Every foodie worth their salt knows that cities like New Orleans, San Francisco, New York and Portland are placed on a pedestal for their plate offerings.
There are plenty more where that came from, though, and the following are some of the most underrated places to get some fantastic meals in the USA.
Greenville, South Carolina
The dining scene in Greenville has been picking up steam for the last few years, particularly with restaurants who push the boundaries of contemporary American cuisine. Places like Larkin's on the River-an upmarket steakhouse with a ridiculous wine list and great location by the water-and Soby's, whose feature items include modern twists on fried green tomatoes and shrimp & grits, are local favorites.
European food, too, has its place in Greenville, thanks to the likes of The Lazy Goat's Mediterranean-inspired small plates and the delectable mussels, fries and Belgian beer of Trappe Door.
There are now more craft breweries and distilleries than it is possible to list here, but a notable few include Quest Brewing Co. and Thomas Creek,-who both offer tours by appointment-the Birds Fly South 'Ale Project' and the self-proclaimed 'world's best moonshine' at the Dark Corner Distillery.
Boise, Idaho
Boise is home to the largest Basque community in the US, and this fact has influenced the food scene in exciting ways. The Basque Market, in the heart of downtown, is not only a great pace to pick yourself up some Spanish wine and olives, but also to feast on authentic pintxos and paella.
Meanwhile, Epi's Basque Restaurant uses only the freshest ingredients to create its tximinoiak (baby squid in ink sauce) and other Basque delicacies.
The state fruit of Idaho is the huckleberry and, in Boise, you'll find it served up in a variety of intriguing ways. Steve's Cafe stuffs them into pancakes and French toast, Emilio's smothers their pulled pork in it, while the Bardenay Restaurant and Distillery has even concocted a local cocktail with it.
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New Haven, Connecticut
The coastal college city of New Haven is full of diverse international delights.
Middle Eastern food? Mamoun's Falafel has got you covered. Indian casual dining? Better stop at the Tikkaway Grill. Spanish tapas? The Barcelona Wine Bar will do you right. And that's not even mentioning the delightful French cheeses at Caseus Bistro or the Pan-Asian noodle soups at the York Street Noodle House.
Despite its global influences, New Haven also does American classics really, really well.
Sandra's Next Generation, for example, is proudly family-owned and serves up classic fried chicken and other soul food delights. Modern Apizza (no, that's not a typo-'apizza' is a New Haven-style of Neapolitan pizza) serves wonderful thin-crust pizzas and calzones. Try the famous local specialty of white clam for something a little different.
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Detroit, Michigan
As Detroit continues to rebuild and flourish, so too does its gastronomy. The city has a particularly impressive Mexican food scene nowadays, including Taqueria Mi Pueblo, an authentic Jalisco-style eatery specializing in botanas (a plateful of tortilla chips topped with chorizo, refried beans, cheese and other assorted toppings).
Known for authentic shrimp cocktails and Mexican grilled chicken, Taqueria El Rey is also among the best.
'New American' and 'gastropub' are also words that are bandied around with abandon here. Green Dot Stables do a great line of creative sliders (the Korean beef patty with kimchi and peanut butter is one example), while both Selden Standard and Wright & Co vie to create American-style tapas using only the freshest local ingredients.
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