Experiencing the entire world through taste is an elite thing that only real foodies can experience. If you are on a journey, here are the best cities to visit.
If you are a foodie, you must know that there is nothing else that brings more joy than trying our different dishes and flavors. Moreover, traveling to new places and eating their food are some of the few things that bring people joy in this world. These are some of the simplest things that can make you happy, find the meaning of life and joy, and encourage you to move forward. This requires traveling to new cities, and the real way to know about the culture is with a plate of logical food.
The question is what makes a place a city of good food? Are they Michelin-starred restaurants? Or the local flavors on the street? The answer is short and quite simple, it is having options. It is having quality food at a reasonable price. From Johannesburg to Bangkok, here is the list of 14 best cities to have the best-tasting food that you need to add to your foodie bucket list.
- Naples
Italy is a picturesque country, and famous for giving the world two of the most satisfying and loved dishes, pasta, and pizza. If you are traveling to Italy, it would be illegal not to visit Naples, especially if you want to try out its exceptional food options. Pizza, or A’ pizz originated in Naples in the nineteenth century as an affordable and quick meal to feed the working classes of the city. Several old-school pizzerias centered on Via deiTribunali, also known as Pizza Street continue to feed hungry citymen today as a cheap meal option. While traveling to the country, you would definitely find elevated eateries there, but Naples still offers the cheapest bite, with the most exquisite and rich taste of Pizza Margherita.
- Osaka
A highly esteemed food city in Japan, Osaka is where the party of flavors is happening. Due to its reputation as a city filled with good and tasty food, the citizens affectionately call the city “The Kitchen of Japan”. The people of the city often lead a very casual, chill, and fun-loving lifestyle and it is reflected in the dishes that you can find around Osaka. The most popular dishes that you have to try once you are there are takoyaki – octopus balls, and okonomiyaki, which is Japanese Pizza. The city is also home to some of the nation’s largest fish markets where you will see auctions of tuna happening every day. If you are looking for fresh produce, souvenirs, and shellfish, head out to KuromonIchiba Market. If you want some affordable bites, Dontonbori Street is your destination. Here you will see street vendors with treats like yakitori, which is grilled chicken over a charcoal fire, and kushikatsu, which is deep-fried skewered vegetables and meat.
- Johannesburg
When you think about traveling to South Africa and eating the delicacies of the country, the first name of a city that pops into your head is probably Cape Town. The capital of the country can easily steal the limelight for presenting the best international cuisine. However, if you are looking for the food capital of South Africa, Johannesburg easily takes the crown. The most astonishing thing about going to the city for a food experience is that you can eat your way around the continent here because of the variety of flavors and options. In the south of the city, you will find Nigerian and West African eateries presenting authentic dishes, and in Little Addis, you will experience Ethiopian cafes. However, if you ask the local food experts, the best thing to try out here would be the authentic South African dishes like Sowetankota sandwich, mala mogodu, and bunny chow.
- Paris
Many people visit the City of Light to witness the famous architecture of the Eiffel Tower, but Paris is also one of the best cities to enjoy good food. Visitors often argue that even though you do not really need a reason to visit Paris, its food experience is far better than its museums and landmarks. If you have a sweet tooth and are especially in love with treats, Paris is the one true destination for you. Known in the entire world for its nutty macarons and pastries, the city is absolutely beaming with sweet treats. Part of the reason why the city is so well-known for its good quality food is because the French chefs only use local ingredients that are fresh and available to them. The food culture of the country does not rely on artificial food colorings or preservatives, which is a fairly common practice in other countries. The locals always vouch for the popular pastries and baked goods, such as baguettes, croissants, etc.
- Lima
Visiting Perus would introduce you to some of the best flavors in the world and you will get the most of it in the culinary capital of the country, Lima. It is not only the food capital of the country but of all the South American continent. For starters, Lima is home to the ‘world’s best restaurant’, Central. However, the Peruvian flavors can be tasted on Central’s ten-course tasting menu almost everywhere across the city, that too, at just a fraction of its original price. If you are looking for an exciting Peruvian palate, indulge yourself in citrusy ceviche, tangy pisco sours, and Peruvian beef stir fry – lomosaltado. However, if you are looking for value meals, go for the hearty arroz con pollo, the simple chicken and rice dish that was also named the city’s most affordable dish. The dish easily combines seasoned rice, vegetables, and tender chicken in a big pot. This is why it is the perfect food for a big family, or a crowd that also gives you the same warm vibe.
- Austin
Austin, Texas, is the dreamland for meat lovers. The quote “If God did not intend for us to eat animals, then why did he make them out of meat?” by John Cleese stands so true for all Austin locals as it is home to some of the world’s best barbeque joints. If you are ever traveling to the USA or more specifically Austin in Texas, its barbecued ribs, sausage, and brisket are something that you should absolutely try. This is also called the “holy trinity of Texas BBQ” by locals that will take you to a meat paradise. However, this is not all, the best way to have a Texas barbecue is to have it with popular side dishes like sauerkraut, beans, and potato salad, or you can with the cult favorite french fries. Among other really famous barbecue joints, Franklin Barbecue is counted as one of the most popular restaurants in Austin where you can indulge yourself in brisket and pulled pork along with different kinds of smoked meat. This joint is also strictly open during lunch hours, where you might have to wait in line to get in, but it is all worth it!
- Ho Chi Minh City
One thing that Asian, especially Vietnamese cuisine never lacks – is flavor. Sweet, spicy, tangy, and fragrant, you will get it all if you try out Vietnamese dishes. In a course to find the best flavor for your food palate, Ho Chi Minh City ranks number one rated as one of the top most favorite food cities, here you will get street food alongside Michelin-starred restaurants. The streets of the city are bustling with food stalls, snails, hawking banh mil, offal stew, and broken rice which are delicacies you have to try out while you are in the country. However, the restaurants are also catching up with the renditions of the classic dishes, inducing new flavors and experimenting with the palate. However, the most popular and rated dish that takes the world by storm is Pho, a bowl of warm noodle soup. Pho is a Vietnamese staple, it is like a hug in a warm bowl. Heavily garnished with coriander, basil, hoisin sauce, and chili, this dish can be found all across the country but tastes especially nice when you have it in Ho Chi Minh.
- Bangkok
As mentioned before, you will never not find a burst of flavor in Asian cuisine and Bangkok is a living example of that. The city is the capital of Thailand, as well as the capital of street food in the world. The city’s cuisine is famous all around the world for its explosion of taste mixing 5 flavors – sweet, salty, sour, spicy, and bitter. The city is truly the best place to try out street food because every part of Bangkok is known for its different styles of dishes. Some of the common food items that you will enjoy on the streets of Bangkok include pad Thai, which is a stir-fried noodle dish, som tam, which is green papaya salad, and tom yam goong, which is a sour soup made with shrimp. These can be found throughout the entire city, costing around 100 baht or even less. If you travel to Bangkok Old City, Silom, and Chinatown, you will see hundreds of street vendors selling mouth-watering dishes from early mornings to late nights. On the other hand, if you are someone who does not like hustling and bustling sounds that much, SoiRambuttri is your best-suited destination, situated near the infamous Khao San Road in the historic district.
- Beijing
As Texas was heaven for barbecued meat lovers, Beijing is also the land of Beijing. If you travel to the city and ask the locals which dish you should try, they will guide you towards meat. The most common answers that you will find there include hot pot, gongbao chicken, and not to mention, Peking duck. However, if you are waiting for the vegetables to be disappointing among all kinds of meat here, then you are wrong. Vegetables are easily spotted and eaten in Beijing, as steamed, spiced, stir-fried, or as filling for dumplings. You will find all the good flavors and will be introduced to different taste palates all over the capital of China. Sure, you will find a good share of gourmet restaurants there, but the city’s night markets, and snack streets make sure that eating out will not cost you a fortune. While in Beijing, the most local thing you can do is grab a jianbing, which is a Chinese savory crepe, and a beer!
- Melbourne
If you are traveling to Australia, Melbourne is one city you should not skip. If eating good quality food is your mission then going to the city on your Australian trip is the best decision you can make as it embraces experimental flavors and brunch culture. It is the city where you will see the most vibrant youth vibing and this is what reflects in their food as well. Part of the city’s DNA is made up of Coffee-shop culture. A very interesting thing about the city’s cuisine is that it has been influenced by immigration waves in the past few decades, so you taste the influence of different cuisines in its food like Greek, Spanish, Mexican, Chinese, British, and Italian. If you are in a good mood, there is a way of enhancing that by going into wine bars that Melbourne has plenty of. However, not just drinks, these wine bars also have the best brunch menus that are just impossible to pass on. Charlton is the best district where you will find Italian food and Chinatown is where you will find the Chinese gems.
- Mumbai
Just like East Asian cuisines, South Asians also do not shy away from experimenting with their palate, exploring flavors, and creating some of the most lip-smacking dishes you will ever taste. One country in South Asia that you must visit if you are traveling for food is India and the city that might be the food capital of the country is Mumbai. Although the entire country and its various regions will give you a taste of different cuisines, flavors, and food palates, Mumbai has become the most-voted city where any foodie will have the time of their lives! One of the staple dishes that even local people cannot stay away from is VadaPav. It is like the Indian version of a burger but made with Potato. The patty is made of deep-fried potato dumplings stuffed into a bread roll and served with green and red chutneys. It is an explosion of flavors that is almost addictive. The other food favorites include creamy butter chicken and garlic naan, and fiery Manchurian which is vegetables or meat chopped roughly and smothered in a sticky, flavorful sauce.
- Kuala Lumpur
When you are making a list of food capitals around the world, it is well-known that a lot of Asian countries will come up with their insane flavors to take the top spots. The next in line is Malaysia and its capital Kuala Lumpur. If you are to truly experience the magic of flavors, then this big melting pot of food influenced by different cultures in the continent such as Indian, Chinese, and Malay is the one for you. Every food item in the city is reflective of its immigration culture, presenting tourists with a fusion of flavorful dishes. The city’s must-eat meal has to be Nasilemak, which is a dish with coconut milk rice, cucumber, boiled egg, and crispy anchovies. While you are there, don’t forget to try Thai tom yam soup bustling with hot, storing and sour flavors, and a crispy pan-fried flatbread, roti canai.
- Istanbul
Enough of Asian and European cuisines, it is time to focus on Middle-Eastern food and pay the dues. The next on this list is Turkish cuisine and more specifically the food you will get to experience in Istanbul. People often describe the cuisine as a mixture of Eastern European, Central Asian, Middle Eastern, and Balkan cuisines. Istanbul is the country’s largest city where the most popular thing is meze dining. Some of the local favorites that you absolutely have to try include PatlıcanSalatasi, a grilled eggplant salad, ZeytinyağlıEnginar, which is a lip-smacking dish based on artichoke, and most importantly, Ezme, a tomato chili pasta. If you want to truly experience the city and its food culture, take a walk around bazaars, snack on the delicious kebabs, and drink mint tea. The Grand Bazaar is one of the world’s oldest and largest covered markets with more than 4,000 shops attracting up to 400,000 visitors every day. Here you will find Turkish spices, and various dishes, along with jewelry, carpets, and pottery items.
- Dubai
One thing that Dubai is never afraid of, is how to bring innovation to life. The very alive examples include the vertiginous skyscrapers and man-made islands. So, it is natural that the city’s habit of pushing boundaries and creating something new has reached its food scene as well. Emerging local cafes alongside new waves of dining experiences bring attractions to the city. It is also home to various culinary talents from all around the world. While it is quite possible to sample some of the best chefs from any corner of the globe, some of the dishes that you will experience nowhere else like in Dubai are traditional Middle Eastern dishes. These dishes include charcoal-grilled chicken, shawarma, and mandi rice.
Traveling to this country might not be a possibility for every food lover out there, but building a food bucket list and travel planning might just be the way to satisfy your love and interest in food from different countries.
