TasteAtlas released its “100 Best Food Cities” list for 2025/26, and while Malaysia was noticeably missing, Singapore somehow made its way into the list.
According to the list, Italy dominated the top of the rankings with Naples, Milan and Bologna taking the first three spots.
Japan had an especially strong showing, with Osaka ranked 11th, Kyoto at 14th and Tokyo landing at 26th. China was represented by Shanghai, Hong Kong and Beijing, while South Korea’s Seoul also appeared on the list.
Southeast Asia cities who made the list
But the true surprise came from Southeast Asia. While Malaysia did not appear anywhere on the list, several neighbouring cities earned recognition.
Singapore was the highest-ranked in the region at 20th place, reinforcing its reputation for refined street eats and hawker culture.
Indonesia had Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Yogyakarta and Surakarta featured. Vietnam was represented by Ho Chi Minh City, and Thailand’s Bangkok also placed within the top 70. As for The Philippines, Manila was named its representative.
Ranking drawn from 19,000 cities
TasteAtlas noted that the rankings were drawn from its database of nearly 19,000 cities and more than half a million verified food ratings.
Out of this extensive pool, the 100 listed cities earned the highest average scores for the regional and national dishes most commonly served in their area.
However, the absence of Malaysian favourites like Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh quickly caught public attention, with many Malaysians expressing disbelief on social media.
Malaysia is frequently praised internationally for its multicultural food heritage, leading some to question the criteria behind this year’s rankings.
