Find out why you should become a destination diner, exploring the world through taste, one bite at the time.

I’ve always had a thing with food when travelling. A tapas crawl through the bustling tapas bars in Sevilla, a generous shaving of freshly harvested truffles overlooking the rolling hills of Piemonte’s Langhe region, a wine pairing dinner set amid the lush vineyards of the Napa Valley in California, a South African braai (BBQ) around an open fireplace in the thick bushlands following a game drive.

I could continue this list forever.

For me, no trip is complete without weaving regionalized food experiences into the mix. And while in most cases food is only one component in a longer list of experiences that make a trip worthwhile for me, I am truly convinced some dining experiences are worth planning an entire trip around.

What is destination dining

Strictly speaking, destination dining means travelling with the purpose to eat at a particular restaurant or event. Thus, destination dining elevates the restaurant to the main attraction, not simply a place to eat while visiting. 

Notably, it is not limited to what you find on your plate. Destination dining usually involves immersive, experiential dining, such as themed interiors, unique locations, or storytelling through food. On top, it often includes culinary workshops, local cooking classes, or visiting local food markets as part of a deeper cultural experience.

Notably, destination dining does not require going to Michelin-star restaurants. First and foremost, destination dining is about authenticity. This could be a simple food truck offering unique, innovative food, food stalls at farmers markets, or food festivals dedicated to a particular produce.

10 compelling reasons to plan a destination dining trip

To be clear, planning a trip based around a particular dining experience does not mean eating out should be the only activity during your trip.

That said, there are many great reasons why you should consider putting food at the centre of your travel planning. Below, I have listed ten compelling reasons to build your travel itinerary around a particular dining experience.

Memorable experiences beyond eating out: In many cases, destination-worthy restaurants exist at or near great places to explore, ranging from large cities to remote rural locations. Examples include innovative restaurants in cities like London, Tokio or Buenos Aires or a secluded farm in Island, Newfoundland, a tropical island like Hawaii or perhaps a pop-up restaurant in a famous museum.

Authentic traditional dishes: Authentic recipes, regional ingredients, and traditional methods often passed down through generations are among the greatest achievements of destination dining. Often based on rare local ingredients and traditional cooking methods kept as a local secret, these experiences are hard to recreate anywhere else.  

Experiencing unique ingredients or flavours: While these days most ingredients are available globally, nothing beats locally sources fresh ingredients. Think of truffles in Piemonte or Istria, freshly caught lobster along the coast of Maine, or an authentic sushi in Japan. Though you might be able to find these near your home nothing beats freshness and taste when sampling right at the place of origin.

Discover unique cooking methods: There is a wide variety of different cooking methods, and while many are well introduced in kitchens around the world, it’s worth seeking out places adopting specific traditional cooking styles. Think of such unique techniques like geothermal cooking (Island), volcanic vent cooking (Azores) or the Moroccan tajine.

Unique and authentic design/location: Restaurants designed to emphasise the spirit of the location or being located at a particularly exciting location such as a tropical beach, overlooking a city skyline, or surrounded by vineyards. Or it could be as simple as sitting at a restaurant in front of the Pantheon in Rome sampling a plate of the city’s famous pasta dishes.

It’s an experience that goes beyond food/restaurants: Cooking classes, visiting food markets, going on wine and/or food tours, and visiting local food producers are as much part of a destination dining experience than going to the restaurant itself. Think of such exciting experiences like wandering a cocoa plantation in South America or the Caribbean, foraging seaweed in Okinawa (Japan) or go on a food tour in cities like Tokio, Montreal and Oaxaca.

Sustainability and sense of place: Farm-to-table experiences and sourcing food from local producers are a major component, supporting local communities.

Exceptional quality and innovation: Attention to the highest quality, both in food and service, merging excellent local food with environmental and cultural storytelling transforms any meal into a memorable, inspirational experience.

Learn how to cook what you eat: Many restaurants not only offer unique menus, but they will also give you the opportunity to enrol in a cooking class to make the food you will eat yourself.

It works for a multi-generational group: Enjoying great food, exploring new flavours, unique dishes and local cooking traditions speaks to all age groups. Thus, destination dining is the perfect hook for a multi-generational trip.

How to find the best destination dining experiences

Curious to experience destination dining yourself but are not sure how to figure out the best experiences and where to find them?

The great news is you don’t need to travel far for awesome destination dining experiences. They exist in abundance anywhere in the world. Though off course, if you are anything like me, you will likely want to plan even long-haul travel around dining experiences.

Which makes the task planning your next trip even more overwhelming.

If you wonder where to start, here are some suggestions how to find unique dining spots.

  • Restaurant guides like Guide Michelin, La Liste (a comprehensive, international selection aggregated from hundreds of guidebooks and publications), or The Best Chef Awards (highlighting chefs pioneering culinary innovation).
  • Check out food magazine’s Top 50 or Top 100 best restaurants list, typically published annually. A great example is San Pellegrino’s The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.
  • Seak out famous chefs like such heavyweights as Alain Ducasse, Yotam Ottolenghi, and Gordon Ramesey or find rising stars through cook shows like Next Level Chef or Top Chef.
  • Check out restaurant and hotel associations like Relais & Chateaux, Small Luxury Hotels or JRE all featuring their own gourmet restaurants. 

What else to consider about destination dining

If you are planning a trip involving destination dining, there is one particularly important point to consider.

Paying the highest attention on quality and storytelling through food often means, the most exciting – and thus most popular – places will often have only limited capacity. This means, they will often book out weeks if not months in advance. Thus, make sure to plan well ahead and make sure you get the reservation before booking your travels (i.e. train or plane tickets and accommodation).

15 exciting destination dining experiences worth planning your next trip around

The best destination dining experience is the one you fancy most. Whether you are focused on traditional local dishes, fresh ingredients sourced locally, or stunning/unique scenery, it is your own preference that defines what destination dining means for you.

The ideas listed below are meant to inspire your own imagination to find your own favourite spots around the world. Though you are welcome to plan your own trip around each of them for your next destination dining experience.

  • Go on a tapas crawl in Sevilla, Spain, the birthplace of tapas. Alternatively, do the same in Bilbao, where the local version of tapas is called pintxos.
  • Go truffle hunting in Piemonte, Italy and enjoy a truffle menu at one of the local restaurants with stunning views over the surrounding vineyards
  • Sample South Tyrolian flavours at a restaurant in the Italian dolomites opening to stunning views of the surrounding mountain peaks.
  • Enjoy an innovative wine pairing menu with breathtaking views over Portugal’s second largest city Porto and the Duoro River at The Yeatman.
  • Dine under the stars Portugal’s Alentejo region where extremely low pollution offers exceptional views of the Milkey Way, sampling local farm-to-table menus paired with local wines.
  • Enjoy the best of French cuisine at 2-Michelin star Le Jules Verne inside the Eifel Tower, overlooking the Saine River and Paris’s skyline.
  • Devour a large bowl of bouillabaisse overlooking the old port of Marseille in France.
  • Go street-food and craft beer tour in Vancouver, Canada.
  • Enjoy a farm-to-table meal accompanied by local wines at a winery restaurant in the Okanagan Valley, Canada
  • Dine at the highest restaurant in the world, Heavenly Jin in Shanghai, located on the 120th floor of the Shanghai Tower, featuring panoramic city views and a fusion menu.
  • Enjoy a high-altitude fine-dining experience at Mil restaurant in Cusco (Peru) located at 3,600 meters altitude in the Andes mountains.
  • Attend an Asado, a slow-cooked, smoky barbecue (asado) paired with local wines in Mendoza, Argentina.
  • Sample traditional Cap Malay cuisine and more South African flavours in Cape Town and the surrounding Cape Winelands along with local wines.
  • Eat at The Rock in Zanzibar, the unique restaurant that is surrounded by the Indian Ocean and accessible only by boat during high tide while you can wade through the sand during low tide.
  • Dine at an underwater restaurant in the Maldives with a spectacular view of surrounding corals and underwater life.

Do you believe great food can tell a story and meals can become more than food? Do you go out of your way to find authentic local dishes and sample unique local produce? Then you are a destination diner, whether you know it or not. Save this article for inspiration planning your next food-focused trip.