New Orleans is the world’s best city for food for 2025, according to Time Out

At No. 3, Medellín, Colombia, impressed Time Out’s readers with its affordability and cheap coffee. In South Africa’s Cape Town, at No. 4, locals love the coastal city’s diverse food offerings, particularly the seafood.

Madrid’s flourishing food scene (at No. 5) is both “diverse” and “experimental,” say locals, and in recent years Mexico City (No. 6) has become a top destination for international foodies in the know.

Jollof rice and smoky suya fuel locals in the vibrant Nigerian city of Lagos (at No. 7). In Shanghai, China, at No. 8, thousands of years of food history have been perfected in today’s adventurous culinary scene.

France is the birthplace of haute cuisine so it’s only fitting that the French capital is in the top 10 at No. 9.

The leaderboard is filled out by Jakarta at No. 10. CNN readers once voted rendang the most delicious food in the world, but it’s just one of the many lip-smacking dishes Indonesia has to offer.

These are the rest of the cities in the top 20: Marrakech, Morocco (No. 11). Lima, Peru (No. 12). Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (No. 13). Mumbai, India (No. 14). Abu Dhabi, UAE (No. 15). Cairo (No. 16). Porto, Portugal (No. 17). Montreal (No. 18). Naples, Italy (No. 19). San José, Costa Rica (No. 20).

Dumb listicle. "We must write something. Anything. Cobble it together, will ya?"

Time Out didn't do very well with that one.

Madrid, evidently, is included for particular reason that anyone could remember? Maybe for that helpful photo taken at great distance of a plaza filled with people at tables under umbrellas - are they even eating?

Porto over Lisbon? Probably be cause they have featured Lisbon too many times?

And yes, this year everyone I know is flying off to Lagos for the scrumptious Joleff Rice. It's only by great cleverness that one can snag a reservation in the city!

And, well, France!

[quote]France is the birthplace of haute cuisine so it’s only fitting that the French capital is in the top 10 at No. 9.

No Blaine, Missouri?

I’m sure it’s just a coincidence that there are Time Out Markets in or opening soon in most of those cities/countries:

Surprised to see San Jose at #20. There was almost no really noteworthy food "scene" there 7 years ago, when I was in the city, and that includes the wealthy suburbs.

It is certainly the best food I've had in the U.S.

Well done, Detective R5! I think you've uncovered the basis.

I had never heard of Time Out Markets. They look like a hybrid between a shopping mall food court, an airport departure lounge, and some new generation European mega-hostel. Unless trapped and ravenous at an airport, I'd steer clear.

Fairly unconscionable for an enterprise that seeks to celebrate the unique character of various cities to put them all in a blender and make a dumbed-down, blandly international smörgåsbord of the mix.

Shanghai???? Granted it was 15 years ago but I lived there and it's the worst cuisine in China. Everything is smothered in low quality oil and soy sauce. By now there are probably some good (and very high end) restaurants that incorporate other regions--Shanghai doesn't even do dim sum--but most of us laowai bought groceries at Carrefour and did our own cooking or ate in western style restaurants, although those weren't great either.

[quote] I had never heard of Time Out Markets. They look like a hybrid between a shopping mall food court, an airport departure lounge, and some new generation European mega-hostel. Unless trapped and ravenous at an airport, I'd steer clear.

Actually R8 don’t be too quick to dismiss them, they’re actually pretty good and include a bunch of stalls/kitchens from both established and up and coming chefs. I’ve been to the ones in Lisbon and Cape Town and had some really great local cuisine at both. Lisbon was especially good.

I live in Toronto and wondered when/if one would be coming here but this place opened last summer and obviates the need for one:

'Felix' in the French Quarter, since the 1940s. Old school casual with with Formica tables, affordable & great drinks. Considered to have the best 'red beans and rice' in the city. Bon appétit, cher

The Vietnamese restaurants in New Orleans are some of the best in the country. And their baked goods are the best, period.

No regional cuisine, no matter how elevated, is going to lure me to the Bible Belt in 2025.

Listicle nonsense

It's global survey of 18,500 people - they had that many that have been to these cities - including Lagos, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi?

It didn't say street food either.

Oh well.

So, after telling us some of the different cuisines New Orleans possesses (and apparently does well), they default to gumbo, jambalaya and beignets as the dishes to sample in NO instead of perhaps naming some other less obvious choices.

Like we didn't know that already. Thanks for that brand new information!!

My opinion is not scientific as I have only spent time in NO once visiting friends. They worked during the day so I wandered around on my own for breakfast and lunch. Every dive place I randomly stopped to eat really had some of the best food I can recall.

[quote]So, after telling us some of the different cuisines New Orleans possesses (and apparently does well), they default to gumbo, jambalaya and beignets as the dishes to sample in NO instead of perhaps naming some other less obvious choices.

One New Orleans regional specialty of recent years is vegan soul food; Yelp even has a whole category for it in New Orleans.

I really need to visit this place.

Salvo's Seafood in New Orleans.

These guys are making my mouth water!!