CHEW ON THIS: Toronto No. 2 on U.K. travel agency's top foodie destinations

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Good news for all of the gourmands out there.

Travelbag, a U.K.-based travel agency that focuses on long-haul and multi-centre trips, declared Toronto is the world’s second-best city worth savouring for its cuisine, while serving up its list of the best foodie destinations around the globe.

With nearly 60% of British travellers choosing their trips based on the culinary experiences offered, Travelbag cooked up a list of foodie hot spots based on the number of cuisines offered, the variety of food and drink activities available, the average cost of a meal for two and social media buzz.

Toronto surged to No. 2 on the list thanks especially to the social media buzz the city generates on Instagram and TikTok and the number of cuisines offered. The Big Smoke is second in social media buzz behind only London, while rounding out the top five in number of cuisines (103).

Only Washington (109), New York City, Los Angeles (106 each) and Chicago (105) offer more variety.

Travelbag cited Toronto’s mix of traditional Canadian dishes — like poutine — with others from around the globe, particularly Taiwanese, Greek and Turkish cuisine, as the reason to visit.

“For food lovers visiting Toronto, key areas to explore include Kensington Market, known for its multicultural street food and artisanal delights, and the Distillery District, which offers a mix of trendy restaurants and cafes housed in historic buildings,” Travelblog’s website says.

In terms of the other metrics, Toronto is in the middle of the pack for average cost of a meal for two ($119.61) and didn’t offer nearly as many food and drink activities (40) as cities like Tokyo, New York City and Bangkok.

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The top destination overall is Melbourne, which is slightly cheaper on average ($103.29) and offers a few more food and drink activities (78) when compared to Toronto. As well, Australia’s second largest city is pretty much on par with Toronto in terms of social media buzz and number of cuisines offered (100).

“If you’re planning a trip to Australia, Melbourne is an absolute must for food lovers,” said Fiona Wood, Travelbag’s destination manager for Africa and Oceania, citing the city’s “strong” Korean influence. “It might not be the first place that comes to mind for global cuisine, but it’s one you don’t want to miss.”

Rounding out the top 10 are Dubai, Sydney, Hanoi, Chicago, Houston, Tokyo, Bangkok and New York City. Beijing also earns an honourable mention, tying Hanoi for the most affordable foodie destination at about $40 for a meal for two.

Travelbag came up with its top foodie destinations using a seed list of 50 cities from around the world and based its metrics on data from apps and websites like OpenTable, Numbeo and GetYourGuide.