Vote for the 'Tastiest Town in the South'

News posted Jan. 20, 2012 - 6:30 pm

Raleigh is accustomed to being at the very top of top 10 lists. Unless the Capital City’s foodies start clicking to show their support, Raleigh is going to break this proud tradition.

In late December, Southern Living magazine placed Raleigh in its list of "Top 10 Tastiest Towns in the South." The publication is asking readers to determine the “Tastiest Town” in Dixie. Readers are asked to vote online at www.southernliving.com/tasty.

Voting closes after 11:59 p.m. EST, Tuesday, Jan. 31. That leaves only a dozen days to show your love for culinary Raleigh.

The winners will be announced in the April issue of Southern Living, hitting newsstands on March 23. To sustain the suspense, the tally will be removed at midnight EST on Tuesday, Jan. 24. The public can enter for a chance to win a $2,500 trip to the Tastiest Town of their choice until 11:59 p.m. EST, April 30.

Southern Living editors chose the top 10 “Tastiest Towns in the South” based on the following criteria:

Food as a cultural identify – The unique food or ethnicity that defines a particular Southern region;
Growth of a culinary-minded community – The influence that the culinary industry has on the local community and tourism;
Diverse cuisine at a variety of price points – Accessibility to hearty, flavorful meals at any budget;
Local, sustainable food practices – The focus on sourcing products from local purveyors to geographically define where each meal comes from;
Hot chefs on the rise – The influence of the area’s culinary talent in the media and pop culture; and,
Abundance of buzz-worthy food events – the number of festivals in the area that celebrate all things food and drink.

The editors singled out Raleigh for its “fantastic farmers’ markets and chefs devoted to their culinary heritage.” Currently, Raleigh is dead last in the voting. The others and their positions in the voting are as follows: