Atlanta, October 20, 2025
News Summary
WalletHub has released its ranking of food culture for 2025, assessing 182 major U.S. cities based on diverse metrics including affordability, variety, and quality of food options. Miami tops the list, recognized for its accessibility to a range of restaurants, grocery options, and food festivals. Other cities like San Francisco, San Diego, and Sacramento showcase their culinary strengths, indicating a rich food culture across the country. The results assist city planners and residents in identifying opportunities to enhance local food environments.
Atlanta — WalletHub released its 2025 ranking of food culture after comparing 182 big U.S. cities on 28 metrics, and the list highlights a mix of coastal culinary hubs, emerging regional centers, and cities with strong local agriculture and food-truck scenes.
Key findings at a glance
Miami takes the top spot overall, known for unmatched accessibility to affordable restaurants, international grocery stores, food festivals, and cooking schools. The study evaluated cities on factors that include affordability, diversity, accessibility, and quality to produce a comprehensive ranking of food culture across the country.
Top-ranked cities and notable strengths
The ranking shows a range of strengths across cities:
- San Francisco leads the nation in Michelin-starred restaurants, restaurant diversity, and access to healthy food options, but has high meal costs.
- San Diego features a strong presence of Michelin-starred restaurants and a balanced restaurant market with more full-service to fast-food establishments.
- Sacramento ranks high for food freshness, supported by a strong share of agricultural workers, farmers’ markets, and CSA programs.
- Las Vegas has seen significant growth in full-service restaurants and offers some of the lowest average beer and wine prices in the U.S.
- Tampa is recognized for its high growth rate in full-service restaurants and ranks well for the number of food festivals per capita.
- Austin excels in restaurant diversity and affordable meal prices, with many gourmet specialty-food stores and a vibrant food truck scene.
- Orlando has one of the highest increases in full-service restaurants from 2017 to 2022 and ranks highly for food trucks and ice cream shops per capita.
- Seattle is lauded for its concentration of coffee and tea shops, gourmet specialty-food stores, and steady growth in full-service dining.
- Portland ranks first for food trucks per capita and has strong results for access to healthy food and farmers’ markets alongside affordability.
Methodology and measures
WalletHub compared 182 big U.S. cities on 28 metrics to rank food culture, including affordability, diversity, accessibility, and quality. Data points analyzed included grocery costs, meal prices, restaurant diversity, food festivals, and the availability of healthy options. The metrics were selected to reflect both dining out and cooking-at-home experiences, measuring factors such as the number of restaurants, presence of specialty-food retailers, and access to fresh local produce.
Analyst perspective and implications
An analyst summary accompanying the release emphasized that top food cities serve both dining out enthusiasts and people who cook at home, noting that a healthy food culture often includes a mix of affordable everyday options, specialty offerings, and access to fresh ingredients.
Upcoming local event in Atlanta
In Atlanta, the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival will take place from September 11 to 14, 2025, showcasing the city’s diverse culinary influences. AFWF 2025 will highlight Southern traditions and global cuisines, reflecting Atlanta’s dynamic food scene shaped by its cultural history. The festival will feature chefs representing a variety of culinary backgrounds including African American, Latin American, Mediterranean, and Asian influences. Events at AFWF include Signature Tasting Tents at The Home Depot Backyard, intimate dinners across the city, and a grand event featuring Heritage Fire and Whiskies of the World on September 13.
What this means for diners and cities
Cities that rank highly often combine several elements: access to affordable meals, diverse restaurant options, robust farmers’ markets and local agriculture, and cultural programming such as food festivals and cooking schools. The 2025 WalletHub ranking suggests that both established culinary centers and rapidly growing food scenes can rise on the list by improving affordability, expanding full-service restaurant offerings, and increasing access to specialty and fresh-food retailers.
Next steps and availability
The full ranking and detailed scorecards for each city are part of WalletHub’s 2025 analysis. The data provides a basis for residents, visitors, and city planners to compare strengths and identify opportunities to expand and diversify local food cultures.
FAQ
Which city took the top spot overall?
Miami takes the top spot overall, known for unmatched accessibility to affordable restaurants, international grocery stores, food festivals, and cooking schools.
How many cities were compared and on how many metrics?
WalletHub compared 182 big U.S. cities on 28 metrics to rank food culture, including affordability, diversity, accessibility, and quality.
What metrics and data points were analyzed?
Data points analyzed included grocery costs, meal prices, restaurant diversity, food festivals, and the availability of healthy options.
Which cities were specifically highlighted for unique strengths?
San Diego features a strong presence of Michelin-starred restaurants and a balanced restaurant market with more full-service to fast-food establishments. Sacramento ranks high for food freshness, supported by a strong share of agricultural workers, farmers’ markets, and CSA programs. Las Vegas has seen significant growth in full-service restaurants and offers some of the lowest average beer and wine prices in the U.S. Tampa is recognized for its high growth rate in full-service restaurants and ranks well for the number of food festivals per capita. Austin excels in restaurant diversity and affordable meal prices, with many gourmet specialty-food stores and a vibrant food truck scene. Orlando has one of the highest increases in full-service restaurants from 2017 to 2022 and ranks highly for food trucks and ice cream shops per capita. Seattle is lauded for its concentration of coffee and tea shops, gourmet specialty-food stores, and steady growth in full-service dining. San Francisco leads the nation in Michelin-starred restaurants, restaurant diversity, and access to healthy food options, but has high meal costs. Portland ranks first for food trucks per capita and has strong results for access to healthy food and farmers’ markets alongside affordability.
When and what will the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival feature?
The Atlanta Food & Wine Festival (AFWF) will take place from September 11 to 14, 2025, showcasing the city’s diverse culinary influences. AFWF 2025 will highlight Southern traditions and global cuisines, reflecting Atlanta’s dynamic food scene shaped by its cultural history. The festival will feature chefs representing a variety of culinary backgrounds including African American, Latin American, Mediterranean, and Asian influences. Events at AFWF include Signature Tasting Tents at The Home Depot Backyard, intimate dinners across the city, and a grand event featuring Heritage Fire and Whiskies of the World on September 13.
Simple chart: Key features by city
| City | Key feature(s) |
|---|---|
| Miami | Miami takes the top spot overall, known for unmatched accessibility to affordable restaurants, international grocery stores, food festivals, and cooking schools. |
| San Francisco | San Francisco leads the nation in Michelin-starred restaurants, restaurant diversity, and access to healthy food options, but has high meal costs. |
| San Diego | San Diego features a strong presence of Michelin-starred restaurants and a balanced restaurant market with more full-service to fast-food establishments. |
| Sacramento | Sacramento ranks high for food freshness, supported by a strong share of agricultural workers, farmers’ markets, and CSA programs. |
| Las Vegas | Las Vegas has seen significant growth in full-service restaurants and offers some of the lowest average beer and wine prices in the U.S. |
| Tampa | Tampa is recognized for its high growth rate in full-service restaurants and ranks well for the number of food festivals per capita. |
| Austin | Austin excels in restaurant diversity and affordable meal prices, with many gourmet specialty-food stores and a vibrant food truck scene. |
| Orlando | Orlando has one of the highest increases in full-service restaurants from 2017 to 2022 and ranks highly for food trucks and ice cream shops per capita. |
| Seattle | Seattle is lauded for its concentration of coffee and tea shops, gourmet specialty-food stores, and steady growth in full-service dining. |
| Portland | Portland ranks first for food trucks per capita and has strong results for access to healthy food and farmers’ markets alongside affordability. |
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Additional Resources
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Italy – Daily Life and Social Customs
- Discover Atlanta: Taste Atlanta’s International Food Culture at the Food & Wine Festival
- The Gazette: Land Between the Lakes Offers Outdoor Adventures & Southern Food Culture
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Georgia – Cultural Life
- AJC: How Georgia Became the First State to Define Its Culinary Culture
Author: STAFF HERE ORLANDO WRITER
ORLANDO STAFF WRITER The ORLANDO STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREOrlando.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Orlando, Orange County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival, Megacon Orlando, and Central Florida Fair. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Orlando Economic Partnership and Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Metro Orlando, plus leading businesses in leisure and hospitality that power the local economy such as Walt Disney World Resort, AdventHealth, and Universal Orlando. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREJacksonville.com, HEREPetersburg.com, HERETallahassee.com, and HERETampa.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Florida's dynamic landscape.
