This Destination Was Just Named Europe’s Best Culinary City — and No, It’s Not in Italy or France

Lisbon is famous for its rich culture, stunning architecture, hilly cityscape, and, yes, food. If you’ve ever visited the Portuguese capital, you know its streets start smelling like sweet vanilla in the early morning as bakers whip up batches of pastries, including the famous pastel da nata. Now, the city is getting the culinary recognition it rightfully deserves, as it was recently awarded Europe’s best culinary city destination at the annual World Culinary Awards, held in Dubai.

Lisbon beat other notable food cities like Paris, London, Barcelona, Florence, Vienna, and Copenhagen. The winners are chosen by the culinary community, industry experts, and consumers according to the organization’s official rules.

“It’s [the award] a recognition of the quality of the gastronomy for which Lisbon is so well known and an award that encourages all the professionals who keep it alive. The local economy is increasingly a distinctive factor for the city of Lisbon, and gastronomy contributes greatly to the quality of Lisbon’s tourism,” Carlos Moedas, the mayor of Lisbon, said in a press release, shared with Travel + Leisure.

Lisbon’s food scene stands out with its diversity, spanning not only cuisine types and origins but also the quality of the food. The city boasts seventeen one- and two-starred restaurants listed on the Michelin Guide, including world-famous spots like Alma and Belcanto, recently included among the World’s Top 50 Restaurants. Lisbon’s coffee shops and bakeries were also recognized by Food & Wine in its 2024 Global Tastemakers Awards, a testament to the city’s culinary prowess. 

You don’t have to look hard to have an excellent meal in Lisbon. Its many cervejarias, neighborhood eateries serving fresh sea and shell food along with a long list of brews are always an excellent — and affordable — choice for a quick meal, also beloved by locals. (Beer lovers should check out the beer museum at the heart of the city’s Praça do Comércio.)

Another Portuguese city snatched the award for Europe’s best emerging culinary city destination, and that’s Porto. Portugal’s second-largest city, sitting on the banks of the Douro River, is famous for its stellar wine scene and distinct culinary heritage, where visitors can enjoy Michelin-approved fine dining experiences as well as authentic plates of dishes like the hearty Francesinha sandwich and the Cachorrinho, a hot dog type of snack.

Among the winners in North America are New York City’s Le Bernardin by chef Eric Ripert, voted best restaurant, and Los Angeles, voted best culinary destination.

You can see the full list of winners on worldculinaryawards.com.