Medellín Named a Best Food City in Time Out's 2026 Ranking

Medellín is officially a best food city on the global stage: Time Out published its 2026 ranking of the world’s 20 best cities for food in June 2026, placing Medellín at No. 20 — the only Colombian city on the list, just behind Copenhagen (Time Out). The ranking draws on a survey of more than 24,000 people across 150-plus cities, combined with scores from Time Out’s editors and food critics (Time Out; Infobae).

What Time Out’s ranking actually measured

The final score is a 70/30 blend: local residents’ survey responses count for 70% of a city’s placement, and Time Out’s own editor and food-critic panel supplies the remaining 30%. Locals were asked to rate their city’s overall food-scene quality, how affordable it is to eat out, and what their city does best gastronomically (Time Out). Only the top-scoring city from each country made the final 20, which is why Medellín — not Bogotá or Cartagena — represents Colombia (Time Out). Lima topped the overall list, followed by Bangkok and Mexico City, with Medellín rounding out the field at No. 20, just behind Copenhagen (Time Out).

Time Out’s full 2026 top 20

Here’s the complete ranking, one city per country (Time Out):

1. Lima, Peru
2. Bangkok, Thailand
3. Mexico City, Mexico
4. London, UK
5. Barcelona, Spain
6. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
7. Melbourne, Australia
8. Beijing, China
9. Athens, Greece
10. Lisbon, Portugal
11. Cape Town, South Africa
12. Osaka, Japan
13. Bangalore, India
14. Naples, Italy
15. New York City, USA
16. Hong Kong
17. Buenos Aires, Argentina
18. Marseille, France
19. Copenhagen, Denmark
20. Medellín, Colombia

Why Medellín ranks as a best food city

Medellín’s placement comes down to three component scores, none of which is the overall ranking score itself:

• 94% food-quality score — the second-highest of any city on the list after London, as of the June 2026 ranking (Time Out)
• 95% fresh-produce approval — the best of any city on the list, as of the June 2026 ranking (Time Out)
• 79% affordability score, as of the June 2026 ranking (Time Out)

The 20th-place finish reflects the blended 70/30 calculation across all criteria, not any single number above — which is how a city with such strong quality and value scores still lands near the bottom of a top-20 field stacked with culinary capitals like Bangkok and Barcelona.

The Medellín kitchens the coverage pointed to

Colombia One’s coverage of the ranking singled out a handful of Medellín kitchens as evidence of the city’s momentum, including Test Kitchen Lab, Idílico, and Salón Centro for reinterpreting traditional Colombian recipes with contemporary technique — a claim Comiida could not independently verify against Time Out’s own site (Colombia One). Test Kitchen Lab is a useful example of what’s likely driving the score: as we reported in our coverage of the Wake Medellín openings, the fermentation-driven tasting counter moved into a larger space inside the hotel’s Provenza complex in mid-2026 and runs an eight-course, Colombian-ingredients-only tasting menu (El Tiempo; Travel + Leisure / Yahoo Travel).

How Medellín compares in the region

Medellín’s appearance continues a strong run for Latin American food cities in 2026: Lima (No. 1), Mexico City (No. 3), Buenos Aires (No. 17), and Medellín (No. 20) put four Latin American cities in the global top 20 (Rio Times; Time Out). Colombian press has framed the result as validation of a scene that’s grown well beyond bandeja paisa and mondongo, with international chefs and returning Colombian talent opening ambitious kitchens across El Poblado, Laureles, and the city center (El Colombiano).

What this means if you’re eating in Medellín right now

For visitors and residents, the ranking confirms what’s been building for a few years: high-profile openings, a produce supply chain locals rate above almost anywhere else surveyed, and — as of July 2026 — prices that still register as affordable next to global food capitals. That last point is worth watching: Colombia’s new labor reform is pushing Medellín menu prices up this year, so the 79% affordability score may not hold in next year’s survey.

If you’re building a food-focused visit around the ranking, Wake Medellín’s new restaurant lineup is a good starting point for dinner. Pair it with El Poblado’s rooftop bar scene for after-dark drinks, or, for summer visitors, build a day around the Feria de las Flores food events.

FAQ

Where did Medellín rank in Time Out’s 2026 best food cities list? 20th of 20 in Time Out’s 2026 ranking, the only Colombian city on the list, based on a survey of more than 24,000 people plus Time Out’s critic panel (Time Out).

What was Medellín’s food-quality score? As of the June 2026 ranking, 94% of locals surveyed rated Medellín’s food quality highly — the second-highest score on the list after London (Time Out).

Which city topped the 2026 ranking? Lima, Peru, followed by Bangkok and Mexico City (Time Out).

Why did Medellín rank 20th if its food quality scored 94%? Because food quality is only one input, not the overall placement. Time Out weights local survey responses — food quality, fresh produce, affordability, and what a city does best — at 70%, and its editor/critic panel at 30%; Medellín’s 20th-place finish is the blended result of that full formula, not a reflection of the 94% figure alone (Time Out).