A popular travel magazine has revealed its list of the best food cities in the U.S., with California dominating, boasting three cities and the No. 1 spot.
Conde Nast Traveler released the results of its 38th annual Reader’s Choice Awards on Nov. 24, where it showed what readers of the magazine thought were some of the best food cities.
The annual Reader’s Choice Awards polls fans of the travel magazine to decide some of the best in the world and the U.S., including categories such as best spas, best resorts, and best cities.
The magazine said that 757,109 people cast votes in the 2025 survey, which it would then compile to help travelers at home and abroad plan trips for 2026.
Even if you aren’t a Conde Nast reader, some of your favorite food spots might have been mentioned, as three California cities made the list of the 15 best food cities in the country.
Oakland, San Francisco make list, as does San Diego
Conde Nast Traveler’s list of the 15 best food cities in the U.S. included each region of the U.S., but the place with the most inclusions was California.
The Bay Area eats well, with Oakland the best food city in the U.S., and San Francisco not far behind at No. 5. San Francisco and Oakland were recognized as top food cities on other lists, including Clarify Capital’s list in February.
The magazine mentioned Burdell Soul Food and Pizzaiolo as some good eats in Oakland, but also credited other parts of the city, such as Fruitvale’s taco trucks and its taprooms and winery tasting rooms.
In San Francisco, some standouts were the seafood served at Thanh Long, Sotto Mare, and Boudin Bakery. Neighborhoods such as Mission and Chinatown were also mentioned for their variety of longstanding mom-and-pop spots.
Southern California also made its mark on the list with San Diego at No. 10. Some featured bites from the magazine were El Indio Mexican Restaurant and Catering’s asada fries, Baja-style fish tacos from Oscar’s Mexican Seafood, and Filipino dishes from Tita’s Kitchenette.
San Diego’s craft brewery scene was also mentioned as a plus for the city’s food culture, as well as its proximity to the Mexican border.
What are Conde Nast’s top food cities?
Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at ecentenoaraujo@vcstar.com, 805-437-0224, or @ecentenoaraujo on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: California cities top a travel magazine’s list of best food cities
Reporting by Ernesto Centeno Araujo, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
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