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10 Cities That Are Quietly Becoming the Next Best Food Cities — And Why You Should Visit Now
If you travel for the food, you've probably visited at least some of the destinations crowned the top international cities for food and drink in our Global Tastemakers Awards, but once you've checked the usual suspects off your bucket list, what's next?
We surveyed our team of editors to come up with a list of cities that might not be on your radar yet for their culinary scene, but we predict that soon enough they'll be on everyone's lips—and Instagram feeds. Some were voted on by our panel of experts in the Global Tastemakers Awards and didn't make it into the top spots, while others came up in our research over the past year. Some have a rich culinary heritage with traditions that have endured for centuries, while others are more compelling for their up-and-coming scene. All of them will engage your taste buds and expand your horizons should you choose to visit them.
Related: The Top 10 US Cities for Food and Drink, According to the Experts
Take a look at our top 10 emerging cities for food and drink, listed alphabetically.
Lima may have stolen the spotlight when it comes to Peruvian dining destinations, but Arequipa is the country's unsung culinary capital. Thanks to its well-preserved colonial architecture, which features indigenous influences, its historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A similar mélange of Spanish colonial and indigenous influences has shaped the city's gastronomy, leading UNESCO to recognize Arequipa as a Creative City for Gastronomy. Though new restaurants by Lima-based chefs like Gaston Acurio are opening in Arequipa, the city still values its traditions, namely the picanterías, which trace their roots back to the 17th century, when the Spanish forced rustic taverns to serve small plates similar to tapas and the food eventually became more of an attraction than the booze. The number of picanterías is dwindling, though. Go now to experience them while you still can. And be sure to try the city's most popular dessert, queso helado.
Located in the southeast part of Turkey's Anatolia region, Gaziantep may not be on travelers' radar but it has a rich gastronomic history that stretches back to the days of the Silk Road. In 2015, the city was recognized as one of UNESCO's Creative Cities of Gastronomy for its enduring commitment to culinary excellence. According to UNESCO, 60 percent of the city's active population is employed in the food sector, making it a crucial part of the economy. Gaziantep is considered Turkey's baklava capital, producing 95 percent of the country's supply, according to Afar. And while the city has strong traditions of its own, its food culture is also being reshaped by Syrian refugees who have settled there.
Derided until fairly recently as a culinary backwater, Glasgow now boasts a food scene that's considered one of the best in the U.K. The Michelin guide awarded the first restaurant in the city with a star in 2021; a handful of restaurants are now recommended by the guide, some with a Bib award. For a relatively small city, the restaurant scene is impressively diverse, with fantastic places that serve up Indian, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese cuisine, not to mention Mediterranean flavors. (Rosie Healy, who trained under Ottolenghi, has that on lock at Gloriosa.) Glaswegian chefs are reinventing maligned dishes like haggis and embracing locally sourced seafood to create contemporary Scottish cuisine.
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There's a Chinese proverb that says that to enjoy life to the fullest, one should be 'born in Suzhou, live in Hangzhou, eat in Guangzhou, and die in Liuzhou.' A mix of historic architecture and modern high rises, Guangzhou is one of the world's biggest manufacturing hubs, making it popular among business travelers, but foodies should also take note. Previously known as Canton, the city offers plenty of opportunities to enjoy Cantonese cuisine, especially dim sum, which is a fundamental part of the region's gastronomic heritage. Indulge at longstanding institution Nan Yuan Restaurant and head to Michelin-starred Jade River in the White Swan Hotel for handcrafted dumplings and other regional specialties.
In the 1930s, under Belgian and German colonial rule, coffee cultivation became mandatory across large parts of Rwanda, but until recently it was too expensive for the locals to enjoy themselves. And though coffee production was nearly wiped out during the politically unstable 1980s and the Rwandan genocide in the '90s, it's now a fundamental part of the economy, with around 450,000 small farms producing over 35 million pounds of coffee annually. As third wave coffee shops sprout up around the city and coffee becomes more affordable, Kigali is becoming a place that coffee aficionados are flocking to. Its restaurant scene, too, is becoming one of the most exciting on the African continent thanks to innovative chefs elevating Rwandan cuisine.
This charming French city has been considered one of the world's capitals of gastronomy for nearly a century. In fact, food critic Maurice Edmond Sailland called it 'world capital of haute cuisine' in 1935. The city owes some of its culinary prowess to the Mères Lyonnaises, cooks for bourgeois families who began opening their own restaurants in the early 20th century and revolutionizing the city's culinary scene in the process. Legendary chef Paul Bocuse began his career in the kitchen of Mère Brazier, which now has two Michelin stars. When in Lyon, you must dine in a typical bouchon (i.e. a humble tavern serving rich, hearty dishes like pâté en croute, a local sausage called rosette de Lyon, and quenelles bathed in bechamel.)
Everyone knows that Mexico City is a gastronome's paradise, but the smaller, more under-the-radar city of Mérida deserves a closer look. Capital of the Yucatán state, it often gets skipped in favor of Cancún or Tulum, but has a culinary scene that begs you to dig in. Start your journey with a visit to the Museo de la Gastronomía Yucateca, where you can learn all about the region's recipes as you chow down on cochinita pibil in the courtyard. Then dig even deeper at Ku'uk, a fine dining restaurant dedicated to reviving ancient Mayan culinary techniques. No visit would be complete without some tacos and a healthy dose of mezcal. For the former, make a beeline for Taqueria La Lupita inside the Mercado de Santiago. For the latter, head to Acervo Mezcalero Sureste.
Related: The Top 10 International Cities for Coffee, According to the Experts
If all you know about Penang is Panang curry — which is actually a Thai recipe — you might be surprised to learn that Penang has long been a cultural crossroads. The island was a British colony founded by Captain Francis Light of the British East India Company and attracted people from China, India, Indonesia, and Burma (today Myanmar). The melding of these cultures resulted in Peranakan cuisine, which is also commonly found in Singapore. George Town, the island's capital, offers everything from steaming bowls of laksa and curry noodles at hawker centers to Michelin-starred fine dining.
Located on Brazil's northeast Atlantic coast, Recife is a vibrant city with a fascinating culture, history, and delicious food. It's sometimes referred to as the 'Venice of Brazil' because it's located on two rivers and has many small islands linked by bridges. The surrounding area is a major producer of sugarcane, so you can expect to drink plenty of cachaça in the form of caipirinhas (Brazil's national cocktail). One experience you shouldn't miss is a meal at a churrascaria, which is essentially the Brazilian version of an Argentine asado. Another thing to try is tapioca, which isn't a custard like it usually is in the U.S. but rather formed into a sort of crepe served with sweet or savory fillings at street carts. For dessert, look for bolo de rolo, which is similar to a Swiss roll with very thin layers of cake rolled with guava paste.
The capital of Italy's Piedmont region usually gets short shrift compared to Rome, Florence, Milan, and Bologna, but food lovers should take note. Historically, the city was home to the Savoia dynasty that ruled Italy when it became a united country in 1861, so it's full of elegant cafés such as Baratti & Milano and Caffè Mulassano, where you can sip a bicerin (a drink made with espresso, hot chocolate, and frothed milk). The countryside surrounding Turin famously produces truffles, hazelnuts, and some of Italy's most prized wines (Barolo and Barbaresco, anyone?) and chefs take their cues from the area's bounty. For an unforgettable evening, book a table at the Michelin-starred Ristorante Del Cambio inside the historic Farmacia del Cambio and head upstairs for a nightcap at the moody Bar Cavour.
To uncover the best food and drink experiences for travelers, Food & Wine polled over 400 chefs, travel experts, food and travel writers, and wine pros from across the globe for their top culinary travel experiences. We then turned the results over to our Global Advisory Board, who ranked the top nominees in each category. For the full list of all 165 winners, visit
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