The Best Food Cities in the World: 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards
Unforgettable food. Cutting-edge design. Immersive experiences. These are some of your top criteria for judging what makes a quality hotel—not to mention a worthy resort, cruise, spa, or island. In tallying up the 575,048 votes cast in our 37th annual Readers’ Choice Awards survey, we were struck by both your eagerness to embrace the new and your reverence for tried-and-true classics. Your favorite hotel in the five boroughs is the two-year-old Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad, but you also can’t stop returning to storied French Polynesian resort The Brando. You’ve jetted through the sprawling Istanbul International Airport, booked intrepid sailings to Antarctica, and fallen in love with historic yet innovative cities like Copenhagen. Read on to start planning your next round of travels—these are the cities with the best food scenes in the world, as voted by our readers.
View the Readers’ Choice Award winners for the best food cities in the United States here.
Dominique Lafond10. Montreal
The biggest city in Quebec offers more than just cobblestone streets and old-world charm, thanks to the sprawling immigrant diaspora that brings a fresh energy to the city. Expect the best of Jewish, Vietnamese, and Haitian cuisine, often within the same block. Indulge in the classics: poutine, a trifecta of crispy fries, cheese curds, and gravy; or Montreal-style wood-fired bagels, which are thinner and sweeter than their New Yorker counterparts. Dinner at Au Pied de Cochon elevates foie gras to an art form, while brined and dry-aged smoked meat at Schwartz’s reigns supreme. And wherever you hail from, braving freezing temperatures to line up for brunch is simply a local rite of passage.
Elina Sazonova/Pexels9. Singapore
This megacity’s food scene is shaped by centuries of Indian, Chinese, and Malaysian migration, where some of the most affordable meals are also the finest. Singapore’s renowned hawker stands can overwhelm the senses in the best way, capturing the city’s ethos. In fact, one of the world’s most affordable Michelin-starred meals can be found at Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles, a stall serving up minced pork noodles for about $5. Elsewhere, eat your way through local favorites like Hainanese chicken rice (poached chicken with fragrant rice), chili crab, and roti prata (Indian flatbread).
Alexander Spatari/Getty8. Vancouver
There’s a lot to love about Vancouver: sunsets from the seat of your kayak, a vibrant arts scene, and some of the best East Asian cooking outside of East Asia. Pacific salmon are plentiful, and chances are there’s a sushi restaurant near wherever you’re staying that rivals some of the world’s finest. You’ll find top-notch dim sum, West Coast oysters, and thriving craft beer markets to match. Food trucks are central to the city’s identity, and for that, you can’t miss Japadog (hotdogs topped with teriyaki sauce and seaweed) or Aperitivo, a full bar on wheels serving Italian drinks and vegan charcuterie platters.
Alexander Spatari/Getty7. Rome
Past and present intertwine in Rome, where electric scooters sit parked outside ancient ruins—and the capital’s dining scene follows suit. Classic Roman dishes like carbonara and cacio e pepe are juxtaposed with a new generation of chefs reimagining staples at fine dining institutions like Zia and All’Oro. Street food is alive and well with supplì (deep fried rice balls), carciofi alla romana (braised artichokes), and the fan-favorite, fiori di zucca (fried zucchini blossoms) flying from kitchens and stands on every corner. Find it all at the family-owned trattorias of Trastevere, an ideal spot for people-watching or leaning into its only-in-Italy nightlife.
Kieran Stone/Getty6. Melbourne
You might come for the flat white, but you’ll stay for the smorgasbord of good eats. Australia’s culinary capital has earned its foodie reputation with some 3,500 restaurants representing over 70 different countries. A stroll down Flinders Lane will lead you to Malaysian laksa, Vietnamese bun bo hue, and Greek souvlaki; it’s likely how Vegemite curry was born at Sunda. Of course, no visit would be complete without indulging in the iconic Aussie meat pie, a flaky pastry filled with savory meat and gravy, paired with Tim Tams, every Australian’s favorite chocolate biscuit.
Taryn Elliott/Pexels5. Cape Town
Culturally rich and surrounded by stunning seaside views, soaring mountains, and world-class wines—what more could you ask for? While international dining has long taken center stage in Cape Town, a recent wave of chefs are championing local ingredients and traditional cooking methods; Seven Colours Eatery proudly exemplifies just that. The Happy Uncles is the city’s first halal fine-dining restaurant, paying homage to Cape Malay spices passed down over the generations. Elsewhere, tap into a slew of streetside eats: biltong (air-dried game meat), bunny chow (a bread bowl filled with lamb or beans), and koeksisters (a fried syrupy treat infused with spices).
Green Liu/Unsplash4. Florence
Florentine cuisine is steeped in Tuscan traditions, celebrating the city’s working-class roots through earthy flavors and a focus on cucina povera, or peasant cooking. Dishes like the lampredotto (a sandwich made from tender tripe) and riobollita, a hearty stew of vegetables, white beans, and day-old bread are celebrated across the Florence. Don’t miss Trattoria Mario, a local spot beloved for its bistecca alla fiorentina, a slab of beef cooked rare and adorned with a little more than salt and pepper. Rustic dishes, communal tables, and menus scribbled on paper set the mood.
Fabian Montano/Getty3. Lima
Hailed as South America's greatest food city, Lima is home to colorful markets, lively street carts, and inventive tasting menus. Surrounded by the Andes and the Amazon rainforest, combined with its Indigenous, African, and Asian influences, makes Lima a hotspot for incredible ingredients, boasting everything from fresh seafood to over 4,000 potato varieties. Ceviches (raw fish marinated in lime juice and spices) often steal the show, with the best found at La Mar Cevicheria. Look out for lomo saltados (stir-fried sirloin steak) and papa rellenas (deep-fried potato stuffed with a meat stew), and wash it all down with a tangy pisco sour, Lima’s national cocktail.
Jason Edwards/Getty2. Tokyo
In the Japanese capital, stumbling upon a top-tier meal at a price point that’s a fit for you is somehow always within reach. With the greatest number of Michelin-starred restaurants in the world, you’ll find high-end omakase dining alongside izakayas serving highballs and conveyor belt sushi where you pay by the plate. Ancient techniques and quality ingredients are the key to Tokyo’s culinary success. Its legacy lives on at Tsukiji Market, the world’s largest fish market, where early-morning tuna auctions and stalls selling yakitori (chicken skewers brushed with a sweet soy glaze) and tamagoyaki (sweet and savory rolled omelet) open their doors as early as 5 a.m.
John W. Banagan/Getty1. Kyoto
Beneath Kyoto’s stately atmosphere of tranquil temples lies a food capital that grows in popularity each year. Here, tofu is the kingpin, and its exceptional quality stems from the city’s proximity to mountains and abundant freshwater. Here, you’ll easily get your fill of yudofu (tofu hot pot), soba noodles (thin, nutty buckwheat noodles), matcha tiramisu, and taiyaki (fish-shaped cakes filled with red bean paste). And as the birthplace of kaiseki—a refined, multi-course meal centered on seasonal ingredients and inspired by Buddhist tea ceremonies—a visit to the three Michelin-starred Kikunoi is a must for a serene dining experience that mirrors the surrounding city.
