Portland? Guess Again. Bon Appétit names 'America's Foodiest Towns'

It doesn’t hurt that McMinnville has a worldwide reputation for its Pinot noir.

Chefs prepare dishes for the festivities at McMinnville's Pinot Noir Celebration.

(MCMINNVILLE, Ore.) - Each year Bon Appétit scouts the country to find towns with the most inspired culinary culture, and this year McMinnville, Oregon, joined five other cities as one of “America’s Foodiest Towns.”

The magazine showcased the International Pinot Noir Celebration, held each year on the picturesque Linfield College campus. This year marks the celebration’s 25th anniversary, a one-of-a-kind event held each July in the heart of Oregon’s wine country. The event has drawn more than 11,000 people from around the region and world.

Bon Appétit’s criteria?

Foodiest Towns must be a bit on the small side (fewer than 250,000 people) or have a small-town feel. Magazine editors look for quality farmers’ markets, sustainable agriculture, dedicated food media, first-rate restaurants, talented food artisans and a community of food lovers.

And it doesn’t hurt that McMinnville has a worldwide reputation for its Pinot noir.

“These are the towns where we’d like to go to dinner,” editors say.

Other 2010 Foodiest Towns included Boulder, Co., Big Sur, Calif., and Ithaca, N.Y.