Top U.S. States for Food Lovers Ranked in New Culinary Study
Food tourism is booming, and a new study from the Escoffier School of Culinary Arts ranks the best U.S. states for dining experiences, revealing some surprising winners.
The study analyzed data from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, National Restaurant Association, and Georgia Tech’s Friendly Cities Lab. Factors such as restaurant density, tourist-to-restaurant ratio, number of culinary schools, Michelin-starred restaurants, and independent eateries were considered.
Hawaii Tops the List
While New York was expected to take the top spot, the study crowned Hawaii as the best state for food lovers, earning a perfect score of 100. Hawaii’s strong independent restaurant scene and high restaurant-to-tourist ratio (376 visitors per eatery) solidified its place at the top.
Key Insights from the Study
- Nevada spends the most on dining out, with nearly half of residents’ food budgets going to restaurants.
- Vermont leads in independent restaurants per capita.
- California boasts the most Michelin-starred restaurants.
- Rhode Island, despite its small size, made the top ten due to high restaurant spending and strong industry employment.
Top 10 U.S. States for Food Scenes
- Hawaii
- New York
- Nevada
- California
- Florida
- Massachusetts
- Illinois
- Texas
- Rhode Island
- New Jersey
With diverse dining options across the country, food enthusiasts have plenty of destinations to explore.
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