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These Are The Top 5 U.S. Foodie Destinations According To New Report

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Many travelers identify as “foodies” and love to try the local food in new destinations that they visit.

Worldwide, some of the best culinary destinations include countries like Italy, Mexico, and Thailand. But closer to home, there are also plenty of great foodie cities to check out.

A new report from WalletHub ranks the best foodie cities in the U.S., and the results might not be what you would expect.

Women eating pizza in the street

This is because the rankings take in two main factors: diversity, quality, and accessibility and affordability of the food in a city.

With this methodology, you won’t see some of the pricier cities in the U.S. that are known for being amazing culinary destinations (looking at you, NYC.)

Instead, here are some underrated picks for the best foodie cities in the country, highlighting different types of cuisine for every taste bud:

SF Chinatown

1. Orlando, Florida

Many people just think of Disney World when they think of Orlando, but there’s so much more to the city than theme parks. An up-and-coming gastronomy scene is just one of the highlights of this growing Central Florida city.

There are two Michelin-starred restaurants in Orlando (Kadence and Soseki, both sushi restaurants) and many other award-winning restaurants. Disney Springs, which is a large shopping, dining, and entertainment complex, is home to some incredible spots to eat.

Neighborhoods like Lake Nona and Winter Park are also great for foodies.

Orlando FL

2. Portland, Oregon

Another one of the best foodie cities in the U.S. is Portland. This Pacific Northwest city, like many cities on the West Coast, is known for its diverse and authentic range of Asian cuisine. It’s also a destination that offers good value for money when it comes to going out to eat.

Nong’s Khao Man Gai is one of the top-rated food spots in the city, serving Thai chicken and rice comfort food. If you have a sweet tooth, you can’t skip Voodoo Doughnut, a wildly popular doughnut chain that was founded in Portland.

Voodoo Doughnuts Portland

3. Sacramento, California

California’s capital city is often overshadowed by other, more popular destinations in the state, like Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco.

But this Central California city is one of the top underrated foodie destinations in the country. From tacos to sushi to decadent Chinese-American cuisine at the famous Frank’s Fats restaurant, there are tons of options to choose from in Sacramento.

And it’s also the city that offers the highest level of affordability on this list!

Sacramento CA

4. Miami, Florida

Another Florida city that’s a foodie paradise is Miami. Miami has been exploding in popularity with travelers this year, and one of the reasons why is because of the delicious food.

Miami is the destination in the United States for authentic Latin American cuisine. You’ll find Cuban, Puerto Rican, Brazilian, Venezuelan, and more cuisine in Miami. Some of the best things to try include Cuban sandwiches, jerk chicken, arepas, tostones, and stone crab.

For fine dining aficionados, Miami also boats 11 Michelin-starred restaurants.

Miami Beach

5. San Francisco, California

Finally, San Francisco rounds out the list of the top five best foodie cities in the U.S. Unsurprisingly, food in San Francisco is expensive, like everything else, which is why it ranks lower compared to some of the more affordable cities on this list.

But it’s one of the best cities in the country when it comes to diversity and quality of food. You can’t visit San Francisco without stopping for dim sum in Chinatown or eating fresh seafood at Fisherman’s Wharf. Some other SF hotspots include Mission Burrito and Buena Vista Cafe.

San Francisco Dim Sum

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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com