The 25 best cities for foodies around the world
BANGKOK, THAILAND: In Bangkok, endless street stalls can be found with familiar dishes like pad Thai, which Thip Samai on Mahachai Road is known for. There is also a new trend of pop-up restaurants like Opposite, where chefs organize set dinners at fixed prices that are based on a theme like New Orleans, northeastern Thai, and a Roman dinner.
BARCELONA, SPAIN: In Barcelona, you have an abundance of cured pork, Serrano ham, and cold cuts from inland Catalonia, but you also get fresh fish from the Mediterranean Sea. You can experience traditional Catalan cooking in areas like the Barri Gòtic quarter, sample tapas in various tapas restaurants like Cal Pep, and explore the Boqueria market for stalls of fresh produce and treats.
BOLOGNA, ITALY: Food tours are popular in Bologna, Italy, the city that invented Tagliatelle alla Bolognese. You can sample the fresh mortadella and other cheeses of the Mercato di Mezzo market, browse the family-owned stores and artisan producers in the cobbled lanes of Quadrilatero, and end the day with a scoop of creamy gelato.
Source: National Geographic
BRUGES, BELGIUM: Besides its delectable stands where you can get waffles topped with cream, fresh fruits, and chocolate, Bruges is also known for offering top-notch chocolate, mussels, and fries. Head to The Chocolate Line, where chef Dominique Person uses everything from wasabi and guacamole to chicken and oysters in his chocolates (which even come in a deck of edible playing cards).
Source: The Guardian
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA: In Buenos Aires, you can indulge in juicy grass-fed steaks, multi-course chef’s tasting menus, and quality wines for under $30. Its parilladas (grills) are famous for their tender steaks and meats and Buenos Aires is also home to a large illegal underground food scene that has been receiving high praises in the media over the last few years.
ENSENADA, MEXICO: The Ensenada market made waves with its fish tacos when it opened in 1958 and the dish remained one of the area’s most famed bites. Today, you’ll find stands all around the area serving up the iconic combination of fried fish and shrimp smothered in mayo, salsa, and fresh cabbage.
Source: National Geographic
GEORGE TOWN, PENANG, MALAYSIA: Penang has been touted the food capital of Malaysia and Lonely Planet's top culinary destination of 2014 thanks to a mix of traditional Malay, Chinese, and Indian dishes with cooking methods that date back hundreds of years. Its hawker centers in George Town are filled with tasty fried treats and delectable varieties of soups including everything from pork and duck with anise to mackerel-chili soup.
Source: CNN Travel
LONDON, ENGLAND: Over last few years, London has had a transformation in its dining scene with pubs transitioning into gastro pubs, food trucks opening, and two of the top 10 best restaurants in the world, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, and The Ledbury, having opened. The city has always hosted a variety of ethnic cuisines, but this continues to grow with an emerging Latin American and Korean food scene on the rise.
Source: Thrillist
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Los Angeles is where chef Roy Choi started the Kogi food truck, which launched a thriving food truck scene in the city. LA offers everything from fresh seafood choices on the pier of Venice Beach to posh restaurants like Maude by Curtis Stone, as well as some of the top Mexican, Korean, and sushi thanks to its diverse population.
LYON, FRANCE: According to the Guardian, Lyon has been the gastronomic capital of France and of the world for the last 76 years. In Lyon, you'll find eclectic dishes like pig’s brain dressed in pork vinaigrette, the Trois Gaules, which is considered the world’s first pub, and quaint markets like the Quai Saint-Antoine and the Les Halles de Paul Bocuse where you can get high-end snacks and treats.
Source: The Guardian
MARRAKESH, MOROCCO: Marrakesh combines the flavors of France, Africa, and the Middle East to offer food stalls where you can taste on-the-go bites like kefta (Moroccan meatballs) and mergez (spicy sausages) in the day. At night, dine at stunning restaurants like Bô-Zin, which is located in a mansion.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA: New Orleans is famous for its delectable Creole dishes. Try a po-boy sandwich, which might have fried seafood or smoked sausages, or head to one of the oldest restaurants in America, Antoine’s, where oysters Rockefeller were invented.
Learn more about Antoine's.
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: In New York, you'll find one of the most diverse food scenes in the world; there's everything from Italian and French to Afghan and Tibetan cuisine. Try one of its many Michelin star restaurants, grab a hot dog or halal platter from a street vendor, or check out one of its food festivals like Smorgasborg.
PARIS, FRANCE: To taste authentic French cheeses and sweets, head to Paris’ weekend markets like its Bastille market or the Place Monge Market. Brasseries located outside tourist areas will offer traditional dishes like quiche, Coq Au Vin, and Madeleines. The city is also home to several acclaimed restaurants like L’Atelier, run by chef Joël Robuchon, who was named the “Chef of the Century” by restaurant guide Gault Millau.
PORTLAND, OREGON: Portland is famous for its thriving food truck scene. Some tasty options include Pok Pok, where you can sink your teeth into some of the most succulent chicken wings; Ken’s Artisan pizzas, which are topped with everything from fennel sausage and onions to bacon; Biwa, where you’ll find handmade noodles; and Bunk Sandwiches, where you can get a flavor-filled pork belly Cuban sandwich.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA: San Diego is one of the top places for Mexican food in the United States. Try the Surfing California burrito at Lucha Libre, which is filled with grilled steak, shrimp, fresh french fries, avocado, pico de gallo, cheese, and a chipotle sauce, and was featured on Man vs. Food.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA: San Francisco was awarded 40 Michelin stars last year for its prime dining destinations which include its three-star restaurants Benu and Saison. But the city also offers casual eats at its Ferry Building Marketplace, where vendors offer everything from wild mushrooms to freshly-cured salamis.
Source: Travel + Leisure
SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN: Besides its trio of 3-Michelin-star restaurants, San Sebastian is known for its markets like La Brexta, its Basque-style tapas, and cutting-edge dishes like foie gras with figs.
SÂO PAULO, BRAZIL: São Paulo has long had a tradition of outstanding cuisine, but over the years, it has also been fusing the traditions of Italian, Japanese, and Lebanese populations with those of Brazil. Bar do Mané, located in stall E14 of Mercado Municipal de São Paulo, a market hall hosting one of the city’s largest produce and food markets, is best known for its epic-sized sandwiches of grilled mortadella and melted cheese.
Source: Food and Wine
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON: Head to one of Seattle's prized food markets like the iconic Pike Place Market, gorge on succulent-fresh oysters at Pioneer Square, and indulge in prime coffee, warm biscuits, and croissants at the specialty market at London Plane. Make sure to have a cup of coffee at Zeitgeist, where you can catch a movie screening or art exhibits while sipping their signature blends.
Source: Travel + Leisure
SINGAPORE: In Singapore, hawkers centers abound with cheap eats that are beloved by top foodies like Anthony Bourdain and Gordon Ramsey. Try iconic Singaporean dishes like chicken rice, chili crab, and char kway teow.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: In Sydney, you can also sample regional meats like crocodile and kangaroo grilled to perfection, try the city’s bountiful seafood at the Sydney Fish Market, and sample the growing array of Malaysian cuisine at places like Mamak.
TAIPEI, TAIWAN: According to the Guardian, Taiwan is the world’s best destination for street food markets and Taipei is where some of the best reside. Here, you’ll find night markets that abound with everything from candied fruit to popcorn chicken. The area’s desserts are particularly unique as well, with delicacies like squid-ink bread and breads stuffed with custard and made with a pineapple crust.
TEL AVIV, ISRAEL: In Tel Aviv, Israel, most eateries are farm to table with locally grown, fresh produce and vegetables. The city also hosts a cafe culture, where it’s not uncommon to sit in an open-air restaurant for long hours while you sample small bowls of creamy labneh, hummus, flatbreads, pickled onions, and roasted red peppers all before indulging in your main entrée.
Source: Washington Post
TOKYO, JAPAN: Seafood lovers will be in paradise at Tokyo’s Tsukiji Fish Market, where 5 million pounds of fish are sold every day and where you’ll find fresh, traditional Japanese sushi. Tokyo also hosts the most Michelin-starred restaurants in the world, with 267 restaurants having received the award.
Source: Daily Mail
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