September 7, 2017
RewardExpert Ranks 2017’s Best American Foodie Towns
Analyzes 100 small cities and towns to determine which are the best for excellent dining across the United States
New York, N.Y. — Major metropolitan hubs are known to house exceptional culinary institutions. RewardExpert – a free service that helps travelers fly for cheap by maximizing their miles and points – today released its ranking of 2017’s Best American Foodie Towns to help travelers discover new dining experiences in towns across the country. The report compares one hundred cities and towns with populations less than 100,000 and evaluates them on nine key metrics. The ranking breaks down the top five foodie destinations across six major U.S. geographical regions.
“Everyone knows that places like New York, San Francisco, and Chicago are home to top-notch eateries.” says RewardExpert CEO and co-founder Roman Shteyn, “But America is a big country and its many nooks and crannies are treasure troves of local delicacies and innovative cuisine. This ranking dives deep into the heartland of America to examine which towns are must-see destinations for foodie enthusiasts.”
These are the top foodie towns by region listed in RewardExpert’s ranking of 2017’s Best American Foodie Towns:
- Burlington, Vermont ranks first in the Northeast. According to our findings, Burlington has 8.6 restaurants per 10,000 residents and 40 restaurants with at least a five-star rating on Yelp. The town is also known for its breweries, which make it a very well-rounded city for foodie options.
- Traverse City, Michigan ranks first in the Midwest. Michigan is sometimes overlooked as a foodie state, but the Great Lakes Culinary Institute is located in Traverse City. This means that young and ambitious chefs are peppered throughout the state bringing incredible culinary experiences to small towns.
- Santa Fe, New Mexico ranks first in the Mountain West. Santa Fe is one of the larger towns RewardExpert analyzed, boasting over 400 restaurants. Santa Fe is known for chefs who create innovative Southwestern fare and is home to a number of award-winning restaurants.
- Healdsburg, California ranks first in the Pacific West. Healdsburg is located within an enclave of the world’s best wineries, giving its cuisine a reputation for being fresh and tasty. The town is home to only about 11,000 residents, yet 25 percent of Healdsburg’s 119 restaurants enjoy four stars or more on various review websites.
- Tuscaloosa, Alabama ranks first in the South Central region. Tuscaloosa is home of classic Alabama southern cooking and hosts over 400 restaurants. According to our findings, 42.4 percent of Tuscaloosa restaurants are rated four and a half stars or more on a combination of review websites.
- Asheville, North Carolina ranks first in the South Atlantic. Asheville has over 700 restaurants and more than any other town we analyzed within the region. Asheville is known for its great barbecue and craft breweries, but the town has many wonderful fine dining establishments to offer, as well.
“Food travel has become increasingly popular. Many travelers go to far-flung and big, urban destinations to experience culinary delights,” says Shteyn. “The great thing about America is that by sheer size it encompasses such a diverse range of local flavors. Travelers don’t have to go too far to try something new!”
For more information and to view the full report, visit the RewardExpert website
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