Let’s switch gears for just a moment and talk about two other things we’re really interested in: food and travel.
Nothing can make or break a vacation like food. When we travel to a place where dishes are delectable and restaurants are outstanding, it’s hard to leave. And when the meal experiences are awful in a place, it’s easy to never go back.
From smaller towns to larger metros, there are so many great food cities out there. That being said, here are our five of our favorites (cue the drool now):
1. Seattle, Washington. There’s the coffee, sure. But this is a seafood lover’s paradise. From Pike Place Fish Market to dozens of incredible sushi bars, the availability of fresh fish in Seattle is second to none. With a very large Asian population, Seattle is also a great place for Chinese, Japanese and other Asian cuisines. Whatever the cuisine, Seattle chefs are passionate about using locally fresh ingredients.
2. Austin, Texas. Texas barbecue is not a food as much as it is a religion. And Austin is the mecca of Texas barbecue. You’re not likely to find barbecue dishes dripping with sticky sauce in Austin. That’s not the Texas way. What you will find is dry-rubbed, slow-smoked meat—beef brisket in particular— that simply melts in your mouth. Austin is also famous for it’s eclectic yet outstanding food truck scene.
3. Dallas, Texas. Yes, another Texas town. But for a different reason. The barbecue in Dallas is good too, but what makes this town so yummy is the Tex-Mex—a regional hybrid of foods and ingredients available and popular in the U.S. (the Southwest in particular) and Mexican culinary techniques and traditional recipes. Think brisket gorditas and you get the picture. It’s a food marriage made in heaven.
4. Chicago, Illinois. It’s not just the sheer quantity of restaurants in Chicago that makes it a great food town; it’s the diverse, high-quality international flare as well. From iconic Italian joints to lesser-known Greek eateries, there is a world of delicious food in the Second City. And, although New Yorkers may cringe to hear it, there may not be a better place in the world for a hot dog or slice (thick, thick, oh so thick) of pizza.
5. New York City, New York. Speaking of the Big Apple, there may not be a better food town in the world. This is where the best chefs live and work, and where others come to learn how to become chefs. You want it, they’ve got it. World-class delis. The best desserts on the planet. Harlem soul food. The list goes on and on, and it’s all here. There are over 20,000 places to choose from. If you spent the next 50 years going to a different NYC restaurant every single day, you still wouldn’t get to them all.
Nothing can make or break a vacation like food. When we travel to a place where dishes are delectable and restaurants are outstanding, it’s hard to leave. And when the meal experiences are awful in a place, it’s easy to never go back.
From smaller towns to larger metros, there are so many great food cities out there. That being said, here are our five of our favorites (cue the drool now):
1. Seattle, Washington. There’s the coffee, sure. But this is a seafood lover’s paradise. From Pike Place Fish Market to dozens of incredible sushi bars, the availability of fresh fish in Seattle is second to none. With a very large Asian population, Seattle is also a great place for Chinese, Japanese and other Asian cuisines. Whatever the cuisine, Seattle chefs are passionate about using locally fresh ingredients.
2. Austin, Texas. Texas barbecue is not a food as much as it is a religion. And Austin is the mecca of Texas barbecue. You’re not likely to find barbecue dishes dripping with sticky sauce in Austin. That’s not the Texas way. What you will find is dry-rubbed, slow-smoked meat—beef brisket in particular— that simply melts in your mouth. Austin is also famous for it’s eclectic yet outstanding food truck scene.
3. Dallas, Texas. Yes, another Texas town. But for a different reason. The barbecue in Dallas is good too, but what makes this town so yummy is the Tex-Mex—a regional hybrid of foods and ingredients available and popular in the U.S. (the Southwest in particular) and Mexican culinary techniques and traditional recipes. Think brisket gorditas and you get the picture. It’s a food marriage made in heaven.
4. Chicago, Illinois. It’s not just the sheer quantity of restaurants in Chicago that makes it a great food town; it’s the diverse, high-quality international flare as well. From iconic Italian joints to lesser-known Greek eateries, there is a world of delicious food in the Second City. And, although New Yorkers may cringe to hear it, there may not be a better place in the world for a hot dog or slice (thick, thick, oh so thick) of pizza.
5. New York City, New York. Speaking of the Big Apple, there may not be a better food town in the world. This is where the best chefs live and work, and where others come to learn how to become chefs. You want it, they’ve got it. World-class delis. The best desserts on the planet. Harlem soul food. The list goes on and on, and it’s all here. There are over 20,000 places to choose from. If you spent the next 50 years going to a different NYC restaurant every single day, you still wouldn’t get to them all.