Scottsdale Named One of the Top 10 Foodie Cities in the Country
Lauren Saria June 17, 2014 8:00AM
Congratulations, Scottsdale. According to Livability.com -- a website that "explores what makes small to mid-sized cities great places to live, work and visit" -- you're one of the best cities in the country for foodies.
Skeptical? Consider the semi-scientific approach taken to compile the third annual list. Livability editors looked at data from Esri about how often families eat at locally owned restaurants and how much the average resident spends on dining out. They also took into consideration the accessibility of fruits, vegetables and quality meat using data from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
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In less "scientific" fashion, Liviability also looked at the number of farmers markets in each city, as well as the number of critically acclaimed restaurants and winners of James Beard Foundation Awards.
Here's some of what Livability had to say about our Scottsdale dining scene:
While steakhouses and Southwestern cuisine can be found in ample supply, the variety of restaurants in Scottsdale is impressive. Residents take full advantage of the many choices there are for eating out. Among the most popular restaurants is The Mission, which serves modern Latin cuisine in a sophisticated yet casual atmosphere. Flights of tequila pair well with items like chicken anticuchos, malbec braised short ribs and chorizo porchetta. Citizen Public House offers a contemporary setting to dig into refined comfort foods like veal meatloaf, roasted buttermilk chicken and beef belly BLTs while sipping on a glass of craft beer or enjoying a delicious cocktail. A 2013 James Beard Foundation Award semi-finalist, ShinBay is the creation of chef Shinji Kurita, whose Japanese dishes provide not only an ambush of flavor but also unique textures. These three restaurants are but a small sampling of the culinary adventures Scottsdale has to offer.
Also mentioned were Grimaldi's, 5th and Wine, Pink Pony, Rehab Burger Therapy, Roaring Fork, and, of course, FnB -- particularly chef Charleen Badman's daily desserts, including her famous butterscotch pudding.
Here's the complete list of Top 10 Foodie Cities, 2014:
Traverse City, Michigan
You can read more on Livability.com.
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