Global ranking puts Vietnamese cuisine among world's top 20 culinary destinations

Hanoi's beloved specialty, Cha Ca La Vong wins the hearts of many diners both at home and abroad. Photo: Duy Khanh/The Hanoi Times

With a score of 4.36, Vietnam ranks 16th on Taste Atlas's list of the world's 100 best cuisines, surpassing Thailand's representative. The ranking is based on more than 590,000 verified reviews covering 16,357 dishes in the platform's database. Within Southeast Asia, Indonesia leads at 10th place with a score of 4.48, followed by the country at 16th, Thailand at 24th, the Philippines at 25th, Malaysia at 29th, Singapore at 90th, and Laos at 96th.

Taste Atlas highlights the cuisine's regional diversity, fresh ingredients, rich flavors, and its ability to “awaken the palate.” The platform recommends signature dishes such as vinegar-dipped beef hotpot, banh mi (Vietnamese baguette sandwich), Cha ca La Vong turmeric grilled fish, mi quang turmeric noodles, pho noodle soup, sizzling rice crepes, spring rolls, beef stew, Hue-style spicy beef noodle soup, caramelized braised pork, and sweet desserts. In the list of the world's 100 best dishes, Southern-style beef noodle salad ( bun bo Nam Bo ) scores 4.35 stars and ranks 81st.

Taste Atlas describes it as a traditional southern dish featuring rice noodles, beef, herbs, carrots, cucumber, bean sprouts, roasted peanuts, and fried shallots, ingredients that blend harmoniously for a distinctive, flavorful bowl. Pho , a globally recognized favorite, earns 4.34 stars and ranks 83rd.

Pho bo- the soul-warming beef noodle soup is no ordinary meal but a ritual and a source of comfort that is deeply woven into the daily lives of Hanoians. Photo: Duy Khanh/The Hanoi Times

Among salads, the country's mixed vegetable salad ( nom ) ranks 64th with its mix of cabbage, kohlrabi, green papaya, green mango, banana blossom, cucumber, and sometimes boiled pork, topped with dipping sauce and often served with prawn crackers. Dry mixed pho ( Pho tron ) also appears in this category at 66th place.

Beyond food, local beverages continue to make a strong impression. In Taste Atlas's ranking of the 62 best drinks in Southeast Asia, three national drinks appear in the top 10. Iced milk coffee ranks third, described as a blend of strong drip coffee, mostly Robusta, sweetened condensed milk, and ice, considered a cultural icon. The country's version of bubble tea unexpectedly ranks fifth, placing above the Taiwanese original, which sits at sixth. Black coffee takes sixth place and is noted as a staple of daily life.

The delightful variations of Hanoi's famous Egg Coffee. Photo: Giang Cafe

The country dominates the top 10 further with lotus tea (12th), iced yogurt (23rd), tao meo fruit wine (26th), jar-fermented rice wine (29th), and fermented sticky rice wine (31st).

The widespread presence of the country's dishes and drinks across multiple Taste Atlas rankings reflects its growing influence on the global culinary map. Steady improvements over the past three years show rising international appreciation and confirm the strong appeal of its cuisine.

Founded in 2015 in Croatia, Taste Atlas connects more than 9,000 local restaurants and introduces tens of thousands of dishes to readers based on reviews and culinary research by experts, chefs, and users.

The platform notes that its rankings are not final global conclusions but aim to promote local specialties, celebrate traditional foods, and inspire curiosity about dishes people may not have tried before.

By Nhat Khanh

Source: http://sodulich.hanoi.gov.vn/global-ranking-puts-vietnamese-cuisine-among-worlds-top-20-culinary-destinations.html