Sacramento named one of America’s best foodie cities. Why — and where did it rank?
California’s farm-to-table capital is also one of the top spots for foodies in the nation.
That’s according to personal finance website WalletHub, which recently ranked the best foodie cities in America in 2025.
Sacramento landed among the top 10 destinations for food lovers.
“There are tons of unique culinary experiences to try, from food trucks to specialty-food stores to ... Michelin-starred restaurants,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said in a Sept. 29 article. “These cities make delicious dining affordable for residents and visitors alike,” Lupo added.
What makes Sacramento one of America’s top foodie cities?
Sacramento was No. 9 on WalletHub’s list of the best foodie cities in the United States in 2025. The city was ranked ninth in the nation in terms of diversity, accessibility and quality, the site said, scoring considerably lower for affordability.
Michelin Guide California lists a total of 17 restaurants in the Sacramento area — including one-star recipients Localis and The Kitchen.
The Michelin Guide added three local eateries in 2025: Majka Pizzeria & Bakery, Pho Momma and Kin Thai Street Eatery, The Sacramento Bee previously reported.
Sacramento is also known for its many food festivals and events, including Terra Madre Americas, FoodieLand and the Tower Bridge Dinner.
In 2023, New York Times writer Ella Quittner described Sacramento as a “great restaurant town” that’s benefited from the Central Valley’s “vast agricultural wealth” and Bay Area culinary talent.
“It look a cadre of young chefs returning or relocating to Sacramento, and a flock of new residents fleeing from punishing Bay Area housing prices, to fully flip the switch,” Quittner wrote.
This isn’t the first time Sacramento has ranked among the top destinations for gourmands.
The city came in sixth place in the 2024 version of WalletHub’s Foodie Cities in America ranking.
Where are top 10 foodie cities in the US?
According to WalletHub, the top 10 cities for foodies can be found from the shores of the Atlantic Ocean to the forests of the Pacific Northwest.
Here’s which spots made the list:
- 1. Miami
- 2. Portland, Oregon
- 3. San Francisco
- 4. Seattle
- 5. Orlando
- 6. Austin, Texas
- 7. Tampa, Florida
- 8. Las Vegas
- 9. Sacramento
- 10. San Diego
How did WalletHub rank the best cities for food lovers?
To choose the cities with the best and most affordable foodie scenes, WalletHub said it compared a total of 182 U.S. cities based on two categories: affordability and diversity, accessibility and quality.
To determine what qualified as “affordable,” WalletHub looked at factors including the cost of groceries, restaurant meal costs and the accessibility and affordability of high-quality restaurants.
For the diversity, accessibility and quality category, WalletHub checked for the presence of Michelin-starred restaurants, the number of food trucks per capita and the ratio of full-service restaurants to fast-food establishments, among other factors.
Data came from sources including the U.S. Census Bureau, TripAdvisor, Yelp and the Council for Community and Economic Research.
This story was originally published September 30, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
