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Foodie Lover’s USA Bucket List (Tried, Tasted & Totally Worth It)
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items This list features 20 must-visit foodie destinations, each chosen for its standout food experience. From sizzling street tacos to world-class seafood, the U.S. is packed with unforgettable foodie cities and local gems. Whether you’re a casual eater o...
Sections
6
Street Food & Food Trucks
Seafood & Coastal Cuisine
Fine Dining & Iconic Culinary Cities
Southern Comfort & Soul Food
Regional Specialties & Small-Town Surprises
International Flavors in the U.S.
Street Food & Food Trucks
Bold flavors, fast service, and unforgettable bites. These cities are street food heaven. Perfect for casual eaters and culinary thrill-seekers who love to grab-and-go with good tasting eats from local trucks and carts.
Why I love it: This city is a food cart paradise. Try the Korean tacos, wood-fired pizza, or vegan doughnuts, all from truck windows. Don’t miss: Cartopia, a pod of legendary food trucks
CARTOPIA FOOD CARTS - Portland, Oregon
Why I love it: Brisket breakfast tacos, smoky BBQ from a trailer, and gourmet donuts all in one city? Yes, please. Don’t miss: Veracruz All Natural & Franklin Barbecue (get there early!)
Veracruz All Natural- Austin, Texas
Why I love it: LA’s street food scene is like eating around the world…birria tacos, Thai noodles, and Korean BBQ in a cup. Don’t miss: Smorgasburg LA on Sundays
Smorgasburg Los Angeles - Los Angeles, California
Seafood & Coastal Cuisine
If you crave the taste of the ocean, these coastal cities serve up the freshest catches… buttery lobster rolls to oyster platters and Southern-style shrimp dishes. Ideal for seafood lovers chasing the tide (and the flavor).
Why I love it: Low-country seafood stews, shrimp and grits, and waterfront oyster bars…Southern coastal cooking at its finest. Don’t miss: The Ordinary & Bowens Island Restaurant
Bowens Island Restaurant - Folly Beach, Charleston, SC
Why I love it: Pike Place Market is foodie heaven, with salmon, chowder, and fresh catch cooked for a tasty treat. Don’t miss: Taylor Shellfish Farms for oysters!
Pike Place Chowder - Seattle, WA
Why I love it: Clam chowder, lobster rolls, and North End Italian spots packed with flavor and history. Don’t miss: Neptune Oyster & Modern Pastry
Neptune Oyster- Boston, Massachusetts
Fine Dining & Iconic Culinary Cities
These destinations are a must for serious foodies who live for innovative tasting menus, iconic restaurants, and award-winning chefs. Come hungry and maybe a little dressed up.
Why I love it: You can eat Michelin-starred sushi, $2 bagels, and NYC-style pizza all in the same day. It's the ultimate food lover's playground. Don’t miss: Katz’s Delicatessen, Carbone, or anything in Chinatown.
Katz's – New York - a MICHELIN Guide Restaurant
Why I love it: Deep-dish pizza, inventive tasting menus, and the famous Chicago dog. This city doesn’t mess around with flavor. Don’t miss: Alinea (if you can snag a reservation)
Alinea- Chicago Illinois
Why I love it: Home of sourdough, fresh Dungeness crab, and a active farm-to-table dining culture. Don’t miss: Ferry Building Marketplace & Tartine Bakery
Ferry Building Marketplace- San Franciso, California
Why I love it: Cajun, Creole, and soul food come together in a way no other city can do. Don’t miss: Commander’s Palace & beignets at Café du Monde
Commander's Palace- New Orleans, Louisiana
Southern Comfort & Soul Food
Warm, rich, and deeply satisfying, these cities deliver soulful, home-style meals that stick to your ribs and warm your heart. Expect fried chicken, biscuits, gravy, and a whole lot of flavor.
Why I love it: Southern hospitality meets buttery biscuits, fried green tomatoes, and sweet tea on every corner. Don’t miss: Mrs. Wilkes’ Dining Room.
Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room - Savannah, Georgia
Why I love it: Come for the music, stay for the hot chicken, buttery biscuits, and banana pudding. Don’t miss: Hattie B’s & Loveless Cafe
Loveless Cafe - Nashville, Tennessee
Why I love it: This underrated foodie city is a gem full of modern Southern kitchens and old-school BBQ joints. Don’t miss: SAW’S Soul Kitchen
Saw's Soul Kitchen, Birmingham, Alabama
Regional Specialties & Small-Town Surprises
Off the beaten path but big on taste. These towns and small cities are serving up locally loved dishes, farm-fresh ingredients, and unique food traditions worth traveling for.
Why I love it: Mountain-town charm with big culinary energy. Think local cheese, craft beer, and creative Southern eats. Don’t miss: Curate & Buxton Hall BBQ
Buxton Hall Barbecue - Asheville, North Carolina
Why I love it: Farm-fresh cheese, farm-to-table restaurants, and a Saturday farmer’s market that’s a foodie paradise. Don’t miss: The Old Fashioned & Fromagination
Fromagination - Wisconsin artisan cheese - Madison, Wisconsin
Why I love it: Hatch green chile on everything, Pueblo-inspired flavors, and artful presentations rooted in history. Don’t miss: Café Pasqual’s & The Shed
Pasquals Cafe and Gallery - Santa Fe, New Mexico
Why I love it: This is BBQ heaven, and they take their burnt ends and sauces very seriously. Don’t miss: Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que
Joe's Kansas City BBQ - Kansa City, Missouri
International Flavors in the U.S.
You don’t need a passport to taste the world. These culturally rich cities bring global cuisine to your plate with authentic dishes, immigrant-run kitchens, and food scenes as diverse as the communities behind them.
Why I love it: One of the most diverse cities in America. Houston serves up world-class Vietnamese, Nigerian, Indian, and Tex-Mex. Don’t miss: Crawfish & Noodles + Hugo’s
CRAWFISH & NOODLES - Houston, Texas
Why I love it: Walk a few blocks and you’ll taste Ecuadorian ceviche, Himalayan momos, and Filipino BBQ. Don’t miss: Jackson Heights food tours.
Jackson Heights Food Tours- Queens, New York
Why I love it: Over-the-top buffets, celebrity chef tasting menus, and global eats…all in one glittering city. Don’t miss: É by José Andrés & Lotus of Siam
é by José Andrés - Las Vegas, Nevada