Chew on this news: Vancouver is the sole Canadian city to rank on this year's list of the 20 top cities in the world for travellers who make food the focus of their trips.
Tripadvisor's Traveller's Choice 2023 "Best of the Best" awards puts Vancouver in 20th place - an incredible distinction considering the city lands just one place behind New York and in the company of global destinations known for food, like Rome and Paris.
"If eating, snacking, and more eating are at the heart of your itinerary, you’ll find some of the best local flavours in these top spots," says the user-generated travel review site of its picks.
Vancouver was also ranked the top Canadian travel destination for 2023, too. A number of the over 1,400 recommended "things to do" in and around the coastal mainland B.C. city involve food and drink, like a Gastown Historic Walking Food Tour, a biking and hiking tour that includes lunch, and a couple of other experiences we've taste-tested ourselves: The Underground Donut Tour and the Foodie Tour of Granville Island.
One food tour in particular, "A Wok Around Chinatown: Culinary and Cultural Walking Tour Led by a Chef," has a special distinction: It was among the 25 "Top Food Experiences" in the world as chosen by Tripadvisor users, ranking 24th on the list and one of the two Canadian food-ventures meriting a mention.
And for those who prefer to eat sitting down (and dressed up), Vancouver's elegant Five Sails was ranked fourth out of 10 in the travellers' choice awards for "Best Fine Dining Restaurants" in Canada.
It's worth noting that while travellers look to guided food tours to taste their way around a destination, when in Vancouver, our coffee, cocktail, craft beer, and restaurant scene - at all price points - has plenty to offer locals and visitors alike.
Last year's arrival of the prestigious Michelin Guide restaurant ratings and recommendations in Vancouver - a five-year agreement between Destination Vancouver and the French company - has been seen as another means to further elevate the city as a tourism hotspot for food-focused visitors from around the globe.
Take a look at the other incredible destinations ranked best of the best for food fans in case you need some delicious globe-trotting inspiration.
Best Food Destinations 2023 — World
- Rome, Italy
- Crete, Greece,
- Hanoi, Vietnam
- Florence, Italy
- Paris, France
- Barcelona, Spain
- Lisbon, Portugal
- Naples, Italy
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Jamaica
- Charleston, South Carolina
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Cuba
- Cape Town Central, South Africa
- San Sebastian - Donostia, Spain
- Lyon, France
- New York City, New York
- Vancouver, Canada
