South Carolina City One Of Top Foodie Cities In The US
These days it’s all about the food. The newest, trendiest restaurants, and of course Instagrammable presentation of the food. Typically we think of the term “foodie” as describing those who…
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – FEBRUARY 14: attends The Compound and Luxury Watchmaker Roger Dubuis Hosts NBA All-Star Dinner at STK Chicago on February 14, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois.
(Photo by Robin Marchant/Getty Images for Roger Dubuis)These days it's all about the food. The newest, trendiest restaurants, and of course Instagrammable presentation of the food. Typically we think of the term "foodie" as describing those who love gourmet food and restaurants. But it's not just restaurants. These days foodies can enjoy a booth in a food hall, a food truck, or even their own kitchen. Foodies think of eating as a hobby, not a necessity. But like many hobbies, it's not cheap! Prices are rising in grocery stores and restaurants making eating anything, much less high-quality food, very expensive! If you're anything like me you love to travel and try new restaurants. But the rising cost of food in addition to airfare or gas, hotel, and other travel expenses may be hindering that. But the good news, if you're looking for a good foodie destination, is that South Carolina is home to one of the top foodie cities in the US. This is according to a study by WalletHub.
WalletHub took the largest 180 cities in the US to determine the best destinations for foodies in the current economy. They measured each of these locations on 29 indicators of "foodie-friendliness". Cities on this list appeal to both those who like to dine out or cook for themselves. Keep reading to see which South Carolina city your inner foodie will love most (it ranked in the Top 20), as well as where the other major NC/SC cities ranked. You can read the full study here.
Top 20 Foodie Cities In The US
According To WalletHub
1. Portland, OR
Total Score: 69.96
Affordability: 36
Diversity, Accessibility, & Quality: 4
2. Orlando, FL
Total Score: 66.63
Affordability: 101
Diversity, Accessibility, & Quality: 5
3. Miami, FL
Total Score: 66.15
Affordability: 172
Diversity, Accessibility, & Quality: 2
4. San Francisco, CA
Total Score: 65.10
Affordability: 176
Diversity, Accessibility, & Quality: 1
5. Austin, TX
Total Score: 63.19
Affordability: 24
Diversity, Accessibility, & Quality: 14
6. Sacramento, CA
Total Score: 62.89
Affordability: 81
Diversity, Accessibility, & Quality: 7
7. Seattle, WA
Total Score: 62.58
Affordability: 177
Diversity, Accessibility, & Quality: 3
8. Tampa, FL
Total Score: 61.80
Affordability: 74
Diversity, Accessibility, & Quality: 10
9. Las Vegas, NV
Total Score: 61.20
Affordability: 88
Diversity, Accessibility, & Quality: 13
10. San Diego, CA
Total Score: 60.78
Affordability: 141
Diversity, Accessibility, & Quality: 8
11. Denver, CO
Total Score: 60.10
Affordability: 68
Diversity, Accessibility, & Quality: 16
12. Chicago, IL
Total Score: 58.91
Affordability: 150
Diversity, Accessibility, & Quality: 12
13. Washington, DC
Total Score: 58.27
Affordability: 122
Diversity, Accessibility, & Quality: 17
14. Atlanta, GA
Total Score: 58.19
Affordability: 154
Diversity, Accessibility, & Quality: 15
15. Los Angeles, CA
Total Score:
Affordability:
Diversity, Accessibility, & Quality:
16. Pittsburgh, PA
Total Score: 57.42
Affordability: 86
Diversity, Accessibility, & Quality: 19
17. Portland, ME
Total Score: 57.31
Affordability: 66
Diversity, Accessibility, & Quality: 21
18. New York, NY
Total Score: 57.27
Affordability: 180
Diversity, Accessibility, & Quality: 6
19. Charleston, SC
Total Score: 56.84
Affordability: 29
Diversity, Accessibility, & Quality: 27
It comes as so surprise to me that Charleston ranks the highest out of North and South Carolina on this list. The southern paradise is known for its incredible restaurants!
20. Oakland, CA
Total Score: 56.23
Affordability: 174
Diversity, Accessibility, & Quality: 9
Where The Other Carolina Cities Ranked
36. Raleigh, NC
Total Score: 51.81
Affordability: 45
Diversity, Accessibility, & Quality: 43
48. Charlotte, NC
Total Score: 49.65
Affordability: 98
Diversity, Accessibility, & Quality: 44
80. Greensboro, NC
Total Score: 45.60
Affordability: 78
Diversity, Accessibility, & Quality: 88
94. Durham, NC
Total Score: 44.42
Affordability: 46
Diversity, Accessibility, & Quality: 104
108. Columbia, SC
Total Score: 43.40
Affordability: 80
Diversity, Accessibility, & Quality: 109
146. Fayetteville, NC
Total Score: 40.27
Affordability: 10
Diversity, Accessibility, & Quality: 176
160. Winston-Salem, NC
Total Score: 38.43
Affordability: 116
Diversity, Accessibility, & Quality: 153
Methodology (According to WalletHub)
In order to determine the best and cheapest local foodie scenes, WalletHub compared 182 cities — including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state — across two key dimensions, “Affordability” and “Diversity, Accessibility & Quality.”
We evaluated those dimensions using 29 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions and costs for foodies. For metrics marked with an asterisk (*), we used the square root of the population to calculate the population size in order to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across cities.
Finally, we determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order the cities in our sample. In determining our sample, we considered only the “city proper” in each case and excluded surrounding cities in the metro area.
Affordability – Total Points: 30
- Cost of Groceries: Double Weight (~7.50 Points)
- Accessibility & Affordability of High-Quality Restaurants: Full Weight (~3.75 Points)
Note: This metric measures the prevalence of affordable restaurants with ratings of at least 4.5 stars. - Restaurant Meal Cost: Double Weight (~7.50 Points)
- Sales Tax: Full Weight (~3.75 Points)
- Food Tax: Full Weight (~3.75 Points)
- Average Beer & Wine Price: Full Weight (~3.75 Points)
Note: “Average Beer Price” refers to the average price, excluding any deposit, of a six-pack of 12-ounce Heineken containers, and “Average Wine Price” refers to the average price of a 1.5-liter bottle of Chablis or Chenin Blanc or any white table wine.
Diversity, Accessibility & Quality – Total Points: 70
- Restaurants per Capita*: Triple Weight (~7.50 Points)
- Ratio of Full-Service Restaurants to Fast-Food Establishments: Triple Weight (~7.50 Points)
- Growth in Number of Full Service Restaurants (2020 vs 2015): Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Restaurant Diversity: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Presence of Michelin-Starred Restaurants: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Average Ranking of Restaurants on Yelp’s “Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S.” List: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Food Trucks per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Access to Healthy Food Options: Double Weight (~5.00 Points)
- Percentage of Residents Who Are Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19: Double Weight (~5.00 Points)
- Farmers Markets & CSA Programs per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
Note: “CSA” refers to community-supported agriculture. - Food Freshness: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
Note: The share of workers involved in agricultural activities was used as a proxy for this metric. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Shops per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Craft Breweries & Wine Bars per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Coffee & Tea Shops per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Gourmet Specialty-Food Stores per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
Note: “Gourmet Specialty-Food Stores” includes, among others, candy stores, chocolatiers and cheese shops. - Grocery Stores per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- International Grocery Stores per Capita*: Half Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Butcher Shops per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Herbs & Spices Stores per Capita*: Half Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Kitchen Supplies Stores per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Food Festivals per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Cooking Schools per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Food & Wine Tours per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Council for Community and Economic Research, Federation of Tax Administrators, Tax Foundation, County Health Rankings, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Sale-Tax.com, Numbeo, Wikipedia, TripAdvisor and Yelp.
