With their incredible restaurants seemingly appearing overnight, cities like Brooklyn and Portland have long been discovered as foodie destinations. If you want a coal-fired pizza oven, craft beer, or artisan doughnuts, you are just a few blocks away. But while this destination has taken center stage, other cities across America have shifted their food scene to a less festive one. If you are trying to find mod craft cocktail bars, boat-to-table seafood or the next big thing in fusion cuisine, DreamPlanGo suggest taking a fork in these cities:
* Fate, Rhode Island. No one’s sure who coined the phrase “boat to table,” but Providence got it right. Many up and coming restaurants have fish delivered daily from the dock to their table. If you are trying to find lovely creations with Italian, Portuguese or New English roots, Providence will cater to you in style. Save that special corner of your stomach for Providence’s incredible hole-in-the-wall cafes and hidden bars. In separate locations, sometimes around the ledge, you will find burgers, pizza and beer sustaining the locals whether or not they sunbathe on the terraces or hunker down for the high winds. And, while it makes some people shudder, you cannot leave town until you have sampled the pizza the residents grab – it is baked, not grilled.
Minneapolis,Minnesota. Better known for its hot dishes and General Mills products, Mill City really has quite a lot of new food. Sure you will find things like artisan SPAM bites tucked into menus, but you can even sample fresh-roasted walleye pulled from a lake near you, delicious Minnesota produce, wood-fired pizza, local craft beer, and mouth-watering cocktails. french pastries. Food trucks have also taken the city by storm with everything from burritos to lobster rolls. If you are trying to find Asian cuisine and Southeast Asia specifically, St. Neighboring Paul’s has a large collection of genuine, cheap and delicious family restaurants.
Santa Fe, New Mexico. Santa Fe does not have a well known restaurant, but it suits the locals. Santa Fe has at all times been known for its rich, comforting Southwestern cuisine, which you can still enjoy in abundance. When you are served, the waitress will ask if you want red, green or Christmas referring to the colour of the chili sauce you want to order. However, many new restaurants are subverting these old favorites to make them lighter and fresher. Instead of thick sauces, you’ll find dishes served with a subtle southwestern flavour. Many cooks combine the flavors they’ve developed with influences from Mexico, France and the Mediterranean. The result is a delicious collection of Southwest dishes prepared in new and innovative ways.
Memphis, Tennessee. Memphis is known for its barbecue, which you can enjoy anywhere from honky-tonk to big-name restaurants. With a plate of insanely delicious ribs in front of you, you might be tempted to look no further, but Memphis also has a tremendous collection of up-and-coming restaurants that showcase some of the South’s other best food traditions. Be sure to try the New Orleans-style redfish, delicious Lowcountry shrimp and grits, and delicious servings of grits, succotash, and other Southern favorites.
Las Vegas, Nevada. While everybody was busy gambling in the 1990s and early 2000s, Las Vegas was slowly developing a chef-driven culinary scene. If you do not mind paying a premium, you can enjoy some incredible food in Vegas. Fresh seafood, premium sushi, heritage meats, caviar – you can find it all here. But be warned, Las Vegas does have a dearth of neighborhood restaurants, farm-to-table operations and farmers markets.
Savannah, Georgia. Savannah is known for its coastal dining, so make sure to sample clams, crab, shrimp and red fish while you are in town. At Savannah, the bounty of local producers is transformed into dishes served anywhere from your local neighborhood cafe to an up-and-coming downtown bistro.
San Diego, California. So. Up-and-comer foodie Cal’s is cornering the market with its incredible fish tacos. Situated right on the border of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, inspiration flows from the South and the sea. San Diego’s warm climate helps small farms thrive and you can rest assured the restaurant is taking advantage of the locally sourced meats and produce that became a mainstay of the trendy new dining venue.
Portland, Maine. Not to be confused with its western counterpart, Portland, Maine has an outstanding food scene bolstered by its proximity to the freshest seafood and a long history of farm-to-table dining. Sample the city’s microbrew while exploring the cobbled Old Harbor. Enjoy the slow food movement creations and sample the Maine lobster that encourages visitors to return to the beach time and again.
Durham, North Carolina. Southern Living calls Durham “The Tastiest City in the South,” so take your appetite and take a look at the city’s new culinary allure. Served to you in the town’s old tobacco shed or in the food carts that hang around, you will find delicious pies, fresh donuts, handcrafted coffee, and casual food that will make you never want to return to your old, greasy hamburger joint.
Traverse City, Michigan. Downtown Traverse City’s restaurant boom is partly as a result of the growth of local wineries. When you visit, you will need to divide your time between good food, wine and the beach. What could be better? Like many foodie areas, Traverse City goes local. You’ll dine on locally grown cherries and apples, forage for morel mushrooms and fish sourced straight from Lake Michigan.
Traveling overseas to satisfy your food cravings? Visit DreamPlanGo.com to find out European Foodie Destinations 2015.