NEW ORLEANS – This week Yelp, a user review and recommendation site, along with ride share app Lyft announced the 2026 list of their Top 20 Foodie Cities ahead of the inaugural Yelp Foodie Week, happening now through Sept. 7.
The two companies teamed up to pull their data to compile the list that spans coast to coast. The two analyzed restaurant search volume, Yelp Collections list data and rideshare data from the app to pull together the top 20.
Before creating the main list, the two found that breakfast and brunch are the most-searched restaurant cuisine on Yelp in every foodie city, and Lyft added to that with data saying that nearly one in five rides to restaurants occur before 12 noon. Yelp also reported that search for restaurants with reservations is up 145% comparing June 2025-May 2026 to the prior year; as well as 45% of Gen Z spent more money on restaurants than they had the previous year.
Working in publishing, we’ve been told that Gen Z could save print – might they also save restaurants (especially during the summer slump months)?
Here is what the two companies reported on naming New Orleans the No. 1 spot for Foodie Cities:
Dining in New Orleans isn’t just a hobby — it’s a way of life. Seafood is the #2 most-searched local cuisine and Yelp users love spots like Heard Dat Kitchen. From po’boys and gumbo to modern Creole tasting menus, food here is the culture. Whether you’re grabbing beignets at Cafe Du Monde or sitting down for a multi-course dinner in the French Quarter, New Orleans diners show up and share their opinions. Top Lyft destinations include the iconic Commander’s Palace and Michelin hotspot Cochon Restaurant.
Other notable cities joining New Orleans in the top 5 are Charleston, South Carolina; San Diego, California; Portland, Maine; and Miami, Florida.
See the full breakdown at yelp.com.
READ MORE:
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