The 7 spiciest food cities

Some like it hot. Jalapeño, sriracha, harissa – the more the better. Science has an explanation. Eating a chilli pepper makes your body release endorphins, like a runner’s high. Some studies even posit that eating spicy food a few times a week makes you live longer. So if you’re the kind of eater who asks for extra hot sauce with every meal, this list is for you.

Mexico City, Mexico DF, Mexico

The frenetic streets of Mexico City are bathed in spice. Prawns are doused in chilli broth, turkey in smoky mole sauce, and zingy ceviche in habanero salsa. Taquerias, taco-specialising restaurants, serve carnitas, barbacoa, and spit-grilled Lebanese-spiced pork known as ‘al pastor’.

And of course, almost every dish is accompanied by salsa – one of Mexico’s greatest gifts, which comes in as many flavours as there are ways to eat a tortilla. Sleep it off at Gran Hotel Ciudad de Mexico, praised for its traditional restaurant.

Gaziantep, Southeastern Anatolia Region, Turkey

Gaziantep, the world’s unofficial kebab capital, is famous for its meat. Don’t miss dishes like İçli Köfte – meatballs stuffed with nuts and chillies – or Beyran, a garlicky lamb stew so beloved the locals eat it for breakfast.

Vegetables get their share of spice too: Antep Ezmesi (tomato salad) and Maş Piyazı (green beans) are loaded with chillies and red pepper. Afterwards, a squeeze of lemon and a dollop of yogurt will cool you down – as will the air-conditioned rooms of Hotel Ali Bey Konagi.

Chongqing, Chongqing Area, China

Chongqing (or Yu) cuisine is mouth-numbing. Dishes are built on dried chilies, black vinegar, garlic, and peppercorns. The favourite is hot pot, a boiling bowl of super-spicy broth packed with meat and veggies.

Eating is a pastime in this mountainous city – best experienced at its street stalls. Vendors along Bayi Road serve specialties like Dan Dan spicy noodles, tea-smoked duck, and fried crab. The dorms of Chongqing Zonextra Hostel are just a short walk away, as is The Westin Chongqing Liberation Square.

New Delhi, Delhi NCR, India

Speaking of street food, Delhi’s scene is unmatched. At Chandni Chowk market, you can try spice-laden staples like Momo dumplings in red sauce, Shami kebabs, fried dough chaat loaded with yoghurt, and Chole Bhature, spicy Punjabi chickpea curry.

Follow your nose through old Delhi’s snake-like lanes to find Nihari. This spicy stew of slow-cooked meat was once the breakfast choice of the royal family, so, after a night in The Leela Palace, you can continue feeling regal.

Chengdu, Sichuan, China

Let’s talk Mapo Doufu. Translated literally as ‘pockmarked grandmother’s tofu’, this stew is packed with minced beef, tofu, fermented beans, and garlic – plus heapings of Sichuan peppercorn and chilli oil. It’s one of the tastiest (and spiciest) dishes out of Sichuan province, and Chengdu is the best place to try it.

There’s plenty more spice in Chengdu – so why not stay in a foodie neighbourhood? Jinjiang district is known for its restaurants, and The Temple House is a luxurious spot to relax in between meals.

Colombo, Colombo District, Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan cuisine is a beautiful mishmash of Indian, Maldive, and Indonesian influences. Think fiery fish curry, steaming rice, and coconut sambol made with lime juice, chilli pepper, and dried Maldive fish.

In the capital, the beachfront park Galle Face Green is aromatic with samosas, Kottu Roti (stir-fried flatbread, meat, eggs and curry sauce), and Isso Vadei (spicy lentil cakes topped with prawns). Stay nearby at Galle Face Hotel so you can do as the locals do – start the day with curry and string hoppers (rice noodle cakes).

Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

Salvador was the first slave port in the Americas, so its cuisine is heavily influenced by Africa. Known as Bahian cuisine, the cooking favours vibrant spices, coconut, and fresh seafood.

The frontrunner is Moqueca, a seafood stew cooked in palm oil (dendé) and hot pepper. Another favourite is Vatapá, prawns served over a creamy paste of coconut, dendé and peanuts. Bahian design is just as rich as its cuisine, and the boutique Pousada Solar dos Deuses lets you immerse yourself in both.

**These destinations were the top-rated cities for ‘spicy food’, according to Booking.com travellers. Destinations had to have over 500 endorsements for ‘spicy food’.