Top 20 food cities in the world revealed for 2026 — see where NYC ranks after being ignored last year

Time Out has released its annual — and fully subjective — list of the 20 best cities for food, naming Lima, Peru, as the global culinary capital this year.

But, perhaps more importantly, New York City returned to the list at No. 15 after being conspicuously absent from last year’s rankings. Of course, the placement still seems woefully low given that NYC boasts more Michelin-starred restaurants than any US city, with cuisines spanning every corner of the globe from Togo to Tokyo.

To compile the countdown, Time Out surveyed more than 24,000 locals from around the globe, asking them to rate the caliber and affordability of their hometown food scene, along with the best grub spots.

Time Out’s panel of editors and food critics then selected their picks for the globe’s most exciting dining destinations, eventually whittling the pool down to 20.

This year’s a particularly captivating time for urban gourmands, per the mag.

“Locals are looking beyond small plates and sourdough, instead packing out neo-tavernas, selling out signature dishes from much-loved independent restaurants and lining up for the best pizza slice in town,” said Time Out Travel Editor Grace Beard. “That’s the beauty of the list: today’s culinary capitals are primed for every palette, from the budget eater to the certified bon vivant.”

Lima, Peru

The Peruvian capital sat atop this Mount Rushmore of metropolitan gastro-hubs. Time Out cited the city’s numerous culinary accolades, most notably fusion hotspot Maido, which previously snagged the title of “World’s Best Restaurant” for 2025.

Among locals, Lima scored 80% for quality and 85% for affordability — the cheapest on the list for eating out. It also ranked joint-second, amassing 70% of the votes for Time Out’s expert panel.

Bangkok

Bangkok has always been a destination for epicurean pilgrims, but this veteran food scene has arguably never been hotter — and not just because of the atomically spicy chili peppers.

Time Out cited the Thai capital’s soaring recognition on the global cuisine scene — Southern Thai restaurant Sorn became the first in the nation to be awarded three Michelin stars.

They also saw younger chefs increasingly bringing local cuisine to the forefront via modern takes on obscure regional classics. To wit, Trok Maraga’s bitter melon chicken noodles and the explosion of Song Wat Road, where traditional dishes bump elbows with stylish contemporary concepts.

Meanwhile, Bangkok received a score of 81% for its quality and diversity, with many citing the city’s vibrant street food scene as the reason for its high spot on the gastronomic totem pole. The Timeout jury also gave the city a whopping 80% across the board.

Mexico City

Reflecting an uptick in global influences, Mexico City has also become a multicultural mix, where taco spots share real estate with bubble tea depots.

Perhaps nowhere is this more evident than the infusion of Mediterranean, Asian and French cuisine into the neighborhoods of Condesa, Juárez and San Miguel. Some notable examples include Fabiola Ecobosa’s Italian concept Gia and the French Restaurant Étranger, which features Japanese signatures like Kampachi.

Overall, 80% of locals rated the Mexican metro scene high for quality, while 73% gave it good marks for affordability.

London

The home of jellied eels in tins and pigeon pies placed fourth on the countdown, with Time Out citing Soho’s Osteria Vibrato’s creamy risotto, the Abruzzian skewers at London Fields’ Auguste and Tiella in Bethnal Green, a “hipster trattoria with perfect passatelli in brodo and a giant portrait of Cher.”

A staggering 96% of Londoners dubbed the UK’s dining scene either “good” or “amazing,” although no word as to whether that reflected more city pride or quality.

New York City

New York City placed 15th despite its culinary credentials, like Food & Wine’s Best Restaurant in the Country, Caribbean hotspot Kawaba, or Executive Chef Hillary Sterling’s Italian hub Ci Siamo, which was named the Best Restaurant in the Country by the notoriously West Coast-centric Yelp.

The ranking seemed perplexing given that 91% of respondents dubbed it a “good” or “amazing” dining out destination.

Meanwhile, 77% of locals described NYC as the most diverse food hub, a criterion that seemed to be rewarded more elsewhere in the rankings.

NYC’s biggest weakness was affordability, with just 34% of NYers dubbing it a cheap place to eat — a factor that weighed quite heavily.

This isn’t the first time a list has thrust the Big Apple to the back burner.

Post food critic Steve Cuozzo lambasted German car service provider SIXT for ranking NYC only the seventh-best food city in the world, behind Tokyo, Paris, Osaka, Porto, London and Seoul.

“Can we really be a lesser food town than Porto?” he spluttered about Portugal’s second-largest city.