Culinary Crown Jewels
The cities worth crossing the world to eat in. 19 places, mapped and ready to build a trip around.
Plan a trip on Trailwind →Singapore
SingaporeBestYear-roundClimate73–88°FCurrencySGDLanguageEnglishAirportSINNo. 9 on Euromonitor's Top 100 City Destinations 2024, Singapore.
Mexico City
MexicoBestNov–MayClimate45–82°FCurrencyMXNLanguageSpanishAirportMEXMexico City is the capital and largest city of Mexico, as well as the most populous city in North America. It is one of the world's leading cultural and financial centers and, according to the Globalization and World Cities Research Network's 2024 ranking, is classified as an Alpha world city. Located in the Valley of Mexico on the high Mexican Central Plateau, the city sits at an altitude of 2,240 meters. It is divided into 16 boroughs, or alcaldías, which are further subdivided into neighborhoods, or colonias.
Marrakech
MoroccoBestOct–MayClimate43–104°FCurrencyMADLanguageArabicAirportRAKMarrakesh or Marrakech is the fourth-largest city in Morocco. It is one of the four imperial cities of Morocco and is the capital of the Marrakesh-Safi region. The city lies west of the foothills of the Atlas Mountains.
Hong Kong
ChinaBestNov–FebClimate55–86°FCurrencyCNYLanguageMandarin ChineseAirportHKGHong Kong is a special administrative region of China. Situated on China's southern coast just south of Shenzhen, it consists of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories. With 7.5 million residents in a 1,114-square-kilometre (430 sq mi) territory, Hong Kong is the fourth-most densely populated region in the world.
George Town
MalaysiaBestJan–FebClimate75–88°FCurrencyMYRLanguageMalayAirportPENPenang, where street food is the main event. Char kway teow, assam laksa and cendol, mostly from stalls that make one thing.
Beirut
LebanonBestVariesClimate52–90°FAirportBEYMezze, and a food culture that has kept going through everything. The city eats late and at length.
Chengdu
ChinaBestVariesClimate39–88°FCurrencyCNYLanguageMandarin ChineseAirportCTUSichuan pepper and the numbing heat called mala. UNESCO named it a City of Gastronomy in 2010, the first in Asia.
Tokyo
JapanBestVariesClimate34–90°FCurrencyJPYLanguageJapaneseAirportHNDMore Michelin stars than any city on earth, plus transcendent street food.
San Sebastian
SpainBestVariesClimate43–77°FCurrencyEURLanguageSpanishAirportEASPintxos bars and the worlds densest run of great restaurants.
Bologna
ItalyBestVariesClimate34–90°FCurrencyEURLanguageItalianAirportBLQItalys pasta heartland: ragu, tortellini and mortadella.
Bangkok
ThailandBestNov–FebClimate72–93°FCurrencyTHBLanguageThaiAirportBKKA street-food capital of grilled, sour, sweet and fiery everything.
Oaxaca
MexicoBestVariesClimate52–90°FCurrencyMXNLanguageSpanishAirportOAXSeven moles, tlayudas and mezcal in Mexicos culinary soul.
Lyon
FranceBestVariesClimate34–82°FCurrencyEURLanguageFrenchAirportLYSFrances gastronomic capital of bouchons and Halles Bocuse.
Naples
ItalyBestVariesClimate43–88°FCurrencyEURLanguageItalianAirportNAPThe birthplace of pizza, best eaten folded on the street.
New Orleans
United StatesBestVariesClimate48–90°FCurrencyUSDLanguageEnglishAirportMSYCreole and Cajun gumbo, beignets, and brass bands busking down Frenchmen Street.
Istanbul
TurkeyBestVariesClimate39–86°FCurrencyTRYLanguageTurkishAirportISTWhere kebab, meze and baklava meet across two continents.
Ho Chi Minh City
VietnamBestDec–MarClimate73–95°FCurrencyVNDLanguageVietnameseAirportSGNPho, banh mi and iced coffee in a nonstop street-food city.
Lima
PeruBestDec–AprClimate57–77°FCurrencyPENLanguageSpanishAirportLIMCeviche, causa and several of the worlds fifty best restaurants.
Copenhagen
DenmarkBestMay–SepClimate34–70°FCurrencyDKKLanguageDanishAirportCPHThe New Nordic movement, Noma and hygge bakeries.