This South American city is world's best for food lovers
What's the story
Publishing giant Time Out has unveiled its ranking of the world's best food cities. Lima, Peru, has been crowned the winner, thanks to its seafood specialties such as ceviche and causa Limena. The city also topped the affordability chart among the top 20 destinations. It was followed by Bangkok in second place for its street food culture, Mexico City, London and Barcelona completing the top five.
Evaluation process
How Time Out determined the best food cities
Virginia Gil, USA Editor at Time Out, explained that a food city is more than just a place to eat. The cities on their list are known for their ingredients, iconic cuisines and deep-rooted food histories. To determine the best cities for food lovers, Time Out surveyed 24,000 locals across 150 cities worldwide. They were asked about restaurant quality and affordability as well as cultural aspects of each city's culinary scene.
Culinary adventure
Mexico City, Bangkok top the list after Lima
Bangkok, Thailand, came in second for the second consecutive year, thanks to its unmatched street food culture. The city's culinary adventures offer a range of flavors: sweet, spicy, sour and salty across popular dishes that cost less than $5. Mexico City took the third spot with its diverse food scene from Michelin-starred restaurants to local street markets. The taco al pastor even has its own "taco corridor" on Lorenzo Boturini in eastern Mexico City.
Global cuisines
London, Barcelona complete top 5
London, which came in fourth, is known for its diverse food scene with cuisines from all over the world. Borough Market, one of the city's oldest food markets dating back to the 12th century, is a must-try for many tourists. Barcelona, Spain completes the top five with its Mediterranean-influenced food scene. Local staples like Pa amb tomaquet (tomato bread) and patatas bravas highlight Catalan traditions that make this city one of the best culinary destinations.
US representation
New York City is the highest-ranked US city
The top US city on the list is New York City, which comes in at No. 15. Time Out highlights the connection between NYC's food scene and its rich immigrant history. The city offers a variety of cuisines from immigrants, making it home to some of the best pizza, bagels, pastrami and more in the world.