Which Big East City Has the Best Food?

[Ratso]

gimme a break

st. john’s > than the rest

ny every time

 

[storrsroars]

Dc has good stuff. Philly better

Philly's strength is sandwiches. DC's is breadth. What DC may lack in uniform excellence in any given category it makes up in variety. You can pretty much find a place representing any country in the world. Even moreso than NYC.

 

[August_West]

Philly's strength is sandwiches. DC's is breadth. What DC may lack in uniform excellence in any given category it makes up in variety. You can pretty much find a place representing any country in the world. Even moreso than NYC.

Nah the best Israeli Restaurant in country ( As one example) is in philly

 

[Waquoit]

AAC gets you...crabs

Needed editing, imo

 

[storrsroars]

Nah the best Israeli Restaurant in country ( As one example) is in philly

I assume you're talking Zahav. I can't get excited over a place where the signature dish is hummus. You should give MishMish in Montclair, NJ a try. I haven't been to Yalla in Brattleboro, but I understand that's also quite good. Anyway, what's Philly got for Nepalese, Cambodian, Peruvian, or Eritrean? I'd rather eat that stuff than Middle Eastern (except Turkish or Persian) every day.

 

[8893]

Needed editing, imo

I’ll trust you on that one

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Nah the best Israeli Restaurant in country ( As one example) is in philly

Zahav?

 

[Chin Diesel]

Vermont would like a word.

Saying Milwaukee has a great beer scene doesn't denigrate or minimize Vermont's beer game at all.

 

[8893]

Nah the best Israeli Restaurant in country ( As one example) is in philly

Have you been to Shaya in New Orleans?

 

[August_West]

Have you been to Shaya in New Orleans?

Yes. It’s great.


Zahav in philly is one of my top 5 dining experiences ever. The lamb shoulder left me dazed.

 

[UconnFanDC]

AbsolutelyDC

Growing up in Connecticut, I spent much time in NY with family and friends, living in Washington DC 15 plus years, working in Philly 6 plus years and going to a conference over last 3 years in Chicago, I'd have to say DC area has the best food/restaurants.

Food is pretty good in Indiana and Ohio but ehh.

 

[jibsey]

No way the slice is better than the cheesesteak, and taffy? Jesus.

 

[Waquoit]

Whole list sucks.

top 2 are right. But not because of pizza slices or cheesesteaks but just overall great food. and Chicago is right there with both.

That list made me irrationally angry

Are we judging a food city by only it's best? Cause if we are factoring in a likelihood of being disappointed or being served crap, Chicago gets docked points in my experience.

 

[UCDaveD]

The real winner is just whoever has the most Arby’s locations within a 20 mile radius, no?

 

[storrsroars]

Are we judging a food city by only it's best? Cause if we are factoring in a likelihood of being disappointed or being served crap, Chicago gets docked points in my experience.

Interesting criteria, but valid. I think I'd have to go with NYC there. I'll qualify that I used to do a lot of trade shows at McCormick Place and could be in Chicago 3-4x/year for a week each time. And I'd do some research (pre-internet) through food mags and what the locals suggested, so can't recall any bad experiences (except when it was like a group thing going to Dick's Last Resort or some crap). I also had regular Thai and Mex places I'd visit every trip because I loved them and they were cheap.

I didn't do as much research with NYC as it was a stone's throw from home and we found ourselves there often on a whim, half in the bag and eating crappy overpriced bar food.

So I guess the moral is: plan ahead.

 

[UCDaveD]

Basically the cities with the best food are those who are the most culturally diverse.

 

[XLCenterFan]

Basically the cities with the best food are those who are the most culturally diverse.

This is the best answer to this question. You hit the nail on the head.

How many times can you go to Federal Hill for chicken parm and arancini? But at the same time, I doubt many here would venture into the culturally diverse areas of NYC. And Jerome Ave on game day doesn't count. I'm talking Washington Heights for some Dominican tostones and sancocho. Flatbush, Brooklyn for some Hatian pate and joumou. Damn I miss NYC.

 

[Kolumbo]

SJU is in Jamaica. Let's have some official guidance on the rules here. I mean if SJU has all of NYC, then UConn gets New England.

 

[mussels]

You can pretty much find a place representing any country in the world. Even moreso than NYC.

Queens is most diverse place on the planet and as immigrants are natural entepreneurs, the food choices mirror the number of languages spoken

Queens has more languages than anywhere in the world — here's where they're found

As many as 800 languages are spoken in New York City, and the borough of Queens has more than anywhere else, according to the Endangered Language Alliance.

www.businessinsider.com

 

[August_West]

Zahav?

Yup . You been?

 

[Hoophound]

AbsolutelyDC

Growing up in Connecticut, I spent much time in NY with family and friends, living in Washington DC 15 plus years, working in Philly 6 plus years and going to a conference over last 3 years in Chicago, I'd have to say DC area has the best food/restaurants.

Food is pretty good in Indiana and Ohio but ehh.

That’s probably just because after 15 years in DC, you know where to go and which places you like most. It is critical to have the advantage of trying myriad places in a given area because your personal preferences are more likely to be met. Most major cities and tourist areas have good food, but you can’t find it without putting in some time. There are so many great little places that you find over the years.

I’d say New York is the clear winner with Chicago and Philly a solid 2 and 3. DC and San Francisco are way up there as well. Ultimately, quality of ingredients is the main factor for me. In New York in particular, the meats and cheeses used are top quality, even in diners. There is a commitment to quality over price. I love that and I think Philly, Chicago, DC and even Providence take ingredients seriously as well.

 

[Omaha-Jays]

If any Husky fans end up in Omaha I ask that you get a steak or Reuben or even freaking oysters in the middle of the country at Plank. Anything other than Runza, please.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Zahav in philly is one of my top 5 dining experiences ever. The lamb shoulder left me dazed.

I had to eat that with my pants unbuttoned I was so full.

 

[August_West]

I had to eat that with my pants unbuttoned I was so full.

Place is ridiculous. I’d go there just for the hummus, but they kill everything.