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There are many reasons to visit a new city, but diving into the local food scene has to be one of the highlights. Whether it's authentic street food, innovative experimentation, Michelin stars, classic cookery or regional specialities, these cities are renowned worldwide for their culinary prowess. Perfect pizzas, smokey barbecue, succulent tacos and a memorable cheesecake – here are the top 10 cities for eating your way around.
These are the best cities for food in the world, according to the 2023 Readers' Choice Awards. The scores below are percentages representing overall average levels of satisfaction.
10. Seoul, Korea. Score 93.66
Korean food is loved worldwide, but you can find the best of it in Seoul. Discover the joys of Korean barbecue, for bulgogi (thin marinated strips of beef) and charred chunks of hanwoo (Korean beef); Korean fried chicken; jjapaguri (instant noodles with steak), which were made famous from the film Parasite; spicy kimchi pork stews and classic bibimbap – all washed down with plenty of soju (distilled rice wine) and makgeolli (fermented rice wine).
9. Rome, Italy. Score 93.77
It's easy to eat very well in the Eternal City, especially if you like pasta: exemplary steaming plates of satisfying cacio e pepe, carbonara and piquant bucatini all'Amatriciana are served up all over the city. Look out for other regional classics like hearty gnocchi alla Romana, supplì (similar to arancini), carciofi alla giudìa (Jewish fried artichokes), saltimbocca (a veal dish that translates as 'jumps in your mouth') and cracker-thin pizza alla Romana.
8. Victoria, Canada. Score 94.15
Victoria might be one of the lesser-known food cities in Canada, but it's fast becoming a tasty destination thanks to its fascinating mix of influences and dedication to farm-to-table produce. You can find almost every cuisine here, all cooked to a very high standard. There are oyster bars, Tokyo-style ramen, sushi, Bánh mì, reinvented fish and chips, tapas and handmade pasta in one glorious port city ready to feed everyone who visits.
7. Melbourne, Australia. Score 94.22
Australia's food capital is a gastronomic delight. Best known for its thriving brunch scene – this is the home of all-day café culture where you can get novel takes on eggs benedict, stacked pancakes and avocado toast any time. But there's also a heady mix of Greek, Italian, Vietnamese, Lebanese, Ethiopian and Chinese influences and flavours here – often in unexpected places. Look out for noodles in a multi-storey car park or a craft micro-bakery in a garage; this is an innovative, exciting and creative place to eat. Read more about Melbourne's restaurant scene.
6. Quebec City, Canada. Score 94.60
Wander the cobblestone streets of this beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site, and many tasty discoveries will be made. The dishes to tick off are the infamous poutine (a mix of chips, cheese curds and gravy) with variations served in most restaurants, tourtière (a traditional meat pie and classic crêpes, as well as local smoked meats, cheeses and maple syrup treats.
5. Malaga, Spain. Score 95.48
Malaga is having a moment. Not only was it voted one of the friendliest cities in Europe, but it's now made it into the top cities for food. The most famous dish to try here is sardines, grilled to perfection at chiringuitos across the beaches. Elsewhere, look out for ajo blanco, aka white gazpacho, a cold soup with bread, almonds, garlic and olive oil or gazpachuelo, a fishy soup, plus lots of traditional tapas followed by a digestif of sweet Málaga Virgen wine.
4. Mexico City, Mexico. Score 96.22
A gastronomic hot spot, Mexico City is one of North America's most exciting food cities right now and is bringing Mexican food onto the world stage. Eat and drink your way through silky tuna tostadas, vibrant ceviche, melt-in-the-mouth beef brisket tacos, chicken enchiladas and lots of mezcal. There are cantinas for cocktails, spicy bites and good times, old-school coffeehouses for caffeine stops, boundary-pushing fine dining restaurants and some truly excellent street food.
3. Naples, Italy. Score 96.25
Pizza, pizza and more pizza. That's what to eat in this sultry southern Italian port city. And what pizza it is – light and moist dough, fresh San Marzano tomatoes, olive oil, creamy buffalo mozzarella and fresh basil. Plenty of places use innovative toppings, but sometimes, the most straightforward options are the best. Once you've had your fill of classic pizza, move on to the pizza fritta (fried street food), pastries and sumptuous rich ragu.
2. Tel Aviv, Israel. Score 96.36
This coastal city is best known for its nightlife, beaches and wonderfully impressive food. With over 4,000 restaurants, you can quickly go from fantastic street food and farm-to-table cooking to Michelin-starred restaurants and everything in between. There's food from all over the world here, but the dishes to try include falafel, shawarma, shakshuka and lashings of humous. There's also lots of soulful cooking over fire where cauliflower, beetroot and sweet potato become the star, served simply in brown paper and devoured with a cold beer.
1. San Sebastian, Spain. Score 96.67
It's impossible to think of San Sebastian without thinking of eating – this small seaside city in the Basque region packs a huge culinary punch. Considered the food capital of Spain thanks to its exceptionally fresh seafood, glittering Michelin-starred restaurants, legendary pintxo and dreamy cheesecake, foodies from across the world pilgrimage here to eat their way around the city. Find the best restaurants in San Sebastian and prepare to get very hungry.