Well it comes as a surprise to no one that Tokyo was just named the world’s best city for food. With dishes like sushi, ramen, udon, yakitori, sashimi and onigiri hailing from Japan, the fact the country and its cities are beloved by foodies is indisputable. 

Research conducted by AHTI Games looked at more than 50 cities from around the world to uncover the top destinations for food lovers. The online game site used several key metrics to determine which were the 10 best cities for hungry travellers. 

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Metrics included: the number of Michelin star restaurants, the cost of a mid-range three-course meal, the number of food festivals and culinary events, the number of cheap eats, mid-range, and fine dining restaurants listed on TripAdvisor, and the average ratings for top restaurants. Each city’s composite score was based on these metrics and used to compile the 10 best cities for foodies list. 

The runner-up to Tokyo was London, which is hosting the most festivals throughout the year, followed by Rome. Asia and Europe dominated the list, with just one city outside of those continents placing in the top 10. Here is the full list of the top 10 cities for foodies: 

1. Tokyo, Japan
2. London, United Kingdom
3. Rome, Italy
4. Paris, France
5. New York City, United States
6. Barcelona, Spain
7. Madrid, Spain
8. Singapore
9. Bangkok, Thailand
10. Osaka, Japan

Sadly, no Aussie cities made the top 10. Melbourne was the highest ranking city, coming in at 27th, with Sydney close behind placing 29th, which may put to rest the beef between the two cities as they often compete for the title ‘food city’ title Down Under. 

Planning to eat your way through Japan? Don’t overlook its convenience stores. You can get delicious bites from 7-Eleven and local franchises. Here’s our list of which foods to pick up from each of the different convenience stores.

Related story: The 8 most delicious foods you have to try from 7-Eleven in Japan