HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese phở has been named the world’s 20^th best food experience by world travel guide book publisher the Lonely Planet.

Phở on the Hậu River along 500 other dishes was selected as for the book Ultimate Eatlist: The World’s Top 500 Food Experiences...Ranked published on Wednesday.

The list was topped by pintxos in San Sebastian, Spain, followed by curry laksa in Kuala Lumpur and sushi in Tokyo.

Entries were nominated by Lonely Planet writers, bloggers and staffers and whittled down to a final 500 by a panel including chef and TV presenter Adam Liaw and food blogger Leyla Kazim.

Recommendations from world-renowned chefs José Andrés, Elena Arzak and Eric Ripert; television food star Andrew Zimmern; BBC MasterChef judge and chef Monica Galetti; and 15 more of the world’s top chefs and food writers were also included, CNN reported.

A bowl of phở. — Photo stylenews.vn

Per the book, the ranking is not about the perfect meal at a three-Michelin star restaurant, but how a dish tastes, its cultural significance and the importance of the location where it’s made and eaten.

"When you have a salad Nicoise in New York, you might think, oh this is nice," Lonely Planet destinations editor Matt Phillips told CNN Travel.

The final list is based on taste, cultural importance and "the special atmosphere of the location.”

Each entry in the Ultimate Eatlist details an experience, the culture behind it and what makes it so special, Lonely Planet says.

Earlier in June, travel site Rough Guides named Việt Nam’s iconic noodle soup, phở, among the world’s 15 best foods that are easy on a globetrotter’s pocket.

A bowl of phở contains flat, soft rice noodles dipped in a fragrant beef or chicken broth flavored with different condiments. It is served with beef or chicken, shallots and chili and lemon to taste.

The soup originated from Hà Nội before it was brought to the south where people added their own influences to the dish.

Ultimate Eatlist is the follow-up to Lonely Planet’s bestselling Ultimate Travelist and is a must-own bucket list for foodies and those who love to travel. — VNS