Portland, Maine, Ranked 25th In Foodie City Study—It Deserves Better

There’s been a monumental shift in Portland, Maine, since the turn of the century.

The city has transformed into an East Coast tourism hotspot, with its swanky hotels, popular shopping district, fun activities, and vibrant culture.

However, what really makes Portland stand out is the incredible food scene that seems to keep improving every day.

Portland, Maine, has Transformed into a Foodie Hub for Tourists

The city has embraced this foodie culture and done a wonderful job of promoting it to Mainers and tourists alike. As they should—it’s legit.

It certainly doesn’t hurt that Portland sits between two major sources of food: the ocean and the swath of incredible farms we have here in Maine. I mean, how could the food scene not be amazing?

So, with all this being said, Portland clearly deserves to be high on America’s foodie city rankings, right? Right?

Well, not according to this report for the popular site WalletHub. The site, known for its truly informative reports, decided to drop the hammer on Portland in a list of the best food cities in America.

Portland Named Just the 25th Best Foodie City in America

Portland was listed as the 25th best foodie city in America. On one hand, this is a very good ranking, considering it's from a list of 182 cities (including Lewiston). However, we’re way too proud to consider 25th as the city’s true ranking. Let’s break down what went wrong or what I find inaccurate.

The scoring was based on two major categories: Affordability and Diversity, Accessibility & Quality. These categories were broken down into 28 subcategories to make it as detailed as possible. You can read more about the methodology here.

First off, Portland received a ranking of 31 in the diversity, accessibility, and quality category. Again, that’s a very good score considering how large the field is. But there are some cities ahead of Maine that I know don’t come close to Portland here (I’m looking at you, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh).

I see Portland as being much closer to 15 than to 30. The quality of Portland’s restaurants is world-class. The city has always been open and accessible. And as for diversity in food and drink, Portland is top-notch.

As for the affordability category, Portland got absolutely hammered. It was listed as the 60th most affordable foodie city. Do I think this is crazy? Not really. It’s expensive to eat out right now. Prices have gone up everywhere, and it’s very noticeable when going out for a nice meal.

But here’s my problem: there are numerous major metropolitan cities ahead of Portland on this list. Very few major metropolitan cities are more affordable for dining than Portland. Could they be similar? Sure. But it’s not like you’re rolling into Baltimore and finding a gourmet burger for $5. I think Portland is getting a bit of the shaft here.

READ MORE: Popular Portland Neighborhood Named Best in Maine for Foodies

Moving on to Lewiston—it was great to see them on the survey. The twin city finished at 175th, with a ranking of 162nd in diversity, accessibility, and quality, and a strange 165th in affordability. How Lewiston is that low on affordability is just laughable. The town is getting a bad rap here. Lewiston is a sneaky-good and affordable foodie city. And it's only getting stronger.

The Top Foodie Cities in America Include Numerous Florida Cities

According to WalletHub's report, the number one foodie city in America is Miami, FL. That's a pretty solid choice.

Here's the remainder of the top 5:

2. San Fransico, CA
3. Orlando, FL
4. Portland, OR
5. Tampa, FL

I'd take our Portland over any of them.