Eater Names Traverse City Among 15 Top Food Destinations in 2026

In a list that includes global locations as varied as Milan, Cape Town, and La Paz, Eater has named Traverse City to its "Top 15 Food Destinations to Visit in 2026."

According to Eater, "when picking the best travel destinations for dining this year, we looked for outstanding restaurants, and also to people who ardently endorse them. Our contributors filled this list with destinations they know intimately (many have called these places home), and chefs and restaurateurs offered meals around the world that inspire them, too. Between the crowded Taiwanese food courts, high-altitude Bolivian fine dining, neo-nomadic Kazakh feasts, and eye-opening South African tasting menus, these destinations leave little doubt that there’s great eating ahead this year."

Written by Stacey Brugman, the Traverse City section of the article praises the region's "bucolic farmland, endless cherry and apple orchards, and increasingly respected wine regions." Chefs and sommeliers "are relocating from major cities to this lakeside Arcadia," she writes. "The area welcomed Andy Elliott and Emily Stewart, who opened Modern Bird (which made the New York Times 50 best restaurants list); winemaker David Bos, who bottles biodynamic riesling; chef Bobby Thoits, who stuffs squash blossoms at Supper; and Sarah Welch and Cameron Rolka, who are preparing to open Umbo."

Those individuals join "longstanding forerunners like American Spoon, Trattoria Stella, and the Cooks’ House, where Jennifer Blakeslee and Eric Patterson were named James Beard finalists in 2025," Brugman writes. "Despite growing hype, the community remains low-key. Farmers review seed lists with cooks before placing orders, fishermen meet restaurant owners to hand off buckets of smelt, and neighbors knock on kitchen doors to share fresh favas. They foster a collaborative energy that’s only possible in the friendly Midwest."

Read the complete Eater guide to 2026 food destinations here.