Cà Phê. Locals will tell you that Kansas City barbecue comes out on top, and you can see for yourself at establishments like the legendary Joe’s Kansas City Barbecue and Slap’s BBQ.
Guide to eating and drinking in Kansas City
9. Washington DC
Ironically, the US capital’s specialty is international cuisine – but that also makes sense, since it’s home to over 175 embassies and is a major immigration entry point. And there are seemingly countless incredible restaurants dishing up global favorites to choose from in DC’s award-winning dining scene. Go for fluffy, buttery potato pierogies at Michelin-starred Bresca in the energetic U St Corridor. Or head to Dauphine’s, an American spot with a heavy emphasis on New Orleans specialties like duck jambalaya. One of the most competitive tables in town is Moi Moi, a West African and Southern American fusion spot. Order the thieboudienne (Senegal’s national dish). Whatever reservations you score in DC, creative fusions are pretty much guaranteed.
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10. Portland, Oregon
Portland hasn’t always had the hard-hitting culinary scene it does now. What it has always had: fresh, local produce out the wazoo, straight from the flourishing farmlands right outside the city. Pastry snobs will be delighted by Orange & Blossom’s brioche cardamom orange blossom buns. The birthplace of Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Portland is no stranger to crafting the best brews. Try Anna Bananas – one of the oldest and coziest coffeehouses in town – to relax with coffee and a good book, or Coava Coffee Roasters for superior espresso drinks. Another quintessentially Portland dining experience: food cart pods – aka groupings of food carts with shared tables – like Lil’ America in Southeast Portland (try the Guyanese noodles from Bake on the Run).
Guide to eating and drinking in Portland
11. Chicago
“Chicago racks up a slew of Michelin stars and James Beard Awards, but it keeps it real with an affordable, no-pretenses scene that spreads across neighborhoods and mixes with the city’s cultural mash-up,” says local travel journalist Karla Zimmerman. In the land of deep-dish pizza, stopping for a slice is pretty much a given for any visitor, and for many locals, the answer is obvious: Pequod’s Pizza’s pepperoni pie. At Thattu in the neighborhood of Avondale, dishes inspired by the South Indian coastal cuisine of Kerala warm the tables, like the fried chicken sandwich topped with curry leaf aioli. Or bite into gooey arancini at Sfera Sicilian Street Food – try variations with beer ragu, mushrooms and ricotta.
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12. The Florida Panhandle
A longtime beloved vacation spot of US southerners, “there is finally a culinary scene to match the beauty of the beaches,” says journalist and frequent Panhandle vacationer Jennifer Leigh Parker. For some reason, donuts and the beach just make sense. You’ll find proof of this at the Donut Hole. Don’t be overwhelmed by the number of flavors – you can’t really go wrong, but the blueberry cake donuts always hit the spot. Aside from the sandwich you made to devour as soon as you arrive at the beach, the rest of the day’s meals should be heavy on seafood because everything’s local. The best sushi is at Harbor Docks in Destin, and The Citizen in Alys Beach is best for finer fare, like the steaming hot Fisherman’s Stew. Sunset o’clock is best spent on the roof at Pescado, listening to live music and gazing at the Gulf while sipping your cocktail.
Guide to eating and drinking on the Florida Panhandle
13. Palm Springs
Palm Springs wasn’t always the California desert’s restaurant hotspot. “My, how things have changed,” says travel writer Andrew Bender, “…the restaurant scene has busted wide open.” Cheeky’s has mastered the breakfast and brunch game with favorites like yam hash and fried chickens and waffles (and a Bloody Mary in a cowboy boot-shaped glass – yeehaw to that!). Also, something important to note about Palm Springs: this is a steak and martini town, and the atmospheric and clubby Mr Lyons gives these classics a modern edge. The second thing to note: Palms Springs is synonymous with cocktail culture. Sip rooftop aperitifs at High Bar, and bar hop to Chill Bar before dancing the night away at Hunter’s.
Guide to eating and drinking in Palm Springs
14. Detroit
You’ve probably heard of coney dogs and thick, rectangular Detroit-style pizza, but that’s just the beginning of the Motor City’s growing dining scene. Take the corned beef burger at The Food Exchange, for instance: a thick, grilled patty on an onion roll, topped with corned beef and two kinds of cheeses (Swiss and American), plus all the classic burger fixings – so iconic, it’s become a 25-year staple on the menu. Or take advantage of Michigan’s seemingly endless supply of maitake mushrooms and order the mushroom dumplings at restaurant-butcher shop-combo Marrow, served in corn butter with a signature szechuan sauce. For that much-awaited slice of pizza, it’s got to be from Michigan and Trumbull. Pro tip: BYOB.
Guide to eating and drinking in Detroit