Is Oneonta Really Among the World's Best Food Destinations?

Airbnb has declared Oneonta, New York, one of the next “it” dining destinations, and I have thoughts. As a proud graduate of the State University of New York at Oneonta, I feel uniquely qualified to share them.

“This summer, travelers are avoiding the summer crowds and swapping culinary capitals for more local, affordable foodie destinations,” reads Airbnb’s 2025 summer travel trends report. “A recent consumer poll conducted by Panterra reveals that nearly half (47%) of travelers prioritize authentic local cuisine as their top food and beverage experience. For foodies looking to discover the next ‘it’ dining destinations, here are the top trending spots this summer.”

The list includes 10 cities from around the globe. The usual suspects appear — Italy, Spain, Japan — but most notably, there’s just one U.S. city on the list: Oneonta. The report calls it “a hidden gem escape in the Catskills” known for its breweries and diverse, farm-to-table dining scene.

Let me preface this by saying: I love Oneonta. I spent some of the most formative years of my life there. I made lifelong friends there, and I carry an enduring nostalgia for it.

But global dining destination? Please be serious.

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Sure, travelers are opting out of packed tourist traps in favor of smaller, more affordable towns. Are they headed to Oneonta, New York? No, they are not. Should they? If they’re already in the neighborhood — say, visiting the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown — then yes, absolutely! But to position Oneonta as one of the best food destinations in the world feels disingenuous at best.

None of this is to say that there are no good dining options. There are local staples that have long offered solace to hungover undergrads — Latté Lounge chief among them — and their staying power alone speaks to their caliber. Brooks’ House of BBQ is an institution; Tino’s Pizza on Main Street is the birthplace of cold cheese pizza; Brewery Ommegang is just a stone’s throw away; and I still think of the papaya maté at the Yellow Deli to this day. I’m sure there’s even more that’s cropped up since I graduated.

But here’s the thing: would any of them hit quite as hard if they weren’t so entwined with years of memories?

None of this is Oneonta’s fault. I suspect most people who’ve spent real time there would agree with me. (When I shared the Time Out report with my college roommates, one replied, “That’s dark.”)

As an industry, we may be handing out “world’s best” labels a bit too liberally. Oneonta is a lovely little college town in Upstate New York. It deserves recognition — for charm, for character, for a certain type of comfort food and community — but it’s not a global culinary hotspot. And that’s okay.