Naples has some of the best food in the world

Celebrity chefs, the number of Michelin stars or the opinions of experts from elsewhere – who decides which city has the best food in the world? According to culture magazine “TimeOut,” another method is better: asking locals.

To determine the world’s best city to eat, the magazine asked locals about their favorite restaurants, the city’s general food scene, must-try dishes, and menu quality and prices. Only the best cities from more than 60 countries were evaluated by the magazine’s international network of editors. And here it is – a list dominated mainly by cities outside of Europe, with one city in our neighboring country as the winner: Naples, Italy taking the gold medal.

The inventor of pizza — UNESCO declared Neapolitan pizza a World Cultural Heritage in 2017 — made it to the winner’s podium with the country’s specialty. According to Timeout, Naples is also the cheapest city in the rankings. A street food version of the main course, Pizza a Portafoglio, is available for just one euro per slice. According to a local “TimeOut” editor, Pizzeria Santa Maradona in the Spagnoli district offers a slightly more expensive, but excellent pizza.

While you can enjoy international cuisine in Cape Town, Johannesburg impresses with South African cuisine. Residents particularly recommend the kota sandwich (a hollowed-out bun filled with chips and toppings), bunny chow (a type of spicy curry in a bun) and mala mokodu (stew with offal). Must go? A Sunday brunch serving artist from celebrity chef Katleko Malambo.

Bronze goes to Lima, the hometown of ceviche, which is made from raw fish with lime juice and herbs. However, locals refer to lomo saltado, a Peruvian stir-fry with beef, and the popular drink pisco sour as “timeout.” If you want to try some: Lima expert Steph Dyson recommends Punto Azul.

You probably already know and love the classic Vietnamese dish that locals also named Timeout’s must-try dish in a survey: Phở Saigon noodle soup. Local writer Don Kyu Dao recommends the city’s only Michelin-starred restaurant, Anon Saigon, or Banh Mi Hun Hoa, which sells cheap street food.

The Chinese capital is ranked fifth in the timeout list. Night markets, street food stalls and snacks are cheap and delicious around every corner. Some of the respondents’ preferences were particularly suitable for meat eaters: spicy kung bao chicken, the popular fondue chinoise in this country and the famous Peking duck were the most frequently mentioned answers. According to a local author, the best place to try the latter is CG Minfu — even if you have to wait an hour for a seat.