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Taste Atlas lists Punjab as the seventh ‘Best Food Region’ in the world, highlighting its traditional restaurants and well-known dishes. West Bengal, Maharashtra, and Southern India are also on the list.
Punjab’s gastronomic heritage has earned it recognition as the world’s seventh-best food region.
As part of its Taste Atlas Awards 2024-25, the esteemed food and travel guide Taste Atlas has unveiled its much awaited ‘100 Best Food Regions in the World’ rankings. With Punjab placing an astounding seventh globally, India has much to be proud of on this list, which honours culinary excellence worldwide.
The locations with the highest average scores are highlighted in the rankings, which are based on more than 477,287 valid ratings for 15,478 foods in the Taste Atlas database. Punjab’s inclusion in the top 10 highlights the state’s diverse culinary traditions, which include well-known dishes like tikka, Amritsari kulcha, saag paneer, shahi paneer, and tandoori murgh. Notable Punjabi eateries that have contributed to the preservation and celebration of the state’s culinary legacy include Haveli, Kesar da Dhaba, Bharawan Da Dhaba, Bade Bhai ka Brothers Dhaba, and Crystal Restaurant.
Although Punjab led the way for India, other areas managed to secure a spot on the coveted list as well. With its popular street food and sweet foods like misal pav, aamras, shrikhand, and pav bhaji, Maharashtra was placed 41st. With a reference to its distinctive fusion of savoury and sweet flavours, which can be found in dishes like chingri malai curry, shorshe ilish, ras malai, and kathi rolls, West Bengal took 54th place. Recognised as a separate region, Southern India ranked 59th for its varied cuisine, which includes Hyderabadi biryani, madras curry, masala dosa, and more.
The rankings highlight the variety and diversity of Indian food on the international scene, even if the entire Indian food category came in at number 12 on Taste Atlas’ “100 Best Cuisines in the World.” Even though it didn’t place in the top 10, this accolade shows how popular India’s diverse culinary culture is throughout the world.
Punjab, which dominates India’s culinary presence, is a reminder of the nation’s remarkable culinary legacy and its place in the hearts—and palates—of foodies everywhere.
