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Rent. Blog  > Best Cities  > 10 Cities with the Most Local Restaurants


10 CITIES WITH THE MOST LOCAL RESTAURANTS

Best Cities Food & Entertaining
 * 09.30.2020
 * 
 * 6 Minute Read
 * By Muriel Vega

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There's nothing better than heading to your favorite local restaurant over the
weekend, where the servers know your usual and you recognize regulars on the
spot.

A local restaurant can bring both charm and good eats to your city, whether it's
an award-winning chef or comfort food from a mom and pop diner.

There are more than one million restaurant locations in the U.S. But when you
want a special meal, you want to eat good food, support local talent and skip
the chain restaurant that brings nothing new to the table.


DETERMINING THE BEST CITIES FOR LOCAL RESTAURANTS

We looked across the country for the best cities for local restaurants and
ranked them below. Our ratings are based on the percentage of restaurants in any
given city that are not chains — which makes them locally owned and operated
businesses.

If you're looking for local flavor, you might want to head to the San Francisco
Bay Area or New England. Keep on reading for the good, local eats.


10. PHILADELPHIA, PA



 * Percentage of non-chain restaurants: 88.2%
 * Non-chain restaurants per capita (10k people): 21.74
 * Non-chain restaurants per square mile: 25.67

Philadelphia's food scene is so famous that it even has an iconic sandwich named
after it — Philly cheesesteaks. But it also made it into the Netflix show
"Chef's Table," with delicious Mexican tacos from South Philly Barbacoa. The
city has 88.2 percent non-chain restaurants, with many of them housed inside the
Reading Terminal Market.

Stop by the Tommy DiNic's stall for a delicious roast pork roll, actually named
the best sandwich in the whole country by the Travel Channel. You can be near
this by renting a one-bedroom apartment for $2,146 per month on average.


9. OAKLAND, CA



 * Percentage of non-chain restaurants: 88.3%
 * Non-chain restaurants per capita (10k people): 19.68
 * Non-chain restaurants per square mile: 15.27

Here's something you may not know, Oakland is packed with fried chicken spots.
Grab a crispy buttermilk chicken at Bakesale Betty or munch on a
garlic-marinated double-fried chicken from Hawking Bird. The 78-square-mile city
may pack high prices when it comes to renting, but you can have an excellent,
affordable meal within most non-chain restaurants in the city.

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You can find food with roots from Cambodian, Middle Eastern, Korean and more.
Support local as there are many options within the 19.68 non-chain restaurants
per 10,000 residents. You can find a one-bedroom for $3,371 per month on
average.


8. NEW HAVEN, CT



 * Percentage of non-chain restaurants: 90.3%
 * Non-chain restaurants per capita (10k people): 30.02
 * Non-chain restaurants per square mile: 13.66

Besides Yale University, New Haven offers some exciting farm-to-table options
within its dining scene. With 90.3 percent non-chain restaurants within its city
limits, you have many chances to support small businesses and their local chefs.
You can stick to the dining institutions like Italian spot L'Orcio and Mamoun's
Falafel Restaurant or experience seasonal restaurant ZINC with Asian
inspirations.

Don't forget you're also close to the water, so oysters and lobster rolls should
be at the top of your list. This college town is truly dreamy during the fall
season, and you can experience it all with a one-bedroom apartment for $2,058
per month on average.


7. SEATTLE, WA



 * Percentage of non-chain restaurants: 90.4%
 * Non-chain restaurants per capita (10k people): 28.57
 * Non-chain restaurants per square mile: 25.65

With a jaw-dropping 28.57 non-chain restaurants per 10,000 residents, Seattle
has a lot of local flavors to offer. But at the top of your list? Seafood. The
Emerald City's coast provides local restaurants and markets with some of the
freshest catches — from salmon to shrimp. Don't miss some world-class sushi at
Machiko and oysters with a view at Elliott's Oyster House.

You can rent a one-bedroom apartment for $2,534 per month on average and spend
the weekends at Pike Place Market. It sounds like a win-win to us!


6. NEW YORK, NY



 * Percentage of non-chain restaurants: 90.9%
 * Non-chain restaurants per capita (10k people): 8.35
 * Non-chain restaurants per square mile: 23.01

Whether you're up in Chinatown, Little Italy or the East Village, it's genuinely
a challenge to pick just one place to eat in New York. Nearly 91 percent of
restaurants in the Big Apple are non-chain restaurants. It almost makes you wish
there were more hours in one day. Grab your jacket and head down to East Village
and grab brunch at 24-hour Ukrainian dinner Veselka or Moroccan family-owned
spot Café Mogador.

While New York is infamous for its high rents, you can find a one-bedroom for
$4,333 on average per month.


5. CAMBRIDGE, MA



 * Percentage of non-chain restaurants: 91.1%
 * Non-chain restaurants per capita (10k people): 31.70
 * Non-chain restaurants per square mile: 11.64

In Cambridge, you can find Harvard University and James Beard-winning cuisine
among its streets. BISq specializes in small plates, and it's a local favorite
near campus. Pick up a fresh-caught lobster snack at Alive & Kicking. Just don't
call them lobster rolls — they're sandwiches. The pedestrian-friendly areas are
booming with small local restaurants and bars that will capture your attention —
91.1 percent are non-chain restaurants.

You can rent a one-bedroom apartment for $3,116 a month on average, and you can
be a few minutes to the beautiful eastern coast. What's not to love?


4. STAMFORD, CT



 * Percentage of non-chain restaurants: 91.7%
 * Non-chain restaurants per capita (10k people): 28.23
 * Non-chain restaurants per square mile: 19.88

Sure, you can find an Outback near Stamford (who doesn't love a blooming onion),
but with nearly 92 percent of restaurants in the city being a non-chain, you can
also support local. This small town is close to New York as it has quick access
to a commuter rail line into the state. Brasitas' Stamford location offers
Latin-inspired dishes and fresh ingredients like those in the ceviche.

Or if you're in the mood for dry-aged steaks, hop over to Capital Grille for one
big one and a selection of 350+ wines. These are just two of the 28.23 non-chain
restaurants per 10,000 residents. You can rent a one-bedroom for $2,317 per
month on average.


3. BRIDGEPORT, CT



 * Percentage of non-chain restaurants: 92.5%
 * Non-chain restaurants per capita (10k people): 24.93
 * Non-chain restaurants per square mile: 7.45

The historic seaport city of Bridgeport is one of the largest cities in the
state. It has beautiful green parks around the city, paired with water views
from the port. It's a genuinely dreamy location. You can get a one-bedroom
apartment for an affordable $1,394 per month on average if you're not convinced
yet.

Bridgeport has 24.93 non-chain restaurants per 100,000 residents, so you'll have
plenty to explore in town every time hunger strikes. While seafood reigns here,
you can also find a good ol' burger at Joseph's Steakhouse, American fare at
family-owned Walrus + Carpenter and tapas at Ola Restaurant.


2. BERKELEY, CA



 * Percentage of non-chain restaurants: 92.7%
 * Non-chain restaurants per capita (10k people): 32.63
 * Non-chain restaurants per square mile: 22.56

Downtown Berkeley is the cultural hub of the city. You can see a movie, go to a
concert or see an intimate play at the Aurora Theatre Company. It's easy to pair
your night with good eats. The Butcher's Son caters to vegan eaters with its
faux-meat selection, one of the most popular in the area. Salvadorean restaurant
Platano has some of the best cheesy pupusas on the menu. Wash it all down with a
matcha drink at Asha Tea House or an alcoholic drink at Tupper & Reed.

Thinking of heading there? You can rent a one-bedroom for $2,285 per month on
average. You'll have your pick as 92.7 percent of local restaurants are
non-chain.


1. SAN FRANCISCO, CA



 * Percentage of non-chain restaurants: 94.2%
 * Non-chain restaurants per capita (10k people): 35.73
 * Non-chain restaurants per square mile: 10.58

San Francisco has so much food to offer with chefs from different backgrounds
and major Asian influences across their cuisine. It's no wonder it's our No. 1
city for local restaurants, with a whopping 35.73 non-chain restaurants per
10,000 residents.

First, there's Chinatown, where you can find various approaches to familiar or
new-to-you dishes. Don't the salt-and-pepper squid at Yuet Lee Seafood
Restaurant and dim sum at the mainstay Dim Sum Bistro.

In other neighborhoods, you can find different cuisines such as Burmese dining
at Mandalay and Sardinian pasta at La Ciccia. There's no doubt your palate will
get satisfied in San Francisco.

You visit the Golden Gate Bridge on the weekends when you rent one of the city's
one-bedrooms — they cost $4,407 per month on average.


TOP 50 CITIES FOR LOCAL RESTAURANTS

Thinking of a road trip to check out some local good eats and get to know the
regional cuisine? You're in luck. Here's an overview of the top 50 cities for
local restaurants.

RankCityState2019 PopulationPercentage of Non-Chain RestaurantsNon-Chain
Restaurants Per Capita (10k People)Non-Chain Restaurants Per Sq Mile 1San
FranciscoCA881,54994.2%35.7310.58 2BerkeleyCA121,36392.7%32.6322.56
3BridgeportCT144,39992.5%24.937.45 4StamfordCT129,63891.7%28.2319.88
5CambridgeMA118,92791.1%31.7011.64 6New YorkNY8,336,81790.9%8.3523.01
7SeattleWA753,67590.4%28.5725.65 8New HavenCT130,25090.3%30.0213.66
9OaklandCA433,03188.3%19.6815.27 10PhiladelphiaPA1,584,06488.2%21.7425.67
11BostonMA692,60088.1%16.9724.34 12San MateoCA104,43088.0%26.6216.03
13NewarkNJ282,01187.8%19.1822.36 14ProvidenceRI179,88387.7%24.1823.64
15PortlandOR654,74187.1%33.747.01 16YonkersNY200,37086.6%18.4220.49
17ElizabethNJ129,21686.6%21.988.33 18BuffaloNY255,28486.2%25.426.30
19HartfordCT122,10586.2%26.0410.37 20Jersey CityNJ262,07586.0%19.925.87
21MinneapolisMN429,60685.3%26.1920.84 22Los AngelesCA3,979,57684.6%12.7210.80
23HonoluluHI345,06484.5%33.5319.12 24ManchesterNH112,67384.0%24.1421.92
25BoulderCO105,67383.8%27.445.38 26LowellMA110,99783.8%13.963.23
27HollywoodFL154,81783.3%24.0911.70 28New OrleansLA390,14483.1%26.025.99
29Garden GroveCA171,64482.6%21.328.37 30Fort LauderdaleFL182,43782.3%39.855.30
31WashingtonDC705,74982.2%24.0927.85 32WorcesterMA185,42881.6%17.208.54
33MiamiFL467,96381.3%56.8820.95 34ChicagoIL2,693,97681.3%17.9321.21
35GlendaleCA199,30381.2%17.512.19 36BaltimoreMD593,49080.9%25.0618.37 37Pompano
BeachFL112,11880.8%24.445.11 38WaterburyCT107,56880.6%18.1325.46 39San
DiegoCA1,423,85180.6%20.579.01 40RochesterNY205,69580.4%38.7522.28 41Saint
PaulMN308,09679.8%19.0811.31 42PasadenaCA141,02979.5%31.067.34
43SunnyvaleCA152,70379.0%15.524.25 44PittsburghPA300,28678.8%40.4921.96
45SyracuseNY142,32778.4%24.034.75 46BellevueWA148,16478.2%19.844.73
47DenverCO727,21178.0%22.9210.90 48El MonteCA115,48777.7%14.464.97
49ClevelandOH381,00977.3%24.096.46 50CarlsbadCA115,38277.3%18.036.90


CITIES WITH THE MOST CHAIN RESTAURANTS

What if we turn the tables? These 10 cities are teaming with chain restaurants,
from fast food to table service chains.

RankCityState2019 PopulationPercentage of Non-Chain RestaurantsNon-Chain
Restaurants Per Capita (10k People)Non-Chain Restaurants Per Sq Mile
1IndependenceMO116,67239.4%6.863.13 2North Las VegasNV251,97441.3%4.250.81
3ThorntonCO141,46442.0%5.161.31 4OlatheKS140,54542.5%6.832.76 5West
JordanUT116,48044.7%4.721.69 6SurpriseAZ141,66445.2%5.293.27
7MontgomeryAL198,52545.3%9.520.90 8PeoriaAZ175,96145.4%6.482.76
9TuscaloosaAL101,12947.1%12.064.30 10West Valley CityUT135,24847.2%4.950.61


METHODOLOGY

To determine the best cities for local restaurants, we looked at all cities in
the country with more than 100,000 people according to the U.S. Census Bureau's
2019 estimates and then used a database of 8 million commercially licensed
business listings to find the total number of restaurants in each area.

We ranked each city by its percentage of non-chain restaurants (local
establishments). These listings may not reflect recent business closures.

Rent prices are based on a rolling weighted average from Apartment Guide and
Rent.'s multifamily rental property inventory of one-bedroom apartments. Data
was pulled in August 2020 and goes back for one year. We use a weighted average
formula that more accurately represents price availability for each individual
unit type and reduces the influence of seasonality on rent prices in specific
markets.

The rent information included in this article is used for illustrative purposes
only. The data contained herein do not constitute financial advice or a pricing
guarantee for any apartment.

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Powered by

Muriel Vega Muriel Vega is an Atlanta-based journalist who writes about
technology and its intersection with arts and culture. She's worked on content
for startups like Mailchimp, Patreon, Punchlist, Skillshare, Rent. and others.
Muriel has also contributed to The Washington Post, Eater, DWELL, Outside
Magazine, Atlanta Magazine, AIGA Eye on Design, Bitter Southerner and more.

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