Decatur, GA is named among the top 10 “Tastiest Towns in the South,” according to Southern Living magazine’s January issue, hitting newsstands December 23^rd.

From artisan ham shrines in Louisville to life-changing po’boys in New Orleans, the South bursts with hometown flavor. Southerners are very proud of those hometown tastes, which is why Southern Living editors and Test Kitchen Professionals gathered for a summit in its Birmingham-based headquarters to bring you the Top 10 “Tastiest Towns in the South,” a roundup of the most delicious destinations across the region.

Readers will determine the winner. Rally around your favorite hometown or food destination and cast your vote for the “Tastiest Town in the South” on southernliving.com/tasty beginning December 23^rd.

“At Southern Living, we know there’s no taste like home,” said Editor Lindsay Bierman.  “Particular foods and flavors define a city and region, starting right in your own mama’s kitchen, and sometimes the most humble dish like a plate of grits will make its way onto a gourmet menu and become an outright tourist attraction…The forward-thinking cooks, chefs, artisans, and tastemakers in each of these established and emerging food scenes honor, preserve, and enrich our region’s distinct culinary traditions at every meal.”

Decatur was cited as an emerging mecca for foodies who relish Dekalb Farmers Market and destinations like Cakes & Ale, Feast, and the Iberian Pig, according to the magazine.

Southern Living will profile each of the towns and reveal the “Tastiest Town in the South” in the April 2012 issue, on newsstands March 23rd, and online at SouthernLiving.com.

 In addition to Decatur, the Southern Living Top 10 “Tastiest Towns in the South” include:

Baltimore, MD: Restaurants with a fierce sense of place

Birmingham, AL: Includes local chef Frank Stitt, who changed the Southern culinary landscape

Charleston, SC: Iconic Lowcountry dishes and a thriving cocktail culture

Charlottesville, VA: Farm-to-table freshness in everything from tapas to spirits

Houston, TX: A diverse ethnic food scene with a new generation of tastemakers

Lafayette, LA: A new breed of hometown chefs diving into the region’s culinary roots

Louisville, KY: Surprising food, bourbon bars, and buzzy new neighborhoods

New Orleans, LA: Famed oyster bars, Gulf seafood and classic cocktails

Raleigh, NC: Fantastic farmers’ markets and chefs devoted to their culinary heritage

Southern Living editors chose the Top 10 “Tastiest Towns in the South” based on the following criteria:

• Food as a cultural identity: The unique food or ethnicity that defines a particular Southern region
• Growth of a culinary-minded community: The influence that the culinary industry has on the local community and tourism
• Diverse cuisine at a variety of price points: Accessibility to hearty, flavorful meals at any budget
• Local, sustainable food practices: The focus on sourcing products from local purveyors to geographically define where each meal comes from
• Hot chefs on the rise: The influence of the area’s culinary talent in the media and pop culture
• Abundance of buzz-worthy food events: The number of festivals in the area that celebrate all things food and drink

Visit southernliving.com/tasty from December 23 to January 31 to cast your vote. One vote per day is counted toward the final tally.