When it comes to repping British cuisine on an international stage, London has been dominant for far, far too long: it’s time for somewhere else to hold the torch for the UK. And in Time Out’s brand-new ranking of the best cities for food in the world right now, it was revealed that the country has a new culinary hotspot.
For the ranking published today (May 29), locals around the world were quizzed on their city’s must-visit restaurants, must-eat dishes and best-value bites, as well as surveyed about city food scenes’ quality and affordability. We then got our global network of Time Out editors, writers and experts to give us the lowdown on what makes their city an exciting dining destination in 2024, and to recommend their favourite places to eat right now.
The only UK city to feature in the list (which can be viewed in full here) was none other than Liverpool. Coming 11th overall, the port city placed higher than Mediterranean havens like Porto and Seville and Japanese sushi aficionados in Osaka. Not bad, eh?
Why Liverpool? Although it’s often mentioned in relation to its vibrant nightlife or most famous band, there’s more to Merseyside than cheap pints and Beatles walking tours. ’Pool’s culinary versatility is key to its success, offering ‘everything from cult street food vendors to contemporary small plates’. The city featuring in Time Out’s list will be no surprise to anyone clued up on the city’s history – Liverpudlians are actually nicknamed affectionately after its most popular dish, scouse.
Naples topped our list, which, given the fact in the past 10 years Neapolitan pizza has consumed the entire UK, feels fair. You can have a look at our full list here.
Of course, we at Time Out have been chatting about Liverpool’s great food scene for a while now. We’ve even made handy guides to the city’s best restaurants and pubs depending on what sort of night you’re after.
Congrats, Liverpool!
Eat well in the UK
There’s plenty of good food outside of Liverpool, too. Try out one of our favourite restaurants in the country, or if you’re looking for something closer to home have a look at our guide to eating out in London, Manchester, Edinburgh, or Cornwall. If you want to enjoy the summer heat, head to one of these stunning rooftop bars.
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