Food maps
Long lines
The viral, social-media food places people queue for in 50 cities. For each: what to get when you reach the front, how long the wait usually is, and how to beat it. Tap a city on the map, or open its food map with only the lines showing.
Europe
Amsterdam On the map ›
The apple pie every Amsterdam list mentions.
Get: Apple pie with whipped cream
Expect: Saturday crowds during the Noordermarkt
Beat it: Go on a weekday
Stroopwafels made to look good on camera.
Get: A fresh stroopwafel dipped in chocolate
Expect: Steady lines
Beat it: Go in the morning
A fries hatch with lines since 1957.
Get: Fries with the satay or war (mayo, satay and onion) sauce
Expect: 10 to 20 min
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
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A newer fries shop that took over the feeds.
Get: Fries with truffle mayo
Expect: Steady queues
Beat it: Go before noon
A shop selling a single cookie, and Amsterdam's most famous line.
Get: The one cookie they make: dark chocolate with white chocolate inside
Expect: 15 to 40 min
Beat it: Go at opening, or later in the afternoon
A brown café known for ribs since 1971.
Get: The spare ribs, a huge rack
Expect: 45 to 90 min, walk-ins only
Beat it: Go at 5pm opening
A Kiwi-Brazilian brunch spot with weekend queues.
Get: Banana nutbread French toast and the eggs
Expect: 30 to 60 min at weekend brunch
Beat it: Go on a weekday
A 1642 canal-side café with famous apple pie.
Get: Apple pie with whipped cream
Expect: 20 to 40 min for a seat
Beat it: Go in the morning
The fries stand on the main street from the station.
Get: Flemish fries with oorlog (mayo, satay and onion)
Expect: Short but constant
Beat it: Any time, it moves fast
Dutch pancakes in a 17th-century warehouse near the Anne Frank House.
Get: A Dutch pancake with apple, bacon and stroop
Expect: 20 to 45 min at lunch
Beat it: Go at 9am opening
A royal-warrant bakery whose croquettes are in the best restaurants.
Get: A shrimp croquette and the pastries
Expect: Queue at the counter on Saturdays
Beat it: Go on a weekday
Athens On the map ›
A souvlaki stand since 1950.
Get: Souvlaki pita with tomato sauce
Expect: Lunch lines
Beat it: Go mid-morning
Modern loukoumades with toppings.
Get: Loukoumades (honey doughnuts) with ice cream
Expect: Evening lines
Beat it: Go in the afternoon
Pies baked since 1910.
Get: Cheese pie, still warm
Expect: Lunch crowds
Beat it: Go mid-morning
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The Monastiraki kebab since 1964.
Get: Kebab with pita and onions
Expect: Waits at dinner
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
Barcelona On the map ›
A tiled cava bar, standing room only.
Get: House cava, anchovies and pan con tomate
Expect: Packed bar with waits
Beat it: Go at 7pm opening
No sign on the door, and the original bomba inside.
Get: The bomba (it was invented here) and grilled sardines
Expect: Waits at lunch
Beat it: Go at opening, weekdays
Cheap cava, bodies everywhere, joyful chaos.
Get: Rosé cava and a hot sandwich
Expect: Shoulder-to-shoulder at night
Beat it: Go at opening
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A wall of bottles and tinned-fish montaditos.
Get: Montaditos topped with tinned fish
Expect: Standing room with a wait
Beat it: Go at noon
A counter inside the Boqueria market.
Get: Fried eggs with baby squid
Expect: 20 to 45 min for a stool at lunch
Beat it: Go at 9am for breakfast
Pep's counter is the most famous seafood counter in Barcelona.
Get: Let them choose: clams, tiny fried fish, the tortilla
Expect: 45 to 90 min for the counter
Beat it: Go right at opening for dinner
The bravas Barcelona argues about, in an old neighborhood bar.
Get: Patatas bravas, with the garlic and spicy sauce
Expect: 20 to 40 min at Sunday lunch
Beat it: Go on a weekday
A tapas bar near Passeig de Gràcia that's always packed.
Get: Montaditos (little toasts) and grilled prawns at the bar
Expect: 30 to 60 min at dinner
Beat it: Go at 1pm or 7pm
A pastry school's shop whose filled croissant is a must.
Get: The mascarpone-filled croissant
Expect: 20 to 30 min on weekend mornings
Beat it: Go on a weekday
A loud neighborhood tapas bar far from the tourist center.
Get: Bravas, fried calamari and a cold caña
Expect: 30 to 60 min at weekend lunch
Beat it: Go at noon on a weekday
A chocolate parlor on Carrer Petritxol since 1947.
Get: Thick hot chocolate and churros
Expect: 20 to 30 min in the afternoon
Beat it: Go before 10am
Berlin On the map ›
Berlin's most famous döner queue.
Get: The vegetable kebab with feta and lemon
Expect: 45 min to over an hour
Beat it: Go late morning on a weekday
Currywurst next to Mustafa's.
Get: Currywurst with fries
Expect: Short but steady
Beat it: Any time
A burger shop in an old public toilet under the tracks.
Get: A cheeseburger with chili cheese fries
Expect: 15 to 30 min at night
Beat it: Go before 8pm
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Cinnamon rolls rolled in the window.
Get: A cinnamon roll, warm
Expect: Weekend lines out the door
Beat it: Go on a weekday
Currywurst under the U-Bahn tracks since 1930.
Get: Currywurst ohne Darm (skinless)
Expect: Lunch lines
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
Many locals pick it over Mustafa's, with a shorter line.
Get: A chicken gemüse kebab with everything
Expect: 20 to 45 min at night
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
A coffee roaster whose cheesecake made it famous.
Get: The cheesecake and a filter coffee
Expect: 15 to 30 min on weekends
Beat it: Go on a weekday
Vegan donuts by the canal.
Get: A vegan donut, the seasonal one
Expect: 15 to 30 min on weekend afternoons
Beat it: Go in the morning
A Japanese-American brunch spot in Mitte.
Get: The okonomiyaki and the matcha French toast
Expect: 30 to 60 min at weekend brunch
Beat it: Go on a weekday
Neapolitan pizza in a courtyard by the Landwehr Canal.
Get: A margherita from the wood oven, eaten by the canal
Expect: 30 to 60 min at night
Beat it: Go at opening, or take your pizza outside
One of Berlin's first ramen shops, and still the queue to beat.
Get: The tonkotsu
Expect: 30 to 45 min at dinner
Beat it: Go at 6pm on a weekday
Bologna On the map ›
Communal tables and Bologna's student-priced tagliatelle line.
Get: Tagliatelle al ragù, and mortadella
Expect: 30 to 60 min at dinner
Beat it: Arrive at opening
Fresh pasta made in the window, with a line out the door.
Get: Tortellini in brodo
Expect: Lines at lunch
Beat it: Go before noon
Bologna's gelato pilgrimage.
Get: Crema or pistachio gelato
Expect: Evening crowds
Beat it: Go in the afternoon
Copenhagen On the map ›
Many say it's the best cardamom bun in Copenhagen.
Get: Cardamom bun
Expect: Lines from opening
Beat it: Go at opening, they sell out
Copenhagen's croissant and coffee crowd.
Get: A croissant and a flat white
Expect: Weekend lines
Beat it: Go on a weekday
A Noma-trained chef's tacos.
Get: Carnitas and al pastor tacos
Expect: Lunch lines
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
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Richard Hart's bakery: Tartine meets Noma.
Get: A cardamom bun, and the sourdough
Expect: Weekend lines
Beat it: Go early
Florence On the map ›
The schiacciata sandwich with the world's longest Instagram queue.
Get: The La Paradiso (mortadella, pistachio cream, stracciatella)
Expect: 30 to 60 min
Beat it: Go early in the morning or late afternoon
A shared-table market trattoria open since 1953.
Get: Bistecca alla fiorentina, and ribollita
Expect: Lines at lunch. Lunch only, cash only
Beat it: Be there by noon
A market stall serving Florence's tripe sandwich since 1872.
Get: Lampredotto sandwich, bagnato (dipped)
Expect: 15 to 30 min at lunch
Beat it: Go at 11:30am
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The gelato that people walk across town for.
Get: Fig and walnut, or the ricotta
Expect: Evening crowds
Beat it: Go in the afternoon
A hole-in-the-wall panino shop since 1875.
Get: A panino with finocchiona and a glass of Chianti
Expect: 10 to 20 min at lunch
Beat it: Go before noon
Generous, cheap gelato by the Ponte alla Carraia.
Get: Crema and pistachio
Expect: 20 to 30 min on summer nights
Beat it: Go in the early afternoon
A busy, cheap pizzeria near Pitti Palace.
Get: The heart-shaped Gusta pizza with mozzarella and rocket
Expect: 30 to 45 min at dinner
Beat it: Go at 7pm, or take away
A big, busy trattoria on the Mercato Centrale square.
Get: Ribollita and the bistecca alla fiorentina
Expect: 30 to 45 min without a booking
Beat it: Book a table
The tripe cart behind Piazza della Signoria.
Get: A lampredotto panino, dipped, with salsa verde
Expect: 10 to 20 min at lunch
Beat it: Go before 12:30pm
Florence's oldest gelateria, since the 1930s.
Get: Gelato in a cup and an affogato
Expect: 20 to 30 min on summer evenings
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
Gelato at the foot of the Ponte Santa Trinita.
Get: Black sesame and the cream gelato
Expect: 15 to 30 min in summer
Beat it: Go in the afternoon
Lisbon On the map ›
The original custard tart, made here since 1837.
Get: Pastéis de nata, warm, with cinnamon
Expect: 15 to 30 min for take-away. Seating inside moves faster
Beat it: Skip the take-away line and sit inside
The nata many Lisboetas say is the best.
Get: Pastel de nata, straight from the oven
Expect: Short and steady
Beat it: Any time
The seafood hall Bourdain made famous.
Get: Tiger prawns, clams and a steak sandwich for dessert
Expect: 30 to 60 min at dinner
Beat it: Go at opening, or late
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A tiny tavern with a cult following.
Get: Petiscos from the chalkboard
Expect: Long waits. No reservations at dinner
Beat it: Put your name in at 6:30pm
Chef Kiko's Peruvian-Portuguese ceviche bar.
Get: Ceviche and a pisco sour, the giant octopus over the bar is the photo
Expect: 30 to 60 min, no bookings
Beat it: Put your name down, then have a drink at the kiosk in the garden
A lunch-only tasca with enormous plates.
Get: The bacalhau (cod) for two or three, and the stews
Expect: 30 to 60 min at lunch
Beat it: Arrive before 12:30pm. Lunch only
A Portuguese gelato maker since 1949.
Get: Morango (strawberry) and the passion fruit sorbet
Expect: 20 to 30 min on summer evenings
Beat it: Go in the afternoon
Anthony Bourdain's bifana stop on Praça Luís de Camões.
Get: A bifana (marinated pork sandwich) with mustard and a cold beer
Expect: Short, fast-moving crowd at the counter
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
A tiny bar with amateur fado nights.
Get: Chouriço and bread while you listen to fado
Expect: Lines out the door on fado nights
Beat it: Go before 8pm on Monday or Wednesday
A small Alfama tavern that's hard to get into.
Get: Small plates: bacalhau à brás and the pork cheeks
Expect: Long waits without a booking
Beat it: Book ahead, there are very few tables
A pastry shop on Praça da Figueira since 1829.
Get: A pastel de nata and a bolo rei (king cake) in season
Expect: 15 to 30 min at the counter
Beat it: Go at opening
London On the map ›
Fresh pasta at prices that start London's longest queue.
Get: Pici cacio e pepe, and the beef shin ragù pappardelle
Expect: An hour or more at peak times
Beat it: Use the virtual queue, or go at weekday opening
Bombay café food, and named the most viral restaurant in the world by Tripadvisor in 2026.
Get: Black daal, the bacon naan roll at breakfast
Expect: 30 to 90 min at dinner, though breakfast books ahead
Beat it: Book breakfast, or join the queue before 5pm
A 24-hour Brick Lane institution.
Get: Salt beef bagel with mustard
Expect: Short but constant, 24 hours a day
Beat it: Any time. It moves fast
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South London's croissant line, built on social media and regulars.
Get: A croissant or fruit danish, the everything-bagel croissant
Expect: Up to about an hour and 10 min on Saturdays
Beat it: Go on a weekday morning
A market stand that moved into a shop and kept its line.
Get: A stuffed falafel pita. The fried potato inside is the best bit
Expect: Queues are always long
Beat it: Go at opening on a weekday
A tiny bakery whose beignets sell out daily.
Get: Sourdough beignets, on sale from 11am until they sell out
Expect: Weekend queues are normal
Beat it: Be there for 11am
A smash-burger spot that went viral fast.
Get: A smash burger
Expect: Lines at most dinner times
Beat it: Go at weekday lunch
Taiwanese buns that started at a market stall and still draw a queue.
Get: The classic pork bao, the fried chicken bao and the fried Horlicks ice cream bao
Expect: 30 to 60 min in the evening
Beat it: Go at 5pm on a weekday
A Thai grill counter that's been one of Soho's hardest walk-ins for years.
Get: The clay-pot glass noodles with pork and the Thai sausages, at the counter
Expect: 45 to 90 min at dinner, walk-ins only for most seats
Beat it: Get there by 5:30pm and put your name down
A Fukuoka ramen shop's London branch, always busy.
Get: The tonkotsu original, with extra chashu
Expect: 30 to 45 min at dinner
Beat it: Go at 3 or 4pm
A pioneer of London's specialty coffee.
Get: A filter coffee and something from the bread basket
Expect: A long but fast queue on market days
Beat it: Go on a weekday before 9am
Lyon On the map ›
Lyon's famous pink praline brioche.
Get: Praline brioche
Expect: Weekend lines
Beat it: Go early
Lyon's praline brioche, from the Pralus family.
Get: The Praluline
Expect: Short lines
Beat it: Any time
Lyon's food hall.
Get: Oysters and white wine on a Saturday morning
Expect: Saturday crowds
Beat it: Go before 11am
Madrid On the map ›
Churros since 1894, at any hour.
Get: Churros with thick hot chocolate
Expect: 15 to 30 min, open late
Beat it: Go mid-morning
A classic tapas bar in Madrid, open since 1860.
Get: Cod croquettes and the tajada de bacalao (fried cod)
Expect: A busy bar at aperitivo time
Beat it: Go at noon
Madrid's calamari bocadillo.
Get: Calamari sandwich
Expect: Lines at peak times
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
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A Puerta del Sol pastry shop since 1894.
Get: Napolitana de crema (a cream-filled pastry)
Expect: Counter crowds
Beat it: Go early in the morning
The tortilla many Madrileños call the city's best, inside the Mercado de la Paz.
Get: Tortilla de patatas, a thick slice
Expect: Lines at breakfast and lunch at the market
Beat it: Go at 9am
Madrid's most famous squid sandwich, just off the Plaza Mayor.
Get: A bocadillo de calamares (fried squid sandwich)
Expect: Fast, crowded counter
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
An old tavern known for its fried cod.
Get: A tajada de bacalao (fried salt cod) and a vermouth
Expect: 15 to 30 min on Sunday mornings
Beat it: Go on a weekday
A quieter alternative to San Ginés.
Get: Churros or porras with thick chocolate
Expect: 15 to 30 min on weekends
Beat it: Go on a weekday morning
The bravas Madrid lines up for, since 1963.
Get: Patatas bravas with their secret sauce
Expect: Lines on weekends
Beat it: Go on a weekday afternoon, or take away a tub of sauce
A century-old tavern with one of the city's best tortillas.
Get: The tortilla, salmorejo and a draft beer
Expect: Standing room only at night
Beat it: Go at 6pm
A tortilla bar with lines on Calle del Pez.
Get: Tortilla de patatas with fillings like truffle or bacalao, and a craft beer
Expect: 30 to 45 min at night
Beat it: Go before 8pm
Milan On the map ›
Fried panzerotti served near the Duomo since 1949, and a fixture of every Milan visit.
Get: A panzerotto with tomato and mozzarella
Expect: 15 to 30 min at lunch
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
Milan's most-waited-for pastry.
Get: The brioche and a pastry of the day
Expect: Weekend lines out the door
Beat it: Go on a weekday morning
A famous Naples pizzaiolo in Milan.
Get: A Neapolitan Margherita, or the fried pizza
Expect: 30 to 60 min at dinner
Beat it: Go at opening
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Chinese dumplings made with meat from a famous Milan butcher.
Get: Pork and cabbage dumplings, from a farmer-butcher partnership
Expect: Steady lines
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
Paris On the map ›
A Belle Époque dining room, cheap enough to have a line out the door.
Get: Eggs mayonnaise, steak frites and profiteroles, at 1896 prices
Expect: 15 to 45 min at peak times
Beat it: Go before 12pm or after 9pm
The Marais falafel line, and fast once you're in it.
Get: The falafel special with eggplant
Expect: 15 to 30 min on weekends. It's closed Saturdays
Beat it: Go on a weekday
The bakery that started the crookie craze.
Get: The crookie (a croissant filled with cookie dough), then a proper croissant
Expect: Lines at weekend opening
Beat it: Go on a weekday morning
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Pastries that look like real fruit, and among the most posted in Paris.
Get: A trompe-l'œil fruit pastry, or the croissant
Expect: An hour or more on weekends
Beat it: Pre-order online, or go at weekday opening
One dish, no bookings, and a line every night.
Get: The only thing on the menu: steak frites with the green sauce, served twice
Expect: 30 to 60 min at dinner. No reservations
Beat it: Arrive at opening
Paris's classic ice cream.
Get: Salted caramel or wild strawberry sorbet
Expect: Lines on warm afternoons
Beat it: Go before lunch. It closes in late summer
A pastry shop whose pistachio swirl is on everyone's list.
Get: The escargot pistache-chocolat and the pain des amis
Expect: 20 to 30 min on weekday mornings, closed weekends
Beat it: Go at 7am on a weekday
The crêpe place that showed Paris what a great galette can be.
Get: A buckwheat galette complète and a salted butter caramel crêpe
Expect: 30 to 60 min without a booking
Beat it: Book a day or two ahead
The Big Mamma group's most photographed restaurant.
Get: The truffle pasta and the steak, on the top floor
Expect: 1 to 2 hours without a booking
Beat it: Book exactly when the slots open, or queue before 6:30pm
A modern bouillon with old-school prices.
Get: Egg mayonnaise, steak frites and profiteroles
Expect: 30 to 45 min at peak
Beat it: Go at 11:30am or after 10pm
A bakery known for creative pastry and very good bread.
Get: The black sesame éclair and the baguette
Expect: 15 to 30 min on weekends
Beat it: Go on a weekday
Eyal Shani's Tel Aviv pita shop on rue des Écouffes.
Get: The whole roasted cauliflower and the beef bourguignon pita
Expect: 15 to 30 min at lunch
Beat it: Go after 2pm
Porto On the map ›
Porto's most famous francesinha.
Get: A francesinha with fries
Expect: 30 to 60 min at peak times
Beat it: Go at 11:30am or late afternoon
The bifana the locals queue for.
Get: A spicy bifana (pork sandwich)
Expect: Busy at lunch
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
Slow-roasted pork and melting sheep's cheese.
Get: Pork sandwich with Serra da Estrela cheese
Expect: Waits at lunch and dinner
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
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One of the most beautiful cafés in the world.
Get: Coffee and a rabanada (French toast) in the Belle Époque room
Expect: 15 to 45 min to get in
Beat it: Go at opening
Rome On the map ›
A tiny trattoria whose queue is as famous as its carbonara.
Get: Carbonara, cacio e pepe, and the carciofi alla giudia in season
Expect: 45 min to over an hour
Beat it: Be in line before opening
Gabriele Bonci's slice shop, known around the world.
Get: Pizza al taglio by weight, try three toppings
Expect: 15 to 30 min at lunch
Beat it: Go at opening or mid-afternoon
The Florentine sandwich line, now in Rome too.
Get: The Schiacciata with mortadella, pistachio cream and stracciatella
Expect: 20 to 40 min
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
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Rome's best-known gelateria, open since 1900.
Get: Gelato in a cone with panna (whipped cream) on top
Expect: Crowds at the counter in the evening
Beat it: Pay at the cashier first, then queue
The bakery behind Rome's most famous deli.
Get: Pizza bianca, and the pizza rossa
Expect: Crowds at lunch
Beat it: Go mid-morning
Roman thin-crust pizza in Testaccio, unchanged in decades.
Get: A pizza romana (very thin), with fried supplì to start
Expect: 30 to 60 min on weekend nights, no bookings
Beat it: Get there before 7pm
A Trastevere trattoria with a permanent line out front.
Get: Tonnarelli cacio e pepe and the carbonara
Expect: 30 to 60 min at dinner
Beat it: Go at noon or before 7pm
Arcangelo Dandini's shop for supplì, Rome's fried rice balls.
Get: The classic supplì and one of the seasonal ones
Expect: Short but steady
Beat it: Any time, it moves fast
Stefano Callegari's pizza-pocket invention, at the original shop.
Get: A trapizzino of chicken cacciatore or tongue in green sauce
Expect: 15 to 30 min in the evening
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
A family pastry shop since 1916, famous for the maritozzo.
Get: A maritozzo con panna (cream bun)
Expect: Crowds at the counter on Sunday mornings
Beat it: Go on a weekday morning
Locals call it the obitorio (the morgue) for its marble tables.
Get: Pizza romana and a fried baccalà filet
Expect: 30 to 45 min at dinner
Beat it: Go at 7pm
Stockholm On the map ›
Stockholm's classic fika house since 1928.
Get: A cardamom bun and a princess cake
Expect: Fika-time crowds
Beat it: Go mid-morning
Buns so good the line is part of the weekend.
Get: A cardamom or cinnamon bun
Expect: Weekend lines out the door
Beat it: Go on a weekday morning
A herring cart Stockholm loves.
Get: Fried herring with mashed potatoes
Expect: Lunch lines
Beat it: Go before noon
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The cinnamon bun the size of your head.
Get: A giant cinnamon bun
Expect: Weekend waits
Beat it: Go on a weekday
Vienna On the map ›
Vienna's best-known schnitzel.
Get: Wiener schnitzel larger than the plate
Expect: Waits without a booking
Beat it: Book ahead
The original Sachertorte.
Get: Sachertorte with whipped cream
Expect: 20 to 40 min to get in
Beat it: Go first thing, or buy a torte to take away
The grand café of Freud and Trotsky.
Get: Apple strudel and a melange
Expect: 30 min or more at peak times
Beat it: Go at opening
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The imperial pastry shop.
Get: Sachertorte or Annatorte, and the pastry kitchen window
Expect: Lines to get a table
Beat it: Go early morning
Asia
Bangkok On the map ›
The Michelin-starred street food cook in ski goggles.
Get: Crab omelette and drunken noodles
Expect: Hours, booking is hard
Beat it: Book months ahead, or take a queue number early in the morning
Bangkok's most famous pad thai.
Get: Pad thai wrapped in an egg net
Expect: 20 to 40 min at night
Beat it: Go at 5pm opening
Late-night tom yum noodles that went viral.
Get: Mama tom yum noodles with a crispy pork belly
Expect: Hour-plus waits at night
Beat it: Go at opening
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The 'pink' chicken rice shop.
Get: Hainanese chicken rice
Expect: Lines but quick
Beat it: Any time
Bangkok's milk and toast institution.
Get: Toast with custard and fresh milk
Expect: Evening lines
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
Crisp oyster omelettes in Yaowarat.
Get: Hoi tod: crisp oyster omelette
Expect: 20 to 40 min in the evening
Beat it: Go at 5pm
A Yaowarat street stall with a nightly queue.
Get: Kuay jab: peppery rolled noodles with crispy pork
Expect: 20 to 40 min at night
Beat it: Go at opening, around 6pm
A charcoal-smoked congee stall with a Michelin Bib.
Get: Jok (smoky rice porridge) with pork and an egg
Expect: 15 to 30 min
Beat it: Go in the morning
A beef broth that's been simmering for about 50 years.
Get: Beef noodle soup from the 50-year-old pot
Expect: 15 to 30 min at lunch
Beat it: Go after 2pm
A roast duck shop on Charoen Krung since 1909.
Get: Roast duck and red pork on rice
Expect: 15 to 30 min at lunch
Beat it: Go mid-morning
Bangkok home-style Thai cooking with a famous crab omelette.
Get: The crab omelette and the stir-fried crab with yellow chili
Expect: 20 to 45 min at lunch
Beat it: Go at 11am
Hanoi On the map ›
The phở line in the Old Quarter.
Get: Phở bò tái (rare beef)
Expect: Morning lines, order and pay first
Beat it: Go before 7am
Where Obama and Bourdain ate bún chả.
Get: The Obama combo: bún chả, a seafood roll and a beer
Expect: Waits at lunch
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
A favorite of visitors to Hanoi.
Get: Mixed pork banh mi
Expect: Short lines
Beat it: Any time
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The café that invented egg coffee.
Get: Egg coffee
Expect: Waits at peak times
Beat it: Go mid-morning
Ho Chi Minh City On the map ›
The most famous banh mi in Saigon.
Get: The banh mi stuffed with pâté and cold cuts
Expect: 15 to 30 min
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
Grilled pork chops the size of a plate.
Get: Broken rice with a giant grilled pork chop
Expect: Waits at lunch
Beat it: Go mid-morning
A Saigon phở landmark.
Get: Phở with tái and chín beef
Expect: Busy most of the day
Beat it: Go before 8am
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Made famous by Bourdain, and still run by her family.
Get: Whatever soup the kitchen is making that day
Expect: Lunch crowds
Beat it: Go at 11am
Snail heaven in Saigon.
Get: Garlic butter snails and grilled scallops
Expect: Waits at night
Beat it: Go before 7pm
Hong Kong On the map ›
Michelin-starred roast goose.
Get: Roast goose with rice
Expect: 30 to 60 min
Beat it: Go at opening
Brusque service is part of the show.
Get: Scrambled eggs on toast and steamed milk pudding
Expect: Lines out the door, fast turnover
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
Beef brisket noodles that draw crowds.
Get: Beef brisket noodles in clear broth
Expect: 20 to 40 min
Beat it: Go at opening
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The milk tea strained through cloth.
Get: Silk-stocking milk tea and pork chop bun
Expect: Lunch lines
Beat it: Go mid-morning
A street-side dai pai dong.
Get: Tomato noodles with egg
Expect: Waits at lunch
Beat it: Go late morning
Michelin-noticed roast goose on Stanley Street.
Get: Roast goose over rice noodles
Expect: 20 to 45 min at lunch
Beat it: Go at 3pm
The dim sum shop once called the world's cheapest Michelin star.
Get: Baked char siu bao
Expect: 30 to 60 min on weekends
Beat it: Go on a weekday
The egg tart Governor Patten loved.
Get: An egg tart, warm
Expect: 10 to 20 min
Beat it: Go in the afternoon
The pineapple bun Hong Kong lines up for.
Get: Bolo yau (pineapple bun with a slab of butter) and milk tea
Expect: 20 to 30 min
Beat it: Go mid-morning
Shrimp wontons in a small bowl, a Central classic.
Get: Shrimp wonton noodles in a small bowl
Expect: 15 to 30 min at lunch
Beat it: Go after 2pm
An old tofu shop still grinding its own beans.
Get: Tofu pudding (dau fu fa) and fried tofu
Expect: 15 to 30 min
Beat it: Go in the morning
Kyoto On the map ›
The most photographed coffee in Kyoto.
Get: Kyoto latte
Expect: 20 to 40 min
Beat it: Go at opening
A teahouse with a line in Gion.
Get: Warabi mochi on ice
Expect: 30 to 60 min
Beat it: Go at weekday opening
Ramen set on fire, made for video.
Get: Fire ramen: green onions are set alight at the table
Expect: 30 to 60 min
Beat it: Go at opening
Show all 4
A soba shop open for more than five centuries.
Get: Hourai soba
Expect: Lunch waits
Beat it: Go at opening
Osaka On the map ›
Wobbling cheesecakes that go viral every year.
Get: Jiggly cheesecake, warm
Expect: 15 to 45 min
Beat it: Watch for the bell: it rings when a fresh batch comes out
Michelin-listed okonomiyaki on Dotonbori.
Get: Yam-yaki okonomiyaki
Expect: 30 to 60 min
Beat it: Go at opening
The original Shinsekai kushikatsu.
Get: Kushikatsu (no double-dipping!)
Expect: Waits at dinner
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
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Takoyaki in the city that invented it.
Get: Takoyaki, with the soy-sauce version too
Expect: Short but steady
Beat it: Any time
A tiny okonomiyaki counter in the Showa-era food street under the Sky Building.
Get: The modan-yaki (with noodles) and the sujinegi (beef tendon and scallion)
Expect: 30 to 60 min
Beat it: Go at 11:30am
An old sushi counter inside the Central Fish Market that opens before dawn.
Get: The 5-piece sets, made fast
Expect: 30 to 60 min
Beat it: Go at 6am
A 1910 western-style diner with a famous curry.
Get: The meibutsu curry: rice already mixed with curry, a raw egg on top
Expect: 20 to 40 min at lunch
Beat it: Go at 3pm
Osaka's most hyped ramen, Michelin Bib Gourmand.
Get: The shoyu ramen
Expect: 1 to 2 hours
Beat it: Go right at opening on a weekday
Osaka's most famous ramen, with thick pork slabs.
Get: The 'genten' shoyu ramen with the thick slices of pork
Expect: 45 to 90 min
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
Says it invented omurice in the 1920s, the main shop is an old wooden house.
Get: Chicken omurice (omelette over rice)
Expect: 20 to 40 min
Beat it: Go at 11:30am
Dotonbori takoyaki with big pieces of octopus.
Get: The dekotako (extra-large octopus pieces) takoyaki
Expect: 15 to 30 min at night
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
Seoul On the map ›
The bagel shop that defines Seoul's viral line.
Get: Potato cheese bagel, and the brick lane bagel
Expect: 1 to 3 hours. Join the online waitlist on a phone
Beat it: Use the waitlist
A Seoul noodle institution, now Michelin-listed.
Get: Kalguksu (knife-cut noodles in broth) and dumplings
Expect: 15 to 30 min at lunch
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
A ginseng chicken soup in a hanok.
Get: Samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup)
Expect: 30 to 60 min
Beat it: Go at opening
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Dakhanmari in the alley that's named after it.
Get: Dakhanmari (whole chicken hot pot) with noodles
Expect: Waits at dinner
Beat it: Go at lunch
A coffee shop in a traditional house.
Get: Pandoro dusted with sugar, in a hanok
Expect: Waits at weekends
Beat it: Go on a weekday morning
The mung bean pancake stall in Gwangjang Market.
Get: Mung bean pancakes, crisp, with onion soy
Expect: 15 to 30 min
Beat it: Go at 11am
The salt bread that became the city's viral pastry.
Get: Salt bread, warm, in a box of four
Expect: 30 to 60 min, sells out
Beat it: Go at opening
An English-style bakery café that's an Instagram fixture.
Get: Scones, warm, with clotted cream and jam
Expect: 30 to 60 min on weekends
Beat it: Go on a weekday morning
A pork grill famous for thick slabs of belly.
Get: Thick-cut pork belly, grilled at the table
Expect: 30 to 60 min at dinner
Beat it: Go at 4pm
The Gentle Monster group's art-dessert café.
Get: The black 'Peak' cake with matcha cream inside
Expect: 30 to 60 min on weekends
Beat it: Go on a weekday
A cold-noodle house since 1953.
Get: Hoe naengmyeon: cold buckwheat noodles with spicy raw fish
Expect: 15 to 30 min at lunch
Beat it: Go after 2pm
Singapore On the map ›
A Michelin-starred hawker stall with a famously long line.
Get: Bak chor mee, dry with chili
Expect: 45 min to over an hour
Beat it: Go on a weekday mid-afternoon
Anthony Bourdain's favorite chicken rice.
Get: Chicken rice with chili and ginger
Expect: 20 to 40 min
Beat it: Go before 11am
The peppery pork rib soup Singaporeans line up for.
Get: Peppery bak kut teh with free soup refills
Expect: 20 to 40 min
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
Show all 10
Some of the crispiest roti prata in Singapore.
Get: Crispy prata with curry
Expect: Morning lines
Beat it: Go before 9am
Silky Cantonese porridge.
Get: Fish and raw fish porridge
Expect: Morning lines
Beat it: Go early
A Michelin Bib Gourmand char kway teow.
Get: Char kway teow, smoky, with cockles
Expect: 30 to 60 min
Beat it: Go early in the morning
A 1925 coffee shop, reopened and still busy.
Get: Kaya toast on a bun, soft eggs and kopi
Expect: 20 to 40 min on weekends
Beat it: Go on a weekday morning
The laksa that beat Gordon Ramsay in a cook-off.
Get: Katong laksa, eaten with a spoon
Expect: 15 to 30 min at lunch
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
Late-night dim sum where the night shift and night owls meet.
Get: Mee sua kueh and the salted egg yolk buns
Expect: 30 to 60 min late at night
Beat it: Go after 1am, or before 7pm
Laksa still cooked over charcoal.
Get: A small bowl of charcoal-cooked laksa with cockles
Expect: 20 to 40 min at lunch
Beat it: Go at 9:30am
Taipei On the map ›
A breakfast line that wraps around the market building.
Get: Thick-crust shaobing with egg and a sweet soy milk
Expect: 30 to 60 min in the morning
Beat it: Go before 6:30am, or after 11am
The original Din Tai Fung.
Get: Xiao long bao
Expect: 30 to 60 min
Beat it: Take a number and walk around
Standing-only bowls in Ximending.
Get: Oyster vermicelli with garlic and chili
Expect: Lines but fast
Beat it: Any time
Show all 5
The gua bao people cross town for.
Get: Gua bao with a mix of lean and fatty pork
Expect: Evening lines
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
Taipei's most famous beef noodles.
Get: Braised beef noodle soup
Expect: 20 to 40 min
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
Tokyo On the map ›
A tsukemen shop with a permanent line.
Get: Tsukemen (dipping ramen) in a fish and chicken broth
Expect: 30 to 60 min
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
A small ramen counter with a long line in Ginza.
Get: Tori paitan ramen (creamy chicken broth)
Expect: 45 min to over an hour
Beat it: Go at opening on a weekday
A seafood bowl that shows up on every Tokyo food reel.
Get: Zeitaku-don (rice bowl piled with chopped seafood), ask for the sea bream broth at the end
Expect: 30 to 60 min
Beat it: Go at opening
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Doughnuts that went viral as soon as they opened.
Get: Pillowy brioche doughnuts
Expect: An hour or more on weekends
Beat it: Go on a weekday morning
Some of the best tonkatsu in Tokyo.
Get: Tokujo rosu (premium pork loin) katsu
Expect: 30 to 60 min
Beat it: Go at opening
The tempura bowl line in Nihonbashi.
Get: The tendon (tempura rice bowl) with a whole conger eel
Expect: 1 to 2 hours at lunch
Beat it: Be there 30 minutes before the 11am opening
The fried beef cutlet chain with lines in every branch.
Get: Gyukatsu (rare fried beef) you finish on a little hot stone
Expect: 45 to 90 min
Beat it: Use their online queue, or go late at night
A hamburg-steak counter that hands out time tickets.
Get: Three grilled hamburg steaks, one at a time, with rice
Expect: Ticket slots taken by mid-morning
Beat it: Get a time slot ticket when they open, then come back
The fish market's most famous sushi counter.
Get: The chef's omakase set
Expect: Up to 3 to 4 hours in the early morning
Beat it: Arrive before 5am, on a weekday
Tonkatsu in a former bathhouse.
Get: The kurobuta (black pork) loin katsu
Expect: 30 to 60 min at peak
Beat it: Go at 3 or 4pm
A Bib Gourmand ramen shop known for its yuzu-salt bowl.
Get: The shoyu or the yuzu shio ramen
Expect: 45 to 90 min
Beat it: Go at opening
North America
Boston On the map ›
Twenty seats and one of the most talked-about lobster rolls in New England.
Get: A hot buttered lobster roll, and oysters
Expect: An hour or more at weekend dinner
Beat it: Put your name in at 11:30am opening
The white box with string you'll see all over the North End and all over your feed.
Get: Cannoli, filled to order
Expect: Crowds out the door most evenings
Beat it: Go before noon
The North End original, open since 1926.
Get: A thin-crust pie from the original Thacher Street oven
Expect: 30 to 60 min at weekend dinner
Beat it: Go at lunch
Show all 4
Locals' answer to Mike's, across the street.
Get: Cannoli and ricotta pie
Expect: Lines in the evening
Beat it: Go in the afternoon
Chicago On the map ›
A Michelin-starred Filipino spot whose morning bakery line is famous in its own right.
Get: Morning pastries: the truffle croissant, a breakfast sandwich and an ube latte
Expect: Around 2 hours on weekends
Beat it: Pre-order online, or go on a weekday at opening
The burger that showed up on every best-in-America list.
Get: The cheeseburger with an egg and bacon
Expect: Hour-plus waits for a table at peak times
Beat it: Put your name in and wait at a bar nearby, weekday afternoons are easiest
The real-life inspiration for the restaurant in The Bear.
Get: An Italian beef, dipped, with hot giardiniera
Expect: Lines at lunch since The Bear made it famous
Beat it: Go after 2pm
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That burnt-cheese edge is all over social.
Get: Pan pizza with the caramelized cheese crust
Expect: 45 min to over an hour for a table at weekend dinner
Beat it: Go at lunch, or order ahead for pickup
A bakery whose Saturday line became a Chicago story.
Get: Laminated pastries and the chocolate sourdough banana bread
Expect: Around 90 min on Saturday mornings
Beat it: Go on a weekday, or pre-order once it opens
French pastry so in demand it caps how many you can buy.
Get: The pain suisse
Expect: Queues at opening, pastries limited per person
Beat it: Be there before opening
A neighborhood summer ritual with a line around the corner.
Get: Italian ice, or a sundae in summer
Expect: Long lines on summer nights
Beat it: Go in the afternoon
The suburban beef stand the city drives out for.
Get: An Italian beef, hot, dipped, and a lemon ice
Expect: 20 to 40 min in summer
Beat it: Go off-peak on a weekday. Cash only
Au Cheval's burger in a faster, simpler room.
Get: A single cheeseburger, fries and a shake
Expect: 20 to 45 min on weekend nights
Beat it: Go at lunch on a weekday
A diner on old Route 66 serving breakfast since 1923.
Get: The double-yolk omelet, they hand out Milk Duds and donut holes while you wait
Expect: 20 to 40 min on weekend mornings
Beat it: Go on a weekday before 9am
Texas-style brisket that made Chicago take barbecue seriously.
Get: Brisket, sliced, with the mac and cheese
Expect: 30 to 45 min at peak
Beat it: Go at 11am or order ahead for pickup
Los Angeles On the map ›
The hot chicken line that's been a rite of passage in LA for years.
Get: Nashville hot chicken sandwich, ordered medium if you're new to it
Expect: Often 1 to 2 hours on weekends
Beat it: Join the online waitlist or go at weekday opening
The pastor spit and the pineapple toss are a video in themselves.
Get: Al pastor, sliced off the trompo with a flick of pineapple
Expect: 10 to 30 min late at night
Beat it: Go before 9pm or on a weeknight
The egg sandwich that made Grand Central Market a stop for every visitor.
Get: The Slut (coddled egg over potato purée) or the Fairfax sandwich
Expect: 20 to 45 min on weekend mornings
Beat it: Go on a weekday before 9am
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Hand-rolled bagels with a cult following and lines to match.
Get: A bagel with tomato and cream cheese, or the lox
Expect: Often 45 min to over an hour on weekends
Beat it: Go at opening on a weekday, they sell out
Part of LA's matcha craze. You'll recognise the cups from your feed.
Get: An iced matcha with a layered topping, like brûléed sugar or fruit purée
Expect: Around 30 min on weekends
Beat it: Go on a weekday afternoon
A truck whose shrimp tacos keep showing up on best-in-LA lists.
Get: Tacos de camarón: fried shrimp tacos topped with salsa and avocado
Expect: 10 to 30 min at lunch
Beat it: Go late morning
Many say it's the best pastrami in America, better than Katz's.
Get: The #19: hot pastrami, coleslaw and Swiss on rye
Expect: 15 to 30 min at weekday lunch
Beat it: Go after 2pm, or order curbside
A grand 1920s room with a bakery case people line up for.
Get: The breakfast pastries and the kouign-amann at the counter
Expect: 30 to 60 min on weekend mornings
Beat it: Go on a weekday, or skip brunch and just order pastries
A hot dog stand since 1939 and a Hollywood late-night ritual.
Get: A chili dog
Expect: 20 to 40 min at night
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
Michelin-starred Yucatán seafood inside the Mercado La Paloma.
Get: The smoked kanpachi taco and a seafood cocktail
Expect: 30 to 60 min at lunch
Beat it: Go when it opens, on a weekday
The UCLA cookie shop with a cheap, famous ice cream sandwich.
Get: An ice cream sandwich: two warm cookies, your pick of ice cream
Expect: Lines down the block on weekend nights
Beat it: Go before 7pm
Claims to have invented the French dip in 1908.
Get: A lamb French dip, double dipped, with the house hot mustard
Expect: Short to 30 min at lunch
Beat it: Go mid-morning or late afternoon
Mexico City On the map ›
The first taco stand to earn a Michelin star.
Get: Gaonera taco (thin beef, lime and salt)
Expect: Lines at lunch and late
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
Elena Reygadas' bakery and its viral guava roll.
Get: Guava roll, and a concha
Expect: Weekend lines out the door
Beat it: Go on a weekday morning
A tiny all-night taco stall.
Get: Suadero and campechano tacos
Expect: Late-night lines
Beat it: Any time
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Churros since 1935.
Get: Churros with Mexican chocolate
Expect: Evening crowds
Beat it: Go in the morning
A mechanic's garage by day, a taquería by night.
Get: Al pastor, at night
Expect: Late-night lines
Beat it: Go after 10pm on a weekday
A street stand under the Río Churubusco overpass, famous for its 'secret' pot.
Get: A chupacabras taco: beef, chorizo and longaniza
Expect: 15 to 30 min late at night
Beat it: Go before 10pm
A tiny counter serving Yucatán cochinita for decades.
Get: Panuchos and tacos of cochinita pibil
Expect: 15 to 30 min at lunch
Beat it: Go after 3pm
Monterrey-style tacos open until very late.
Get: Tacos trompo (pork) and chicharrón de queso
Expect: 20 to 40 min late at night
Beat it: Go at 7pm
A breakfast fonda that opens before dawn.
Get: Frijoles con huevo, and whatever stew is in the cazuelas
Expect: 30 to 60 min at breakfast
Beat it: Go early on a weekday
Gabriela Cámara's seafood lunch is the city's power lunch.
Get: Tuna tostadas and the pescado a la talla (half red, half green)
Expect: 30 to 90 min at lunch
Beat it: Book ahead, or go at 1pm
A pastry hall since 1927, with a famous upstairs cake display.
Get: Conchas and the cake showroom upstairs
Expect: Crowds at the counter, fast
Beat it: Go on a weekday
Miami On the map ›
Open since 1913 and still the line on South Beach. Seasonal, October to May.
Get: Stone crab claws with mustard sauce, hash browns and key lime pie
Expect: Long waits at dinner
Beat it: Go at opening, or get takeaway from the shop next door
A tiny Calle Ocho window whose sandwiches went national.
Get: The Cubano, pressed
Expect: 20 to 45 min on weekends
Beat it: Go on a weekday morning
The Cuban coffee window where Miami politics and gossip happen.
Get: A cortadito and pastelitos from the ventanita (walk-up window)
Expect: Waits for a table on weekends, but the window moves fast
Beat it: Use the window
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Miami's viral froyo, all over TikTok.
Get: Frozen yogurt with crushed baklava and pistachio paste
Expect: 25 min to an hour, depending on the day
Beat it: Go on a weekday afternoon
A late-night sandwich counter in South Beach since 1988.
Get: The prosciutto sandwich with the French vinaigrette
Expect: 15 to 30 min late at night
Beat it: Go before midnight on a weekday
Classic Calle Ocho frita counter.
Get: A frita (Cuban burger) with shoestring fries on top
Expect: Short at lunch, long late at night
Beat it: Go at lunchtime on a weekday
Cuban-flavored ice cream under the giant cone on Calle Ocho.
Get: The Abuela María (guava, cream cheese and Maria cookies)
Expect: 15 to 30 min on weekend evenings
Beat it: Go in the afternoon
A tiny Thai counter with strict rules and a nightly line.
Get: Khao soi and the pork belly. No substitutions
Expect: An hour or more at dinner, no reservations
Beat it: Be there 20 minutes before opening
An old-school Cuban counter surrounded by Wynwood's walls.
Get: A Cuban breakfast: egg and cheese on Cuban bread and a café con leche
Expect: 20 to 30 min at lunch
Beat it: Go before 11am. Cash and card both fine
A fruit stand on Calle Ocho for decades.
Get: Fresh sugarcane juice or a mamey batido
Expect: Short waits, lots of people
Beat it: Go mid-morning
Miami's best bread, kosher bakery and café.
Get: Sourdough and the babka
Expect: 20 to 40 min on weekends
Beat it: Go on a weekday
Montreal On the map ›
Montreal smoked meat since 1928.
Get: Smoked meat, medium fat, with a pickle and a cherry soda
Expect: 20 to 45 min on weekends
Beat it: Go at off hours, or use the take-out counter next door
Hand-rolled bagels, boiled in honey water and baked in wood ovens, all night long.
Get: A sesame bagel hot from the wood oven
Expect: Short but steady, 24 hours a day
Beat it: Any time. The line moves fast
St-Viateur's rival, two blocks away and also open 24 hours.
Get: A sesame or everything bagel, warm
Expect: Steady lines on weekends
Beat it: Go late at night
Show all 5
The 24-hour poutine house.
Get: Poutine, classic or loaded
Expect: Late-night waits
Beat it: Go before 10pm
Montreal's summer ice cream line. It closes for winter.
Get: Soft-serve twist and a seasonal ice cream
Expect: Long lines on summer evenings
Beat it: Go in the early afternoon
New Orleans On the map ›
The beignet stop every visitor makes.
Get: Beignets under powdered sugar, and a café au lait
Expect: 20 to 45 min for a table at peak times
Beat it: Go late at night or early in the morning, or use the to-go window out back
The James Beard classic, now downtown on Baronne St. The fried chicken is still called the best in America.
Get: Fried chicken with butter beans
Expect: 30 min to over an hour at lunch
Beat it: Go at opening on a weekday
The line on Iberville Street is a French Quarter landmark.
Get: Chargrilled oysters
Expect: 30 to 60 min on weekends
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon on a weekday
Show all 11
The po'boy shop that presidents and crowds keep coming back to.
Get: A roast beef po'boy with debris gravy, or fried shrimp
Expect: Lines on weekends and after games
Beat it: Go on a weekday at 11am
A sno-ball stand open since 1939, with a line every summer afternoon.
Get: A sno-ball in cream of nectar flavor, with condensed milk
Expect: 30 to 60 min on summer afternoons
Beat it: Go right at opening. It's seasonal, spring to fall
A cafeteria-style counter feeding the CBD since 1938.
Get: The Ferdi po'boy (ham, roast beef, debris and gravy)
Expect: 20 to 45 min at lunch
Beat it: Go after 2pm
Donald Link's butcher shop and sandwich counter.
Get: The muffuletta (hot) and the pork belly sandwich with cucumbers
Expect: 20 to 40 min at lunch
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
Once named the best new restaurant in America, a sandwich shop with a sense of humor.
Get: The fried bologna sandwich and the collard green melt
Expect: 30 to 60 min at lunch on weekends
Beat it: Go at opening on a weekday
Leah Chase's Creole landmark, where civil rights were planned over gumbo.
Get: The lunch buffet: fried chicken, gumbo, red beans
Expect: 20 to 40 min at Friday lunch
Beat it: Book a table, or go Tuesday to Thursday
The 1906 grocery that invented the muffuletta, back since 2024 after Hurricane Ida.
Get: A whole muffuletta to share (half is plenty for two)
Expect: 15 to 30 min at lunch
Beat it: Go in the morning
A corner po'boy shop that's been family-run for over 100 years.
Get: A fried shrimp po'boy, dressed, with gravy
Expect: 20 to 40 min at lunch
Beat it: Go after 2pm. Cash only
New York City On the map ›
The slice shop that took over every food feed: thin, crisp, burrata added after the oven.
Get: The burrata slice, a plain cheese slice to compare
Expect: Usually 30 to 60 min, longer on weekend nights
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon on a weekday
Candlelit Brooklyn pizza that celebrities and Instagram made impossible to get into.
Get: A plain pie with basil and the calzone. Bring your own wine
Expect: People line up before the 5pm opening to put their names down, then wait hours for a table
Beat it: Be in line by 4pm, give your name and phone, and get a drink nearby
A century-old deli that's on every first-timer's list, and still worth it for the pastrami.
Get: Pastrami on rye, hand-cut. Tip the cutter and he hands you a taste
Expect: 15 to 45 min at weekend lunch
Beat it: Go before 11am or after 9pm on a weekday
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The froyo line that took over Instagram and doesn't seem to shrink.
Get: Frozen yogurt with a light hand on the toppings
Expect: Up to an hour in the evening, rain or shine
Beat it: Go in the early afternoon on a weekday
A cocktail bar whose burger went viral, so now there's a line before the doors open.
Get: The wagyu burger, served at the bar
Expect: Get there about 30 min before the bar opens if you want the burger
Beat it: Queue before opening. The burger goes fast
A West Village deli whose naan panini became a social-media staple.
Get: The Chicken Tikka Naanini
Expect: Lines at lunch and on weekends
Beat it: Go before noon on a weekday
Sourdough-style bagels that turned into a TikTok pilgrimage.
Get: An everything bagel with scallion cream cheese, or one hot and plain
Expect: 30 to 60 min on weekend mornings
Beat it: Go on a weekday before 9am
A smoked-fish shop run by the same family since 1914.
Get: The Classic: Gaspé Nova lox, cream cheese, tomato and onion on a bagel
Expect: Take a number, 20 to 45 min on weekends
Beat it: Go on a weekday morning, or eat in at the Orchard St cafe with a reservation
Uncle Boons' owners doing a Thai-American diner, the babka alone draws a crowd.
Get: Thai disco fries, the khao soi and the Thai tea babka
Expect: Up to an hour for dinner without a booking
Beat it: Book on Resy, or go for a weekday breakfast
Hand-cut udon in a tiny room the whole city wants a seat in.
Get: Niku udon, and the cold udon in summer
Expect: 30 to 60 min most nights
Beat it: Go right at opening
The classic New York slice since 1975.
Get: A plain cheese slice, folded
Expect: A short, fast-moving line at night
Beat it: It moves quickly, just wait
Oaxaca On the map ›
The smoky grill aisle in the market.
Get: Pick your meat, have it grilled, and eat it with tortillas and salsa
Expect: Busy at lunch
Beat it: Go at noon
Charcoal-grilled tlayudas on the street at night.
Get: A tlayuda folded with asiento and tasajo
Expect: Late-night crowds
Beat it: Go before midnight
Oaxaca's beloved bakery.
Get: Sourdough pastries, and breakfast
Expect: Weekend waits
Beat it: Go early
Philadelphia On the map ›
The sandwich that's been named best in America, with a line at the counter to show for it.
Get: Roast pork with sharp provolone and broccoli rabe
Expect: 20 to 40 min at lunch
Beat it: Go before 11am
Amish-made donuts and a line that never seems to end.
Get: A fresh glazed donut, or a seasonal special
Expect: 15 to 30 min on weekends
Beat it: Go early on a weekday
The cheesesteak face-off with Geno's across the street.
Get: A cheesesteak with Whiz, ordered "wit" (onions)
Expect: Often 15 to 30 min late at night
Beat it: Know your order before you reach the window
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The neon rival of Pat's, open all night.
Get: A cheesesteak with provolone and onions
Expect: About 15 min
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
A James Beard classic many Philadelphians rate above the tourist stands.
Get: A cheesesteak or roast pork on a seeded roll
Expect: 30 to 45 min at lunch. Weekday lunch only
Beat it: Get there by 11am
Michelin-noticed cheesesteaks and pizza from a 9th Street storefront.
Get: A cheesesteak on their own seeded roll, and a plain pie
Expect: Lines out the door, phone orders take hours
Beat it: Call the moment they open, or go at 11am
Cristina Martínez's weekend lamb tacos, a Netflix Chef's Table subject.
Get: Lamb barbacoa tacos and the consommé
Expect: 20 to 45 min on weekend mornings
Beat it: Go early, they close when the lamb runs out
The cheesesteak many locals pick over Pat's and Geno's.
Get: A cheesesteak with fried onions, and the cherry peppers
Expect: 20 to 30 min at dinner
Beat it: Go at lunch on a weekday
A sandwich shop with a cult following and viral BLTs.
Get: The Phoagie and the BLT
Expect: 20 to 40 min at weekend brunch
Beat it: Go on a weekday morning
An Italian bakery since 1921, filling cannoli in front of you.
Get: Cannoli filled to order
Expect: Long at holidays, short otherwise
Beat it: Avoid the week before Christmas and Easter
San Francisco On the map ›
A counter of 18 stools and a century of seafood. The line is part of it.
Get: The Sicilian sashimi, a crab back, and oysters
Expect: Often 1 to 2 hours
Beat it: Be in line before opening on a weekday
The bakery that taught a generation how to bake sourdough.
Get: The morning bun, and a slice of country bread
Expect: 20 to 45 min on weekend mornings
Beat it: Go at weekday opening, or after 2pm
The Dolores Park ice cream stop, with a line down the block on warm days.
Get: Salted caramel ice cream
Expect: 20 to 40 min on sunny afternoons
Beat it: Go before noon or late in the evening
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A North Beach slice counter that's been crowded since 1978.
Get: Square focaccia slices: clam and garlic, or the combo
Expect: 10 to 30 min late at night
Beat it: Go in the afternoon
Pizza titles cover the walls, and people wait for it.
Get: The Margherita, from a world pizza champion's oven
Expect: Hour-long waits at weekend dinner
Beat it: Go at lunch on a weekday
A family scoop shop since 1953, known for its Filipino flavors.
Get: Ube, buko (young coconut) or the mexican chocolate
Expect: 20 to 40 min on warm nights
Beat it: Go in the early afternoon. Take a number
Bay-view oyster bar in the Ferry Building.
Get: Raw oysters and the grilled cheese
Expect: 45 to 90 min for a table at weekend lunch
Beat it: Sit at the bar, or go on a weekday at 11am
Many still name it the best burrito in the Mission.
Get: A carnitas super burrito, dorado style (crisped on the griddle), no rice
Expect: 20 to 40 min at lunch
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon on a weekday
New Orleans soul food that fills up every weekend.
Get: Beignets, shrimp and grits, and a fried chicken plate
Expect: 45 to 90 min at weekend brunch
Beat it: Go on a weekday morning, or get on the waitlist
A North Beach Italian deli since 1896.
Get: An Italian combo on a Dutch crunch roll
Expect: 20 to 30 min at lunch
Beat it: Go at 10am
A neighborhood bakery once named the best new bakery in America.
Get: The croissant, plain or almond
Expect: 20 to 45 min in the morning, sells out
Beat it: Be there before 8am, especially on weekends
Toronto On the map ›
Toronto's most-waited-for Thai restaurant.
Get: Khao soi, and the pad see ew
Expect: Up to an hour at dinner
Beat it: Go at weekday lunch, or put your name in early
The sandwich Toronto is known for.
Get: The peameal bacon sandwich
Expect: 15 to 30 min on Saturdays
Beat it: Go early in the week
The ice cream puff that summer feeds are full of.
Get: Ice cream sandwiched in a puffy cream puff
Expect: Long lines on summer nights
Beat it: Go in the afternoon
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Toronto's most talked-about pizza.
Get: A pepperoni slice, or a whole pie
Expect: 30 to 60 min on weekend nights, sells out
Beat it: Go at opening
The brunch the east end lines up for.
Get: Eggs Benedict and the huevos
Expect: 30 to 60 min at weekend brunch
Beat it: Go on a weekday
A French bakery and brunch spot that's been busy for decades.
Get: Croissants and a quiche
Expect: 30 to 45 min on weekends
Beat it: Go on a weekday
Pan-fried Shanghai buns with a crisp bottom, watch the soup.
Get: Sheng jian bao (pan-fried pork buns), four at a time
Expect: 15 to 30 min
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
Handmade northern Chinese dumplings since 2005.
Get: Pork and dill dumplings, boiled, and the pan-fried pork buns
Expect: 20 to 45 min on weekends
Beat it: Go on a weekday lunch
The jiggly cheesecake that set off Toronto's viral-dessert lines.
Get: A whole jiggly cheesecake, fresh from the oven
Expect: Lines around the block when it opened, 10 to 30 min now
Beat it: Go early afternoon
A Vietnamese-Korean sandwich counter that keeps a lunch line.
Get: Kimchi fries and the braised pork belly bánh mì
Expect: 15 to 30 min at lunch
Beat it: Go after 2pm
Toronto's best bread, from a small Kensington Market shop.
Get: Sourdough and the morning pastries
Expect: Weekend lines at the market shop
Beat it: Go on a weekday morning
Vancouver On the map ›
Cambodian-Vietnamese wings Vancouver has queued for over decades.
Get: Butter garlic chicken wings and beef luc lac
Expect: 30 to 60 min at dinner
Beat it: Go at lunch, or early on a weekday
Vancouver's brunch line.
Get: The Charlie Bowl, or red velvet pancakes
Expect: Up to an hour at weekend brunch
Beat it: Join the online waitlist, or go on a weekday
The ice cream that Vancouver lines up for in summer.
Get: Whisky hazelnut or salted caramel in a waffle cone
Expect: Lines on summer evenings
Beat it: Go in the afternoon
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The Japanese hot dog cart that became a Robson Street shop and a tourist stop.
Get: The Terimayo hot dog
Expect: 10 to 20 min at lunch
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
South America
Buenos Aires On the map ›
One of the most famous steakhouses in the world.
Get: Ojo de bife and provoleta
Expect: Long waits even with bookings, they bring out sparkling wine
Beat it: Book weeks ahead
The classic porteño pizzeria.
Get: A slice of muzzarella pizza, standing
Expect: Lines at night
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
Pizza and football memorabilia.
Get: Fugazzeta pizza
Expect: Waits at dinner
Beat it: Go early
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Buenos Aires' oldest café.
Get: Chocolate con churros
Expect: 20 to 40 min to get in
Beat it: Go at opening
Lima On the map ›
Lima's ceviche line.
Get: Ceviche and a seafood rice
Expect: Lunch lines
Beat it: Go before noon
A Lima favorite for sandwiches.
Get: Chicharrón sandwich
Expect: Short but steady
Beat it: Any time
Gastón Acurio's cevichería.
Get: Ceviche and tiradito
Expect: Waits at lunch. No reservations
Beat it: Go at opening
Santiago On the map ›
Chile's most famous sandwich.
Get: Lomito completo
Expect: Lunch crowds
Beat it: Go late morning
The rowdy bar for Chile's earthquake drink.
Get: A terremoto (wine, pineapple ice cream and grenadine)
Expect: Packed on weekends
Beat it: Go in the afternoon
One of Santiago's favorite ice creams.
Get: Ice cream: try rose petal or pistachio
Expect: Afternoon lines
Beat it: Go before noon
Africa & Middle East
Cairo On the map ›
Cairo's most famous koshary.
Get: Koshary with extra tomato sauce and fried onions
Expect: Lunch rush
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
A downtown institution since 1959.
Get: Ful, ta'ameya and fresh juice
Expect: Busy at lunch
Beat it: Go late morning
Egyptian street food, reimagined.
Get: Ta'ameya sandwich and hawawshi
Expect: Waits at peak times
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
Dubai On the map ›
A cheap Pakistani canteen loved since 1978.
Get: Mutton karahi and fresh naan
Expect: Waits at dinner
Beat it: Go at lunch
A family kebab house in old Dubai.
Get: Kebab with rice
Expect: Dinner waits
Beat it: Go at lunch
Fried fish from a shack by the harbor.
Get: Fried fish with masala and rice
Expect: Long waits at dinner
Beat it: Go at opening
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Shawarma on 2nd December Street.
Get: Chicken shawarma and fresh juice
Expect: Late-night crowds
Beat it: Go early evening
Istanbul On the map ›
Istanbul's most famous baklava.
Get: Pistachio baklava
Expect: Crowds at the counter
Beat it: Go mid-morning
Turkish delight since 1864.
Get: Lokum and baklava
Expect: Steady lines
Beat it: Go mid-morning
The dürüm Bourdain loved.
Get: Adana dürüm
Expect: Late-night lines
Beat it: Go before midnight
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Garlic-soaked burgers in Taksim Square.
Get: A wet burger (ıslak burger)
Expect: Late-night crowds
Beat it: Any time
Grilled fish on bobbing boats.
Get: A balık ekmek (grilled mackerel sandwich)
Expect: Short lines at the waterfront
Beat it: Go at lunch
Johannesburg On the map ›
On the street where Mandela lived.
Get: The buffet of South African dishes
Expect: Weekend crowds
Beat it: Go on a weekday
Joburg's Saturday food market.
Get: Street food from the stalls on Saturdays
Expect: Saturday crowds
Beat it: Go at opening
Oceania
Auckland On the map ›
Ice cream as art.
Get: An ice cream sculpture
Expect: Waits in the evening
Beat it: Go in the afternoon
Wood-fired, hand-rolled bagels.
Get: Smoked salmon bagel
Expect: Weekend lines
Beat it: Go on a weekday
Melbourne On the map ›
The croissant The New York Times said may be the best anywhere in the world.
Get: The cruffin, or the plain croissant
Expect: 30 to 60 min at weekends
Beat it: Go on a weekday
Hot jam doughnuts from a van since 1950.
Get: Hot jam doughnuts
Expect: Steady lines
Beat it: Any time on market days
Melbourne's buzziest Thai restaurant.
Get: Kingfish sashimi and green curry
Expect: Long waits at dinner
Beat it: Put your name in and go to the bar downstairs
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Melbourne's dumpling favorite.
Get: Mackerel dumplings
Expect: Lunch lines
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
Melbourne's ramen line.
Get: Tonkotsu ramen
Expect: Lines at dinner
Beat it: Go mid-afternoon
Sydney On the map ›
The most Instagrammed cake in Sydney.
Get: Strawberry watermelon cake
Expect: Weekend lines
Beat it: Go on a weekday
Sydney's cult gelato.
Get: Gelato specials, and the dulce de leche
Expect: Evening crowds
Beat it: Go in the afternoon
Sydney's Thai Town favorite.
Get: Boat noodles and grilled pork neck
Expect: 30 to 60 min at dinner
Beat it: Go at lunch
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A pie cart since 1938.
Get: The Tiger pie: mash, peas and gravy on top
Expect: Short but steady
Beat it: Any time
Malaysian roti stretched in the window.
Get: Roti canai with curry and a teh tarik
Expect: 30 to 60 min at dinner
Beat it: Go at 5:30pm
Ultra-thick tonkotsu in a Chinatown food court.
Get: The thick tonkotsu ramen
Expect: 30 to 60 min
Beat it: Go at 11:30am
The Surry Hills bakery that started it all.
Get: Pork and fennel sausage roll and the ginger brûlée tart
Expect: 15 to 30 min on weekends
Beat it: Go on a weekday
A city bar with a famous burger.
Get: The Blame Canada burger
Expect: 30 to 45 min at lunch
Beat it: Go at 3pm
Lamingtons reimagined, now in Black Star Pastry's old Australia Street shop.
Get: A filled lamington, the seasonal one
Expect: 15 to 30 min on weekends
Beat it: Go on a weekday
The panna cotta lamington that went viral.
Get: Panna cotta lamington
Expect: 15 to 30 min
Beat it: Go on a weekday morning
Bill Granger's café, the ricotta hotcakes that started Sydney brunch.
Get: Ricotta hotcakes with banana and honeycomb butter
Expect: 30 to 60 min at weekend brunch
Beat it: Go on a weekday
Waits are what people usually report, not live times, and a viral line can vanish or move. Check hours before you go. Near me asks your phone for your location only when you tap it, and doesn’t save it or send it anywhere. Updated October 23, 2026.