Move over, coastal culinary giants! Columbus is officially having its moment.
In the 2025 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards, more than 757,000 voters cast their ballots, and the result? A delicious surprise for anyone who still thinks the Midwest is just casseroles and cornfields (though, let’s be honest, we love those too).
Coming in at No. 7, Columbus proved once again that its food scene is nothing short of show-stopping, soul-warming, and occasionally screamingly creative.
A City Feeding the Masses… Spectacularly
According to Condé Nast, Columbus’s culinary charm lies in its adventurous blend:
- James Beard Award-nominated Agni, where Chef Avishar Barua has built a fiery, inventive menu that earned national attention (including a spot on Bon Appétit’s 20 Best Restaurants of 2024).
- Local favorites like Ray Ray’s Hog Pit, because sometimes the only correct answer is slow-smoked meat and a whole lot of napkins.
- The never-not-iconic Buckeye Donuts, open since 1969 and fueled mostly by powdered sugar and pure Midwestern joy.
But what really sets Columbus apart, according to the voters, is its robust migrant community, which has infused the city with some of the country’s most exciting Vietnamese, Somali, and Kenyan food. Whether you’re slurping pho or digging into a fiery plate of ugali, the flavors here are bold, global, and proudly rooted in the people who call the city home.
The Midwest: Quietly Becoming a Culinary Powerhouse
Columbus wasn’t the only Midwestern star on the list—this region is basically the Beyoncé of underrated food destinations.
- Milwaukee (#3) made it into the top three, proving it offers much more than beer and brats (though it still does those exceptionally well).
- Chicago (#4), the perennial culinary heavyweight, continues to be the place where dreams come true—especially pizza dreams, hot dog dreams, and Michelin-star dreams.
- Even Lexington, Kentucky (#6) is showing off, serving up bourbon-kissed cuisine that would make any horse proud.
Looks like the heartland is officially the stomach-land, too.
Who Beat Columbus?
Columbus proudly sits at #7, right behind Lexington and just ahead of Santa Fe. And the top spot?
That honor went to Oakland, California (#1), a city Condé Nast says has taco trucks dishing out some of the nation’s best birria.
This isn’t Columbus’s first time in the spotlight. The city placed 8th last year, and it seems like whatever the chefs in town are doing is working, because we’re climbing the ranks each year.
Whether you’re a local who already knows the magic of a late-night Buckeye Donut, or a traveler who thinks “flyover country” might just be your next delicious detour, get out there and enjoy something delicious. You can check out the full list from Conde Nast here.
