Food travel is a growing trend around the world with people setting out to discover the best travel destinations for food lovers. We’ve compiled a list of the top cities for food lovers. Whether you want the authentic flavors of street food or taste some of the regional favorites in award-winning restaurants, you’ll be able to dine until your heart’s content.
Bangkok
Visit Bangkok for one of the most unique foodie destinations in the world. Bangkok is a hub for Thai food and world-famous for its street food. Street food culture in Bangkok is the norm where people go for a quick bite to eat or entire meals. Street food can be found street side, in large, dedicated markets to vendors, or even unique floating markets.
Street food in Bangkok is often prepared in front of you at the stalls. Try some of the favorite dishes of sticky rice or pad Thai noodles topped with chicken or beef.
Tokyo
As you can expect with Japan surrounded by water, you’ll find some of the freshest seafood dishes in the world in Tokyo. The world-famous sushi dish originated in Japan. It’s only right that as a food lover, you travel to the origin of it.
In Toyko, you’ll find the Tsukiji fish market, the biggest of its kind in the world. People flock from around the world to this market to taste fresh seafood, including sushi. Tokyo has countless Michelin-starred restaurants which treat sushi-making as an art form.
New York
New York is a melting pot of people who’ve also introduced the city to their hometown cuisines New York is one of the top foodie travel destinations because of the diversity of food you’ll find around the city. Head to Little Italy for a taste of authentic Italian dishes or head uptown to Harlem for some home-cooked soul food.
Street cart hot dogs and “dollar pizza” are staples in the New York diet that you want to be sure to try the next time you’ll in the metropolis.
New Orleans
Many people may know New Orleans for the famed Mardi Gras parade, but it’s also a major gastronomy hub in the southern US. New Orleans is known for gumbo, a blended dish consisting of a variety of foods: rice, meats, seafood, veggies, and more, mixed in a large bowl.
True natives prefer their gumbo extra spicy, but mention that you’re just visiting and they may turn down the spice for you. Gumbo can be found at an intimate local diner to even the most upscale restaurants around the city.
Mexico City
Mexico City is both the capital of Mexico and the food capital for Mexican food. Mexican food doesn’t get more authentic than in the heart of the country. Mexican food is known around the world, and while restaurants attempt to serve authentic flavors, only by visiting Mexico can you truly appreciate the taste.
Street tacos are a must-try for all food lovers. Carts line the streets where you can get tacos of different varieties or other Mexican food staples including elote and pozole.
Mumbai
You can’t truly experience the Indian culture without a taste of the many flavors of the country. India is known for its extensive use of spices in every meal, so you’ll expect every bite to be full of flavor.
Whether you are dining at a popular street cart or restaurant, Mumbai is full of options for food lovers. Try some of the local favorites, including pav bhaji, kebabs, or curry dishes.
Paris
Paris has always been one of the most popular travel destinations, with its food scene just as iconic as the Eiffel Tower. Parisian cuisine is one of the richest in the world. More than just the food, the entire dining experience makes the city worthwhile to foodies.
Start the morning off with a fresh croissant from the local bakery and pop into a pastry shop mid-day for a variety of colorful macaroons. You can’t leave Paris without trying one of the city’s signature crêpes or falafels.
Tuscany
Italian cuisine is among the top foods from Europe, and Tuscany is the perfect travel destination for authentic tastes. Tuscany benefits from two characteristics: it’s a cuisine hub in Italy and its in the iconic wine country.
Try your favorite Italian dishes from spaghetti to pizza is a place where fresh ingredients are just as essential as the finished product. It’s what gives it the signature Italian taste. Just outside of Tuscany are the rolling hills of wine country where you’ll try some of the world’s best wines and cheeses.
Make your own foodie bucket list
With so much food variety around the world, it can be hard to narrow it down for your top destinations on any foodie’s bucket list. Our list gives you lots of flavor options where you can begin to plan your foodie trip ideas.
Let us know what city you would travel to first!