NEWS
TIME OUT: FIVE OF WORLD'S TOP TEN CITIES FOR FOOD ARE IN ASIA
By Susan Lewis
4-6-2024
Credit: Alexander Sinn/Unsplash
Five Asian cities made to the top ten in Time Out magazine’s inaugural World Best Cities For Food list, they are Ho Chi Minh City, Beijing, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Mumbai.
Naples of Italy took the top spot, followed by South Africa’s Johannesburg in second place and Peru’s Lima in third.
Asian food capitals like Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore are not on the list, while Dubai in UAE and Portland of USA complete the top ten list.
To compile the list, Time Out said they have surveyed thousands of people around the world about
food in their city. They were asked to rank the quality and affordability of foods in their city as well as naming their favourite restaurants, must-try specialities and best-value dishes.
Grace Beard, travel editor at Time Out, said: “Our inaugural list of the world's best cities for food is a celebration of culinary culture the world over, based on the feedback of Time Out's city-dwelling readers.”
“While some cities on the list are well-known for their food scene, others might surprise you. This ranking is fully informed by input from on-the-ground locals, who had their say on everything from how affordable it is to dine in their city to the one must-eat dish.”
Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City was ranked fourth, Time Out said: “Beyond the streetside food stalls and bustling markets hawking banh mi, snails, broken rice and offal stew are a clutch of Bib Gourmand and Michelin-starred restaurants serving up creative renditions of classic dishes.”
China’s capital city Beijing is in fifth position. Time Out said: “Beijing is a city for carnivores. Asked which dish everyone should try when visiting their city, locals overwhelmingly put meat on the menu: gongbao chicken, hot pot, and of course Peking duck.”
“But veggies won’t be disappointed. Grab a jian bing (a Chinese savoury crepe) and a local beer and you’re set,” it added.
Bangkok is in sixth place, Time Out said Thailand’s capital city is dubbed the “street food capital of the world”. Som tum, a spicy papaya salad, is named by locals as the top must-eat dish there.
“Beyond the markets and no-frills food joints from a boat in a floating market, Bangkok is a city flush with gourmet accolades,” Time Out said.
Kuala Lumpur of Malaysia is in 7th place. Time Out said: “Nasi lemak, an aromatic dish of coconut milk rice, crispy anchovies,v ucumber and boiled egg, was named the city’s must-eat meal, followed by Thai tom yam soup and roti canai, a crispy pan-fried flatbread.'”
India’s Mumbai in eighth position has the highest score for food quality out of all the entries.
Time Out said the must-eat dishes in Mumbai are fiery manchurian (roughly chopped vegetables or meat, fried and smothered in a sticky sauce), creamy butter chicken, and vada pav (a deep-fried potato dumpling stuffed into a bread roll accompanied by red and green chutneys).
In describing the top ranking city Naples, Time Out said the widespread availability of cheap eats
helped Naples get the top position.
“You can’t talk food in Italy without talking Naples – and you can’t talk food in Naples without talking pizza.”
Pizza was born in Naples in the 19th century as a quick, affordable meal for the city’s working classes, and old-school pizzerias continue to feed hungry Neapolitans today.
TIME OUT’S WORLD BEST CITIES FOR FOOD 2024:
1. Naples, Italy
2. Johannesburg, South Africa
3. Lima, Peru
4. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
5. Beijing, China
6. Bangkok, Thailand
7. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
8. Mumbai, India
9. Dubai, UAE
10. Portland, USA
11. Liverpool, UK
12. Medellin, Colombia
13. Seville, Spain
14. Porto, Portugal
15. Marrakech, Morocco
16. Lyon, France
17. Sydney, Australia
18. Montreal, Canada
19. Osaka, Japan
20. Copenhagen, Denmark
(the writer can be contacted at: info@thewinechronicle.com)
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