Boston Named #2 Best Food City in the U.S. in 2023

Boston has been named this year's #2 Best Food City in America!

Insert all of the pictures of lobstah rolls, clam strips, and clam chowdah here. The world looks at us like a seafood tasting table. Mostly a deep fried and creamy AF tasting table - but a tasting table nonetheless.

Travel Awaits polled their travel-savvy readers asking them "what are the best food cities from coast to coast in the United States?" and the conversation began. Travel Awaits took reader opinion and trends to put together their yearly list of The 15 Best Food Cities in the US list for 2023... and Boston, you did smashingly!

Boston was named the #2 Best Food City in the US for 2023, only losing to New Orleans and all of their beignets and po'boys and gumbo which took first place.
Kansas City, Missouri, New York, New York (how repetitive) and Chicago, Illinois round out this year's Top 5 Best Food Cities in America. Check out the complete culinary countdown RIGHT HERE.

Travel Awaits cited Boston's lobster rolls, craft beers, and Italian Eats as the reasons why it took the runner up spot on this year's foodie countdown.

While we're mentioning those "Italian Eats," another travel publication, Travel and Leisure, just named Boston’s North End as the #1 Best Little Italy Neighborhood in the U.S. and one North End restaurant recently got some super high praise, making Tasting Table’s 2023 list of the 20 Best Italian Restaurants in the U.S. Curious what that restaurant is so you can try to line up a tasty reservation? We'll give it to you below.

I’ll also give you some Massachusetts honorable mentions - these are some Italian restaurants you should definitely check out if you haven’t already. Then we’ll finish off with the North End restaurant that was named one of the Best Italian Restaurants in America!

The other day my daughter and I were talking about what our last meals would be if we could choose. (I know, a real positive father/daughter convo, huh?) We both decided that some good Italian is on our short lists. My love for Italian food is one of the reasons I never considered moving to or near Boston's North End. I love chicken parmesan too much. I fear what I'd look like after living there for six months of tiramisu for breakfast (because I would!).

Now that you know my blood type is marinara, you can imagine how excited I was when I came across Tasting Table's 2023 list of the 20 Best Italian Restaurants in the U.S. I was even more excited when I got that jolt of hometown pride when I saw that one of the 20 best in the country was right here in the good ol' Bay State.

There are currently over 60,000 Italian restaurants in the US, so being one of the Top 20 is a humongous accomplishment! And can we stop and drop our jaws in awe of that number? Over 60,000 Italian restaurants in America? That's over 1,200 per state!! Holy connoli!!

So grab your fork and your pasta twirler spoon and let's get to it - I'll give you some Massachusetts honorable mentions, these are some Italian restaurants you should definitely check out if you haven't already. We'll finish up with our Italian Restaurant Golden Child of Massachusetts (and I'll see you there this weekend - we'll be the ones there at 4pm to beat the rush, it's how we roll).

Where: Reading, MA
Standout Dish Not to Be Missed: chicken parm all day
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KippUZKFnZY

Where: North End of Boston, MA
Standout Dish Not to Be Missed: Ahi Tuna Arrabbiata
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87rbZ2WJL0g

Where: Boston, MA
Standout Dish Not to Be Missed: the Bolognese
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqvWjpw2h5Y

Where: Dorchester, MA
Standout Dish Not to Be Missed: the pizzas are awesome!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziYRUSDIzCw

Where: Charlestown, MA
Standout Dish Not to Be Missed: the Spicy Picci.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQPVCHpHT48

Where: North End of Boston, MA
Standout Dish Not to Be Missed: Gnocci
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtNiXZdjngw

Where: Quincy, MA
Standout Dish Not to Be Missed: the atmosphere - take it in!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjnxIbmYTn4

Where: Gloucester, MA
Standout Dish Not to Be Missed: fresh pasta
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivMY3Tt3ZhQ

Where: Amesbury, MA
Standout Dish Not to Be Missed: veal saltimbocca
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yL4rGQqSJ9Y

Where: North End of Boston, MA
Standout Dish Not to Be Missed: lobster, clams, and mussels over linguine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_sev6pbEyM