Food lovers, listen up: a new travel study has revealed the best countries to visit if your main goal is eating well.

New Zealand takes the top spot, scoring 68.04 out of 100 for foodie appeal.

The country isn’t just beautiful—it’s a hidden gem for U.S. travelers, attracting only 0.6% of vacationers each year, but offering top-tier dining experiences that make the journey worth it.

Rustic Pathways analyzed 70 travel destinations using 32 factors, including restaurant availability, food tour options, fine- and mid-dining ratings, hotel costs, flight prices, safety, and geopolitical stability. They ranked destinations based on an overall foodie score.

Best foodie destinations

New Zealand shines for both quantity and quality. It has the second-highest availability of mid-dining restaurants per 100k international arrivals and locals (38.97) and the highest availability of food and drink tours at 3.38 per 100k. Mid-dining restaurants average a 4.4-star Tripadvisor rating, while fine dining hits 4.5 stars.

Costa Rica comes in second with a score of 62.64. Flights are cheaper at $425.33 per person in September, and hotels average $89 per night. The country offers 18.61 mid-dining spots per 100k arrivals (4.57-star rating) and 1.5 fine-dining spots per 100k (4.68-star rating). Food tours are limited, with just 0.77 per 100k arrivals.

Japan ranks third, scoring 60.51. September flights average $819.12 per person, with hotels at $90 per night. Japan offers 3.15 fine-dining spots per 100k (4.42-star rating) and 10.89 mid-dining restaurants per 100k (4.45-star rating), plus slightly more food tours than Costa Rica at 1.05 per 100k.

Other notable destinations include Italy and Peru rounding out the top five, while the UK ranks 14th and Canada 15th. Belize tops the list for the highest availability of affordable restaurants (49.7 per 100k), Singapore leads for fine-dining spots per 100k (3.08), and also holds the highest Tripadvisor rating for mid-dining at 4.74 stars. United Arab Emirates and Honduras share the top fine-dining rating at 4.78 stars.

Shayne Fitz-Coy, CEO of Rustic Pathways, said, “For food lovers, restaurant quality and availability can make or break a vacation. September is a great time for New Zealand—early spring means seasonal produce like strawberries, lamb, and whitebait, plus fewer crowds and more reasonable flight and hotel prices.”

Whether you’re chasing food tours, Michelin stars, or hidden local gems, these countries make it easy to plan a vacation that satisfies both wanderlust and your taste buds.