The best cuisine in the world – as voted by you

written by Lottie Gross

updated 11.08.2021

15. Malaysia

You told us which country you think has the best cuisine and now we’ve whittled it down to a top fifteen. Starting the countdown is Malaysia; Sharni Lutalica told us on Facebook that Malaysian cuisine is her favourite for the variety in flavours and spices.

Curry Nyonya Laksa. A Malaysian Nyonya (Peranakan) traditional food © Mohd Syis Zulkipli/Shutterstock

© Shutterstock

14. Lebanon

Falafel, hummus, fresh fish and juicy fruits; Lebanese has a whole host of great savory flavours, not to mention the delicious baklava that swayed @MarkJamesVang’s vote on Twitter.

baklava-shutterstock_110412728

© Shutterstock

13. England

Perhaps a rather surprising entry, England made number thirteen in your choice of top cuisine. As @keuro said on Twitter: “with the advent of the gastropub England has some pretty great food!”

english-tea-shutterstock_538618711

© Shutterstock

12. Turkey

The kebabs from street vendors in Istanbul got Johan Nilsson’s vote on Facebook, and @felttipfairy said on Twitter: “best of all, [Turkish food is] served up with a big grin and dancing in Fethiye!”

kebab-shutterstock_283796651

© Shutterstock

11. Spain

There’s so much to love about Spanish cuisine so it’s no wonder it makes the top fifteen. From tapas to paella, there’s a huge variety of big flavours to get your mouth-watering and it seems Valencia is the place to chow down, according to @Xxemma1xX on Twitter.

Traditional Paella served at restaurant in Formentera, Spain

Traditional Paella served at restaurant in Formentera, Spain © Shutterstock

10. Singapore

Into the top ten and @blondinwales’s tweet says it all: “Drunken prawns, chili crab, laksa. So amazing…” Twitter fan @jaanhunter describes Singaporean food as a fusion of Malay, Chinese, Indian and Japanese. Who wouldn’t want to tuck in?

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© Shutterstock

9. Mexico

From burritos to old-time favourite chilli con carne, Mexico sits at number nine with its meleé of spices, hot chillies and colourful mix of ingredients. As @TheDreamYear put it on Twitter: "Mexican food is irresistible!"

tacos-mexico-cochinita-pibil-shutterstock_1112906645

© Shutterstock

8. Indonesia

It seems Indonesia has it all: not only did it sit in the top ten for our beautiful countries poll, now it’s proving to be not just a pretty face. On Twitter, @lukmanAul picked out rendang, a spicy meat dish, as his favourite.

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Indonesian nasi goreng © Shutterstock

7. France

The art of the perfect pastry can be found at its best in France, and it seems you have a sweet tooth as you voted this country's cuisine – from boeuf bourguignon to multicoloured macaroons – into number seven of our poll.

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© UNIKYLUCKK/Shutterstock

6. China

Plenty of you agreed with @CultureTrip when they said you can’t beat Chinese for its deliciousness, and @ManRuiTian loves it because of “the sheer variety of flavours of dumplings, teas, & spices you can get across the provinces is matched no where else.”

Dim Sum in bamboo steamer, Chinese cuisine

Dim Sum in bamboo steamer © Shutterstock

5. Vietnam

Describing it as the “perfect mix of Asian and French flavours”, @Dudzicsu’s vote helped push to Vietnamese cuisine into fifth place.

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Vietnamese spring rolls © Shutterstock

4. Japan

Our very own Editorial Assistant Rebecca chose Japanese food as her favourite because the cuisine is “stunning” as well as tasty. She said: “kaiseki ryori must be one of the most beautiful types of food you can set eyes on.”

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© Shutterstock

3. India

The intense flavours and colours of Indian food were bound get this country into the top five. From coconut to chili, this cuisine has something for everyone and @TravelSisi said: “I just loved their fabulous vegetarian options.”

Peranakan cuisine Ayam Buah Keluak - poisonous nut chicken stew curry in black bowl © PixHound/Shutterstock

© Shutterstock

2. Thailand

In second place comes Thailand and on Twitter @PolCandid chose this favoured cuisine because it's fiery-hot with chilli, fresh with lemongrass and fragrant with coriander.

1. Italy

And the award for best cuisine in the world goes to Italy. “The pasta, the pizza, the fish, the meat…” @Reislykke’s list goes on, and quite rightly: Italy’s fresh produce and flair for flavour got you voting – even our own Senior Web Editor Tim Chester said he’d happily survive on solely Italian food if he had too!

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© ventdusud/Shutterstock

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