Redditors Favorite U.S. Food Regions

When you have a question about where to eat and want an unbiased answer, most people look to Reddit. This highly opinionated corner of the internet is one of the last places left where you can talk to more real people than bots and get the unfiltered truth. That’s why we polled Reddit’s about their favorite food zone on a map of the United States cut horizontally into 5 equal pieces. 

Here’s what Redditors had to say…

The Map of Five Food Zones

Below is the map we posted to r/foodquestions on Reddit. Use it as a visual guide to help you understand our findings.

Our Methodology

The comments we are referencing in this post were pulled directly from the thread we posted this picture in on r/foodquestions. From over 1,000 comments we received 600+ food zone votes as data. Comments naming two zones were counted toward both whereas for ranked lists counted only the top pick. We did not factor in comment upvotes. Note that the percentages shown are close approximations.

Visual Overview of How Each Section Ranked

After reviewing our findings these were the percentages of votes for each of our five zones.

Table Overview of Redditor’s Votes and Rationale

Zone	% of Votes	Why People Picked It
A	2%	Maine lobster, PNW salmon/seafood
B	28%	NYC, Chicago, Philly, Boston, SF/Bay Area, Michelin-star density, immigrant food, Napa/Sonoma wine
C	11%	KC & Carolina BBQ, Maryland crab, Vegas dining, Southwestern chiles, KY bourbon
D	37%	Tex-Mex/Texas BBQ, SoCal Mexican food, Southern soul food & country cooking, New Mexican hatch chiles, Sonoran/AZ Mexican
E	22%	New Orleans Cajun/Creole, Texas BBQ/Tex-Mex, Miami Cuban/Caribbean, Houston’s diversity

Deeper Insight on How Each Section Ranked

Let’s break down why Redditors voted the way they did to get a better idea of how we ended up with these percentages

1. 🥇 D — 37%

Section D was the winner by a landslide (with 9% more votes than the second place zone). The case for D was built on range, rather than on any single cities food. Encompassed in zone D is Texas BBQ, Tex-Mex, SoCal’s Mexican food, New Mexico’s hatch chiles, Sonoran/Arizona Mexican food, and Southern soul food and “country cooking” (which was cited most often as the zone’s best offering). This line up is hard to beat, and the only real pushback D voters received was from some commenters who felt zone D “steals credit” for BBQ and Cajun food that actually belongs south of the line, in E.

2. 🥈 B — 28%

B voters’ argument hinged on this zone’s diversity and density. NYC and Chicago alone were treated as nearly unbeatable food cities, with Philly, Boston, Detroit, and SF/Bay Area stacking the deck even further. B voters repeatedly called out this zone’s Michelin-star concentration, New York, Chicago, and Detroit pizza, Dearborn’s Middle Eastern food, Buffalo wings, and Napa/Sonoma wine country. Some B voters admitted that in this zone you might not get the singular best version of anything but you can get a great version of everything which is what solidified their vote.

3. 🥉 E — 22%

E voters were the most passionate and combative group in the thread. They repeatedly corrected D voters by claiming that “real” Cajun and Creole food is south of Acadiana, which is in E, not D. E voters chose this zone because of the access to New Orleans Cajun and Creole food, South Texas Tex-Mex, Gulf seafood, Miami’s Cuban and Caribbean food, and Houston’s culinary diversity.

4. C — 11%

Zone C had a small but fierce group of defenders. These voters highlighted Kansas City and North Carolina’s BBQ, Maryland crab, Las Vegas dining, and Kentucky bourbon. Several C voters admitted they were biased because they’d lived there, but argued it’s the most balanced zone of them all.

5. A — 2%

A, unsurprisingly came in last. The only defense A voters could muster for this zone was Maine lobster and Pacific Northwest seafood/salmon. In truth, most comments about A were jokes at its expense rather than actual votes.

Visual Overview of Redditors Results and Rationale

Here is a quick visual aid to help you understand why Redditor’s voted the way they did in the thread.

Book a Unique Dining Experience with Us

We are proud to run our quirky culinary events like our Interactive Meal, Walking Food Tours, and Interactive Foodie Stations, in Redditor’s favorite food zones! If you’re looking for a foodie experience that goes beyond the ordinary and brings you and your guests closer to the fabulous culinary scene in your city you should definitely book with us.

About the Author 

Avital Ungar is dining and restaurant expert and the founder of Avital Experiences. She has spent 15+ years designing dining experiences nationwide and has been featured in The New York Times, Shark Tank, Travel Channel, Bon Appétit, and more. Learn more