You don’t take your belly on a trip, your belly takes you...
If you’re a big fan of food, you’ve come to the right place. You live for finding the freshest flavours wherever you go, whether that’s tracking down the best bagel in New York, ticking off a trending bakery that’s been all over your socials or going straight to the source with an olive oil tasting.
Being a foodie doesn’t have to be all about Michelin Stars and gourmet menus, either… some of the best finds are waiting for you in a street food market or a tiny family-run restaurant tucked down a side street. Whatever your vibe is, you’ll find all the foodie holiday inspo you need right here.
Top hotels for foodies
We’ve picked out these stays for their major foodie scenes…
Best destinations for street food
Foodie finds don’t need to be spenny and picking a place that’s known for its street food is a good place to start… Here are the best destinations for eating good on a budget.
Singapore might be small, but it’s got a major foodie scene that brings together flavours from China, Malaysia and India. Three cultures = three times as tasty. Header to one the city’s hawker centres – AKA street food heaven – to try some of the best. Chilli crab is an iconic dish here.
Street food is a staple for locals and tourists in this buzzy city. It’s quick, cheap and super yum. Must-tries include tacos el pastor, tostadas and sopes – thick corn tortillas topped with beans, meat and veg. And no meal is complete without hot churros smothered in dulce de leche, ofc…
The Dutch capital can be pretty pricey, so finding the food markets is a major travel hack for budget babes. Dutch fries – or frites to the locals – are a huge deal here – they come covered in cheese, curry sauce and all kinds of toppings and will deffo fill you up. For something sweet, poffertjes are the perfect cross between doughnuts and pancakes.
Foodie events around the world
If you’re a serious food lover lacking in inspo, one of these food festivals might spark your next travel plans…
Iconic dishes from different destinations
You know that one dish you love to cook? Eat the real deal in the place where it all started…
If you love Spanish tapas, then you’ll deffo be into Basque pintxos (pronounced ‘pinchos’). They’re perfect on-the-go snacks to keep you fuelled up as you bar hop your way around Bilbao or San Sebastian. One of the most famous pintxos from San Sebastian is the Gilda, a stack of olives, peppers and fresh Cantabrian anchovies speared on a stick and served all year round.
Over in the Canary Islands, it’s a sauce that steals the foodie show. The most common flavours of mojo sauce are mojo picon, made from peppers and chillies, and mojo verde, made from coriander. You’ll often find mojo paired with another Canarian classic – papas arrugadas. These wrinkly-skinned potatoes – boiled in salty water – are on pretty much every menu.
Almost every region in Hungary puts their own spin on the country’s national dish – a hearty soup-stew hybrid. It’s usually made with slow-cooked beef, carrots and onions, but if you’re staying near the lakes, the meat will be swapped for fresh lake fish.
Chicken Paprikas is another warming dish you’ll see on menus here. It’s the perfect thing for refuelling after a day of sightseeing in Budapest. Tender chicken is served with a generous helping of paprika, sour cream and spatzle – pasta-like dumplings.
In New Orleans, the foodie scene is all about the fusion of French and Creole culture. On the sweet side, beignets might look like doughnuts, but they’re so much more… French settlers brought them to the US in the 18th century, and they’re much puffier than traditional doughnuts. The other big difference is the heavy dusting of powdered sugar, which give them their signature look.
On the savoury front, po’boys are a classic. They’re baguettes that are crusty on the outside and fluffy in the centre. Sandwich shops load them up with fillings – the two main contenders are tender beef or crispy shrimp. And they’re always happy to heap on plenty in each serving.
Poutine is the regional dish of Quebec, but you’ll find it all over the country. It’s a classic comfort food – golden, crispy French fries, smothered in heaps of cheese curd, gravy and then finished with even more grated cheese.
An unusual dish that Vancouver’s known for is the B.C roll. The B.C. roll – short for British Colombia – is simply an ‘inside out’ roll with the classic seaweed, sushi rice and cucumber but with a twist of using barbequed salmon. You can pick up a B.C. roll in many sushi restaurants dotted all over Japantown.
Hoppers are one of Sri Lanka’s most famous dishes. They’re a savoury pancake-type dish made from a batter of fermented rice flour and coconut milk. They can be served on their own, often with an egg in the middle, or as a side dish.
Fish Ambul Thiyal is a traditional Sri Lankan curry – it’s made with chunks of fish cooked in a blend of spices and dried goraka. Goraka’s a sour fruit, which gives the curry a distinctive sharp taste.
We’ll give an honourable mention to the much-loved Thai green curry and pad Thai – but they’re far from the only things this country has to offer on the food front. For a traditional breakfast, go for Kanom jeen. It’s made of rice noodles, a curry sauce and pretty much any protein, from fish to chicken or beef. Phuket’s version usually comes with veggies from south Thailand, like bitter beans.
If you’re after a sweet snack or something for dessert, you’ll love roti. It’s a type of pancake you can usually buy from street food stalls. The batter’s made from flour, egg, sugar and condensed milk, then finished with a topping like chocolate, honey or jam.
You don’t tend to see Tamales on UK Mexican restaurant menus as much as other faves, so it’s worth trying them when you’re visiting. These steamed corn dough dumplings come in sweet and savoury varieties – filled with different types of meat, cheese or fruit.
Another lesser-known dish is Elote – grilled corn on the cob, topped with mayonnaise, cheese and chilli powder to make it super creamy.
You can find great ceviche in Costa Rica – a super fresh fish dish marinated in lime juice, finished with onion and coriander.
Gallo Pinto is another Costa Rican special. It’s a classic breakfast dish made with rice and black beans, often served with eggs, cheese, and fried plantains.
The biggest name in Morocco’s food scene has to be the tagine. It’s named after the pointed-top terracotta pot it’s cooked in. Inside, there’s a meat or vegetable stew that’s dished up with steaming couscous. The most popular? Chicken with almonds, or beef with prunes.
For dessert, a ktefa pastry is the way to go. This traditional pudding is made from layers of crispy pastry filled with fried almonds and a creamy custard sauce. The whole thing is then scented with orange flower water for an extra kick.
Ful is a breakfast dish – it’s one of the most traditional meals you can get in Egypt – even the pharaohs ate it. Mashed fava beans are mixed with onion, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil, and served with pickled veg and fresh bread. It’s best bought steaming hot from a street stall.
For lunch and dinner, you’ll find koftas on menus everywhere in Egypt. Thick, sausage-shaped meatballs are made with spicy minced lamb or beef and dished up with rice. You can also find it served in Egyptian baladi bread, with spicy chillies and a cool yoghurt dip.
Best destinations for Michelin dining
If you’ve got gourmet taste, these cities are full of high-end spots that are approved by the foodie community.
This city’s got serious culinary clout – it has the most Michelin stars per capita in all of Europe. To try the best, book a table at Bodegón Alejandro for a fine-dining take on traditional Basque flavours, or reserve a spot at Arzak for a meal that looks like it should be part of a modern art installation.
The Danish capital is home to famous restaurants like Geranium, which holds the top spot in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants List and three Michelin Stars. The menu celebrates Scandinavian gastronomy, but good news veggies – it’s completely meat-free.
We can’t talk about fine food without mentioning Paris. The city sets the standard for culinary excellence and has produced some of the best chefs of all time. The world-class cuisine is cheffed up in Michelin Star restaurants right through to laidback pavement bistros. Then there’s the wine… take your pick from Champagne, a Bordeaux or a glass of Burgundy.
Foodie recs from our Insiders
Our Insiders pick the trips they really want to go on and bring all the details back to you. For the hottest foodie recs, Hadley’s your man… If there’s a restaurant that’s worth the hype or a hidden market to try, he’ll know about it.
@hadleyogarro
Hi there, my name is Hadley and I’m a food, lifestyle and travel content creator! It’s my aim to bring my followers the best recommendations, so they know where to visit in, around and outside of London. Three years ago, I started vlogging mainly about food, then as time passed, I expanded my content across my other interests. I’m probably mostly known for my brutal honesty haha – I say it how it is!
One thing about me, I’m gonna eat! I’m also a history and archaeology graduate, so I’m a huge geek for culture. I love squeezing in the typical touristy bits, too. I describe myself as chaotically organised… I’ve always been the one who had the trip planned by the hour in my notes app (whether the itineraries actually went to plan is a different story). I’ve become a lot more relaxed in the last few years, I’ll admit… I’ve had some of my best experiences abroad just going with the flow.
Hadley’s perfect trip:
- Historical sites
- Arts and culture
- Foodie finds
- Local culture
Foodie experiences
Get up close and personal with your destination’s cuisine with a food tour or a cooking class.
Join a local Costa Rican family for dinner and learn how to make authentic dishes that have been passed down through generations. They’ll teach you about their cuisine and culture, and you’ll even get the chance to help prepare the food. Experiences don’t get much more immersive than this.
This three-hour tour takes you through the heart of New Orleans to six foodie institutions, including an Oyster house, a praline-makers and a Creole jazz bar. Between each stop, your guide will fill you in on the history of the Vieux Carré (the Old Town).
Follow a local guide through the Bologna’s historic centre where you’ll get to try traditional Bolognese dishes, like tortelloni – a bigger version of tortellini – and mortadella, a type of cured pork sausage. You’ll visit the Medieval markets, like the Herb Market and the Middle Markets, home to the oldest shops in the city.
Foodie holiday inspo
Read our articles for all things foodie, from the best destinations and places to stay to things to do when you’re there.
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