The 10 Best Locavore Cities In America Right Now Slideshow

Asheville is the unofficial hippie capital of North Carolina, so it's no wonder that this Southern gem is a hot spot for locally sourced food. It doesn't hurt that the climate in North Carolina lends itself to nearly year-round farming, with a multitude of crops available to help chefs bring their creations to life. The local population is very food-focused, and the restaurants prove that, especially places like Early Girl Eatery. An all-day breakfast joint that is more Ina Garten than IHOP, Early Girl serves up comforting favorites like biscuits and gravy, shrimp and grits, and multigrain pancakes, all made with ingredients from local farms.

Not to be outdone, the Southwest provides plenty of fodder for local-minded food lovers, especially in artsy Santa Fe. Though the desert presents a unique challenge for chefs in search of year-round ingredients, Café Pasqual's has cracked the code. How? By infusing its food with both Mexican and European inspirations. Pasqual's is well-known for their fresh-baked breads, handmade salsas, and organic meats and dairy, and while you'll find plenty of traditional north-of-the-border specialties like tamales, carne asada, and enchiladas, the menu also boasts international variety in the form of quinoa-spinach cakes, warm French Brie, and even a few curry dishes. There's truly something for everyone.

Minneapolis has come into its own as a food city, and Corner Table restaurant epitomizes the town's focus on fresh and friendly Midwestern cuisine. The owners bill Corner Table as a restaurant that "listens to the fields, farms, pastures, and seasons that surround us." If that description has you intrigued, come in for the daily tasting menu, which changes all the time but could feature such delicacies as duck ravioli with a pumpkin velouté, brown butter and sage, or dry-packed scallops with coconut basmati rice, curried lobster broth, and crispy ginger. It's global cuisine composed entirely of local ingredients, and you're unlikely to walk away from Corner Table hungry. Don't miss the Wisconsin-sourced cheese plate at dessert. It gives a whole new meaning to the term "cheese head."

If you've seen Portlandia, you probably won't be surprised to see this hip city featured on a top-10 list for locavore joints. (Yes, the chickens have names.) Portland's residents are dedicated food lovers, and their restaurant scene caters to locals' taste for farm-fresh fare. Higgins describes their menu as "classic country," and credits the region's temperate climate and rich farming heritage with providing the raw ingredients for such inspired creations as the focaccia with nettle-walnut pesto and feta, or the Mughal mushroom curry with black-eyed pea fritters, basmati rice, Medjool date chutney and yogurt.

New Orleans is almost as famous for its food as it is for its epic Mardi Gras celebration. Coquette takes the city's traditional fare to new heights, with updated twists on everything from seafood salad to butterscotch pudding. Situated in the heart of bustling Magazine Street, Coquette is a little temple to the locavore movement. They give a hearty nod to the nose-to-tail contingent, as well, in the form of slow-cooked lamb belly, chicken-fried sweetbreads, and pork cheeks. Those feeling less adventurous won't go wrong with the NY strip, which comes accompanied by egg yolk and truffle ravioli and morel mushrooms.