One of the big draws for traveling is the chance to try different regional cuisines—and let’s be honest, it’s wonderful to have someone else do the cooking! Some travelers appreciate a simple and fast meal, while others want to sit down to linen tablecloths and something very special. For those who prefer the latter and look for a slow round of carefully prepared courses, a new study has determined the top 10 U.S. cities with the most fine dining restaurants. The U.S. boasts more than 4,500 fine dining restaurants, and these cities offer the most for your beautifully shined fork or chopstick. The list, prepared by The Cookie Rookie, pulls from Google keywords as well as Tripadvisor ratings, and its data is correct as of April 2024.
Perhaps not surprisingly, given its love of innovation and splurging, Las Vegas wins with the most fine dining restaurants. There are 191 of these high-end establishments serving a population of 665,811, which means there are 29 per 100,000 people. Nice ratio. It doesn’t hurt that some of the restaurants are helmed by celebrity chefs, such as Gordon Ramsay, Wolfgang Puck, and Joël Robuchon.
In second place, we have Washington, D.C., with 142 luxury dining spots for a population of 672,738, which means there are 21 per 100,000. With a cosmopolitan clientele of diplomats, ambassadors, and international politicians and visitors, a great percentage of restaurants offer high-end dining.
And in third place is the West Coast’s San Francisco (which also has the most Michelin Star restaurants). There are 148 upscale restaurants for the population of 746,481, which means there are 20 per 100,000 residents. With spectacular ocean and bay views, San Francisco’s fresh and progressive cuisine makes it a popular choice for luxury diners.
Ready for the full list? Here are the top 10 cities for fine dining:
1. Las Vegas, NV
2. Washington, D.C.
3. San Francisco, CA
4. Boston, MA
5. Seattle, WA
6. Denver, CO (which also wins for best city for foodies)
7. Nashville, TN
8. Portland, OR
9. Austin, TX
10. A tie between Dallas, TX and Louisville, KY