This blog post was updated on March 6, 2020.
The crisp leaves are falling, temperatures are cooling down, and pumpkin spice is offered almost everywhere! It’s safe to say that fall is in full swing! In comparison to the other three seasons, autumn offers a wide variety of festive food and drinks from September through November. If you’re a foodie that loves all things autumn, we’ve got some amazing places for you to visit!
Here are seven foodie destinations around the U.S. to help you get your fall food fix before winter comes.
Spokane, WA
The apple is the official state fruit in Washington, so there should be no surprise that it’s a top destination for (you guessed it) apples! According to State Symbols USA, Washington produces about 42 percent of the apples grown in the United States.
One way to get in on the apple action (and take them home) in Washington is at the Green Bluff Apple Festival. This festival lasts for a total of six weekends in the Spokane area. Pick fresh apples right from the trees to take home, try an apple pie, a cup of cider, and even candied apples! If you’re in the area, we suggest you add this festival to your list of things to do this fall.
Ready to take off to a fall foodie destination? Find your flights for less right here!
Chicago, IL
We can’t talk about fall foods without mentioning almost everyone’s fall favorite—pumpkin! Chicago hosts over 40 pumpkin-inspired patches, festivals, and events during the season. This guarantees lots of yummy pumpkin flavored food options to devour.
In addition to all of the festivities, Chicago has a few restaurants that serve some seasonal pumpkin flavored treats. Bobtail Ice Cream Company offers a pumpkin ice cream and a pumpkin pie sundae. It may be tough to choose between the two but either will surely satisfy your sweet tooth!
Head over to Uncommon Ground if you’d like to try their pumpkin ravioli made with roasted shallot pumpkin spice butter, blue cheese, toasted hazelnuts, and fried sage. Lastly, Whisk is the place to go for pumpkin pancakes, but they come with a twist! Ask for pumpkin cinnamon roll pancakes, you’ll be impressed by this unique treat.
Salem, MA
Salem isn’t only recognized for its witch trials, it’s a growing foodie destination. Deemed a top U.S. Destination for its “haunted happenings” during the month of October, you can surely expect an abundance of fall-themed food and restaurants throughout the town. No tricks here — from succulent seafood to several award-winning restaurants to some special food and wine events, this spooky city offers countless autumn-inspired treats.
With countless restaurants to choose from, one stop that’s sure to offer some tasty fall favorites along with a fall ambiance is Nathaniel’s located inside the Hawthorne Hotel. From hearty chowder to Crème Brûlée, Nathaniel’s cuisine is sure to please everyone’s taste buds. Another popular tour stop that delivers all the fall time feels is Far From The Tree, a craft cider house offering games, music, outdoor seating, and a variety of unique apple cider flavors to choose from.
Portland, ME
As the season changes and the weather begins to cool off, Portland prepares to host an array of food, wine, and fall-centric events! One of their most popular events is Harvest on the Harbor. This wine and food festival offers a variety of different events over several days. Foodies from around the world flock to the area to partake in this special event.
The proceeds from the festival benefit food banks, scholarships, and local charities all year long and picturesque backdrop of the passing ships and ferries is just another bonus for attendees. So you can enjoy fresh seafood, delicious cheese, refreshing wine, and more in a beautiful setting while contributing to the greater good!
New York, NY
From Oktoberfest festivities to Halloween-themed cafes, New York City is a fall lover’s dream. Stroll down the Big Apple streets this fall and you’ll find everything from fabulous fall fashion to famous eateries ramping up their menus to match the autumnal vibes. What better way to warm up during the chilly months in the city that never sleeps than to sip on some fine spirits paired with a hearty meal? Reserve a table at Brandy Library, it’s a great spot to go with friends for a bite to eat, where the spirits are always flowing! The menu caters to all taste buds alike, offering a variety of options from tuna tartare to filet mignon.
Another go-to for the fall is Noorman’s Kil, located in Brooklyn. The ambiance is total 19th Century vintage, to get you in the spooky spirit, and as for the food? This place is all about its grilled cheese and whiskey. With over four-hundred different options of whiskey and a variety of grilled cheese options to choose from. Cheese lovers, whiskey drinkers and all-around fall lovers– this is the place you’ll undoubtedly find something you’ll enjoy!
New Orleans, LA
New Orleans offers countless food options throughout the year, however, the fall season promises a mix of perfect weather, and an array of festivals to match. Think refreshing breezes and warm autumn sunshine combined with blues, jazz, food, and booze.
A few food festivals you’re not going to want to miss in New Orleans during the fall months are the 12th Annual Oak Street Po-Boy Festival, Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival, Fried Chicken Festival, Mirliton Fest, and Tremé Creole Gumbo Fest. With so many options to choose from, one is sure to find something that they enjoy in New Orleans!
Little Rock, AR
Deemed the “Natural State”, almost anywhere you turn in Arkansas, you can find beautiful fall foliage. In addition to the beautiful scenery and friendly people, Little Rock hosts The Arkansas Cornbread Festival. The community event began in 2011 and continues to grow every year. Not only can guests try different varieties of cornbread from restaurants, but locals are also able to enter a cornbread recipe contest for a chance to win a cash prize. The Arkansas Cornbread festival is a real culinary treat for cornbread lovers both near and far.
Have a favorite Fall foodie destination? Tell us about it in the comments below!
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