Where would you rank New Orleans for dining in the U.S.?

The highest it could be rated is #4 IMO

NYC, SF and Chicago are the top 3

After that, the debate begins

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Houston

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I hate this argument. Houston is not in the top 5. Maybe top 10. Houstonians have napoleonic complex.

I'd have vegas above Houston or New Orleans

I'm thinking of it this way...

If I had only one city to dine in for the rest of my life and money is no object, it would be hard to rule out Las Vegas as number one for me. I'd have everything at my fingertips.

To answer the OP's question, New Orleans has some of the best local resources, but lacks in ethnic diversity that the bigger cities have going for them, but it would still be in the top 5 for me.

There are good higher end restaurants in New Orleans and it can be difficult to distinguish the best of different cities. The strength of New Orleans restaurants aren't the high end places specifically but the how good the city is top to bottom. Stuff like Katie's, High Hat, Toups Meatery, Matt and Naddies, Boucherie, etc that would be highly celebrated restaurants in other cities but in New Orleans are "mere" well respected neighborhood places that don't attract a lot of tourists.

I think the gulf resources is a big deal but I agree when you look at bigger cities and the diversity it's pretty big difference, I'd not say Vegas though as they have to import all their resources. I would give a nod to SF, just to hang out at The French Laundry.

The obvouis NY, Chicago, they have their own ethnic neighborhoods. N.O. can't compete with that.

That said we ate at Irene's last night before they closed and man it was so good. So good, even with a hour and a half wait.

Austin deserves an honorable mention some got damn where...

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So really what etnic food are we missing?

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New Orleans doesn't have the sheer amount of Indian, Korean, Burmese, Ethiopian, etc. that other cities have.

I love New Orleans as much as anyone, but the ethnic dining scenes in New York or SF blow it out of the water.

Competing with New York for number one, but probably number 2.

Classic argument...is lyon and bologna the best in their respective countries or is paris and Rome? The passion for the dining scene is much greater per capita in the smaller cities. Rome and Paris have their own cuisine too though. Just like Bologna and Lyon are the beating heart of food of their countries, so is new orleans.

With that stated, no list of a top 5 in America is correct when considering everything without NYC, San Francisco and New Orleans.

Chicago is likely right there...then LA, Houston, DC, Charleston, etc.

Now, when you get to global great dining scenes NYC is all that belongs in the upper echelon...maybe san francisco if we include napa/sonoma and carmel.