Alabama’s coastline on the Gulf of Mexico isn’t huge, but the sandy beaches of Gulf Shores and the adjacent town of Orange Beach draw in enough hungry tourists to make it a true foodie destination. Seafood and beach vibes are the order of the day here – old school seafood shacks like King Neptune’s serve up platters of local Royal Red shrimp, while beachside places like The Gulf specialise in above-average casual fare like fish tacos and lobster rolls.

With a population of about 30,000, the city of Juneau is small for a state capital, but it’s big on great restaurants, thanks to the bounty of the Alaskan wilderness. Visitors can find real deal Alaskan king crab at Tracy’s King Crab Shack, which claims to be the most popular restaurant in town. But it’s not all about the crab – Juneau is full of craft breweries and distilleries, bars and saloons, casual hamburger joints and fine dining restaurants like Salt that highlight fresh local produce.

Surrounded by dramatic red rock formations, Sedona’s restaurants are as eclectic as the desert dwellers that populate the small city. Those looking for quintessential cowboy cuisine will find it at the Cowboy Club, while Tii Gavo offers a taste of the Southwest with its casual tacos and fajita bowls. Sedona’s local celebrity chef is Lisa Dahl, who runs several renowned restaurants including the Mariposa Latin-Inspired Grill.

Texarkana is two cities in one, straddling the Arkansas/Texas border. Over on the Arkansas side there is plenty to eat, reflecting the Southern charm and meat-centric cuisines of both states. Hopkins Icehouse, located in a refurbished feed store, is a must-try for its burgers and other no-nonsense down-home cuisine, as is Pop’s Place, a shack of a restaurant serving Southern specialties. And you can’t get this close to Texas without eating a steak at the Cattleman’s Steak House.

Pretty much the entire state of California is a foodie wonderland, but Sonoma County’s Healdsburg has got an exceptional food scene even compared to the rest of the state. In the heart of wine country, there are fresh and fancy restaurants around every corner, most of which serve food meant to be paired with local wine. Spots like Bravas Bar de Tapas and Dry Creek Kitchen fall into that wine country category, but there are also plenty of casual spots to grab a quick bite between tastings.

Telluride is well-known for skiing and as a celebrity hangout, which is why it’s chockful of world-class restaurants, despite having a population of only about 2,500. Places like 221 South Oak (whose chef Eliza Gavin won fame as a contestant on Top Chef) and the New Sheridan Chop House would be standouts in even much larger cities and there is also a selection of great restaurants at the ski resorts and in the Mountain Village, which is accessible by gondola.

Rich in history and not far from New York City, one of Litchfield’s key foodie attractions is Arethusa Farm, a picturesque dairy farm. The farm features an excellent fine dining restaurant, a café and bakery, and, of course, ice cream and cheese. Arethusa isn’t the only game in town though: food lovers can also check out places like the Haight-Brown Vineyard or, for something more casual, the Da Capo brick oven pizzeria.

Vacation towns tend to breed good restaurants and Rehoboth Beach, with its sandy shores and classic boardwalk, is no exception. Beachgoers can dust themselves off and go for a fancy French meal at a fine dining room like La Fable or try the “bold American” fare at Eden or just grab some very good tacos or pizza near the boardwalk. There’s also a vibrant farmers’ market for locals and vacation renters who want to cook for themselves.

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Located near Orlando, Winter Park has made its own mark with its wide selection of restaurants that outshine the big chains that tourists will find near the theme parks. The biggest draw is the expansive Plant St. Market, featuring 20 vendors specialising in natural organic food and handmade goods, with a brewery and food stalls selling empanadas, ceviche and more. As for restaurants, the city has a wide variety with highlights like Umi for Japanese and Bosphorous for Turkish cuisine.

Dillard is a tiny town in the Blue Ridge Mountains – with a population of less than 500 people it’s not where one would expect to find a destination restaurant, but the town’s Dillard House is just that. A farm-to-table restaurant before the concept was cool, the house offers experiential Southern meals served family-style. Beyond that, Dillard has several nearby wineries and places to get barbecue to satisfy discerning appetites.

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The island of Maui has many good restaurants but one of the longest-running and most beloved is Mama’s Fish House, located near the surfing town of Paia on the island’s north shore. The classic Hawaiian restaurant is a must for lovers of fresh fish, but it’s not the only great food option Paia has to offer. Visitors also shouldn’t miss the fish burgers at the Paia Fish Market or the kalua pork pizza at the Flatbread Company.

Moscow sits near the state border with Washington, which may influence the town’s robust food culture. There are a range of eateries in town, including great pizza, casual breakfast fare and Greek food, as well as some hip chef-driven places. Nectar is one of the town’s top restaurants, serving modern American food like upscale mac 'n' cheese, burgers and a popular meatloaf special.

Food and Wine magazine named this town in Illinois as one of the top barbecue cities in the US, based on the strength of the extraordinary 17th Street Barbecue, founded by late award-winning pit master Mike Mills, who was so renowned that he was simply known as “The Legend”. Pat’s BBQ and Catering is another local favourite and if all that meat is too much, hungry visitors to Murphysboro can get their fill at Cummare’s Italian Restaurant or Sergio’s for Mexican.

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Roanoke is known for its surrounding farmlands, so it makes sense that this small town’s premier restaurant, Joseph Decuis, is a farm-to-fork affair. Joseph Decuis is by far Roanoke’s top-rated place to eat, thanks to its charming historical setting and dedication to raising its own Wagyu cattle. For a less fancy dinner, Roanoke is home to the long-running Roanoke Village Inn and, for a treat, Moose and Mollie’s Café and Gelato.

The big business in the town of Le Mars is undoubtedly Blue Bunny Ice Cream, a beloved brand that has existed since the 1930s. The ice cream is made by the Wells company and visitors to Le Mars can tour its visitor centre and ice cream parlour. For something meatier, Le Mars is also home to Archie’s Waeside, a James Beard Award-winning restaurant that specialises in hand-cut dry aged steaks

Not to be confused with the city in Pennsylvania, Pittsburg, Kansas is home to two rival fried chicken restaurants, Chicken Mary’s and Chicken Annie’s, which have been competing for local hearts for over 80 years. The two restaurants are on the same block and there’s a hot debate over which of the two is better, even though they both serve very similar food. Neither are fancy or expensive and true foodies will want to try and compare both.

With a population of less than 2,000, Midway has more than its fair share of very good restaurants, largely thanks to renowned local chef Ouita Michel who is behind the local ingredient-focused Holly Hill Inn and The Midway Bakery and Café, as well as Wallace Station, which is located just outside of town. Midway continues to punch above its weight with non-Michel restaurants like Heirloom, an elegant modern French restaurant, and the eclectic Brown Barrel.

Part of the Cajun Bayou Food Trail, Thibodaux is the epicentre of real deal Cajun food, one of America’s most coveted cuisines. Trail stops in Thibodaux include gems like Spahr’s Seafood, the Bourgeois Meat Market and the old school Politz’s Restaurant, all of which offer a true taste of rural Louisiana. This isn’t necessarily hip or fashionable food, but an important (and delicious) area for serious foodies to experience.

Maine is all about fresh seafood and the coastal town of Rockland is an ideal place to experience the best the Atlantic has to offer. James Beard Award-winning chef Melissa Kelly’s farm-to-table Primo restaurant is a star of the scene, but the glut of other seafood restaurants like 18 Central Oyster Bar & Grill and Archer’s on the Pier are also more than worth a visit.

This quaint town in Maryland has a historical downtown lined with interesting restaurants like the farm-fresh Blacksmith, the Atlantic Hotel’s Bistro Bar and, for something nostalgic, the very retro Rayne’s Reef Soda Fountain and Grill. The town has gone out of its way to revitalise its Main Street, making the town more appealing to visitors and better able to support independent small businesses.

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The late Anthony Bourdain quite famously paid his dues with an early cooking job in this town on Cape Cod and that in itself makes it a destination for foodies. But while Bourdain’s presence looms large, there are also plenty of current restaurants to explore. The Canteen is a top spot to grab and all-important lobster roll, John’s Footlong is a fun stop for a hot dog and Pepe’s Wharf is a magical location for a Cape Cod seafood feast.

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Sitting at the confluence of rural farmland and Michigan wine country on the shores of Lake Michigan, Traverse City is in a prime position to be unusually rich in good things to eat. In addition to the wineries the area is saturated with great breweries, all of which leads to good restaurants. The Grand Traverse Pie Company takes advantage of the region’s bounty of tart cherries, while restaurants like Farm Club make the most of other local ingredients.

Known as “the birthplace of Minnesota,” Stillwater has a deep history and its place in America’s Heartland also makes it a good setting for chef-driven restaurants. This range of cuisine is impressive for a small town, with options like the Mexican dishes at Lolito, the hipster vibe at Brick and Bourbon and the rustic elegance of Phil’s Tara Hideaway, which is tucked away in an unassuming-looking log cabin that used to be a chicken shack.

A friendly town with an artistic soul, Ocean Springs is known as the “city of discovery” and that spirit extends to its food scene. Its location on the Gulf Coast means there’s seafood to be had, often at Vestige, a much-celebrated fine dining restaurant. Because this is Mississippi there’s also barbecue spots like The Shed, on top of a host of eclectic cafés and restaurants that reflect the local arts community.

Much of Weston’s draw is centred around the beverage industry, with a nice selection of wineries, distilleries and pubs in and around the town’s historical sites and museums. The town is home to the Farmers’ House Market, a year-round market full of freshly grown goods. Weston’s  restaurant game is also strong with places like the Avalon Café, located in an antebellum-era home and the café at the Green Dirt Farm, which also features a cheese shop. 

Located just south of the Canadian border, Whitefish is a popular destination for sporty types, but it also has a significant number of restaurants to fuel visitors after a day of outdoor fun. This is a town that takes its breakfast seriously, with places like Loula’s Café that make wholesome from-scratch egg dishes and irresistible pies. Unsurprisingly, there’s also a good brewery scene and lots of tasty casual restaurants like Piggyback BBQ.

A bieroc is a yeast dough pastry of Russian origin that is filled with a savoury filling, usually something like beef and onion with cabbage. They’re particularly popular in Nebraska and the best place to get them is in the town of McCook at Sehnert’s Bakery, which won a James Beard Award in 2019. Sehnert's also does unmissable doughnuts, if sweet treats are more your thing. When not indulging in bierocs or doughnuts, foodies can eat at one of the town’s many other homespun family-owned restaurants and diners.

The rest of Nevada gets overshadowed by Las Vegas, but the state is full of quirky little towns, including this one just south of Reno. Genoa is home to what is billed as Nevada’s oldest bar and saloon, which is worth a visit if only for the novelty and the photo op. You’ll also find some good restaurants like The Pink House, which specialises in cheese plates and charcuterie, and the rustic Mexican Genoa Station Bar and Grill.

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New England is packed with lovely little foodie towns and Littleton is among the best of the bunch. Built in 1940, the undeniably adorable Littleton Diner is the icon of the town’s food landscape and is a must-see. These day's more modern spots like the Shilling Beer Co. (with a tasting room located in a picturesque Scandinavian-inspired farmhouse) and the chef-owned Tim-Bir Alley are also attracting attention.

Located just east of Philadelphia, Collingswood was founded by Quakers and as a result has some odd liquor laws. Craft breweries are not legally permitted to serve food and customers have to bring their own beer or wine to drink in restaurants. That said, the local restaurant scene is still quite hot, with standouts like the Sagami Japanese restaurant, the American comfort food flair of Hearthside and the modern Indian cuisine from Indiya.

This little village near the slightly larger town of Taos is outstandingly charming and in addition to the quirky architecture throughout the community, there’s a surprising array of good places to eat. ACEQ is a favourite of both locals and visitors because of its well-prepared comfort food and the Sol Market and Café is a great place to stock up on fresh ingredients as well as prepared foods made with natural ingredients.

Most people have heard the name Lake Placid because of the 1980 Winter Olympics and that fame has allowed the village in the Adirondack Mountains to develop a healthy community of restaurants. The relatively rural setting has made fun and interesting farm-to-table restaurants run by innovative chefs the norm, with places like Salt of the Earth Bistro, the oddly named Liquids and Solids at the Handlebar and the Big Slide Brewery leading the pack.

Only about a half hour drive from Charlotte, Davidson is a pretty lakeside town that draws in day-trippers looking for some lake time and a nice meal. Foodies in the know flock to Kindred, a stylish chef-driven place prized for its diverse seasonal cuisine. Davidson is a college town, so there’s plenty of good coffee and casual fare at restaurants like the Pickled Peach, which also features an artisanal food market.

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Grand Forks is a bit larger than most of the cities on this list, but it’s still small enough to feel town-like and is home to some of the best food in North Dakota. As an active and arts-friendly city, Grand Forks has a thriving restaurant community, with highlights like the casual but delicious Toasted Frog (don’t skip the fried pickles!) and the more rugged Texas Roadhouse. 

Any town that claims to have the world’s best fried bologna sandwich deserves some serious foodie attention. Waldo’s population hovers just above the 300 mark, but its yes G&R Tavern is worth a visit just for the thick and crispy bologna slices on a hamburger bun with pickles and Monterey Jack cheese. G&R isn’t the only restaurant in town (you can also grab a decent meal at Pettibone’s Bar and Grill), but it is the one to get excited about.

El Reno is another small town with a very singular foodie draw: the famous Oklahoma fried onion burger. While the burgers can be found throughout the state, El Reno is the onion burger capital, with three very unassuming restaurants vying to be the best. Hardcore food lovers will stop into Robert’s Grill, Johnnie’s Hamburgers and Coneys and Sid’s Diner, often in a single day, to sample the burgers and decide which is the tastiest.

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Sitting in the heart of Oregon’s famed Willamette Valley wine region, McMinnville is a welcoming town with a delightful main drag full of cool restaurants with a focus on locally produced wine. There are excellent brunch places, most notably the Crescent Café which makes hearty from-scratch dishes. The restaurant to travel for is Thistle, which is intensely locally focused, even by Oregon standards, but there are also many fantastic tapas joints, wine bars and other eateries.

When people think of Hershey, Pennsylvania one thing comes to mind: America’s most famous chocolate brand. Chocolate lovers can visit Hershey’s Chocolate World to take a tour and learn how chocolate is made while also getting a chance to sample the wares. But even in Hershey one cannot live on chocolate alone and the town has a good collection of restaurants including the ritzy Circular in the Hotel Hershey, and a number of independent restaurants outside of Hersheypark.

Newport is known for its luxe vacation homes and yacht port, both of which attract crowds of well-heeled visitors looking for premium places to eat. New England seafood is the main theme in town and it’s easy to find both classy sit-down seafood restaurants like Midtown Oyster Bar or quirky paper plate joints like Flo’s Clam Shack, which is more relaxed, but just as good. The town also hosts an annual wine and food festival for visitors who want a taste of everything.

Another slightly larger small city, Greenville sits about halfway between Atlanta and Charlotte and has positioned itself as a growing city full of hungry people looking for good places to eat. The city has a strong craft brewery industry and a number of fresh and fun casual spots as well as several James Beard Award-nominated restaurants. The Anchorage is a top spot for wine and shareable plates and the city also boasts an outpost of the famed Husk restaurant, this one focused on barbecue.

Freeman’s signature dish is something called chislic, which is basically skewered cubes of meat (usually mutton) that are considered a must-try in South Dakota. Freeman hosts the annual South Dakota Chislic Festival, featuring craft beer and various local takes on chislic. Visitors can also try the delicacy year-round at local restaurants like Meridian Corner.

Franklin is located just south of Nashville and is an ideal place to visit to get a real taste of Southern-style cooking, with great examples of fried chicken, pimento cheese, shrimp and grits, and other traditional delicacies on menus all over town. Bishop’s Meat & Three is owned by the same family behind Nashville’s Hattie B’s and specialises in the ultimate Southern lunch: your choice of a classic protein with three succulent side dishes.

Texas’s foodie small town has to be all about the barbecue and since Lockhart is the official BBQ Capital of Texas, it’s the one to visit. Even though the city only has around 13,000 residents, it’s estimated that about 5,000 plates of barbecue are served in town each week. Obviously Lockhard has all kinds of restaurants, but foodies will want to hit the great barbecue houses like Kreuz Market and Black’s BBQ.

A winter resort town that’s internationally known thanks to the Olympics and the Sundance Film Festival, Park City has an abnormally abundant restaurant industry for a city of less than 10,000 people. The town’s best bets include places like the well-to-do Riverhorse on Main and Handle restaurants as well as more homey fare at a host of Japanese, Mexican and Italian restaurants or any one of the excellent local coffee shops.

Waterbury is quite famously the site of the original Ben and Jerry’s ice cream factory, which usually offers tours to visitors (but may currently be closed because of COVID-19). The town isn’t all ice cream though – it’s also got an enviable group of restaurants that showcase the best of local Vermont food producers. Foodies shouldn’t miss places like the rustically elegant Hen of the Wood and the highly rated Michael’s on the Hill, among many others.

Located in Appalachia, Abingdon has more restaurants per capita than San Francisco, New York or New Orleans. In fact, there are over 30 independent restaurants to choose from, ranging from fine dining at The Tavern and slightly more casual fare at The Peppermill. Foodies can also check out nearby wineries, farmers’ markets, a local olive oil company and a cornmeal mill that supplies restaurants in the area.

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With a population in the three-digits Edison is very tiny, but in 2017 Food and Wine magazine accurately predicted that its growing food community would quickly become one to watch. Located in a fertile agricultural zone, Edison’s restaurants aren’t just good, they’re also fun: places like the Breadfarm bakery and Tweets Café are both whimsical and appetising, making this scene different to those that are built around fancy award-winning restaurants.

Historic Lewisburg is a lively town with a dining scene to match, full of independent restaurants that serve a diversity of fresh food. The French Goat is a local favourite for fine dining and the sustainability-minded Stardust Café is perfect for a light but delicious meal. During non-pandemic times, Lewisburg also hosts the popular West Virginia Craft Beer Festival.

This little lake town in Wisconsin not only has the benefit of lakeside resorts that draw people in, but it is also a stone’s throw from Road America, a permanent professional car racing track. This means that you’ll often see expensive sports cars parked in front of restaurants around town, while their wealthy drivers dine at surprisingly good restaurants like the Lake Street Café or Otto’s at the Osthoff Resort. Henning’s Cheese factory is also nearby for a hit of Wisconsin cheese curds.

Foodies visiting Wyoming will want a proper cowboy meal and the town of Buffalo is sure to deliver. This is steak country and the best place to get a nice slab of beef is the Winchester Steakhouse. The Virginian is also worth a visit for bison or elk steak and no trip to Buffalo is complete without experiencing the ambiance of the rootin’ tootin’ Occidental Saloon.

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