The Northeastern United States is most associated with New York City, considered by many to be the restaurant capital of the country (it has the most Michelin stars in the country). But New York City is far from the only notable market in the Northeast, which also includes the smallest state (Rhode Island) and one of the least populated states (Vermont).
Of all four geographic quadrants, the Northeast is losing the most people — a trend that began during the pandemic and continues today. Even mighty New York City lost nearly 1% of its population from 2022 to 2023, and none of the 15 fastest-growing U.S. cities are in the Northeast, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
But as people from the Northeast continue to move south, there is exciting movement among restaurant chains in the area, and not just in the predictable (if reliable) dining scenes like New York, Philadelphia and Boston, home to such powerhouse chains as Union Square Hospitality and Starr Restaurant Group.
Cities to look out for include Portland, Maine (Maine had the largest population growth in the U.S. from 2022 to 2023), Jersey City (New Jersey had a 5.7% population growth spurt from 2010 to 2020), and Burlington, Vermont, which is emerging as one of the region’s hottest cities for restaurant seekers.
Above you’ll find the 24 largest restaurant groups in the Northeast, and over the next few weeks you’ll be able to learn about America’s 125 largest multi-concept groups on NRN.com.
Contact Joanna Fantozzi at (email protected)
