From Buffalo to Birmingham, veteran chefs highlight surprising foodie cities

No one needs convincing that New York City is one of, if not the, best food city in the United States. Few would argue about Chicago, Portland (Oregon, though Maine is not too shabby either), San Francisco and Los Angeles making the definitive list.

Las Vegas, too, has been a leader in the food and drink scene for some time now, and Washington, DC’s culinary chops have proven reason enough to visit the capital city.

But what about Buffalo? Birmingham? Louisville?

Other cities around the US, including Denver, Minneapolis and Philadelphia, should be on every food lover’s radar, according to big-name chefs at the Food & Wine Classic culinary event in Aspen, Colorado, which took place in June.

Sneaky good food

Buffalo, New York: Dine at the bar at New American eatery, The Dapper Goose -- if you're lucky enough to snag a seat. While the cocktails are top-notch the wine-by-the-glass options are thoughtful and pair well with the changing menu.

Buffalo, New York: At Dobutsu in thriving Larkin Square, Japanese favorites are served in a spacious, gastropub setting. The ramen, pictured here, rivals any big city's rendition.

Buffalo, New York: Looking for a little taste of the South? At Toutant in downtown Buffalo, Nashville hot chicken has an eye-watering kick -- equally good as a brunch dish to get your day going or for dinner before a night out on the town.

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Restaurant-savvy folks who've never even been to the Midwestern state have likely heard of Spoon and Stable, created by James Beard award-winning chef/owner Gavin Kaysen.

Spoon and Stable: Housed in an old horse stable, the menu reflects Midwestern seasonality mixed with French influence. The results are sublime.

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Young Joni is award-winning Ann Kim's wood-fired restaurant. Pizza, vegetables -- and sometimes a whole fish -- are great for sharing.

Denver, Colorado: Chef/owner Caroline Glover has burst onto the Denver and national food landscapes with Annette, a culinary tribute to her great-aunt Netsie.

Annette: Since Annette's opening in 2016, Glover and her team have wowed local diners with seasonal wood-fired plates like the bone-in pork chop, grilled ramp toast and sunchoke gratin.

Denver, Colorado: The 17-seat chef's counter at Beckon invites diners to watch staff prepare Scandanavian-influenced plates that are kept secret until the night you pull up a chair.

Beckon: The menu is constantly changing, but fromage blanc with compressed rhubarb is a particularly beautiful dish.

Beckon: If you're planning a trip to Denver and want one of Beckon's coveted counter seats, plan ahead. The pre-paid reservations fill up weeks in advance.

Denver, Colorado: Just blocks from the Denver Zoo, The Plimoth serves wildly delicious plates inspired by traditional Italian and French cuisine.

The Plimoth: While omnivores stalk the menu for pan-fried crab cakes or rustic pork terrine, the cauliflower turnip gratinee, pictured here, and roasted sweet dumpling squash will delight herbivores.

Louisville, Kentucky: Steak is what's on the menu at Le Moo -- except when it's a huge bowl of cereal during the Le Moo Le Femme drag brunch.

Louisville, Kentucky: RedHog is, essentially, a butcher shop -- but not your average butcher shop.

RedHog: Industrial digs, a daily changing menu and craft beer make the shop a repeat on many locals' dinner lists.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Israeli restaurant Zahav has a menu meant for sharing.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Vientiane Bistro, run by the affable Sunny Phanthavong, brings Lao food to the masses in Philly.

Birmingham, Alabama: Highlands Bar & Grill is one of the southern city's best restaurants. A drink at the bar is a must for visitors.

Birmingham, Alabama: Fonfon is beloved by locals and sought after by visitors. It's a piece of France in the South.

Fonfon: Sweet-toothed folks will want to save room for dessert, which may include a fruit crumble a la mode.

Surprising US cities with great food

Prev Next

Man of many hats – restaurateur, television host and food writer to name a few – Andrew Zimmern is super into Birmingham, Alabama.

Sure, he’s a fan of Miss Myra’s Pit Bar-B-Q and Frank Stitt’s well-regarded spots – Chez Fonfon and Highlands Bar & Grill – but Zimmern insists there’s more to the Southern city than well, its Southern food roots.

The city has “gone from hot to blazing hot,” he says.

“There has been a development underneath all the well-known restaurants there that has just bubbled up and exploded. I find Birmingham a very exciting town to eat my way through,” Zimmern says.

Zimmern likens Birmingham’s current rise to recent food trailblazing cities Portland, Oregon, and Portland, Maine.

Geoffrey Zakarian, a chef and owner of restaurants in New York City, Miami and Atlantic City, also praises Birmingham’s growing culinary cred.

Buffalo, New York, is another city Zakarian is excited about.

From The Dapper Goose for perfectly balanced cocktails and small bites that change with the seasons to southern-focused Toutant and Japanese gastropub Dobutsu, Buffalo may well be New York’s second city, but it’s a worthy one at that. (Full disclosure: This author is from Buffalo and can’t argue with it being a sneaky good food city.)

Young and hungry

Thom Khem -- caramelized pork belly in five spice sweet soy -- is a signature dish at Vientiane Bistro in Philadelphia. The Laotian restaurant is run by chef/owner Sunny Phanthavong.

Canadian food writer and cookbook author Gail Simmons loves Philadelphia and Denver. Of the latter she cites “tons of young, innovative chefs.”

Indeed, Beckon’s pre-paid dinner ticket setup for just 17 guests each night is one of Denver’s most creative dining experiences.

Annette, located about seven miles from downtown Denver in Aurora, is worth the trek for visitors staying in the heart of the city. Open for dinner and weekend brunch, Annette’s owner and chef Caroline Glover is committed to quality, farm-fresh ingredients.

Minneapolis, the US’s answer to Nordic Europe (sort of), has had a thriving food scene for years and is finally getting national attention for it.

Chefs understand the recent hype.

Chefs love the food scene in Minneapolis. Young Joni, pictured here, dishes up wood-fired share plates with ethereal results.

Ashley Christensen, who has a restaurant empire in Raleigh, North Carolina, says she fell in love with Minneapolis during her first visit.

“It’s one of of those cities that is so uniquely its own. There’s a lot of pride from the people who live there. And that feels very, you know, I connect with that. It feels a lot like the place that I live in the sense of how we all feel about it.”

Christensen can’t wait to go back: “Everyone is making this delicious, heartfelt food and I found that to be a consistent vibe across our experiences in Minneapolis.”

One of the city’s most popular restaurants, Spoon and Stable, is upscale but not stuffy, and exudes a cozy, chic feel.

Created by James Beard award-winning chef/owner Gavin Kaysen, Spoon and Stable is housed in an old horse stable and has a menu reflective of its Midwestern seasonal sensibilities and Kaysen’s French background. The results are sublime.

Young Joni, hip and cool without being a scene, features chef Ann Kim’s wood-fired pizzas, vegetables and other phenomenal bites in a large, airy space.

Brick and mortar

Hugh Acheson, of Iron Chef Canada fame and a chef/restaurateur in Georgia, is also enthusiastic about the evolving food scene in the United States.

“Everybody went to the big cities and now they’ve gone back to where they’re from and are really building these brick and mortar places that are showing off the truth of what is really American food, which is such a big topic,” Acheson explains.

To those in the know, Louisville, Kentucky has always been a foodie town. Today, chefs are in on the secret. At Le Moo, pictured here, steak is what's for dinner.

Take Louisville, Kentucky, for example. It’s got high-brow and low-brow offerings and also a steakhouse called Le Moo with a drag show brunch, where you can order a huge bowl of cereal. It’s a steakhouse that doesn’t take itself too seriously – at least on Sundays.

Alex Guarnaschelli, executive chef of Butter in NYC, nominates Louisville.

Foodie Trisha Siegelstein, a Louisville native but long-time New Yorker before recently returning to her hometown, would have to agree.

“Louisville has always been a foodie town in my opinion. If a restaurant is not good, it closes. There is a lot of choice here and a lot of competition.”

Sometimes there’s a wait for a table. Cajun spot The Seafood Lady draws big crowds and long lines, but, says Siegelstein, “it is WORTH IT.”