Austin's food scene is in the national spotlight once again — and we can't say we're surprised. Thrillist has released its ranking of the 40 biggest cities in the U.S. based on their food, and Austin comes out on top.
To determine the rankings, Thrillist editors from across the country examined the food scene in every American city with a population close to or greater than 500,000 people. Then, they ranked the cities "based on their finest establishments, their signature contributions and traditions vis-a-vis national cuisine, and the strength of their dining cultures."
Austin ranks No. 6 out of the 40 cities on the list — and it's not just because of our barbecue. (Although there is, of course, a proper nod to Franklin.)
"This is not a one-dimensional food city," writes Thrillist. "There're James Beard Award-winning sushi chefs. A food-truck scene that gives chefs the chance to flex their culinary muscles before moving on to bigger things (there's a reason the movie Chef filmed a ton there)."
Thrillist also praises our Mexican food scene, more specifically, our taco culture. "If you want a taco for every meal, Austin will gladly accommodate. There's so many places to score even just fantastic breakfast tacos, that you could eat them from 8 am-8 pm and go home happy. Here, we'll prove it."
Austin ranks behind New Orleans, New York City, Chicago, San Francisco and Portland, but leads the Lone Star State. Houston falls in line at No. 8, followed by Dallas/Fort Worth (No. 19), San Antonio (No. 26) and El Paso (No. 38).
Of course Thrillist mentions tacos when it talks about Austin.
