This U.S. town was just named one of the best food cities in the world

New Yorkers may complain about a $20 martini, a 45-minute wait for brunch and the hardest reservations to get in town but, apparently, that's exactly what makes New York one of the best food cities on the planet.

We just released our annual ranking of the world's best food cities, in partnership with HelloFresh, and New York is the only U.S. city to crack the global top 20. The city landed at number 15, joining heavyweights like Lima, Bangkok, Mexico City, London and Barcelona.

The ranking comes from surveys of thousands of residents around the world, all asked to rate their local food scenes on factors like quality, affordability and diversity. Then, our global network of editors, critics and food writers weighed in on what makes each destination special.

For New York, the answer was simple: variety. New York’s food culture is defined by generations of immigration and most of the iconic dishes (pizza, bagels and pastrami sandwiches, for instance) trace their roots to communities that shaped what New York is today. There are few places on earth where diners can sample so many different cuisines in such close proximity, whether that's pernil for Puerto Rico, hand-pulled Chinese noodles, Caribbean patties or a classic dollar-ish slice.

In the survey, nearly 91 percent of New Yorkers rated the city's restaurant scene as good or amazing, while 77 percent described it as diverse. An equal 78 percent called the city exciting.

The one downside? New York remains spectacularly expensive. Only about a third of locals said dining out is affordable, making it one of the pricier destinations to make the list. But according to the survey, cost isn’t slowing anyone down, as New York ranked second globally for enthusiasm around eating out, trailing only Manchester, England.

The rent may be outrageous, but at least dinner is world-class.

The 20 best food cities in the world:

1. Lima, Peru
2. Bangkok, Thailand
3. Mexico City, Mexico
4. London, England
5. Barcelona, Spain
6. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
7. Melbourne, Australia
8. Beijing, China
9. Athens, Greece
10. Lisbon, Portugal
11. Cape Town, South Africa
12. Osaka, Japan
13. Bengaluru, India
14. Naples, Italy
15. New York City, USA
16. Hong Kong
17. Buenos Aires, Argentina
18. Marseille, France
19. Copenhagen, Denmark
20. Medellín, Colombia