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January 14, 2024

This Southern City Was Just Named the No. 1 Food Destination in the U.S., According to Tripadvisor

If you’re the type of traveler to book an entire trip around a really great meal, then man, do we have a destination for you.

On Tuesday, Tripadvisor released its Best of the Best Destinations, which catalogs top spots for travel across seven categories —  Top DestinationsTrending DestinationsCulture DestinationsNature DestinationsHoneymoon DestinationsSustainable Destinations, and one for foodies, Food Destinations. Each selection was picked after careful calculations based on the “quality and quantity of reviews, specific to each award subcategory, for accommodations, restaurants, and things to do in destinations from travelers globally on Tripadvisor between October 1, 2022, through September 30, 2023,” Tripadvisor explained in a statement.

For the best domestic, food-focused travel destination, Tripadvisor named New Orleans No. 1 once again.

“With its famed culinary scene, New Orleans has held onto its title for number one Food Destination in the U.S. for a second year in a row,” Tripadvisor added in its findings. “Overall, Southern destinations rank highly among foodies on Tripadvisor, with six of the top 10 cities in the American South.” Combined with a city full of top hotels, all committed to Southern hospitality, it’s a win-win for food-loving travelers.

A tray of food from Lorettas Authentic Praline in New Orleans
Susmita Baral/Travel + Leisure

Joining New Orleans was Travel + Leisure reader favorite Charleston, South Carolina, in the second spot, followed by Maui; New York City; and Savannah, Georgia, respectively. There was even more love for the South in the top 10, with Nashville ranking sixth, followed by Miami Beach, Florida; Boston; Asheville, North Carolina; and San Diego, California, pulling in at No. 10. (If you need a little help planning the perfect, food-focused getaway to New Orleans, check out the top neighborhoods, restaurants, and bars to visit in the city, according to a local.)

See the entire suite of Best of the Best Destinations at tripadvisor.com and start plotting your next global meal ASAP.