The Aussie city just crowned the foodie spot most worth travelling for

According to a new study, Australia is worth crossing oceans to enjoy our food alone.

Most of us are willing to go out of our way when it comes to good food. Walking an extra block for a perfect cup of coffee. Driving a little further to the takeaway we really love. Taking a trip to a ice creamery, even though there’s store-bought in the freezer. We welcome a little bit of inconvenience if it means securing a good bite. But what about when it comes to travelling long haul?

With one in six British travellers citing food as a factor when deciding where to holiday, vacation company Travel Bag has crunched the numbers and determined the best long-haul foodie destinations. Unsurprisingly, two Australian destinations have made the top 10, with one being crowned the number one foodie destination overall. The study decided the scores based on the number of cuisines, cost and social media metrics. Read on to find out which cities won.

In second place…

The runner-up Aussie destination and fourth on the list overall is Sydney. The Emerald City is known for its relaxed coastal dining, abundance of fresh seafood and variety of cuisines, with the study citing 85 different cuisines in total.

Great views, like those at Quay, are synonymous with fine dining in Sydney. (Image: Nikki To/Destination NSW)

We rounded up some of the city’s best restaurants for 2025, and it isn’t hard to see why Sydney’s food scene would attract people from far and wide. For example, Saint Peter, the renowned seafood restaurant by Josh Niland, was named on the World’s 50 Best longlist, the only Australian restaurant to be included. With world-renowned chefs, imaginative flavours, amazing produce and views to boot, it makes perfect sense that Sydney would rank near the top of the list.

Locally sourced seafood at Paddington restaurant, Saint Peter by celebrated chef Josh Niland. (Image: Christopher Pearce)

First place goes to…

The number one spot for food-most-worth-travelling for is Melbourne. The study ranked Melbourne first for its staggering amount of different cuisines (100 total!), as well as the comparative affordability of a decent meal out. The results highlighted the city’s Korean food offerings that have strongly shaped the dining scene, as well as the types of food on offer at Queen Victoria Night Markets.

The Queen Victoria Winter Night Market is known for its great variety of food. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Melbourne is well-established for its unparalleled coffee, and its restaurant offerings are at a similarly high standard. Indeed, when it comes to food here, the bar is set high in every way, from casual eats to fine dining. And it’s no wonder the city nabbed the top spot. We’ve rounded up the best Melbourne restaurants for 2025 – doing the tough job of narrowing down all the amazing diners to 56 standouts.

Amaru in Armadale is regarded as one of the best restaurants in Melbourne.

The full foodie list

1. Melbourne
2. Toronto
3. Dubai
4. Sydney
5. Hanoi
6. Chicago
7. Houston
8. Tokyo
9. Bangkok
10. New York