World’s Best Food Experiences: 15 Must-Visit Neighborhoods

Do you plan your vacations around the restaurants you most want to try? Are your tableside photos trending on Instagram? Would you be willing to try almost anything once? If the answer is a resounding yes, then you just might be a foodie. Pair your love for cuisine with a passion for travel, and you’ve got the perfect ingredients for a memorable escape that will keep your taste buds happy long after the journey.

If you’re up for a mouthwatering adventure, check out these 15 foodie-friendly neighborhoods around the world, just waiting to satisfy your appetite:

New York

Flatiron District:

Set within bustling Manhattan, the Flatiron District is named after the iconic Flatiron Building residing at the crossroads of Broadway and Fifth Avenue. It’s a mecca for architectural design lovers, shopaholics and foodies alike, brimming with both quirky boutiques and chic restaurants unique to the area. For a 360-experience, take a Flatiron Food, History & Architecture Tour, which begins in the neighborhood’s infamous artisanal Italian emporium, Eataly.

Here you can sample and shop everything from extra virgin olive oil to handcrafted sweets, before walking it off as you admire NYC’s tallest skyscrapers. Add one of the city’s best burgers and an insider’s look into the cheese production process, and you’re in foodie heaven.

Financial District:

Still hungry? Continue south to Manhattan’s Financial District, home of Wall Street, the 9/11 Memorial and impeccable dining. The neighborhood is also home to the Institute of Culinary Education, where you can attend specialized recreational cooking classes, just in case you want to brush up on your own skills and share your passion for great cuisine when you get back home. But if you want to let someone else do the food prep, there’s plenty of that, too. Get a fast casual taste of the neighborhood with a Food Cart Tour, where you’ll enjoy the authentic street food local New Yorkers adore so much. Then, quench your thirst at The Dead Rabbit, a “Grocery and Grog” where you can buy dry goods like fruit preserves, olives and pickles, sip aged whiskeys of the world in The Taproom or travel back in time at The Parlor, featuring 72 historically-accurate cocktails … all in one amazing place.

SoHo:

Found in Lower Manhanttan, NYC’s SoHo neighborhood is best known for its trendy upscale boutiques, lively bars and standout eateries. From bakeries and cafes, to cocktails and cuisine, you’ll find it all in SoHo. Go #nofilter for your next social post at Jack’s Wife Freda, a photo-worthy bistro serving up the most beautiful — and delectable — Mediterranean cuisine around. Prefer something closer to comfort food? Check out The Dutch, where Chef Andrew Carmellini turns classic fried chicken into an elitist’s delicacy and an everyday burger is anything but ordinary.

For those who want to sip their dinner, the Winetasting Walking Tour in SoHo gives vino lovers a VIP pass into the neighborhood’s most popular cellars and bars, complete with perfectly selected food pairings.

London

Shoreditch:

Found at the East End of London is Shoreditch, a fashionable and funky neighborhood inhabited by some of the area’s most creative residents. Here you’ll find brick warehouses transformed into interactive art galleries, blank walls into colorful murals and empty plates into works of culinary art.

And of course, plenty of those London pub pints. But rather than simply sipping like a local, why not sip with one? Book an Authentic East London Pub Experience for a chance to make your way around this hip area like an expert, as you’re guided to a storied public house — where you’ll no doubt get a first-hand taste at what makes Shoreditch a London favorite.

Mayfair:

In the mood for something sweet? Put the elegant neighborhood of Mayfair on your menu — an exclusive area set in West London. Filled with five-star hotels and upscale shops and restaurants, this luxurious escape exudes decadence at every turn, so where better to experience an indulgent Chocolate Walking Tour? Tempt your taste buds with 7 divine chocolate tastings, as you learn the history and culture of chocolate making at award-winning chocolate boutiques. Once you’ve eaten dessert first, top it off with an opulent dinner at one of Mayfair’s best, like Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, where a new collection of fine dining menus is introduced seasonally.

Covent Garden:

Not far from Mayfair is Covent Garden, where great food and culture go hand-in-hand. For many, it’s a tradition to dine before and after an evening at the Royal Opera House, so go ahead, join them (you wouldn’t want to risk looking like a tourist, right?)

Feel like royalty at the Kingsway Hall Hotel, where an afternoon tea features everything you could imagine — from tiny finger sandwiches to piping hot cups of tea you’ll feel compelled to drink with your pinkies up.

New Orleans

French Quarter:

Every true foodie knows New Orleans is like stumbling across paradise for the palate. From cocktails to Cajun done right, great food and drinks are just part of the experience when visiting the area, and the French Quarter offers some of the best. Take a stroll through one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city as you complete your retreat back in time with a French Quarter Cocktail Walking Tour featuring an insider’s peek into one of New Orleans’ first drinking establishments.

Once you’ve worked up an appetite, a stop into Court of Two Sisters is a must — the French Quarter legend serves up Cajun-Creole classics you can’t miss like shrimp and grits, and even turtle soup! And for a savory souvenir and other irresistible edibles, a jaunt to nearby St. Roch is worth the trip, where you’ll find the southern food hall St. Roch Market with a diverse lineup of food and beverage purveyors.

Central City/Garden District:

Already experienced everything the French Quarter has to offer? Sounds impossible, but it’s always fun to venture somewhere new. So hit up New Orleans’ Central City/Garden District, which is jam-packed with something for virtually any craving — from kitschy dive bars to refined restaurants. Don’t miss the “elemental flavors” of Primitivo, where wood, coal, fire and salt define the menu rather than a specific cuisine type.

Everyone should spend brunch, lunch or dinner (or all three!) at Commander’s Palace, a New Orleans landmark since 1880 still serving the Haute Creole cuisine and Louisiana charm that it first became known for with a focus on “dirt to plate within 100 miles” freshness. Also of note, Roux Carre, a food port celebrating a variety of New Orleans cuisine types: Creole, Latino, African and Caribbean!

Barcelona

Old City/Ciutat Vella:

Barcelona’s Ciutat Vella (Old City), is home to some of the area’s most walkable streets — filled with beautiful old buildings, designer boutiques and historic architecture you have to see to truly appreciate. Translation: the perfect place to work up an appetite. Luckily, it’s packed with plenty of opportunities to do just that.

Don’t miss the La Boqueria Market, a large public market with everything from ready-made fruit salad to seafood so fresh it’s still moving! The Barcelona Foodies’ Walking Tour is the perfect way to see — and taste — it all.

Gothic Quarter:

An offset of Barcelona’s Old City is Gothic Quarter, home to Medieval-aged buildings, breathtaking basilicas and cathedrals, and Marta’s Spanish Paella Cooking Class. The local host welcomes hungry guests into her home to learn how to prepare one of Spain’s most famous dishes, and of course, enjoy your creation alongside fellow foodies as you sip, savor and share stories. It’s a priceless experience you won’t soon forget, and better yet, one you can recreate again and again once you’re back home! (Better jot down that recipe.)

Born District:

For authentic cuisine tucked within narrow, labyrinth-like streets, maneuver your way through Barcelona’s Born District. Here tapas are always on the menu, offering the perfect sample-sized portions of impeccable local cuisine.

Check out Ca’l Pep, or follow along with a small group on a Gourmet Tapas Tour, where you’ll indulge in small plates, mouthwatering meats and cheeses and plenty of sightseeing. Want to satisfy your sweet tooth? Barcelona’s bakeries, cafes and chocolatiers and ready to delight! Take a Sweet Small-Group Walking Tour to get enjoy enough desserts to make even Willy Wonka jealous.

San Francisco

Mission District:

Any true foodie knows San Francisco is a must-visit, and the Mission District heads up that list with its rich Hispanic history and affinity for all things delicious. Here, finding a meal that’s simultaneously quick, fast and tasty is more than possible … the trick is deciding where to dine! Try La Taqueria for arguably the best tacos and burritos on this side of the border. Want a variety? Take a South Mission District Food Tour, where you’ll taste cuisine from at least five shops and restaurants, and still get some of that Latin American flavor you’re craving.

Chinatown/North Beach:

More in the mood for Asian and Italian cuisine than Latin? Get your tummy ready for adventure in Chinatown and North Beach. In Chinatown, get your fill of dim sum and soufflés, because why not? Try Great Eastern, Good Mong Kok Bakery and the French/Asian Fusion Souffle Café for sushi and soufflés. (Only in Chinatown!)

Pasta lovers will find their piece of heaven in North Beach, where nothing beats a simple, homemade lasagna or pizza. Savor pies crafted by 11-time World Pizza Champion Tony Gemignani at Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, where all of its ingredients are imported directly for Napoli for a truly authentic experience. Or enjoy wine and dinner at Vicoletto, whose owners bring the cuisine from their hometown of Calbria, Italy right to California. Can’t decide between Chinatown or North Beach cuisine? No need, the Chinatown & North Beach Culinary Tour gives you a taste of both neighborhoods. And while you’re in San Francisco, don’t forget to jot down to Embarcadero to explore the Ferry Building Marketplace, a food hall offering everything from artisan cheeses to freshly caught fish. Bon appetit!

Seattle

Downtown:

West Coast lovers rejoice, San Francisco isn’t the only spot you’ll find great food and fun. Seattle also has its fair share of great fare, and downtown is a hot spot for finding your favorite. First and foremost, a trip to Seattle is never complete without exploring Pike Place Market, an original farmers market established more than a century ago in 1907. Find locally-grown produce, hands-on cooking classes, dozens of specialty foods stores, year-round produce stalls and much more. Make sure you save room for chocolate-covered Washington cherries!

It’s a lot to take in, but don’t worry, you shouldn’t have to go it alone — the Tastes of Pike Place Market Walking Tour will guide you along the way. Downtown is also a great place to mix and mingle alongside great drinks. Luckily you can learn about Seattle’s cocktail history as you enjoy them on the Booze & Bites Tour.

Pioneer Square:

Just south of downtown Seattle is Pioneer Square, which also happens to be the city’s original downtown. This historic past makes way for some seriously delicious modern cuisine, as the neighborhood looks to reinvent itself through the revitalization of its eateries and shops. Get a taste of old and new at Good Bar, a trendy, yet unpretentious stop to grab a drink and take in the ambiance of the historic Pacific Commercial Building which it resides. Taylor Oyster Bar is another local favorite, boasting three Seattle locations which all serve up the freshest Pacific Northwest shellfish. For those who prefer to dine amid fresh flowers, The London Plane is a must. The quaint eatery is part café, part specialty foods grocery, and part floral workshop. Bring those together, and it’s a one-of-a-kind Seattle experience! Last stop on your list is Zeitgeist, a funky little coffeehouse that isn’t Starbucks, puts local art front and center, and never fails to serve up the perfect brew!

So tell me, which foodie spots are on your travel list? I’m always hungry for more ideas!

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