Food & Wine Magazine Named Chicago a Top 10 Food City in the U.S. Here's Who Beat Us

Chicago was named among Food & Wine's Top 10 U.S. Food Cities as part of the magazine's new Global Tastemakers Awards, described as its first-ever "readers’ choice awards celebrating the best culinary experiences and destinations in the U.S. and abroad."

While no Chicago restaurants made it into the mag's corresponding best restaurants list, The Violet Hour was named Most Creative Bar in the U.S., and the city's dining scene was described in Food & Wine's top food cities write-up as "warm and welcoming" thanks to our "Midwest mindset."

"There's a lot to eat in the Windy City, not even including the hot dogs and deep-dish pizza Chicago is known for," the Chicago section reads. "The Midwest mindset means that restaurants, bars, and cafes are warm and welcoming — more often than not, giving off the feeling that you've just walked into a spot a friend owns. Communities of immigrants pepper the city's 77 neighborhoods, offering unforgettable no-frills meals spanning the globe. Don't miss Alinea for the tasting menu, Mako for omakase, Dovetail Brewery for a flight, and George's Deep Dish for a pie — and don't skip at least one shot of Malört at a dive bar."

Chicago clocked in at No. 6 of the Top 10, while New York nabbed the No. 1 spot and three cities in California landed on the list, two ahead of Chicago.

According to Food & Wine, the magazine's readers voted on multiple categories ranging from restaurants and bars to cities and hotels based on their travel from within the past three years.

FOOD & WINE GLOBAL TASTEMAKERS 10 BEST U.S. FOOD CITIES

 1. New York, New York                                            
 2. New Orleans, Louisiana                            
 3. San Francisco, California                                      
 4. Los Angeles, California                                        
 5. Portland, Oregon                                                 
 6. Chicago, Illinois                                                    
 7. Charleston, South Carolina                                  
 8. Miami, Florida                                                      
 9. San Diego, California 
10. Austin, Texas                                                                                          

The results of the inaugural Global Tastemakers Awards aimed to help travelers "plan their destinations and itineraries to upgrade their experiences as they plan their trips for the year ahead. Congratulations to this year’s honorees," Food & Wine Editor in Chief Hunter Lewis said in a statement.

“From airports and airlines to the hotels we stay in, the cities we explore and the cruises we take, food is a quintessential part of every aspect of travel,” said Food & Wine Senior Editorial Director Sean Flynn in a statement. “Our readers are intrepid adventurers with a hunger for unique experiences, so it only made sense to tap our audience for their opinions on the places worth adding to your culinary bucket list.”

The awards didn't stop at top U.S. cities. See below for others provided by the magazine.

FOOD & WINE GLOBAL TASTEMAKERS 10 BEST INTERNATIONAL FOOD CITIES

1. Mexico City, Mexico
2. Tokyo, Japan
3. San Sebastian, Spain
4. Tel Aviv, Israel
5. Madrid, Spain
6. Paris, Mexico
7. Copenhagen, Demark
8. Lisbon, Portugal
9. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
10. Rome, Italy

FOOD & WINE GLOBAL TASTEMAKERS AWARDS 2023 OVERALL WINNERS

BEST U.S. RESTAURANT FOR AMBIANCE: Yolan, Nashville, Tennessee

BEST INTERNATIONAL RESTAURANT: Máximo Bistrot, Mexico City, Mexico

BEST U.S. FOOD CITY: New York, New York

BEST INTERNATIONAL FOOD CITY: Mexico City, Mexico

BEST DOMESTIC HOTEL for FOOD: Twin Farms, Barnard, Vermont

BEST INTERNATIONAL HOTEL FOR FOOD: Beaverbrook Estate, Surrey, London          

BEST BARS IN THE U.S.: The Fox, Nashville

BEST INTERNATIONAL BAR FOR AMBIANCE: Scarfes Bar at Rosewood London

BEST INTERNATIONAL HOTEL ROOM SERVICE: Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal, Cabo San Lucas, México

BEST HOTEL BAR IN THE U.S.: Twin Farms, Barnard, Vermont           

BEST DOMESTIC AIRLINE FOR FOOD: Hawaiian Airlines                     

BEST INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE FOR FOOD: Qatar Airways                 

BEST AIRLINE WINE PROGRAM: Emirates                                              

BEST DOMESTIC AIRPORT FOR FOOD: San Francisco International Airport

BEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT FOR FOOD: London Heathrow           

BEST CRUISE LINE FOR FOOD: Viking Cruises            
              
BEST CRUISE FOR ONBOARD CULINARY EXPERIENCES: Viking Cruises

BEST CRUISE FOR CULINARY SHORE EXPERIENCES: Viking Cruises