Montreal is widely accepted as a world-class food city. But is it better than Naples — you know, the birthplace of pizza?
Apparently, yes.
In their latest list of the 20 best food cities on the planet, Time Out surveyed thousands of locals worldwide to find out which places are serving up the best eats in 2025. Once the results were in, Montreal, the land of smoked meat and top-tier bagels, slid into the 18th spot, ahead of Naples, San José, and just behind a few Michelin-star-hoarding capitals.
According to Time Out Canada editor Laura Osborne, the city is an “embarrassment of riches” when it comes to great food. From the handmade Oaxacan tortillas at Alma, the natural wine at Mon Lapin, or the bold tasting menu at Le Mousso, Montreal’s culinary scene has something for everyone — high-end or casual, classic or cutting-edge. And, of course, bagels, smoked meat, and poutine are forever part of our gastronomical DNA.
So, why didn’t we rank higher? Affordability was a big factor. While 88% of locals who participated in a poll think Montreal’s food scene is “good” or “amazing,” only 45% say eating out is budget-friendly. That made us the priciest food city on this year’s list, which may have knocked us down a few spots. Still, with the Michelin Guide finally arriving in Quebec, Montreal’s foodie reputation is only getting stronger.
As for Naples, the city may hold the pizza crown, but according to Time Out, it didn’t exactly score high for innovation. While it remains a powerhouse of cucina povera — the practice of transforming humble ingredients into legendary dishes like pizza fritta and maccheroni frittata — locals weren’t raving about its trendiness. Only 13% described the restaurant scene as “trendy”, and just 14% called it “innovative or experimental.”
Here’s how the rest of the global list rounded out.
Time Out’s top 20 food cities for 2025
- New Orleans, USA
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Medellín, Colombia
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Madrid, Spain
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Lagos, Nigeria
- Shanghai, China
- Paris, France
- Jakarta, Indonesia
- Marrakech, Morocco
- Lima, Peru
- Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Mumbai, India
- Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Cairo, Egypt
- Porto, Portugal
- Montreal, Canada
- Naples, Italy
- San José, Costa Rica
