As the saying goes, “Food is the first necessity of the people.” No one can resist the temptation of delicious food. Recently, CNN Travel updated their list, sparking interest in the ranking of the world’s culinary countries! Let’s see which countries/cuisines top the list:
1st Place: Italy
Topping the list at number one is Italian cuisine! For centuries, Italian food has captivated taste buds worldwide with its simple ingredients and ease of cooking. Rich tomato sauce, often with cream, is a staple. Italian ingredients are easy to cook with and enjoy. Grab some pasta, drizzle olive oil, prepare garlic, tomatoes, and bacon. Boom! Perfectly done. 
Classic Italian pizza, Italian salami, and Italian coffee are the top three most addictive dishes. Almost all novice cooks start with Italian cuisine.
2nd Place: China
Chinese culinary culture is vast and profound, ranking second.
Since ancient times, the first thing Chinese people say when meeting is “Have you eaten?” or “What did you eat for lunch?” It’s safe to say that food is embedded in everyone’s DNA. Every province and region has its signature dishes.
CNN’s must-eat Chinese foods include: “Sweet and Sour Pork,” “Dim Sum,” “Roast Suckling Pig and Peking Duck,” and “Xiaolongbao.” Foreigners are often surprised by xiaolongbao, wondering how the soup gets inside the dumpling wrapper? Peking duck is considered a culinary miracle cooked in the oven.
3rd Place: France
Head to Paris. This city values the importance of food.
CNN notes that for the French, a two-hour lunch break to enjoy a three-course meal is essential. Baguettes, macarons, and escargot are representatives. It’s astonishing that the French turn slimy, garden-dwelling snails into a delicacy!
After all, France is the birthplace of the Michelin Guide, so dining here is always a good choice.
4th Place: Spain
Spanish culture is based on food, revolves around food, and sometimes even hides in food.
Spanish cuisine is full of unrestrained passion. Locals snack throughout the day or have a hearty meal.
In Spain, churros are a must-have breakfast food! They can be dipped in rich chocolate or filled with cream or chili sauce for a quirky taste. Besides churros, ham is also a representative Spanish dish.
5th Place: Japan
In Japan, it’s impossible to eat poorly. Japanese cuisine is famous, with sushi restaurants in Los Angeles importing ingredients from Japan weekly. The Japanese attention to food detail is unparalleled.
Here, you can enjoy a luxurious kaiseki meal, experiencing the poetry of the seasons through visual and culinary delights. Or find a seat at a conveyor belt sushi restaurant for a solo feast.
Sushi, miso soup, and tempura are representatives. The author’s favorite is tempura, where the batter is never greasy, thin and light like a crisp sheet of paper, perfect for frying anything.
6th Place: India
In Indian cuisine, there are no rules for spice usage as long as it tastes good. The same spice can enhance both savory and sweet dishes, and sometimes be eaten on its own.
For example, fennel seeds can be enjoyed at the end of a meal as a digestive aid to freshen breath.
Dhal, Indian chai, and dosa are representative dishes.
7th Place: Greece
What’s the secret of Greek cuisine? The glistening olive oil (drizzled on other foods or soaked into bread, its flavor rivals wine).
Olive oil is arguably Greece’s largest export product, influencing global views on food and nutrition.
Eating in Greece is also a way to consume history. A bite of dolma or a spoonful of lentil soup can give you a taste of ancient Greek life. Spanakopita and gyros are representative dishes.
8th Place: Thailand
Street food is a highlight of Thai cuisine. Flip through a Thai cookbook, and you’ll hardly find an ingredient list shorter than a page!
The combination of so many herbs and spices in each dish creates complex flavors, blending spicy, sour, salty, sweet, chewy, crunchy, and smooth.
Tom Yum Soup and Green Papaya Salad are quintessential Thai flavors, with a sour-sweet taste that’s instantly addictive.
9th Place: Mexico
Mexican cuisine has everything, ensuring you never get bored.
It’s worth mentioning that Mexican food is a nutrient-rich hodgepodge. Avocado, tomatoes, garlic, combined with beans, chocolate, and chili, all contain rich antioxidants and health-promoting components. However, the taste when combined is hard to judge.
Tacos al Pastor and tamales are local representatives.
10th Place: USA
Roar! The USA ranks in the Top 10!
Many of America’s popular foods originated from other cuisines. Pizza is Italian; fries are Belgian or Dutch; hamburgers and hot dogs might be German? But in American kitchens, they’ve been improved and supplemented, becoming global icons for food enthusiasts. Cheeseburgers and chocolate chip cookies are representative American foods.
