ASHEVILLE - It looks as if the lines at French Broad Chocolate Lounge will soon get even longer.

Yelp just released its list of top U.S. food destinations of 2020, and the food review website's trend expert Tara Lewis appeared on Good Morning America on Jan. 25 to count down the top five U.S. cities on that list.

Lewis revealed Asheville at No. 1, and named truffles from French Broad Chocolates as must-eat local treats.

Asheville managed to beat out Charleston, South Carolina; Portland, Oregon; and New Orleans among many other U.S. cities to win the title.

To name the top U.S. destinations for food lovers, Yelp's data team looked at the highest restaurant ratings from out-of-towners, as well as what visitors were loving on Yelp.

"Asheville is a regional-food powerhouse, filled with restaurants, breweries and food businesses powered by generations-old family farms and menus filled with time-tested recipes," said official Yelp blogger Flora Theden.

Theden highlighted French Broad's artisanal chocolate truffles, the Maple and Smoked Salt Liquid Truffle sipping chocolate, and the Truffle Torte.

Pro tip from Asheville: try the carrot cake at least once.

Food & Wine magazine also picked up the story, running a guide to the city's best eats by local chef Katie Button.

Asheville Food Fan Awards

Closer to home, the Asheville Food Fan Awards, co-organized by Stu Helm, The Food Fan, took over the Asheville Masonic Temple on Jan. 27, awarding local culinary artisans, chefs and other makers in a host of wide-ranging categories.

The winners, picked by Helm, took home awards for everything from Best Pickled and Fermented Thing to Best New Restaurant of the year. Looking for Helm's take on best sandwich? Best use of fungus? Peruse the list below for the winners:

Sandwich of the Year: Sloppy Joe, Doc Brown's BBQ

Burger of the Year: Marley Burger, One Stop at Asheville Music Hall

Best Pickled/Fermented Thing: Cultura

Best Use of Fungus: Cultura

Best of Blood & Guts: Liver Pudding, Benne on Eagle

Pork Product of the Year: Pork 'n' Porridge, AUX Bar

Best Sweet Treat: Maple Eclair, Sawhorse

Cafe/Tea Room of the Year: Double D's Coffee and Desserts

Food Truck of the Year: FoodStop Food Truck

Fancy Meal of the Year: Parrillada Atahualpa, Chef Santiago Vargas

Best F.O.H.: Strada Italiano

Food maker of the Year: Meg Chamberlain, Fermenti

Farm/Farmer of the Year: Gaining Ground Farm

Baker of the Year: Jill Worthy, The Worthy Baker

Best Breakfast: Sovereign Remedies with OWL Bakery

Best Lunch: Green Tea Sushi

Best Dinner: Zambra

Lifetime Achievement Award/Best of the Best at Everything they Do: Homegrown

Food Person or People of the Year: Chow Chow organizers

Cook of the Year: Erika Villaney, Bomba

Chef of the Year: Ashleigh Shanti, Benne on Eagle

Best New Restaurant: Noble Cider's The Greenhouse

Restaurant of the Year: Vivian (second year)

More:Chow Chow food fest hires new executive director, festival director

More:Asheville's Chow Chow food fest lifts behind-the-scenes makers, star chefs

More:Esquire: Benne on Eagle one of best restaurants in America

Mackensy Lunsford is an award-winning staff writer for the Asheville Citizen Times, former professional line cook and one-time restaurant owner.

Reach me:mlunsford@citizentimes.com.

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