Traveling is all about immersing yourself in a new culture and way of life through new experiences. Like FOOD, obviously. Let’s be honest. You’re not going to Italy without devouring authentic pizza and pasta, or heading to India without a few curries. So, now that we’re all thinking about the delicacies we dream of, let’s find out which are the countries with the greatest cuisine.
But first, we have some fun stuff to share about food! If you like your food hot, hot, hot, that may mean you’re more adventurous, appealing and appeased in general. A recent survey of 2,000 Americans revealed spicy food eaters are 76 percent more likely to enjoy trying new things, 62 percent more likely to consider themselves attractive and 66 percent more content with their lives than those with milder heat preferences.
Food is so important to some people that they may end a potential relationship over it. Dramatic? Not for nearly a quarter of blossoming romances. A survey found 22 percent of adults will only consider a relationship with someone who shares their taste in food. And 30 percent believe food is more important to them than sex. With that said, you may be left alone to eat your heart out on your next adventure. But that’s OK.
If you’re in one of the five countries below, you’ll have all the love you need right on the menus. According to 10 food experts, these are the five best places in the world to visit to take your taste buds on the journey of a lifetime. Our mouths are watering already, so let’s go. We’re about to find out if we’ll need forks, chopsticks or just our fingers for these top cultural cuisines.
Best Food In The World, According To Foodies
1. Italy
The consensus on the best places to eat lands Italy in the top spot of the expert-recommended list.
“Italian food has captivated taste buds around the globe for centuries, with its zesty tomato sauces, those clever things they do with wheat flour and desserts that are basically vehicles for cream. It’s all so simple. Get some noodles, get some olive oil, get some garlic, maybe a tomato or a slice of bacon. Bam, you have a party on a plate. And it is all so easy to cook and eat,” CNN writes.
Yonderbound doesn’t really want to talk about how good it is when you could be eating it: “It’s hard to speak about Italian food, it’s better to enjoy it. The traditional colors of Italian cuisine — red, green and yellow always create a great mixture of flavor and taste. Usually all the dishes are based on tomato, bread and olive oil. The secret of the cuisine is not in a sophisticated preparation process, it is more in the freshness of the products.”
You can also check out the five best cities to visit in Italy here.
2. Mexico
The No. 2 spot goes to Mexico! Surely there are plenty of folks around the world who believe real Mexican food belongs in the top spot.
“The food can be eaten in a very fancy restaurant as in a food stall on the street and it tastes just awesome. Undoubtedly the best food in the world. The only problem is that real authentic food with real authentic ingredients can only be found in Mexico. What you get outside the country is a poor rendering of what Mexicans really eat at home,” according to the reviewers at The Top Tens.
Related: Visualizing America’s Most Popular Fast Food Chains
But if you can’t make it to Mexico, maybe California will fit the bill. According to Couple’s Coordinates says, “Lucky for those of us from Southern California, Mexicans are the dominant ethnicity and Mexican food is an absolute staple of the California diet. Still, we as Los Angelenos LOVE to travel to Mexico to indulge in authentic local delights. Mexico is simply one of the countries with the best cuisine in the world.”
3. France
Escargot, anyone? Here’s why The Travel recommends France as food heaven: “The French are famous for the importance they attach to food — it’s not uncommon in France to take two-hour lunch breaks for three-course meals. Travel to France and one can enjoy French food without the associated snobbery (France is the birthplace of the Michelin Guide after all).”
And World Population Review writes, “France comes in at #3 in the world when it comes to the best food. There are a variety of excellent dishes that are part of the cuisine of France. Macarons, escargot, and baguettes are some examples of the delicious French cuisine that secures France a spot at #3 on this list. Of course, there are many other excellent dishes that originate from the country of France.”
France even has a baguette law! The law ensures the bread you’re buying was made right there on site and with only four ingredients: wheat flour, water, salt and yeast. Freezing for freshness is a no-go, as it’s outlawed to freeze baguettes or add any additives or preservatives. This means you’ll always be able to find some fresh bread!
4. Spain
Home to many world-renowned restaurants, Spain is a food lover’s dream destination.
AWOL writes, “The country of Spain came away as the real winner, with the largest share of restaurants in the top 50. Seven of the [world’s] 50 best restaurants are located in Spain, dotted all over the country from Girona to San Sebastian to Axpe. This proves that the home of tapas, paella and churros really is the king of culinary countries.”
But the real winners are the people who get to eat there, according to My Adventures Across The World: “Spain definitely is one of the countries with the best food. This is a place where people still take their time to eat — though be prepared, meal times are really late. People enjoy having business meetings while savoring some of the best fish caught in the Bay of Biscay; and they accompany their meals with a glass of good wine.”
5. Greece
Famous for its Mediterranean diet, Greece rounds out the list of the best countries to visit for amazing food.
“Greece feels like a good fit for the top five. The land of lamb gyros, endless seafood, funky farmhouse cheese, plenty of olive oil, and robust wines rarely leaves anyone hungry or unsatisfied with their options. Greece is also relatively small, especially if you’re comparing it to massive colonial empires in the Americas. That doesn’t mean the cuisine is one-note; more that it’s dialed in — based around the ideals of Mediterranean cuisine, with a heavy emphasis on fatty fish, fresh produce, plenty of dairy and olive oil, and all the wine you can drink under that hot southern European sun,” UPROXX says.
“We love Greek food for its zestiness. Greece is popular thanks to its rich history, and a little bit of it can be seen in the cooking. It’s the magic of olive oil lashings; they are among the largest exporters of olive oil. Favorites include salads, roast meat, lentil soup, dolma, and feta cheese,” according to A World to Travel.
Story attributed to Study Finds.