2 PNW cities crack top 5 of America’s best food cities

Portland and Seattle both cracked the top five in a new WalletHub study ranking the best “foodie” cities out of more than 180 across the U.S.

Portland claimed the runner-up spot, slightly below Miami for the No. 1 food city in America.

Portland’s second-place score of 72.53 was primarily driven by the city’s No. 4 ranking for the Diversity, Accessibility and Quality (DAQ) category.

WalletHub’s DAQ category consists of how each city performs with the following metrics: restaurants per capita, presence of Michelin-starred restaurants, food trucks and festivals per capita, among 18 other metrics.

“In the best foodie cities, including Miami, FL, Portland, OR, and San Francisco, CA, there are tons of unique culinary experiences to try, from food trucks to specialty-food stores to, in some cities, Michelin-starred restaurants,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo stated. “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.”

What pushed Portland to No. 2, and what held it back

Price matters when eating out. WalletHub’s affordability category considered several metrics, including grocery costs, the accessibility and affordability of high-quality restaurants, and average beer and wine prices.

Portland’s food affordability ranking was a standout among the other cities on the top 10 leaderboard, grabbing the 39th spot. Only one other city in the top 10 had a better affordability score than Portland: Austin, Texas, ranked No. 15.

A major contributor to Portland’s high ranking was its number of craft breweries and wineries, herb and spice shops, food and wine tours, and food festivals per capita, according to WalletHub.

Portland also has a wide variety of restaurant options throughout the city, many of which received ratings of 4.5 out of 5 stars from their customers.

What held Portland back was its lack of Michelin-starred restaurants.

Seattle’s food quality ranks third nationally, but prices drag it down

Seattle didn’t fare quite as well as Portland, but still managed to take home the No. 4 spot. Although Seattle ranked third for its food diversity, accessibility, and quality, its affordability rank (165th) paled in comparison.

Seattle’s affordability ranking was among the lowest out of all 180 cities featured in the ranking. Despite Seattle’s poor food affordability score, the city still managed to receive a total score of 70.05, roughly one point behind San Francisco, California.

Similar to Portland, Seattle also does not have any Michelin-starred restaurants, but does have an expansive list of fine-dining restaurants scattered across the city, such as Canlis in Queen Anne, Sushi Kashiba in Pike Place Market, or Altura in Capitol Hill.

For a cheap, quick bite, Seattle has seen its fair share of national chains expanding into the city. Raising Cane’s recently opened in the University District, Dutch Bros is in the early stages of opening its first location in SODO, and San Francisco-based Starbird Chicken opened Monday in West Seattle.

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