6 Southeast Asian cities named among world's 50 best food destinations: TasteAtlas

Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, ranked 16th with an average score of 4.69 out of 5.

The magazine recommends must-try dishes such as nasi uduk (Indonesian-style steamed rice cooked in coconut milk), gado-gado (a salad of raw, boiled, or steamed vegetables with hard-boiled eggs), bubur ayam (chicken congee), and soto Betawi (beef soup).

A plate of nasi uduk, Indonesian-style steamed rice cooked in coconut milk. Photo courtesy of TasteAtlas

Singapore secured the 22nd spot on the list, with its culinary highlights including char kway teow (stir-fried rice noodle dish), Hainanese chicken rice, beef kway teow (flat rice noodles stir-fried and topped with slices of beef), cereal prawns (a popular Singaporean delicacy featuring succulent prawns coated in a fragrant and crispy cereal mixture), and chili crab.

Two additional Indonesian cities also made the cut: Bandung, ranked 32nd, and Surabaya, ranked 34th.

A serving of Hainanese chicken rice in Singapore. Photo courtesy of TasteAtlas

Vietnam’s former imperial capital, Hue, ranked 35th.

TasteAtlas editors praised the city for its signature dishes, including bun bo Hue (Hue beef noodle soup), nem lui (grilled pork skewers), banh beo (steamed rice cakes), and banh khoai (Hue pancakes).

Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, secured the 40th position with an average score of 4.5/5.

The magazine highlighted the city’s iconic dishes, such as cha gio (Vietnamese fried spring rolls), bun cha (grilled pork with vermicelli noodles), bun rieu (tomato and crab noodle soup), and bun oc (snail noodle soup).

The 100 Best Cuisines in the World is an annual ranking by TasteAtlas, based on evaluations from culinary critics, chefs, and food enthusiasts worldwide.

This year’s list drew on 477,287 user votes from 17,073 cities, representing the highest-rated dishes among 15,478 local specialties.