Food is the one thing that brings us together, and there is no better way to experience a city’s culture and tradition than by trying its food. Every country, city, place, and region have its own unique blend of spices and flavors that have been perfected and passed down from generation to generation. Whether you love the spices of street food or the fanciness of a Michelin star restaurant, you need to bring your appetite to these cities for dishes that are just as magical as their tourism. Here are some of the best food cities in the world
1. Hawaii, US
Although Hawaii is famous for its beaches and natural beauty, it’s incredibly delicious food and famous restaurants should not be overlooked. The food platter is known to be majorly seafood with a side of tropical fruits, influenced by native Hawaiian, Asian culture, and Pacific Islanders. Places like Leonard’s Bakery and Helena’s Hawaiian Food in Honolulu are famous mainstays and some of the best restaurants in Hawaii, but if you like to enjoy a view with your food, try the restaurants along the Waikiki strip or the north shore for Matsumoto shaved ice and its famous shrimp trucks.
2. New Orleans, Louisiana, US
New Orleans’ food is just as vibrant and colorful as its lively jazz and welcoming people. It’s known for its flavorful Creole and Cajun cuisines, shaped by French, Spanish, African, Caribbean, and Native American palates. These influences blend together to make dishes like gumbo (thick stew with meat or seafood and vegetables), jambalaya (rice dish), crawfish etouffee (crawfish in a roux-based sauce), and beignets (fried pastries with powdered sugar).
3. Mexico City, Mexico
The bustling capital, Mexico City, offers a great blend of Mexican cuisine and international flavors spread throughout the city. Local taquerias (taco stands) are considered the best bet for street food tourists. If you’re looking for restaurants, you can start with Taqueria Los Parados and Mercado de Medellín in the famous Roma neighborhood.
4. Paris, France
Also called the city of lights and love, Paris has some of the most Michelin-starred restaurants and establishments in the world. The city’s chefs, not only from renowned restaurants but also small cafes and food markets, take great pride in using only high-quality ingredients and techniques.
5. New Delhi, India
New Delhi is a city where you can find all kinds of cuisine from around the world, blended or even in its local form at every nook and corner. The city’s imperial experience resides in its local street food, offering a blend of Mughlai and North Indian dishes with a twist of the cosmopolitan city. You should start with foods like Chole Bhature (spicy chickpea curry with a side of fried puffy bread) with lassi (curd drink) and jalebi (dessert deep-fried in sugar syrup).
6. Marrakech, Morocco
Known for its unique blend of sweet and salty, Marrakech’s cuisine has a strong aroma in all of its food, like the b’stilla (savory-sweet pastry), harira (tomato-based soup), and tangia (slow-cooked meat dish).
7. Bangkok, Thailand
Bangkok is the only place in the world that has Michelin stars awarded to street food stalls. Although the bustle goes on throughout the day, it is at night when Bangkok truly comes to life with popular food streets like Khao San Road that sell popular Thai food like leng saap (spicy pork on bone), green curry, pad thai (stir-fried noodles), and many more.
8. Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo has the most Michelin starred restaurants in the world, this city manages to blend fine dining and street food together to create mouthwatering dishes like ramen (a hearty noodle soup with rich broth topped with carious ingredients), tempura (deep fried seafood or vegetable), tonkatsu (a breaded and fried pork cutlet) and donburi (a base bowl of rice with toppings like chicken, onion and eggs)
9. Kyoto, Japan
The former capital of Japan, Kyoto’s cuisine has great historical and cultural roots that come together to create a beautiful blend of delicate flavors, seasonal ingredients and elegant presentation called kaiseki which is a series of very small portioned dishes usually made using the seasonal ingredients and a variety of cooking techniques to bring out the natural flavors of the food. Kyoto is also famous for its Japanese tea culture, known for its high quality matcha and dainty teahouses, you can visit the Arashiyama sightseeing district for traditional teahouses and local sweets like wagashi (rice flour confection with beans and fruits).
10. Hanoi, Vietnam
Hanoi’s cuisine is the quiet opposite of the southern Vietnamese’s bold and spicy flavor. Hanoi’s cuisine is more subtle and delicate that enhance the natural flavor of the ingredients with the help of light broths, fresh herbs and simple seasoning. Some of the most famous dishes are Bun Cha which is a noodle dish that elevates the smokiness of the grilled pork patties which is eaten with a light dipping sauce or if you are more of a street food person, you can try the old quarter or the French quarter that serve local food like banh cuan (steamed rice rolls with pork and mushroom), southern-style pho (noodle soup dish), and cha ca la vong (grilled turmeric-marinated fish).
