These FL Towns Named Best Foodie Cities In National Survey

FLORIDA — The Sunshine State recently got some egg-citing news: the best foodie city in the U.S. in 2024 is found in Florida, a new survey says.

The personal finance website WalletHub said Miami is top-ranking among competitors in Georgia, California, Pennsylvania and New York.

At No. 1, there is no yolk about Miami being the best foodie city in the U.S., per WalletHub's ranking. The South Florida town churned an overall score of 74.37.

Experts analyzed two categories, affordability and diversity, accountability and quality, in 182 cities. Miami ranked No. 145 in the former and first in the latter category.

"In addition to having a lot of dining establishments, Miami also has high-quality choices. The city has the 12th-most diversity when it comes to the types of restaurants available, and the 13th-best ratio of full-service restaurants to fast-food chains. On top of that, foodies who want to partake in fine dining can choose from 14 Michelin-starred restaurants. One of them, L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, even has two Michelin stars," WalletHub said.

"Finally, Miami is a great place for foodies who enjoy cooking at home. It has the third-most farmers’ markets, ninth-most gourmet specialty food stores, second-most butcher shops and most kitchen supply stores per capita."

San Francisco, California (No. 2) and Orlando (No. 3) followed suit with 71.66 and 71.43 scores respectively.

“In the best foodie cities, including Miami, Fl, San Francisco, Ca, and Orlando, Fl, there are tons of unique culinary experiences to try, from food trucks to specialty-food stores to Michelin-starred restaurants," WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said in the report.

"The top cities cater not just to people who enjoy dining out, but also to foodies who enjoy putting their own skills to the test by exploring new flavors in their own kitchens. In addition, these cities make delicious dining affordable for residents and visitors alike.”

Miami was joined by several other Florida cities. Here's how Florida towns ranked on the list:

• Orlando: No. 3, overall score of 71.43
• Tampa: No. 5, overall score of 69.31
• Fort Lauderdale: No. 19, overall score of 58.37
• St. Petersburg: No. 34, overall score of 54.33
• Jacksonville: No. 67, overall score of 49.62
• Tallahassee: No. 89, overall score of 46.61

"Orlando is home to seven Michelin-starred restaurants, all of which hold one star each, including Camille, Papa Llama and Soseki. Additionally, the city has the ninth-best diversity of restaurant choices in the country," WalletHub said.

In evaluating 28 metrics, analysts reviewed factors such as grocery costs and the affordability and accessibility of high-quality restaurants.

Miami scored another first place, tying with four other cities for the number of restaurants per capita, including Orlando.

Cape Coral is first for its ratio of full-service restaurants to the number of fast-food establishments, while triple-threat Orlando is tied for first for ice cream and frozen yogurt shops per capita. Miami also tied for first on the latter.

Hialeah and Pembroke Pines have some of the worst craft breweries and wineries per capita, while Orlando again reigns supreme for its coffee shops.

Orlando came in second for its gourmet specialty-food stores.

The worst foodie city in the U.S. is Pearl City, Hawaii, according to WalletHub. The cost of groceries is highest in Santa Rosa, California; but, the best average food and wine price can be found in Missoula, Montana.

Here are the top 10 best foodie cities in the U.S.

1. Miami, Florida
2. San Francisco, California
3. Orlando, Florida
4. Portland, Oregon
5. Tampa, Florida
6. Sacremento, California
7. Las Vegas, Nevada
8. Seattle, Washington
9. Denver, Colorado
10. San Diego, California

See WalletHub's full methodology.