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South Carolina City One of the Best Cities in the U.S. for Food

Are you hungry? I’m always pretty much hungry so don’t worry. Here in the Carolinas, we love some great-tasting food options. Something about a good meal can really make you…

food

Group of friends going out and taking a photo of Italian food together with mobile phone

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Are you hungry? I'm always pretty much hungry so don't worry. Here in the Carolinas, we love some great-tasting food options. Something about a good meal can really make you feel better about anything. Bad day, long day, fun day, whatever it is food will always make it better. Whether you're trying somewhere new or visiting one of your favorite spots, a good meal can turn that frown upside down.

Fortunately for you, you don't have to travel too far. Why? Food & Wine says this South Carolina city is one of the best cities in the U.S. for food. Are we really surprised? The Carolinas are serving up some of America's favorite food styles so of course somewhere had to be on the list. This city is not only of the best for food in the U.S. but probably home to one of the best culinary scenes in the entire state. Are you already guessing? No worries, we're here to tell you. Food & Wine has named Charleston, South Carolina as one of the best cities in the U.S. for food. Charleston came in at No. 7 on the list of 10. The city is home to many of your favorite Southern cuisines, barbecue, pizza, dessert, soul food, and more. Charleston is known for their food earning many different titles.

Whether you are a seafood lover or soul food lover or anything else, then Charleston would be perfect for you. Check out the full story here and see what other cities are on the list and plan a foodie vacation.

Food & Wine Says This North Carolina City Has The Best Food Trucks

Love Food Trucks? Who doesn't? It seems like the entire food truck industry has boomed in the last 10-15 years, at least here in North Carolina. And for good reason. Food truck festivals are perfect for when you want to try multiple things- or perhaps your group just can't agree on the same type of food. That's why Food & Wine set out to determine the cities with the best food trucks across the country. And since trying food trucks in every city is a bit of a challenge, they decided to ask the people who know best- their readers! Food & Wine readers voted ten cities the "cream of the crop" as part of the publication's Global Tastemakers awards. And one North Carolina city made the shortlist.

Food trucks are a great way for aspiring chefs and restaurant owners to test the waters without the high overhead of opening a full restaurant. Plus they have the ability to go where the people are ie festivals, concerts, breweries, etc. And then of course there is the novelty and appeal of food trucks for a lot of consumers. I have to admit though, with prices typically comparable to a sit-down restaurant, I'll take that option most every time. But I'm in the minority I know! So which North Carolina city did Food & Wine readers say has the best food trucks? It's one of my favorites!

Raleigh, NC

Yep Raleigh made the list. The North Carolina capital city came in 10th on this list. I actually called Raleigh home for around 4 years (college) and still go back to visit 12-15 weekends a year. But outside of college functions and the NC State Fair, I don't believe I've ever really eaten at a food truck in Raleigh that I can remember. I go to every NC State Football game however and Carter Finley Stadium did recently add an area called "Raleighwood" which features several food trucks. I tend to tailgate or hit up a bar before the games however so I haven't had a chance to check it out yet.

But which food trucks should you try in Raleigh? These are the ones specifically mentioned by Food & Wine:

    Best Food Truck Cities

    Other cities mentioned include Houston, San Diego, San Fransisco, and the winner- Oakland, California. You can read the full list and highlights here.

    North Carolina's Favorite Food Truck Food Is Unexpected

    Food trucks are showing no signs of slowing down in popularity. And for good reason. There are some delicious street foods that you can get from food trucks, not just your basic food options. Whether it's an oyster po'boy, lamb curry poutine, or Alaskan reindeer sausage. Yeah, I had to google when that last one even was. Plenty of my friends follow food trucks around, going to breweries specifically to eat from the trucks. This surging popularity led Shane Co. to determine the most popular food truck items. To do this they turned to Google Trends. From there they analyzed search volume across 500 food trucks and 1,500+ menu items over the past year to find the favorite food truck orders and cuisine both by state and nationwide.

    Many of the favorite food truck items reflect the local cuisine. Some are more basic, and others had me scratching my head about how on earth that item was the most popular. Listen I love brussel sprouts but that's the most popular item in Delaware? I have a hard time believing that. I know one thing I will be participating in these Google search trends trying to find a local vendor for some of these foods. Keep reading to see the most popular item by state including both Carolinas and our neighbors. You'll also find out the ten most popular food truck foods. Read the full Shane Co. article here.

      Fried Shrimp BurgerJestin Korsgaard/Getty Images Plus
        BBQ Pork RibsMichael Watz/Getty Images Plus

        **Based on Google search data in the past 12 months**

        1. Tacos

        Street Food Business Hit By Coronavirus EffectManuel Velasquez/Getty Images

        Tacos were one of the two most popular items in 10 states:

          2. Sandwhich/Roll

          Food Network & Cooking Channel New York City Wine & Food Festival Presented By Coca-Cola - Chicken Coupe hosted by Whoopi Goldberg and Andrew Carmellini(Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for NYCWFF)

          There are seemingly endless varieties of sandwiches, so of course, it's the second most popular item! This includes lobster rolls in New England, Florida Cuban sandwiches, and North Dakota's favorite Hawaiian pulled pork sandwich.

          3. Fries

          Fries(Photo by Tim Boyle/Getty Images)

          A conversation the other day led me to the realization that fries might just be my favorite food. So you can bet I'm ordering loaded fries at a food truck. Other popular options include pot roast fries in Arizona and curry fries in Virginia.

          4. Burgers

          Giant cheeseburgerJeff Swensen/Getty Images

          Always a classic. North Carolina loves the shrimp burger, other popular options are the Wagyu beef burger and a falafel burger!

          5. Hot/Corn Dog

          Hot dogsDavid Paul Morris/Getty Images

          You can jazz up a hot dog but it's still a hot dog. But some people love them. Idaho loves its classic corn dog while South Dakota prefers the Sauerkraut dog.

          Randi Moultrie is a Charleston, South Carolina native and has been in the radio industry for the last few years in Charlotte. Randi started with Beasley Media Group as an intern in 2019 and is now thriving in the digital world. Randi enjoys writing about her favorite foods (especially pizza) and all things fashion and travel. As one who loves taking trips to find new foods, it’s not surprising that she enjoys writing about both!