How the big food cities and cuisines actually score
Harry Hungry scores thousands of restaurants two ways, for quality and for value. These guides read that data across cities and cuisines: where a cuisine is strongest, where the value sits, and where Google and Yelp disagree. Data as of 8 October 2026.
City guides
Austin, TX
Austin's best-scored tables are rarely the dearest ones
Across 795 scored Austin places, the top of the list is mostly good value, and Google and Yelp disagree sharply on a few busy names.
Chicago, IL
Chicago's top scores go to tasting menus, and to a $ waffle place
Across 856 scored Chicago places, fine dining leads on quality, but the Worth It score points to cheaper, less decorated spots.
London
London's best scores come with surprisingly sensible value
Across 888 scored London places, the top of the table pairs high quality with solid Worth It numbers, and review platforms disagree most on curry houses.
Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles: where the top scores and the value overlap
Of 874 places scored, 47 reach 90 or above, and the best value sits with unfussy sushi, Mexican and Korean rather than the grandest names.
Melbourne, VIC
Melbourne's best-scored food is mostly cheap, Vietnamese and Chinese
Of 813 Melbourne places scored, eight reach 90 or more, and most of the top ten are low-key Vietnamese, Chinese and pizza spots.
Miami, FL
Miami's best scores belong to unfussy places, not the award lists
Of 839 places scored in Miami, 56 clear 90, and the top ten owe little to critics. Value is tightly bunched, with one clear outlier.
New York, NY
New York's best scores are not where the Michelin stars are
Of 862 scored New York places, 122 reach 90 or above, and the top ten is dominated by modestly priced spots with no listed acclaim.
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco: where the top scores sit and where the value is
Of 878 places scored, 27 reach 90 or above. The best value is often at the cheaper end, not among the award-winners.
Seattle, WA
Seattle's best-scoring tables are also its best-value ones
Across 782 scored places, the top of the Seattle list is mostly sushi, Japanese and small-plate spots where quality and value rise together.
Sydney, NSW
Sydney's top scorers are crowd favourites, not critics' picks
Across 887 scored Sydney places, the best-rated are neighbourhood restaurants with no listed acclaim, and Indian places do especially well.
Cuisine guides
Chinese
Chinese food scored across 12 cities: New York leads, Miami trails
464 places scored, five at 90 or above, and a clear gap between cities that suit Chinese food and cities where the data is thin on quality.
Indian
Indian restaurants: London leads on average, New York on the top ten
Across 400 scored Indian places, London has the best average, but New York supplies most of the top ten and the best value.
Italian
Italian in London beats the rest, but the best scores are elsewhere
London has the highest average Italian score, yet the top ten is dominated by Los Angeles, Miami, New York and San Francisco, and mostly on value.
Korean
Korean food scores best in New York and London, on the data
Across 346 scored Korean places, the top cities cluster tightly, the very top is mostly casual, and Google and Yelp often disagree.
Mexican
Mexican food scored: LA and New York lead, value is in the taquerias
Across 631 Mexican places, Los Angeles and New York edge ahead, and the best value sits with casual spots rather than the acclaimed tasting menus.
Pizza
Pizza scored: London leads on average, New York owns the top
Across 576 scored pizza places, London has the best average and New York the best individual scores, while Michelin acclaim sits mostly outside the top ten.
Ramen
Ramen's best scores sit in New York, but the top ten is spread wide
Of 211 ramen places scored, five reach 90 or above, and the strongest results come from several cities, not one.
Steakhouse
Steakhouse scores: Austin leads, and value sits mid-table
Across 237 scored steakhouses, only 6 reach 90 or above, and the best value rarely belongs to the highest score.
Sushi
Sushi in 12 cities: where the scores and the value meet
Across 642 scored sushi places, the best ratings and the best value overlap more than you might expect, and New York leads on average.
Thai
Thai food scores highest in London and New York, on the data
Across 381 scored Thai places, London and New York lead on average, while the best value sits in a few specific kitchens rather than any one city.