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Spokane makes list of 2018 Best Foodie Cities in America

The silhouettes of the U.S. Pavilion from Expo '74 and the Great Northern Railroad clock tower, seen here in 2017, have become skyline icons of Spokane since the world's fair. (Jesse Tinsley / The Spokesman-Review)
By Adriana Janovich adrianaj@spokesman.com(509) 459-5446

Spokane isn’t No. 1.

That honor goes to Portland, Oregon.

Seattle is No. 8.

But even though it isn’t in the top 10 – or even the top 20 – Spokane is on the list of 2018 Best Foodie Cities in America.

WalletHub compared 182 U.S. cities across 29 factors of “foodie-friendliness,” including cost of groceries and accessibility to high-quality restaurants and food festivals per capita.

Portland scored the highest, with a total of 70.27 points. It also ranked No. 17 for affordability and No. 5 for diversity, accessibility and quality.

Seattle came in with a total of 61.93 points, an affordability rank of 162, and a diversity, accessibility and quality rank of 6.

New York City ranked No. 1 for diversity, accessibility and quality. It was followed by San Francisco and Miami. Los Angeles was No. 4.

San Antonio, Texas, was tops for affordability, followed by Detroit and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Louisville, Kentucky, was No. 4.

Spokane ranked No. 54 overall with a total score of 43.20. It did a little better in the affordability category, ranking No. 49. And, in terms of diversity, accessibility and quality, it ranked No. 57.

Overall, Spokane fared immediately better than Salem, Oregon (No. 55). It also bested Boise, Idaho (No. 63); Anaheim, California (No. 68); Nashville, Tennessee (No. 69); Huntington Beach, California (No. 77); Missoula, Montana (No. 83); Tacoma, Washington (No. 94); Anchorage, Alaska (No. 132); and Nampa, Idaho (No. 162).

Rankings were also compiled for several sub-categories. Seattle scored third-highest for cost of groceries, beating New York City. Only Honolulu and Pearl City, Hawaii (tied for highest) and Juneau, Alaska, were more expensive.

Seattle scored highest for average beer and wine price, followed by Juneau, Alaska; New York City; Anchorage, Alaska; and Vancouver, Washington, and Portland, Oregon, which both tied for fifth-highest.

On the other hand, Nampa and Boise, Idaho, both tied for fifth lowest average beer and wine price, after Indianapolis, Indiana; Detroit; Toledo, Ohio; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Most breweries and wineries per capita was a five-way tie between Seattle; Portland, Oregon; San Diego; Santa Rosa, California; and Denver, Colorado.

And most coffee shops per capital was also a five-way tie between New York City; San Francisco; Seattle; Portland, Oregon; and Orlando, Florida.

Sales tax, average beer and wine price, and restaurants, food trucks, farmers markets and community-supported agriculture programs per capita were all considered in the overall score.

For more information about the methodology or to see the complete list, visit wallethub.com/edu/best-foodie-cities/7522/.