Food Scenes

Discover the Best Places in America for Foodies

Did you hear about that divine dish at the new farm-to-table restaurant? If you go to that rooftop bar, be sure to try the local brew infused with coffee!

Food and drinks are such a core part of every community’s identity. Uniquely local fare can help foster a sense of pride and connection within a city or neighborhood. Restaurants, bars, farmers, purveyors and other foodies also bring a lot of fun and novelty to the table (pun intended!).

Revealing a favorite hidden bar to an out-of-town visitor feels like letting them in on a huge — and fun — community-wide secret, one that no one wants to keep. Learning that a city is responsible for a beloved beverage like Kool-Aid can also open your eyes to the quirky, unexpected charm you can stumble upon when visiting a new place. And cooking your way through signature regional dishes from around the country is a great way to “travel” and learn something new without ever leaving your own kitchen.

Understanding a community’s local flavor means getting to know its best bars and restaurants, yes, but it also goes much deeper than that. These days, chefs and restaurateurs do so much more than prepare food and provide top-notch hospitality to guests (two super important jobs in their own rights!). They’re also activists, philanthropists and community leaders, working to make their communities — and the world — a better place for all. They’re leading on front-and-center issues like wages and employment benefits, protecting the environment, shopping local and community development. 

Craft breweries, distilleries and wineries now serve as community gathering spaces, hosting everything from ridiculously themed weekly trivia to scintillating scientific lectures featuring professors from local universities. They’re the living rooms of many communities, the places people go to celebrate promotions, console their friends through heartbreak or just play board games as a family. These innovative beer, wine and spirits producers are also pushing the boundaries of their craft, breaking down barriers and inventing new and awe-inspiring ways of doing business.

Meanwhile, farmers and ranchers are providing the nourishment and nutrition their communities need to thrive. Farmers’ markets are creating warm, welcoming spaces for people to connect while at the same time learning more about where their food comes from.

In the end, a community’s food scene shines a light on everyone involved in the local food chain — from hardworking producers to innovative chefs to educated consumers and back again.

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