Portland

Courtesy Sweedeedee, Cheryl Juetten

Named America’s Best Food City in 2015 by the Washington Post, Oregon’s quirky capital—and the birthplace of culinary pioneer James Beard—has an astonishingly diverse food scene and laid-back approach to dining. Some of the city’s best restaurants morphed from food carts into full-fledged establishments (food cart pods are a defining feature of Portland and can be found on nearly every block), and the range of cuisines offered (Thai, Mexican, Indian, Lebanese, Italian) is staggering. For an abbreviated list of restaurants, read Top Tables Portland.