Fondue, often billed as the national dish of Switzerland, is traditionally made with a blend of Swiss cheeses, wine and spices, and consumed out of pots over a tabletop burner using skewers topped with bread. While fondue became quite popular in America in the 1960s and '70s, the dish has reappeared, as it's evolved to include any dining experience where items are cooked and eaten out of communal bowls, like meats and veggies seared in hot oil and fruits and desserts dipped in bubbling chocolate. However, the cheesy fondue variation still remains an American favorite. 

To boil it down to the best in the nation, Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top 15 fondue restaurants around the country, using Yelp data and our own special sauce* to produce a data-driven breakdown of where fondue reigns supreme across the U.S.

Topping the list is Oregon's Swiss Hibiscus, located at 4950 N.E. 14th Ave. in Portland's Alberta Arts district. With an impressive five stars out of 425 reviews on Yelp, this family-run business features a traditional cheese fondue, which can feed two to four people. The dish is composed of a blend of Swiss cheeses, white wine and kirschwasser (morello cherry brandy) served with cubes of French bread for dipping. You can round out the meal with one of the restaurant's Swiss-style marinated salads as well for an additional charge. 

In second place is New York's Taureau with 4.5 stars out of 552 reviews. Located at 558 Broome St. in New York City's South Village, this French-inspired spot offers three fondue variations to choose from. Look for cheese fondue with a choice of blends, like cheddar-Monterey, smoked Dutch, Soprano or Devil’s Wiff, among others; fondue Bourguignonne with a choice of protein dipped in hot oil, such as pork tenderloin, hanger steak, filet mignon or chicken breast; and dark, milk or white chocolate fondue with seasonal fruits and marshmallows for dessert. 

The third-place spot goes to Geja’s Cafe in Chicago, Illinois, with four stars out of 1,328 reviews. Located at 340 W. Armitage Ave. in Lincoln Park, this spot serves a cheese fondue with imported Gruyere blended with white wine, Kirsch cherry brandy and spices; and chocolate fondue flamed with orange liqueur served with an assortment of fruits and goodies like Rice Krispies treats, graham cracker crumbs and marshmallows. The restaurant's premier fondue dinners include an extensive selection of seafood, meat and veggies dipped in bubbling oil. 

Notable mention goes to Orlando, Florida's The Melting Pot, which has multiple locations throughout the U.S. The national chain features a four-course meal with your choice of cheese fondue, salad, an entree and a chocolate fondue. 

When it comes to how prevalent fondue businesses are, state by state, Colorado shows the strongest ratio of fondue outlets compared to all other categories, with Wyoming, Oregon, Nevada and Virginia the runners-up. So, Colorado should be your top stop if you want a diversity of fondue options to choose from.

Want to know where to score the best fondue the country has to offer? Here's the rundown of the 15 American fondue eateries to knock off your bucket list:

1. Swiss Hibiscus (Portland, Oregon) 
2. Taureau (New York City, New York)
3. Geja's Cafe (Chicago, Illinois)
   
4. Bratzeit (Dahlonega, Georgia)
5. Colorado Fondue Company (Casselberry, Florida) 
6. The Little Dipper Fondue (Wilmington, North Carolina) 
7. La Fondue (Saratoga, California) 
8. The Little Dipper (Durham, North Carolina) 
9. Kashkaval Garden (New York City, New York) 
10. Simply Fondue (Livermore, California) 
11. Samples Longmont (Longmont, Colorado) 
12. Mona Lisa Fondue Restaurant (Manitou Springs, Colorado) 
13. Rok N Fondue (Redlands, California) 
14. Fondue Cowboy (San Francisco, California) 
15. Chez Boet (Naples, Florida) 

* To determine "best" businesses, Hoodline took into account the business's Yelp rating and the significance of that rating proportional to the number of reviews, as well as regional variations, to ensure that states with a stronger pattern of reviews don't have an unfair advantage over states that tend to review businesses less frequently.