Discover Gastronomic Delights with iBestTravel
Whether we realize it or not, food is one of the key ways in which we experience a place when traveling. That secret locals’ tapas bar you stumbled across down a backstreet; that briny-fresh seafood you saw hauled straight from the sea and onto the barbecue. Ingredients evoke landscapes, recipes recall history, and certain dishes can unlock the very essence of a place and its people.
iBestTravel offers a gastronomic guide to 52 of the best places to travel if you hunger for unforgettable eating experiences. Our authors have rustled up a feast of expert recommendations for globetrotting gourmets, covering everything from the finest of fine dining to the ultimate in street food.
We’ve picked out a few of the most flavorsome spots here to give you a taste of what’s cooking. Tuck in!
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Cattle-rearing gauchos and waves of European immigrants have shaped the culinary landscape of Argentina, turning Buenos Aires into a world-class city for meat lovers. Today, the city’s cuisine is an eclectic mix of traditions brought by these European immigrants: Italian-style ice cream, empanadas from Spain, wine from vineyards planted by the French, and German-style sausages and cheeses. Beyond Argentina’s capital, generations of gauchos tend cattle on the pastures of the Pampas grasslands. The residents of Buenos Aires, known as porteños (people of the port), are certainly a carnivorous lot. The meat is grilled over an open flame on a parrilla, a heavy-duty barbecue found in steak restaurants and private homes, where families and friends gather for asados (barbecues).
Margaret River, Australia
Heading south from Perth, this remote region of southwestern Australia is a surprising foodie destination, thanks to a dedicated community of chefs and producers. Towns and cities including Fremantle, Bunbury, and Busselton hug the coast, where local seafood is plentiful. Just a few hours from Perth, the Margaret River wine region combines a rural ambiance and spectacular beaches with a sophisticated food scene. Artisan food producers dot lanes fringed by grapevines, craft beer is emerging as an innovative challenger to Margaret River’s stellar wine scene, and chefs showcase meat, seafood, and produce in vineyard restaurants and cafes. With culinary influences from immigration and close proximity to Southeast Asia, the region’s food scene emerges as a vibrant and multicultural marvel.
Cape Town, South Africa
At the southern tip of Africa, Cape Town chefs have created a progressive food scene by revisiting ancestral traditions and utilizing the cape’s rich natural resources. They have incredible produce to work with: fresh fish and seafood such as crayfish, kingklip, and the meaty snoek; cuts of game including springbok that are seasoned and cooked on African-style braais (barbecues) or dried into delicious biltong; and a cornucopia of fruit and vegetables ripened in the warm southern sun. Innovative cooks also tap into the foraging ways of the indigenous Khoe-San people to integrate ingredients such as the leaves and flowers of fynbos, unique to the Western Cape.
Hanoi, Vietnam
Hanoi holds an unrivaled status in Vietnam’s culinary scene. Shaped by centuries of foreign influence, this elegant capital is the birthplace of signature national dishes that have become synonymous with Vietnamese food worldwide, such as pho and bun cha. The culinary influences from the Mongols contributed beef; Chinese domination imparted cooking techniques such as stir-frying; while the French brought baguettes, dill, coffee, and wine. This melange of influences, notable for the abundant presence of fresh herbs, has merged into a cuisine uniquely its own. At its heart, Hanoi is a city of gourmands, offering the best street food experience in Vietnam.
Aarhus, Denmark
Long overshadowed by Copenhagen, Viking-founded Aarhus on the Jutland peninsula is emerging as a European destination for hyper-local dining with flair. It is an ideal place to explore how and why Denmark has transitioned from an overlooked dining destination to a culinary darling in just over a decade. There is a strong focus on culinary innovation, supported by excellent local produce. The surrounds of Aarhus – the bay, forests, and fields – provide a rich larder of ingredients, including exceptional pork, beef, game, dairy, seafood, root vegetables, wild berries, and herbs. An increasing number of butchers, bakers, and microbrewers rely on organic farmers and orchardists for fresh ingredients.
Jordan
A caravanserai of empires and civilizations has passed through Jordan, situated at the heart of the Levant – a historical term for the Middle Eastern region encompassing Jordan, Israel, Syria, Lebanon, and the Palestinian territories. This mixed heritage is most evident in the ancient recipes, ubiquitous spices, and common ingredients of this area. Mediterranean-style salads, mixed grills, and mezze define Jordanian cuisine, infused with spices, zesty sumac, and herby za’atar, complemented with Arabian dates, pine nuts, pistachios, chickpeas, bulgur wheat, and tahini (a creamy sesame-seed paste). Lamb is highly prized for its richness, and desserts often conclude meals with syrupy pastries or cakes.
Chennai, India
India’s southern city of Chennai is defined by a fiery cuisine that puts lentils, potatoes, and tomatoes at the forefront, challenging perceptions of bland vegetarian food. The foundation stone of South Indian cooking is the tamarind and lentil dipping sauce known as sambar, which accompanies everything from crispy dosas (rice flour pancakes) to vada (lentil-flour doughnuts). Chefs continually reinvent ways to transform vegetarian staples into gastronomic delights, leaving even hardened carnivores convinced after just a few mouthfuls. The word ‘curry’ originates from the Tamil word kari, meaning spicy sauce, placing the birthplace of Indian cooking firmly in the cook pots of the steamy south.
Piedmont, Italy
In a country renowned for its culinary excellence, Piedmont shines as a gastronomic star. This northwestern region is the birthplace of the Slow Food movement, which celebrates the pleasure of food over speed and convenience. Often referred to as ‘Tuscany without tourists’, gourmands flock to Piedmont for its beloved regional specialties, including risotto alla piemontese (risotto with butter and cheese), tajarin (a thin tagliatelle pasta), vitello tonnato (veal with tuna sauce), delectable soft Tomino goats’ milk cheese, and rare white truffles. With two of the world’s most prestigious wine-producing regions – Barolo and Barbaresco – Piedmont represents one of the most exciting culinary scenes in Italy today.
Maine, USA
The southern shore of Maine proudly showcases its maritime heritage. Fog-draped lighthouses dot the coastline, while fishing boats navigate island-speckled bays. Lobster pounds and clam shacks jostle for attention along US 1 highway. In this part of the USA, fish, oysters, and clams are often fried, served with French fries, coleslaw, and tartar sauce. Lobster is typically steamed or broiled. Every self-respecting coastal town from Kittery north to Calais features a lobster shack not far from the local dock, great for slurping thick seafood chowders. For road tripping through Maine, the best time to explore is from late May through October.
