This City Was Just Named the 'Best Foodie City in America' — and It's Not What You Expect

'WalletHub' made a list of the greatest food cities in the U.S. based on affordability and diversity

<p>Getty</p>

Getty

  • Orlando was named number 1 on WalletHub's "Best Foodie Cities in America" list.

  • Orlando beat out 180 other cities that were graded on things like grocery cost, restaurant diversity, and food trucks per capita.

  • Los Angeles came in at number 13, Chicago was 14 and New York City was 20.

When thinking of the foodiest cities in America, the usual suspects tend to be New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago — but a recent report from WalletHub proved that an unexpected city is also in the mix.

The personal finance site's report, which is titled "2023’s Best Foodie Cities in America," doesn't rank culinary hotspots by the mere number of fine dining establishments there. Instead, the winning cities tend to offer affordable and diverse options.

Over 180 U.S. cities were surveyed to find data like grocery cost, restaurants per capita, and number of food festivals — and Orlando took the top spot.

© Merlin Entertainments The Orlando Eye observation wheel is part of International Drive's I-360 entertainment complex.
© Merlin Entertainments The Orlando Eye observation wheel is part of International Drive's I-360 entertainment complex.

Related: PEOPLE's Food Awards 2023: The 66 Best Supermarket Foods of the Year

WalletHub ranked the Central Florida city as number one in the nation because of the diversity and quality of its restaurants; the large number of ice cream and frozen yogurt shops; the number of coffee shops per capita; affordability; and the most specialty-food grocery stores.

Following Orlando, WalletHub ranked Portland, Ore. as the second-best foodie city, and Sacramento, Calif. as the third-best. L.A. came in at number 13; Chicago came in at 14; and New York City came in all the way at number 20. See WalletHub's full breakdown here.

<p>Getty</p>

Getty

Related: PEOPLE'S 50 Food Faves of 2023: Gordon Ramsay, Celebrity Liquor Brands, Best Kitchen Gear & More!

Though Orlando might seem like an unlikely pick, PEOPLE’s 2023 travel guide for food lovers did include a hot spot there.

At Capa, the Michelin-starred Spanish steakhouse on top of the Four Seasons Resort Orlando, diners can watch the nightly Disney World fireworks over Magic Kingdom and Epcot from the spacious outdoor patio. Drop in for dinner or a post-parks nightcap.

If you're looking for a destination based on more than just food, Charleston, S.C. came in 30th on WalletHub's foodie list — but earlier this year, Travel + Leisure awarded it number 1 on their World's Best Awards list. It was praised by readers for its blend of Southern charm and urban flair, welcoming locals, historic attractions, and the shopping and dining along King Street.

Charleston has held the title for 11 years in a row.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.