Previous literature that investigates the determinants of various aspects of tourists’ intention related to local food has not been reviewed in a comprehensive manner. By employing the meta-analysis method, the study examines the antecedents of tourists’ intention related to local food. The objectives of the study are firstly, to review previous literature about tourists’ various aspects of intention, cognitive food image and tourists’ attitude constructs. Secondly, we examine the magnitude of the relationships of cognitive food image-intention and attitude-intention by the combined effect size index. A total of 57 studies that investigate the effects of external (i.e. cognitive food image) and internal (tourists’ attitude toward local food) factors on tourists’ intention related to destination food are selected for meta-analysis. The results show that cognitive food image has large effect size on tourists’ intention to recommend local food. Medium level of effect size is found in the cognitive food image-behavioral intention, cognitive food image-intention to visit the destination for food tourism and attitude-intention to consume local food relationships. The effect sizes of cognitive food image-intention to consume, cognitive food image-revisit intention, attitude-behavioral intention, attitude-intention to visit and attitude-intention to recommend relationships are low. The study provides implications on the management of local food offerings to destination managers.