KL Ranks No.7 on Time Out’s List of The World’s Best Cities for Food

Time Out is a global magazine that acts as a ‘guide to the best art and entertainment, food and drink, attractions, hotels and things to do in the world's greatest cities.’ For the list, they quizzed thousands of locals on their city’s must-visit restaurants, must-eat dishes, and best-value bites and asked them to rate their city’s food scene on both its quality and affordability.

In addition, they also reached out to their global network of Time Out editors and writers to give them the lowdown on “what makes their city an exciting dining destination in 2024 and to recommend their favourite places to eat right now.” The list includes everything from high-end fine dining to affordable street eats.

Naples, the birthplace of pizza, took the top spot and ranked as the most affordable city to eat out. Ho Chi Minh City came in at no.4 due to its fare, including banh mi, snails, broken rice, and offal stew. Another Southeast Asian city ranks high on the list at no.6: Bangkok. Its must-eat dish is som tum or Thai Green Papaya Salad. This ranking comes as no surprise because, besides their excellent street food, they have 34 Michelin-starred restaurants and numerous establishments listed on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants.

For KL, the chosen must-eat dish is nasi lemak. Their KL writer Ng Su Ann said, “Kuala Lumpur punches well above its weight with some of Asia's most sought-after food. Make time for our many kopitiams, mamak, hawker stalls, and neon-lit night markets to sample our world-famous street fare, like laksa, roti canai, and nasi lemak. From cafés to omakases, from supper clubs to bars with skyline views, the city’s food scene has more to offer than ever.”

Some new places they recommended are Pickle Dining and Kai, while must-visits are APW in Bangsar for the coffee and Olivia Deli. Note: However, we think they could’ve chosen a better representative photo than the Alor Street Food Market, which is pricey and…not good. And as a Penangite, I won’t say they could’ve chosen our island instead *coughs*.

Here is the full list:

1. Naples, Italy
2. Johannesburg, South Africa
3. Lima, Peru
4. Hô Chi Minh City, Vietnam
5. Beijing, China
6. Bangkok, Thailand
7. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
8. Mumbai, India
9. Dubai, United Arab Emirates
10. Portland, United States
11. Liverpool, United Kingdom
12. Medellín, Colombia
13. Séville, Spain
14. Porto, Portugal
15. Marrakech, Morocco
16. Lyon, France
17. Sydney, Australia
18. Montréal, Canada
19. Osaka, Japan
20. Copenhagen, Denmark