When people think of the best food in the U.S., places like New York City or Los Angeles might come to mind. But a new study by Escoffier, one of America’s top culinary schools, has named Hawaii as the best state for food.
How Was the Ranking Done?
Escoffier looked at data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Commerce, and the National Restaurant Association. They checked things like:
The number of tourists per restaurant
The percentage of independent restaurants
The number of culinary schools
Michelin-starred restaurants
Restaurant spending and employment
Why Hawaii?
Hawaii topped the list with a perfect score of 100. It has:
The highest number of tourists per restaurant (376 tourists per restaurant)
77.17% of restaurants independently owned
14% of jobs linked to the restaurant industry
Other Top States
New York – Ranked No. 2 (Score: 83.23) with 68 Michelin-starred restaurants.
Nevada – Ranked No. 3 (Score: 82.57), thanks to its famous food scene in Las Vegas.
California – Ranked No. 4 (Score: 75.01) with a strong farm-to-table culture.
Florida – Ranked No. 5 (Score: 72.14) with its mix of Latin, Caribbean, and seafood flavors
One unexpected state in the Top 10 was Rhode Island. It ranked high for restaurant spending and independent eateries. But for locals, this isn’t surprising—Rhode Island is famous for fresh seafood!