From Danish open sandwiches and Turkish köfte to Icelandic fermented shark and huge pans of Spanish paella, food in Europe comes in all shapes, sizes and flavours. But there’s only one European city that can officially say it has the best food scene on the planet. 

We surveyed thousands of locals about eating out in their city to help us come up with a brand-new ranking of the world’s best cities for food, and Naples was rated the very best for its quality and affordability.

The proof is in the pie. Preparing and sharing food is at the heart of Italy’s culture, from the warming, hearty dishes served up in the North to all the fresh seafood devoured on the islands. But if there’s one thing Italy is known for, it’s pizza, and there are none better than the margheritas that are pulled, flipped and charred in Naples (sometimes for as little as €1). 

Naples wasn’t the only city in Europe to make the list. Liverpool came in at number 11, thanks to the generous helping of exciting new chefs hailing from the city, and Seville ranked at number 13, with local writer Anna Kaminski saying the city’s food scene ‘has been among the most exciting in Spain for years’. 

Porto, Lyon and Copenhagen all made our top 20, and Madrid was the pick named by chef Michael Ayoub of Fornino at Time Out Market New York, who told us: ‘Madrid is a treasure trove of cultural wonders, with a rich culture and profound historical heritage. It’s no doubt one of the world’s best cities – for food and everything else.’

Hungry for more? You can read all about our research into the world’s best cities for food here.

These are the best restaurants and the best pizzerias in Naples, and we’ve got a list of the best restaurants in Italy, too. 

Did you see that these have been named as the best pizzerias in Europe?

Plus: The World’s Best Restaurants have just announced the first batch of winners. 

Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out Travel newsletter for all the latest travel news.