20+ Destinations Around the World for the Foodies

Global travelers who are also food enthusiasts should plan for destinations that are well on food and drinks. Let’s find some of the best global food destinations.

best global food destinations
Image Credit: Dook International

Are you a travel lover? Or perhaps enjoy food too much. Most of us humans enjoy both and that is why food and traveling go side by side. When you are looking forward to going on a trip, most people are excited about trying out the new cuisines from different places and regions which also expresses their cultural values. Whether you like eating street food or enjoy eating in a Michelin-star restaurant, there are many places around the world where you can enjoy fine meals and a great vacation too. Let’s find some of the best food destinations around the world to plan your next trip which can make your soul and stomach happy at the same time.

  • Bangkok

Bangkok is situated in the central Thailand area that is famous for its food culture which is dynamic, delicious, and sometimes bizarre as well. This capital city is bustling with plenty of places to eat and street food is highly famous here. The cuisine here comes with a blast of flavors and you will have to eat a lot of sambal of green chili paste which is added to most dishes. You can also enjoy the creamy massaman curry and tom kha kai which are highly famous as traditional dishes. Other than spicy street food, you can also find Michelin-rated restaurants for fine dining plans. Try out the local food which includes umami-rich and earthy flavors along with fresh seafood.

  • Bologna

Well, Bologna in Italy is visited by millions of global tourists every year and there is high demand for Bolognese sauce all around the world. This place embraces the authentic flavors of Italian cuisine with a slight twist of taste. Most Italian classics belong to this region due to its eponymous Bolognese sauce that complements most dishes with its flavorful presence. You can also find tortellini here which is considered to be the world’s finest ice cream. The best feature of this place is that there are no traps for tourists here and you will pay the local price only. People are quite welcoming and warm here.

  • Cape Town

The dynamic palate of South African cuisines has captivated the global foodies and now, there is the higher craze of African restaurants in other continents. Cape Town, being one of the major places in Africa can offer you the best punch of flavors through diversified dishes. Whether you want to try traditional fufu or jollop rice, there are all kinds of delicious Cape Malay cuisines that you can try here. The dishes here are fragrantly spicy rather than fiery which offers a unique taste. The blend of flavors happened back in the 17th and 18th centuries when a huge number of Malay slaves were brought to Cape Town. Therefore, it is the taste of history.

  • Copenhagen

Copenhagen is the capital region of Denmark and it is visited by thousands of food lovers every year. Danish cuisine’s strongest suits reside in freshly caught fish and seafood which are tasted without even cooking. When it comes to fish, herring is a local favorite that people enjoyed for years. This particular fish has been caught, salted, dried, and smoked here from ancient times. There is also a special Danish sandwich called smorrebrod which is made with herring fish. Good news for beer lovers as you can find many breweries offering craft beers that are tasty and can get you tipsy soon.

  • Cornwall

Cornwall in the United Kingdom is famous for many reasons and food could be one of them. This place is well revered for fresh and locally sourced food which includes almost zero packaged products. The flavor palate here offers a strong projection of the coastal location and farming heritage. They can offer you plenty of outstanding seafood recipes which include crab sandwiches, fish and chips, Cornish pasties, and many others. You can also find some of the best cheeses in the world from Cornwall, named Cornish Blue and Yarg, also known as the world’s best-clotted cream. You can also find many award-winning types of liquor here.

  • Istanbul

Istanbul is the capital of Turkey which is best known for its amazing food and love for cats. This ancient place has witnessed a series of dramatic reincarnations and finally got the name ‘Istanbul’ in the Ottoman era. As a result, you can still eat dishes here which have been invented back in the 15th century. There is a 1,800-year history behind the cuisine culture of this place where the East met the West. This place can be heaven for meat and sweet lovers as they have a huge diversity of non-veg dishes and sweet desserts. It is a hub for all kinds of people and food.

  • Lima

Lima region in Peru is visited by thousands of global travelers every year as it is the capital of the country. This city consists of some of the best restaurants around the world where you can find the top chefs cooking for you including Jaime Pesaque, Virgilio Martínez, Gastón Acurio, and many others. The highly talented chefs here are capable of providing you with fusion food flavors that include European techniques along with Asian ingredients. You can also taste the cultural amalgamation through Peruvian dishes that showcase diversity and unity at the same time.

  • London

London is the capital of the UK where people from every corner of the world come to visit or try to create a successful career ahead. British food has gone through a fair share of evolutions with their extreme oppressing and colonization techniques and merged global flavors in their food. Even high-profile chefs such as Mark Hix and Fergus Henderson cannot deny the fact that British people learned most good dishes from other countries only. Bread remains a national passion and the effect can be seen in London too. However, London has become a hub for global restaurants where you can find all kinds of dishes whether it is French, Jamaican, or Indian. After colonization for 200 years, Chicken Butter Masala from India has become the UK’s national dish.

  • Lyon

Lyon is an amazing place in France which is also revered as the ‘gastronomic capital of the world’. This place contains the highest number of Michelin stars in France after Paris. As a result, this place became a hub for plenty of food shops, markets, food halls, and eateries. The world-renowned wine regions of Beaujolais are also nearby. This means you can enjoy good meals and great wines while you glaze yourself in the European weather. French food, culture, and people have their own ways to celebrate life and you can be a part of it too.

  • Madrid

Madrid in Spain is one of the fascinating destinations around the world that stays on the bucket list for most people who are planning to go for a Euro Trip. You can find over 6,000 restaurants serving dishes from all around Spain. This place is like a playground for the foodies where they can easily find plenty of sources to enjoy local food such as traditional restaurants, informal tapas bars, gourmet food markets, and so on. This capital city can offer you a vast range of flavors through fabulous tapas and fresh seafood. For meaty options, you can also find stews, lamb, and juicy pigs. Every dish offered here comes with a unique taste and is very healthy in nature.

  • Marrakech

Marrakech is a Moroccan place which is best known for its unique traditional dishes. The slow-cooked tajines is the most popular dish here which is cooked on traditional platters with conical lids. It is a flavored soup that is topped with seven vegetables. You should also try the tray of meze which is a traditional salad recipe that is fresh and flavorful at the same time. It includes roasted aubergine and yogurt with mint and garlic. Lamb is the most popular type of meat here but you can also find sea fishes like sardines. One of the mandatory Moroccan rituals is to have mint tea with some sweet cookies or pastries. It seems like they have a sweet tooth and you should grow one too.

  • Melbourne

Melbourne Australia is famous for many reasons but more than that spiders, it’s the food that can distract your mind. It is a sophisticated and cosmopolitan hub of the continent which provides a wide cross-section of world cuisines. Staring from Italian, Greek Thai, Vietnamese, and Arabic; you can easily enjoy global flavors here with plenty of restaurants and food joints. Just like there are top-class fine dining establishments, you can also find food trucks and stalls in the city. The nightlife is also quite active here and you can eat while taking a stroll.

  • Munich

Munich in Germany is visited by thousands of people every year and more than Hitler, they like to talk about the food there. Well, there are no special Munich dishes but it is the cultured capital of southern Germany which makes it a hub for all kinds of people. You can find the best quality food here made from locally produced elements. The food culture here is mainly based on bread, beers, and cold meats and the locals love it. It is easy, convenient, and comes with high protein. Also, no one can compete with the German beers, period.

  • Naples

Hailing from Italy, this place can be considered as the birthplace of pizzas which started back in 1889. Queen Margherita received a baked pizza with the colors of the Italian flag where tomatoes helped to get the red, mozzarella offered the white texture, and lastly, basil for green foliage. It is perhaps the simplest recipe and ingredient but also one of the most delicious dishes named after the queen and called Margherita Pizza. This place can offer you the best and most authentic pizzas in the whole world. After pizza, you can also enjoy gelato if you like some sweets afterward.

  • Palermo

Palermo in Italy is another offbeat place for global travelers but the people who enjoy food must go there. This place can offer you the best Sicilian cuisine which is considered to be the oldest in existence when it comes to Italy. The main ingredients that they use in food are mainly meat, fruit, nuts, and fish which create a diversified taste. Sicilians also claim the fact that they have invented pasta and the food here is treated with almost religious fervor. It is the core of the culture and you will enjoy being a part of it.

  • Paris

Paris in France is the only metropolitan hub that can tick all the checkboxes. Starting from art, and fashion to food; this place remains the no.1 in every case. Being a culinary hub and home to many well-established top-tier chefs; this place can offer you everything that you are looking for. Whether it is classic steak-frites with onion soup or having breakfast with baguette and croissants; you will find plenty of options for everything. You can also dip into the old-school flavors of chateaubriand beef and garlicky snails or can enjoy Picardie or Seine-et-Marne. Paris can offer you personalized food based on your palette.

  • Portland

Well, many Americans will fight over this but Portland seems to stand out with its food culture. This city in the USA is bustling with people from many countries and they are introducing new cuisines to the customers. Almost in every other corner, you will find a stall or a food truck selling something unique and the best part is that nothing tastes bad. It is also considered to be the current gourmet hotspot of America that has some of the best restaurants. You can also find plenty of breweries to enjoy craft beers. Try not to miss out on the fine dining opportunities.

  • Singapore

If you have a knack for Asian cuisine, then Singapore is the best place for you to visit. Rich with flavors and spices, Singapore can offer you an amalgamation of all kinds of Asian dishes which mainly include Chinese, Indian, and Malay recipes. This place offers a homebred combination of the three which makes their dishes unique, tasty, and highly flavorful. The nightlife here is very fascinating and you can find the best food in the hawker stalls only. Chili Crab is one of the local specialties here that you should try.

  • Stockholm

New Nordic cuisines have gained renewed popularity in the global market and Stockholm is the best place to enjoy Nordic dishes. This place can offer you some exceptional restaurants where traditional country cooking is well practiced to embrace the local flavors. Their food palette is different and berries and local meats are the main ingredients here. Meat is mainly consumed by reindeer and elks. You can also enjoy the taste of fish and seafood such as the Baltic herring. Make sure to have the Baltic Meatball dish which tastes divine.

  • Tokyo

Tokyo is the capital city of Japan which is considered to be one of the world’s great culinary hubs. It goes without saying that Japanese sushi, ramen, and mochi have taken over the world and you can find the authentic tastes here. The city is also filled with more Michelin stars than any other city which makes it a hub for restaurants and pretty aesthetic street shops. Whether you want to have budget-friendly food or want to have an expensive meal; Tokyo can offer you everything under a common shade. Japanese culture embraces eating raw meat and fish seasoned with soya sauce. So, make sure to keep your gag reflex in check.