A fresh report on the “best places to eat in 2026” highlighted the top 10 global cities worth visiting for their food this year. Boston is the only American city to make the list, alongside culinary hotspots like Seville, Spain, and Hong Kong.
The list is determined by a team of seasoned Condé Nast Traveler editors who explore the globe hunting for the most crave-worthy spots to dine. With years of experience exploring destinations around the world, the team determined that Boston’s food scene is one on the rise, and holds its own as an excuse to visit the 617.
Boston as a foodie destination
Condé Nast Traveler, notes of Boston’s booming food industry:
There was a time when Boston’s food scene was as predictable as the Green Line at rush hour: not perfect but getting the job done. This was the city of just-fine steaks in wood-paneled dining rooms, red sauce by the gallon in the North End, and lobster rolls and fried clams in every direction—it was dependable and very Boston, but hardly adventurous or exciting. But in recent years, the city has pulled off the reinvention of the century. Much like its skyline, which is now punctuated by shimmering glass towers, its food scene is increasingly transforming into something sleeker and unmissable, states the publication.
Praise for Kaia
Kaia, part of Xenia Greek Hospitality (also, Bar Vlaha, Krasi, Greco, Hecate) is mentioned several times by the editorial team, noting “Kaia is among the restaurants pushing Boston beyond its seafood, red sauce, and steak-only reputation.” The South End restaurant earned an accolade as one of the world’s best new restaurants, according to Condé Nast Traveler. They also note Kaia’s dedication to literally transporting authentic Greek flavors to Boston; “Kaia offers a catch of the day flown in from the Aegean and served in a design-forward setting,” states Condé Nast Traveler.
Beyond South End, Seaport gets praise for its expanding food scene:
Today, Seaport is where much of the action takes place. Danny Meyer’s popular Italian concept Ci Siamo will open its first location outside Manhattan here in 2026. Mai, a sultry French-Japanese fusion concept with lacquered interiors and jewel-box plates, is about as far from Ye Olde Boston as you can get. It will join viral favorites like homegrown Lakon Paris Patisserie, an authentic French-style patisserie known for its cubic croissants, and Taiyaki NYC, which serves ice cream in adorable koi-shaped cones. Woods Hill Pier 4, which is still one of the best expressions of New England farm-to-table cuisine and has a stunning waterfront dining room to boot, proves that Seaport not only is sexy but has substance, writes Condé Nast Traveler.
Top food cities of 2026
Sharing space on the list alongside Boston are the following cities:
- Prince Edward County, Canada
- Patan, Nepal
- Parramatta, Sydney, Australia
- Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Medellín, Colombia
- Hong Kong
- Fès, Morocco
- Crete, Greece
- Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Jamie Bissonette’s trio of recent openings also draw praise from Condé Nast Traveler:
Local restaurant group BCB3 keeps raising the bar and generating serious buzz. Its trio of must-visits are Somaek, a modern Korean joint and semifinalist for this year’s James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant; Sushi @ Temple Records, a narrow, wonderfully authentic-feeling record bar, modeled after those in Tokyo, which offers some of the city’s top sushi; and Zurito, a splashy new Basque spot whose shared plates and extensive vermouth menu feels like a breath of fresh air on Boston’s staid Beacon Hill.
The publication also cities Charlestown’s Dovetail as a “hidden gem,” and Somerville’s Celeste as some of the “best Peruvian food in the Northeast,” with excitement around their sister opening at Lyrik, Rosa y Marigold. In total, only ten cities made the list, and Boston is the only US city represented. The publication states Boston is worth visiting for its “global flavors, waterfront dining, and more neighborhood action than ever.”