I've Traveled To Over 35 Countries, And These Are The 17 Most Delicious Cities I've Ever Visited
When I travel, food is really important to me. It's not just that I love to eat (believe me, I do!), but I also love getting a sense for new cultures and traditions by trying as many new dishes and flavors as possible. That's why for me, food and travel are so interconnected and so exciting.
I've been to over 35 countries across five continents, and while there are still SO many places I am dying to visit — especially far-away destinations in Africa and Asia — I've traveled to some pretty incredible food cities. Here are the ones that stand out in my memory.
1.Paris, France
Paris might be nicknamed the city of love, but it could easily be called the city of food. And while it's easy to associate Paris with fancy, fine dining — a hub of Michelin-starred eateries — there's SO much more to this culinary city. There's incredible budget eats, like the life-changing falafel pita from l'As du Falafel, buckwheat crêpes filled with ham, Gruyère and sunny side up eggs at Breizh Cafe, and buttery, flaky pastries from Du Pain et Des Idées.
For classic Parisian fare, try one of my favorite French bistros like l'Ami Jean and Le Bistrot Paul Bert.
And this major city boasts incredible international food, especially when it comes to Asian, North African, and Middle Eastern flavors.
One of my favorite activities — a perfect budget option — is just popping into a local market for a big spread of Camembert cheese, Jamon, and a freshly baked baguette for a picnic by the Seine. For a special occasion, it's hard to beat Septime with its constantly rotating, seasonal menu and amazing wine list.
2.Tokyo, Japan
If I could only eat in one city for the rest of my life, I know exactly where I would choose: Tokyo. This larger-than-life Japanese city is teeming with incredible food. Of course, there's sushi, because after all, it's home to the freshest seafood on the planet (and I could have survived solely on pieces of fatty tuna served over perfectly seasoned rice). But their eats go way beyond omakase.
There are amazing steakhouses, tiny haunts for crispy pork katsu (like my favorite Butagumi); slurpable ramen and soba (don't miss a bowl at Afuri); izakayas, where the sake and Japanese-style tapas flow; tempura bars, where everything from prawns, to sweet potato are delicately fried to crispy perfection; and yakitori counters, like Toriki, where chefs cook chicken over a charcoal fire. Tokyo also excels in international food. In fact, I had some of the best pizza of my life at SAVOY.
And while Tokyo tends to be an expensive city, you can also eat like a king for cheap thanks to the outrageously good street food.
Walk through the maze-like streets at Tsukiji Fish Market and you'll find skewers of wagyu, rice balls stuffed with shrimp tempura, balls of doughy octopus called takoyaki, and sizzling cabbage pancakes called okonomiyaki topped with bonito flakes and spicy mayo. In fact, one of the best bites I ate was a $2 egg salad sandwich from a convenience store, and I could have spent hours meandering around the many department store food courts with their luxurious, gourmet offerings.
It's also worth mentioning that Tokyo cocktail bars are unlike anything else. Crafting drinks is a form of art, and bartenders serve craft cocktails with the same focus and precision that a sushi chef slices fish. It's pretty incredible to watch (and totally delicious to drink).
3.Barcelona, Spain
I could talk about Barcelona's food scene endlessly. I studied abroad in Barcelona in college, and I return every chance I get...and that's in large part to the amazing food. Because Barcelona is part of Cataluña, you can sample traditional Spanish food from all over the country, in addition to Catalan specialties (think: fideuà, which is a paella-like recipe made with short, dry pasta and arròs negre, black rice served with garlic aioli).
You'll also find tapas bars like Bar Cañete, Cal Pep, Bar Mut, and Quimet i Quimet; a mixture of hole-in-the-walls and upscale eateries that serve dishes from all around Spain like gambas al ajillo, croquettas, grilled calamari, and so much more. If you're not sure where to look, just visit Mercado de La Boqueria, the largest market in Barcelona, to taste all the best flavors of the city.
Given that this city is located on the Mediterranean, you'll find no shortage of incredible seafood. And for those who enjoy fine dining, Barcelona is a hot spot for gastronomic restaurants like Tickets, Cinc Sentits, and Fismuler, three spots well worthy of a splurge.
4.Austin, Texas
Austin might be known for beer and barbecue, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. This trendy Texan city is one of my favorite places to eat in all of the US. There's excellent Mexican food from masa-centric plates at Suerte, to corn tortillas topped with anything from raw tuna, to duck carnitas at Nixta Taqueria, or breakfast tacos worth waking up for at Veracruz All Natural.
For lovers of Texas Barbecue, the options are endless, but you can't go wrong at La Barbecue, Micklethwait Craft Meats, or Terry Black's. When you're tired of tacos and barbecue, head to Juniper for delicious pastas, Emmer and Rye for farm to table plates served dim sum style, or Kemuri Tatsu-ya for izakaya-style plates with a Texas twist.
5.Copenhagen, Denmark
I've traveled to Copenhagen twice, and both times I felt like there wasn't possibly enough time to try all the things I wanted to eat. Even if you can't snag a table at Noma, the city suffers from no shortage of impressive restaurants. When you've had enough Scandinavian food, remember that Copenhagen is a mecca for international cuisine.
There's Neopolitan-style pizzas at Bæst, outrageously good tacos at Hija de Sanchez, French fare at Bistro Boheme, and Japanese gastropub bites at Kōnā. Cafe culture is alive and well in Copenhagen, and you can easily spend hours perched up with a coffee, a Danish, or the city's signature open-faced sandwich, Smorrebrod. Every food-lover should carve out some time to explore Torvehallerne, Copenhagen's famous covered market, and a haven for gourmet food.
6.Rome, Italy
If you're into carb loading, there may be no better place in the world to do it than Rome. As someone who could survive solely off pizza, pasta, and wine, I find my own personal heaven whenever I visit this Italian city. I can't get enough of the pizza at Dar Poeta or the creative slices of pizza al taglio at Antico Forno Roscioli. And recently, the pasta Carbonara from SantoPalato nearly changed my life.
Not sure where to begin your cullinary adventure? I'd recommend wandering the picturesque streets of Trastevere, or the hip neighborhood of Monti, and see where the wind takes you. And whatever you do, make sure to try some Roman street food classics like deep fried suppli (rice balls), carciofo alla giudia (fried artichoke), or trapizzino, a pizza-pita hybrid stuffed with your favorite ingredients.
7.Kyoto, Japan
While Tokyo is home to posh, buzzy restaurants, and a bustling international food scene, Kyoto offers a more traditional side to Japanese cuisine...and I was excited about it. Kyoto is the home of Kaisseki cuisine, a multi-course meal that relies heavily on the seasons and is served on gorgeous, hand-crafted tableware. I experienced a kaisseki dining experience at Jiki Miyazawa, and it was one of the best meals I've ever had.
And while kaiseki is a must in Kyoto, there's so much more to this food city.
I ate a meal of barbecue eel at Unagi Hirokawa that completely blew me away, and I still can't stop thinking about dinner at Monk, where each course is cooked in a wood-fired pizza oven. My favorite food experience of all though, might have been Nishiki Market, a lively market nicknamed "Kyoto's Kitchen" where you can sample anything from octopus on a stick, to uni straight out of the shell.
If you're looking for an immersive experience, you can sign up for anything from a fish butchering and sashimi-making class, to a sake tour of the Fushimi district. And since Kyoto is located just an hour from the city of Kobe, you'll also find unbelievable steakhouses where you can try this famous regional beef.
8.Hong Kong, China
From high-end, Michelin-starred restaurants serving all sorts of international cuisines, to rowdy seafood villages where your lunch is quite literally swimming in front of you, to bustling markets lined with street food stalls, Hong Kong is a real feast. I could very happily make Sunday dim sum brunch at Duddell's a weekly affair, and the steamed flower crab at The Chairman was one of those dishes that I'll never forget.
One of my favorite things about Hong Kong is how international it feels, and that is manifested in the restaurant scene. When you need a break from Chinese food, there's flame-grilled Japanese yakitori at Yardbird, fine Parisian fare at Belon, amazing Indian food at Chaat, and coastal Italian pastas at Osteria Marzia. If there's one meal I'd fly back for, it would be the life-changing peking duck at Mott32.
9.New York City, New York
Technically this one is cheating because I live in New York City, but it still deserves a place on any list of food cities. I love a lot of things about NYC, but the dining is probably number one.
While there's truly nothing in this world as comforting to me as a Sunday morning bagel and lox from Tal Bagels, or a slice of Scarr's Pizza, the beauty of New York is that you can find anything here. The most difficult thing about living in New York is balancing my go-to restaurants with trying new things. In my very own neighborhood I am just a few blocks from Ethiopian, Sichuan, Indian, Nepalese, Thai, Hawaiian, Polish, Japanese, and Italian restaurants — and that's just for starters.
Dining out in NYC, I often feel like I've been transported to another city by way of the dinner table.
You can visit Athens à la meals at Loukoumi Taverna in Astoria, imagine you've arrived in Seoul as you stroll the rows of Korean Barbecue restaurants on 32nd Street, channel Mexico City vibes at Taqueria Ramirez, get a taste of Warsaw at Karczma, or touch down in Beijing via the 7 train to Flushing, Queens, where you can chow down on sizzling soup dumplings and thick, gelatinous noodles with pork at the New World Mall food court. I might be biased, but I think New York is the greatest city in the world, and it has a lot to do with the restaurant scene.
10.Reykjavik, Iceland
I visited Iceland for the nature, the scenery, and the great outdoors, but I had no idea or expectations that the Arctic city of Reykjavik would have such a thriving culinary scene. As a disclaimer, eating out in Reykjavik is incredibly pricy. After a few dinners out, you'll feel it in your wallet. But if you can splurge on a few special meals, you'll soon realize that the food in Reykjavik is pretty unique. As a seafood lover, I really loved Fiskmarkaðurinn for super fresh seafood straight out of the sea (I even tried minke whale sushi 😲).
At Matur og Drykkur, I tried traditional Icelandic food with a modern twist, and all the flavors were incredible. At Fridheimar (just outside of Reykjavik), I sat inside a greenhouse and enjoyed tomato soup, pasta, and Bloody Marys made from fresh tomatoes grown year round. There are budget-friendly options too: I'll never forget the famous Icelandic hot dog from Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur, a bowl of steamy and creamy lobster soup from Sægreifinn, or my morning pastries from Sandholt Bakery.
11.San Sebastian, Spain
I went to San Sebastian with one main intention: to eat. This city in Spanish Basque country, right near the French border, is known not only for its tapas bars (they're called pintxos here), but also for its gastronomic, Michelin-starred dining scene. As such, San Sebastian has something for everyone — whether you're trying to eat well on a budget, or splurge on a once-in-a-lifetime tasting menu at a fine dining destination like Arzak or Akelarre.
Personally, I spent my days filling up on as many pintxos as possible, all washed down with Txakoli, a locally made crisp, super refreshing, and almost effervescent white wine. Among the pintxo bars I tried (and there were many), I would consider booking a flight back to Spain for another meal at Ganbara, La Cuchara de San Telmo, or Borda Berri.
12.Mexico City, Mexico
The first time I visited Mexico City, I wasn't sure what to expect. A big city in Mexico nowhere near the ocean? But after my first al pastor taco at El Tizoncito shortly after touching down, it all made sense. This city is brimming with culture, amazing vibes, and life-changing cuisine. You can eat extraordinarily well on any budget here, whether you're taking down 20 cent street tacos and blue corn quesadillas, or feasting on the renowned tasting menu at Pujol.
One of the hardest parts of visiting this city is deciding where and what to eat.
Lunch at Contramar — a rowdy feast of margaritas, tuna tostadas, grilled octopus, and grilled snapper tacos — might be my death row meal. And there is no better way to pass several hours than by walking through La Merced Market, an enclosed market the size of several football fields.
I learned so much about both food and Mexican culture on a food tour with Mexico Underground (plus, they showed me the hole-in-the-wall taco spots I never would have found myself). And as an added bonus, Mexico City has a thriving natural wine scene, which you can really enjoy at places like Loup Bar and Elly's. And as for the bar scene, prepare to drink lots and lots of mezcal.
13.Marrakesh, Morocco
I'll admit that before visiting Marrakesh, I didn't know a ton about Moroccan cuisine. But after a few days in this colorful and chaotic city, I discovered some delicious flavors. At Limoni, in a quiet courtyard shaded by lemon trees, I feasted on light-as-air couscous, and at Nomad, I chowed down on roast cauliflower and zucchini fritters overlooking the vibrant stalls of the Medina.
My favorite meal of all was at Le Trou Au Mur where I sampled Moroccan classics, like warm vegetable salads and tagines. Another culinary highlight was finding Mechoui Alley in the maze-like streets of the Medina. It's the place to go for Morocco's most famous lamb, which is spiced and cooked underground in clay pits until wildly tender.
14.Charleston, South Carolina
It's no secret that the small southern city of Charleston has a big reputation when it comes to cuisine. It really feels like this city has it all: There's mouthwatering Barbecue at Rodney Scott's, insanely good seafood at 167 Raw, The Ordinary, and Leon's Oyster Shop, and a whole lot of regional fare from seasonal southern at Husk and FIG to soul food at Bertha's kitchen.
There's also tons of eclectic international restaurants like Xiao Bao Biscuit where I fell in love with okonomiyaki, and quickly realized there's way more to Charleston than shrimp and grits.
15.Tel Aviv, Israel
Tel Aviv is one of those cities that totally defied my expectations. I wasn't expecting such a metropolitan, energetic, and international vibe from this Mediterranean City. The food is influenced by lots of different cultures (Spanish, Middle Eastern, North African, European), and the result is a really exciting culinary scene.
Yes, there's fluffy, warm pita stuffed with fried eggplant or falafel and decadent bowls of hummus (I'm looking at you, Hakosem) but there's so much more. Check out Mashya, where local flavors meet fine dining; Taizu, a hotspot for Southeast fusion; and Popina for French bistro fare. I especially loved walking through Sarona Market, gazing at the colorful fruits, piles of halva, towers of green and black olives, and Arabic pastries drenched in syrup.
16.Lisbon, Portugal
I guess you could say I have a thing for Iberian cuisine. I loved just about everything in Lisbon, from the laid-back vibes and the walkable streets of Chiado and Bairro Alto, to the delicious restaurants. Lisbon excels in the seafood department, and a glutinous meal of giant red prawns, langostine, and brothy clams at Cervejaria Ramiro was my personal heaven.
And fellow seafood lovers should not miss a meal at Sea Me Peixaria or A Cevicheria. I loved sampling the best of Portuguese cuisine, like Alentejo pork and mushroom croquettes at Cantinho de Avillez. But whatever you do, don't miss the chance to try the legendary Portuguese egg tart from Pasteis de Belem.
17.San Francisco, California
As an East Coaster for life, It's hard to not fantasize about visiting San Francisco after a food-filled trip out West. Like New York, San Francisco appears to have mastered just about every cuisine, whether it's peking duck at Mister Jiu's, criminally delicious crudo at Swan Oyster Depot, iconic roast chicken at Zuni Cafe, fresh pastas at Cotogna, spit-fired pork in pita bread at Souvla, or Mission-style burritos at La Taqueria.
San Francisco is the only place in the world where you can pay $12 for fancy open-faced toast and have it be entirely worth every cent (I'm lookin' at The Mill). But if there's one restaurant I would return to every single time, it's a toss-up between State Bird Provisions (and as the name implies, you'll want to order the quail), and Hog Island Oyster Co, where the char-grilled oysters might infiltrate your dreams.
