Belgium's capital has been listed in the ten best European cities for foodies, based on the total number of standard and Michelin Guide restaurants per square mile, affordability, the variety of cuisines on offer and the percentage of vegan options available, a new study shows.
The analysis, carried out by Finnish comparison specialist Bonusetu, gathered data for 44 European cities to create their 'Foodie Index Score'. It found that Valletta (the capital of Malta) is the best European capital city for foodies, with a score of 78.36 out of 100.
"Food and travel often go hand in hand and many tourists will factor in a city’s reputation for cuisine when organising travel," a spokesperson said. "For those looking to tick some capital cities off their bucket list, Valletta offers a large range of restaurants within walking distance of one another, and some hidden gems if you know where to look."
The city not only scored highest overall but also ranked as the best European capital for vegans, with nearly one-third (31.1%) of its restaurants offering plant-based options. "Despite veganism becoming a rapidly growing lifestyle choice for many, it is often overlooked by the foodie community when considering the best cuisine hotspots."
Brussels ranks fourth
The tiny Maltese capital contains a total of 254 restaurants (10 of them featured in the Michelin Guide). Meals are relatively affordable and the average cost of a three-course meal for two people is €75.
In second place is Paris (with a score of 71.65 out of 100), which offers much more variety than Valletta – 198 different cuisines can be found in the city. However, only 9.44% of restaurants in the French capital offered vegan options.
The Greek capital Athens ranks third (with a score of 64.25), its performance lifted by the 150 different cuisines on offer across the city's 2,596 restaurants. One in five restaurants offers vegan options and the average cost of a three-course meal for two people is €50.
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Brussels (61.21) finished in fourth place. While visitors to Belgium's capital can expect to pay a bit more on average (€70) for a three-course meal for two, there are 155 different cuisines on offer in the city's 3,458 restaurants. About one in ten (9.89%) restaurants offer vegan options and the city boasts 2.97 Michelin Guide restaurants per square mile.
Lisbon ranks fifth (60.89), followed by London (58.74), Amsterdam (58.14), Madrid (57.26), Monaco (55.93) and Dublin (54.99) closing out the top ten.
