Bengaluru Makes Global Food Map, Lands 13th Spot Among World’s Top 20 Food Cities for 2026 | SEE FULL LIST

Bengaluru has secured the 13th spot on Time Out's list of the World's Best Cities for Food 2026, making it the only Indian city to receive this global recognition. The city is celebrated for its dynamic food scene, which ranges from traditional fare to experimental cuisine, placing it alongside culinary giants like Lima and Bangkok.

Bengaluru is well-known for its expansive IT parks and companies, but its food scene has also been making headlines. Bengaluru provides a flavor-filled experience that embodies the city's tradition and cosmopolitan character, whether it's a plate of crispy masala dosa, a craft coffee experience, or an experimental cuisine. Time Out's list of the World's Best Cities for Food 2026 has Bengaluru at number thirteen. Bengaluru is named 13th in the top 20 list by Time Out following a poll of over 24,000 residents worldwide and expert consultation.

Time Out reports that the city was ranked 13th after receiving an 82% quality rating from residents and a 60% score from the panel of cuisine experts. Bengaluru is now the sole Indian city on the world list thanks to its sourdough pizza cafés, natural wine shops, and record pubs that double as brewers.

Rank 1: Lima
Lima's culinary scene has been expanding daily, from Virgilio Martinez's award-winning Central to Rodrigo Fernandini's new flagship local, Fernandini.

Rank 2: Bangkok
Bangkok has seen a surge of younger cooks reviving indigenous cuisine, whether it is through Thai fine dining establishments or street food resurgence.

Rank 3: Mexico City
Mexico City's restaurants are currently a genuinely global celebration, influenced by French, Asian, and Mediterranean food.

Rank 4: London
London is now at the top of the global culinary scene thanks to an increase of opulent but entertaining Italian restaurants that provide more than just cacio e pepe.

Rank 5: Barcelona
Barcelona has an intriguingly paradoxical culinary culture that combines Madrid's high-end Asian restaurants with Spain's Michelin-starred eateries.

Rank 6: Ho Chi Minh City
Each eating experience in Ho Chi Minh City is distinct due to the city's lively street food scene and upscale fine dining establishments.

Rank 7: Melbourne
Armenian, Egyptian, French, Chinese, Sri Lankan, and regional Australian cuisine have been increasingly popular in Melbourne in recent years.

Rank 8: Beijing
In 2026, park-side brunches and park cafés have become increasingly popular in Beijing, marking a dramatic change in the city's food scene.

Rank 9: Athens
The Greek capital's culinary landscape is shaped by a combination of fine dining establishments, hip gastro-taverns, and century-old taverns.

Rank 10: Lisbon
Lisbon's culinary culture has flourished in recent years, offering everything from Michelin-starred restaurants to casual, reasonably priced cafés.

Rank 11: Cape Town
Cape Town's top restaurants are distinguished by their ease of use and capacity to produce exquisite meals with the most basic materials.

Rank 12: Osaka
Osaka is quickly transcending its status as the center of street food in Japan and embracing sophisticated dining experiences.

Rank 13: Bengaluru
Indiranagar, Koramangala, and MG Road restaurants are renowned for their distinctive interpretations of traditional and modern food. Pizza 4P's garlic shrimp or burrata pizza is a must-try.

Rank 14: Naples
Naples' long-standing eateries, pizzerias, and sandwich shops have embraced modernity without abandoning their traditions.

Rank 15: New York
New York has a wide variety of well-known establishments, including snack shops, continental restaurants, and classic dining establishments.

Rank 16: Hong Kong
More specialised Korean cuisine that focuses on particular areas or even food groupings has become increasingly popular in Hong Kong in recent years.

Rank 17: Buenos Aires
In 2026, Buenos Aires' culinary culture transcends the steakhouse as the city rediscovers its immigrant heritage.

Rank 18: Marseille
This city's already well-known culinary culture is growing thanks to a new generation of chefs and eateries.

Rank 19: Copenhagen
Michelin-starred restaurants that provide carefully prepared experimental cuisine have significantly increased in number in Copenhagen.

Rank 20: Medellin
The traditionally gastronomically conservative city has at last broadened its palette and is currently experiencing greater culinary innovation and variety than before.