Food & Drink
Korean cuisine places 19th worldwide in TasteAtlas 2025/26 rankings
Haps Magazine Korea
December 16, 2025
(Photo courtesy of Haps Magazine Korea)
South Korean cuisine continues to gain global recognition, ranking 19th in the world in the 2025/26 Best Cuisines list released by TasteAtlas.
The result confirms Korea’s growing reputation as a cuisine defined by depth, bold flavors, and an exceptionally strong stew and soup culture.
One of the standout categories for Korean food this year is stews (jjigae). Kimchi jjigae ranks an impressive 13th among the world’s best stews, making it the highest-ranked Korean dish overall. It is followed by:
Sundubu jjigae – 77th
Doenjang jjigae – 85th
Budae jjigae – 86th
These rankings highlight how fermented ingredients and spicy broths have become internationally appreciated comfort foods.
Korean soups also make the global list, though further down the rankings. Yukgaejang places 95th, while Busan’s iconic pork soup, dwaeji gukbap, comes in at 100th, marking Korea’s presence at the edge of the Top 100 in the soup category.
In the Best Dishes rankings, Korean barbecue classics appear as well. Galbi ranks 73rd, while samgyeopsal places 96th, reflecting the worldwide popularity of grilled Korean meats, even in highly competitive global lists.
No Korean desserts make TasteAtlas’s Top 100 dessert rankings for 2025/26. This absence reinforces the idea that Korean cuisine’s international strength lies primarily in savory dishes, especially stews, soups, and grilled meats, rather than sweets.
Italy topped the best cuisine list followed by Greece and Peru.
Japan was the highest Asian cuisine at 6th, followed by Chinese at 8th and Indonesian at 10th.