Lucknow, the city of nawabs, tehzeeb (politeness) and mouthwatering delicacies, has been named in UNESCO’s 2025 Creative Cities Network as a notable destination for gastronomy. The UNESCO, which has been releasing this list annually since 2004, recognising different cities across the world for their music, literature, food and art, has this year alongside Lucknow, named nine other cities under the gastronomy category.
Asia’s picks
The countless delectable treats originated or even popularised in Lucknow are no secret. Where in Chowk in old Lucknow you will find timeless biryani, melt-in-the-mouth nihari and kebab shops, places like Chatori Gali are a haven for the serial snacker, with a multitude of roadside food items starting from momos to chaat and cotton candy can be found — something for all palates.
Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah in Saudi Arabia, is similarly popular, but for the spread available here during the month of Ramadan. Famous for traditional dishes like manto (a steamed dumplings dish), yaghmush (a puff pastry dish), balila made with chickpeas, tamees (a type of flatbread) and Muttabaq dates are dishes that are typically made and shared during Ramadan when breaking the fast.
Oyster soup, braised sea cucumber, ginger duck, and braised eel, have brought UNESCO’s Creative City recognition to Quanzhou, China. A popular sweet dish here is the Eight-Treasure Taro Paste, which is made from premium taro mashed with lard and sugar to create a smooth paste, with eight carefully selected ingredients, including red beans, candied winter melon, shrimp, lotus seeds, crab meat, and dried scallops wrapped inside the paste when steaming, garnished with sugar syrup.
Food in the city of Songkhla, Thailand, is an amalgamation of Malay, Chinese as well as Thai cuisines. Dishes like Kaeng tai pla, made with fermented fish and a spicy curry paste, khua kling which is a spicy curry paste, originated from southern Thailand, and the kanom pak kad, on the other hand made of radish, originated from China.
South American taste
Also on the list is Cuenca, a city in the south of Ecuador. It is famous for mote, chumales, motepillo and motepata — all different dishes made with corn cooked differently and other ingredients and seasonings. The chicha de jora is a sacred drink or beverage, also made with corn. Other popular dishes from Cencua are the locro de papa, a stew made by blending tubers, as well as the classic roasted guinea pig and potato dish called El Cuy Asado.
Bandeja paisa is the most sought after dish in Manizales, Colombia. The dish is a wholesome, filling meal with starch, carbs, proteins, and all the makings of a full-bellied meal — the bandeja paisa consists of rice, red beans, beef, pork belly, plantains, avocados, eggs, and a few other elements. It is also famous for empanadas, as well as a dish still mostly unique to Manizales and Colombia in the Lechona Tolimense — a celebratory dish cooked over several hours, by roasting a whole pig stuffed with seasoned rice, peas, onions, and spices.
San Javier de Loncomilla also in Chile is also similarly popular for the quality of their local produce. Dishes like asado or grilled meat, and chorillana (potato fries loaded with onion, eggs and meat), pebre, which is a condiment made with local ingredients served with bread. Last but not the least, the Maule Valley region of Chile is known the world over for its locally produced wine.
North American flavours Kelowna, in Canada was recognised not for any of its dishes, but for the produce and agriculture of the Okanagan Valley, the farming, local culinary arts, beverages and medicine that is at the centre of the city’s identity and culture, drawing nearly Canadian $1.17 billion in tourism revenue annually. The city has more than 500 restaurants, and supports nearly 5,000 jobs, with local agriculture taking up nearly 50% of the Kelowna landscape.
European palate
In Europe, Maosinhos is famous for having the best seafood in all of Portugal, which they prepare in various ways — from dishes prepared with cod, to monkfish and rice, to sardines and more.
Then there is Zaragoza in Spain. The city has several food related traditions like the chocolate tour or the annual tapas contest. The migas argonesas or the aragonese crumbs is an extremely flavourful dish made with stale bread crumbled and slow fried in fat, seasoned with peppers, garlic and more, and served with a fried egg with a runny yolk. This dish is meant to be eaten off of a single plate or pan, to foster the feeling of community and togetherness.
