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Sampling a local dish is arguably the best way to immerse yourself in the culture of a new city, and Latin America is blessed with a shedload of flavour and variety when it comes to its cuisines.
No wonder, then, that four cities in the region featured in Time Out’s Best Cities for Food with Intrepid Travel this year. The ranking is based on a survey of more than 24,000 urbanites from over 150 different cities, whose responses were then combined with insight from city editors and food critics to curate the final list.
It’s no surprise that this year’s champion was the brilliant city of Lima. Thanks to an 80 percent approval rating from locals, as well as 85 percent commending its affordability, the Peruvian capital sits comfortably in first place.
Sitting in third place overall was Mexico City, which not only garnered an 80 percent approval rating from locals, but ranked joint-second among Time Out’s expert panel.
And sure, CDMX’s food scene is a beautiful mixture of influences that nod to everywhere from France and the Mediterranean to Asia, but it would simply be a crime to visit and not sample the most quintessential local dish.
Editorial director of Time Out Mexico City Mauricio Nava said: ‘The taco is the city’s emblem, even more so than the axolotl; try Enrique Olvera’s classics at Pujol, with nixtamalised tortillas and quelites.’
Further down our list was Buenos Aires, which ranked in 17th place overall, though tied with CDMX among our panel of experts.
The Argentinian capital is beloved particularly for its coffee shop scene, as well as its late-night and street food, and Time Out writer Guido Corsini explains why 2026 is a particularly exciting year to visit.
‘The city is presently reconnecting with its immigrant roots through the rise of the neo-bodegón: a new generation of young chefs simply focused on cooking delicious food while honouring local culinary heritage through the spirit of the neighbourhood restaurant, serving nostalgic dishes backed by impeccable technique,’ he says. ‘Experience it at the laid-back Garabato and at Silvino, both located in the heart of Chacagiales, the trendy gastronomic district connecting the neighbourhoods of Chacarita and Colegiales.’
Lastly, we have Medellin, which, beaten by only London, was ranked highest for the overall quality of its food scene with a staggering 94 percent of locals describing it as high-quality. The best thing to order? That’d be the crunchy beef and potatoes empanada from the counter at Empanadas El Machetico de Nico, according to local writer Luis Gomez.
🍝 Check out the full list of Time Out’s Best Cities for Food with Intrepid Travel.
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