For us, food plays a big role when it comes to picking a destination to travel to. We’re guilty of planning a holiday itinerary around where we’re going to eat and what kind of foods we want to try. Researching ‘where to eat in…’ and ‘what to eat in…’ to the nth degree before we’ve even touched down. In fact, studies have revealed more than half of travellers choose their travel destination based on the culinary experiences on offer, which is why travel experts Travelbag compiled a list of the world’s top cities around the world for food lovers. 

Credit: Maison Batard

The list was based on a selection of metrics from buzz on social media, the variety of cuisines on offer, and the average cost of a meal to determine which city truly deserves the title of the global food capital. It will come as no surprise to Aussies that one of our capital cities rightfully claimed the top spot. So which city is number one in the world for foodies? Drumroll, please…Melbourne. 

From the city’s iconic Chinatown to its exquisite fine-dining scene and cafe culture, Melbourne is a cultural hot pot, with more than 100 different cuisines represented – the most in the world. Melbourne is also incredibly popular on social media, with three million food-related hashtags. 

Don’t worry Sydneysiders, your home city wasn’t too far behind Melbourne. Sydney was ranked fourth best in the world behind Toronto and Dubai. Here is the full list of the best cities in the world for foodies: 

1. Melbourne, Australia
2. Toronto, Canada 
3. Dubai, UAE 
4. Sydney, Melbourne
5. Hanoi, Vietnam
6. Chicago, USA
7. Houston, USA
8. Tokyo, Japan
9. Bangkok, Thailand
10. New York, USA

Related story: The best way to spend 48 food-filled hours in Melbourne