Suburbs are not just where you retreat to once you’ve left the dual income, no kids phase of life. Living life outside of the perimeter is also suited for the foodie with eclectic taste, no matter the number of incomes or kids.
At least, that's the stance editors at Thrillist are taking in their recent offering on America's "best suburbs for people who love food". The team at the food and culture site collected reviews and sat down at dinner tables across the country, in suburban areas outside major cities like Washington, D.C., Portland, Oregon, Detroit, San Francisco and Atlanta to come up with the list.
Thrillist writers narrowed their list down to 11 suburban areas that really take the cake when it comes to small towns with big tastes.
In Atlanta, the competition was fierce, but one DeKalb county community rose above the rest.
Decatur’s variety of choices and caliber of cuisines set it a part from other metro Atlanta areas, according to Thrillist writers.
"The drive in and out of Decatur definitely isn't greater, but when it comes to the dining and drinking scene, ATL's feasty eastside suburb has it all figured out. If you love oysters and you haven't had them at Kimball House — half-priced — you've been cheated. If you like Indian food and nobody's recommended Chai Pani or Tava, your palate is basically Ben Kingsley," reads a passage from their report.
The writers bemoaned Decatur's lack of commuting options as one of the main drawbacks for food connoisseurs who would like to hop around the happening town for a food tour. Still, Decatur is not just winning gold stars for its food. A recent Niche.com ranking also listed the city as one of the best suburbs for millennials.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has also praised some of Decatur's restaurant gems, such as Chai Pani. In a December 2018 piece, Henri Hollis commended the Indian restaurant's Pani puri, describing the dish as hefty and flavorful.
“As they are quickly and expertly served by Sridevi Bhonagiri, a Chai Pani cook who usually runs the pani puri station, guests can mingle, talk and eat. It’s a transporting experience, in no small part because of the delicious, authentic and inexpensive street food,” Hollis wrote.
Take a look at the other U.S. suburbs that made the list here.
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