Time Out believes that food is the best way to emotionally connect to a city and its people – to discover and experience the soul of the city. The 2020 Iconic Eats list showcases the dishes that locals believe everyone should try when visiting their city, from internationally recognised gastronomic touchstones to local classics that you’ll struggle to find anywhere else.

In Portugal, many would assume city locals would be united in suggesting the delicious custard tart called pastel de nata. But the majority of Porto residents advocated the city’s own francesinha, a stacked meat sandwich drizzled in melted cheese, which took 65% of the vote, while Lisbon locals thought bacalhau (15%), dried and salted cod, was the main dish of their city for visitors to try.

The UK is known for being a culinary melting pot with some of the world's best chefs, yet Londoners believe their city’s most iconic dish is the simple-yet-tasty fish and chips (19%). The people of Edinburgh urge visitors to try the traditional haggis (23%) while nearly half of Brummies (49%) want the balti curry recognised as their most iconic dish, since it was popularised in the city in the 1970s. Dublinites (12%) voted for coddle, the hearty leftover stew.

Tacos seem to be the most popular food within US cities, as Austin (28%) and LA (34%) both picked local variations as their most iconic dish. Pizza is also a major go-to dish, voted for by New Yorkers (48%) and Chicagoans (32%) – although local tastes mean the cities chose very different takes on the classic Italian dish. Bostonians love their seafood, with lobster rolls taking the highest spot (23%).

As part of the Iconic Eats list, Time Out’s expert editors and local food influencers have also recommended the best spots to try each city’s iconic dish.

James Manning, International Editor at Time Out, said: “Signature dishes are part of any city’s identity, and our survey showed that people all over the world are passionate – and often in disagreement! – about the dish that best represents their city. Many dishes picked by locals have deep or surprising local roots, but the Iconic Eats list also shows how much of their food and identity the world’s great cities owe to immigration. Though locals might not eat these dishes every day, they all say something crucial about how that city sees itself, and offer a genuine taste of local life.”

From A-Z by city, Time Out’s ‘world menu’ of Iconic Eats includes:

1. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Bitterballen

2. Austin, USA: Breakfast tacos

3. Barcelona, Spain: Patates braves

4. Berlin, Germany: Currywurst

5. Birmingham, UK: Balti

6. Boston, USA: Lobster roll

7. Budapest, Hungary: Gulyás

8. Buenos Aires, Argentina: Asado

9. Chicago, USA: Deep dish pizza

10. Copenhagen, Denmark: Smørrebrød

11. Dubai, UAE: Shawarma

12. Edinburgh, UK: Haggis

13. Hong Kong, China: Dim sum

14. Istanbul, Turkey: Döner kebap

15. Johannesburg, South Africa: Braai steak

16. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Nasi lemak

17. Lisbon, Portugal: Bacalhau

18. London, UK: Fish and chips

19. Los Angeles, USA: Street tacos

20. Madrid, Spain: Cocido madrileño

21. Marseille, France: Bouillabaisse

22. Melbourne, Australia: Parma

23. Mexico City, Mexico: Tacos al pastor

24. Miami, USA: Cuban sandwich

25. Milan, Italy: Risotto milanese con ossobuco

26. Montreal, Canada: Poutine

27. Moscow, Russia: Shaurma

28. Mumbai, India: Vada pav

29. Naples, Italy: Pizza margherita

30. New York, USA: Pizza

31. Osaka, Japan: Takoyaki

32. Paris, France: Steak frites

33. Philadelphia, USA: Cheesesteak

34. Porto, Portugal: Francesinha

35. Prague, Czech Republic: Svíčková

36. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Feijoada

37. Rome, Italy: Carbonara

38. San Francisco, USA: Burrito

39. São Paulo, Brazil: Pizza

40. Seoul, South Korea: Korean barbecue

41. Singapore, Singapore: Chicken rice

42. Stockholm, Sweden: Köttbullar

43. Sydney, Australia: Rock oysters

44. Tokyo, Japan: Ramen

45. Vancouver, Canada: Sushi

46. Washington, DC, USA: Half-smoke

To discover more about the iconic dishes visit: www.timeout.com/iconiceats