Foodies, take note: the city of Berlin has just been named as one of the top food destinations in the world! 

The Food City Destination Index

The Food City Destination Index, compiled by the travel website Holidu, analyses and compares 75 different cities with populations of more than 500.000 people from three perspectives: global recognition, cuisine diversity and visitor experience.

To calculate “global recognition”, Holidu looked at trusted restaurant ratings services and guides like the Michelin Guide, La Liste and TripAdvisor. The cuisine variety score was based on the variety of different cuisines available in the city, and the range of different price points. 

Under the visitor experience category, points were given for visitor safety and the overall foodie experience. Restaurant locations were also evaluated based on “specific visual characteristics contributing to the dining experience”, such as views over rivers, historical architecture, or skyline vistas. 

Berlin ranks just outside top 20

The 2023 ranking was topped by holiday destination favourites London, New York and Paris. However, Berlin did well enough to nab a 22nd-place ranking, coming just ahead of Istanbul in Turkey and Zurich in Switzerland. 

While Berlin’s total of 30 Michelin stars pales in comparison to the whopping 282 gathered by restaurants in Tokyo in Japan, it made up ground with a high score for restaurant reviews elsewhere, and the diversity of cuisines on offer. Rather than just traditional German dishes, Berlin excels in serving up Chinese, East Asian, South Asian, African and Anglosphere food. It also achieved a strong visitor safety score. 

Top 10 food destinations in the world in 2023

The top 10 food destinations in the world, according to the Holidu ranking, are:

1. London
2. New York
3. Paris
4. Tokyo
5. Dubai
6. Barcelona
7. Singapore
8. Hong Kong
9. Los Angeles
10. Bangkok

For more information on the ranking, visit the Holidu website.