One of the great pleasures of travelling the world is trying new foods. Eating like a local means hunting down those traditional back-street restaurants and street food stalls that promise big flavours, value-for-money, and an experience to remember (our recommendation? Look out for a long queue!).
Here are ten incredible experiences for travelling foodies to sink their teeth into:
Tapas in San Sebastian
The Basque city of San Sebastian has become known for its culinary delights in recent years; it’s the city with the highest number of Michelin stars per square foot in the world. However away from the pomp and façade of high-end dining, the best-loved gastronomical delicacy in the region is humble pintxos, a Basque variation of tapas. Found in the bars of the Old Quarter, pintxos incorporates meat, seafood, vegetables, fruit and lots of red wine.
Rueben Rye in New York
New York’s Jewish community has given a lot to the world from Seinfeld to the Beastie Boys, but arguably their biggest contribution is the Reuben Sandwich. The Reuben is traditionally a hot sandwich with a towering pile of corned beef, Swiss cheese, Russian dressing and sauerkraut. Claimed to have originated in the famous but now defunct Reuben’s Restaurant, the sandwiches are still going strong thanks to family-run delicatessens such as Katz’s.
Sukiyabashi Jiro Sushi
With three Michelin stars and widely regarded as the world’s greatest sushi restaurant, Sukiyabashi Jiro is a must-visit restaurant (although be prepared to book three months in advance). Still operated by sushi master Jiro Ono, the restaurant entertained Barack Obama earlier this year who declared the wares the “best sushi I’ve ever had in my life”.
Vietnamese Pho
Pho is arguably the most popular street food in Vietnam. Comprised of a thick noodle broth and meat, pho is traditionally sold at dawn and dusk by roaming street vendors with mobile kitchens supported on their shoulders. Despite becoming popular around the world, the Vietnamese streets still offers the finest and most authentic pho dishes.
Neapolitan Pizza
Despite becoming a global phenomenon, served in every country in the world, birthplace Naples continues to serve the most extraordinary pizza. Da Michele has been serving pizza for almost 150 years, never wavering far from the original recipe. The restaurant offers just two variations – the margherita and the marinara.
The 27-Restaurant Ship
If you’re looking to experience the culinary delights of every corner of the map, the Norwegian Breakaway cruise ship is packed with eateries. With 27 on-board restaurants, many of which are complimentary, the ship is a foodie destination in itself. And as an extra foodie benefit, Cruise1st are currently offering holiday deals on the ship taking passengers to New York – a city with a big appetite.
San Francisco Cracked Crab
The Swan Oyster Depot in San Francisco is a somewhat unassuming diner with only 18 seats pushed up to a marble counter. But the incredible cracked crab, Blue Point oysters and Anchor Steam beer means the wait for one of the 18 seats is usually around two hours. The diner celebrates its 70th anniversary next year and is still run by the Sancimino family, retaining the values and qualities which made it so popular in the first place.
Texan Barbecue
Everything is bigger in Texas, in particular the food. Franklin Barbecue has been named the premier BBQ joint in the USA by Bon Appetit magazine and regularly sells out of meat by 1pm. Careful control over meat supply and preparation ensures a consistent high quality of food. Based out of a trailer off Interstate 35, Franklin’s is the perfect culinary accompaniment for the great American road trip.
Lebanese Meze
From simple herb dishes to torpedoes of lamb (kibbeh), Lebanese meze is a fascinating culinary journey full of intricate subtleties and piquant flavours. With up to 40 courses, meze is the perfect sharing experience when travelling through the Middle East.
Fish & Chips at the British Seaside
For more than 150 years, fish and chips have been as iconic in Britain as the Queen and a stiff upper lip. This staple of British food is best enjoyed in full sight of the sea, eaten out of hand with lashings of vinegar. The coastal town of Whitley Bay is widely regarded as Britain’s best place to enjoy fish and chips by the sea, although the wind coming off the North Sea can make it a little chilly for those not acclimatised to the north-east of England.
Categories: Food & Drink
