Cuisine is a significant part of the charm that comes with exploring any new city. What would France be without its wine and plateau de fromages, or Italy without its linguini alfredo and gelato? Traditional dishes give a flavour of the history of a place and are often a source of national pride and identity too.
Best cities for food lovers
Planning a holiday or a city trip for later in the year? Here are the top five you should jump on a plane to if you love your grub.
1. Paris
It’s no surprise that Paris tops the list of best cities for foodies. Aside from being the perfect location for a romantic getaway, France is famous for its cuisine. Paris boosts more than 70 Michelin star restaurants but you can’t beat simple French bread and cheese.
A ‘best baguette’ competition is held in Paris annually and the variety of cheeses available in the city is unparalleled. The Brun Boulangerie Patisserie won best baguette of 2017, and Le Chalet Savoyard comes highly recommended for all its dishes involving cheese. For more adventurous foodies there are frog’s legs and escargot, as well as deserts like Le Paris-Brest.
2. Seoul
One of the cheaper favourites, Seoul has an average price of £6 per meal. The food scene here is liberal with its spices, creating colourful finger food and a growing street food scene. Kimchi is the most well known tangy Korean side dish, made out of fermented cabbage or cucumbers.
Other street foods include dakkochi (spicy marinated chicken skewers with spring onions), tteok-bokki (stir fry rice cakes), and jeon savoury pancakes. Mingles serves traditional food and has been awarded one Michelin star.
3. Tokyo
One of the most bustling neon light capitals of the world, Tokyo’s food selection is just as dazzling. Sashimi is, of course, a must. The fish market in Tokyo is the largest in the world and this is reflected in the thirty odd Michelin star sushi restaurants within the city, such as Sukiyabashi Jiro Honten and Ishikawa.
Ramen and udon noodles are a staple but flavourful part of Japanese diet, served with a variety of seasonings from deep fried shrimp and seaweed to eggs and spring onions. Other specialities include sukiyaki, a broth of beef and tofu boiled at the table hot pot style.
4. Hong Kong
Hong Kong may have been a British colony for 99 years, but they managed to preserve their heritage through local food. Many of these may seem like oddities – chicken’s feet, fish balls, stinky tofu, and pineapple buns.
However, this wide range of interesting delicacies account for diverse tastes, and gives you something to brag to your friends about having sampled. The intricately decorated Chinese mooncakes and ever popular bubble tea provide for those with a sweeter tooth. Food is affordable here too with average meal prices around £6.
5. Madrid
Spanish specialities tend to have a lovely rustic feel, and the food in Madrid is no different. Simple favourites include tortillas, not the South American wrap but omelettes stuffed with onions, cheese, potatoes; and patatas bravas, potatoes fried with pepper and served with aioli.
Locals to Madrid also love their meat and seafood, offering a selection spanning everything from chorizo and bocadillo de calamares (deep-fried squid in bread) to fried pig ear. Some of the best tapas bars in the city include Restaurante La Castela, and Restaurante La Montería with one Michelin star.
You may also be interested in…
Best-selling Food around the world cookbooks
Stuck for inspiration? Check out our list of best-selling Amazon products!
- Jennifer Joyce (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 272 Pages - 01/07/2021 (Publication Date) - Murdoch Books (Publisher)
- Hardcover Book
- Iyer, Rukmini (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- Reynolds, Matthew (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 119 Pages - 10/23/2023 (Publication Date) - Independently published (Publisher)
- Book Cover May Vary
- Hardcover Book
- Iyer, Rukmini (Author)
- Hansen, Lilian (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 118 Pages - 01/27/2022 (Publication Date) - Independently published (Publisher)
Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This article may include affiliate links to products and services where we may receive a small fee to support the running of this site if you make a purchase or is a sponsored article from one of our select editorial partners providing valuable advice and information to our readers.
