Given the state’s connection to every genre of American cuisine, from smoked meat barbecue to top-notch seafood dishes, it’s likely of little surprise to see North Carolina listed among the American states that are the best for those who love food.
A handful of national publications recently reiterated that bastion of food quality, with Far and Wide ranking North Carolina as the 13th best state for food. In contrast, three of the state’s chefs and/or restaurants (Dean Neff of Wilmington, Crawford, and Son of Raleigh and Jamie Davis of Washington) have received James Beard Award nominations in 2024.
With summer right around the corner, foodies across the United States will have access to the fresh, vibrant, unique foods that come with the season. BetCarolina.com took a lunch break from North Carolina sports betting and ranked the top 15 foodie-friendly U.S. states based on the total number of “best food cities,” average cost of food at a restaurant in each state, number of James Beard 2024 nominations, and local farms/farmer’s markets per capita.
Top 15 States for Foodies
Rank | State | Total Score |
|---|---|---|
1 | New York | 182.91 |
2 | California | 174.71 |
3 | Illinois | 174.10 |
4 | Oregon | 148.46 |
5 | Texas | 136.09 |
6 | Washington | 134.11 |
7 | Maine | 126.29 |
8 | Vermont | 111.58 |
9 | South Carolina | 103.42 |
10 | Louisiana | 96.52 |
11 | North Carolina | 93.59 |
12 | Maryland | 92.15 |
13 | Minnesota | 89.45 |
14 | Connecticut | 87.66 |
15 | Colorado | 86.19 |
Where North Carolina Ranks Nationally
Across America, North Carolina’s foodie score of 93.59 ranks 11th, between No. 10 Louisiana (96.52) and No. 12 Maryland (92.15) and ahead of Minnesota (89.45), Connecticut (87.66) and Colorado (86.19).
The leading foodie states in 2024 were New York with a score of 182.91, California (174.71), Illinois (174.10), Oregon (148.46) and Texas (136.09), while Washington State (134.11) and Maine (126.29) were the next closest.
Throw in Vermont at 11.58, South Carolina at 103.42, and Louisiana’s score at 96.52 and you have the full rundown on the American states that carry their fair share of the load when it comes to creating top-notch food in 2024, giving the Tar Heel State something to shoot for in the new year.
Now that we've covered your foodie fix for the day, you can whet your appetite with our best North Carolina sportsbook promos!
Author
Christopher Boan is a lead writer at BetCarolina.com specializing in covering state issues. He has covered sports and sports betting in Arizona for more than seven years, including stops at ArizonaSports.com, the Tucson Weekly and the Green Valley News.
