The Foodie's Travel Bucket List

It's worth the trip to sample these quintessential dishes, from tapas in Barcelona to the freshest sushi of your life in Tokyo. We've got the address book.

As a salty mist rolls in from the tidal river, you duck into Moran’s Oyster Cottage and settle by the peat fire. Willie, a seventh-generation shucker, draws you a creamy headed pint of Guinness and a dozen local oysters with a thick slab of brown bread. You’ve slurped a lot of bivalves in your life, but all—past and future—will be compared to these.

No matter how awe-inspiring you find the Cliffs of Moher, the cobblestoned streets of Galway, or any of the other attractions that brought you to Ireland, it’s likely that this meal or one like it—hearty, served by friendly folks in just the right setting—will be the memory you keep coming back to. Because, let’s be honest, often sightseeing is just something to fill the time between meals, right? So as part of T+L's bucket list of the 101 places every traveler should know, we’re serving up some of the world’s best foodie experiences.

We’ve got a few seafood places that could give Moran’s a run for its money, such as a harborside South African restaurant and an atmospheric little bistro in the French village of Sauzon. Closer to home, a gut-busting lunch stop along the Pacific Coast Highway and the finest comfort food Montreal cooks up may inspire you to book a quick getaway.

Then, of course, there are classic foodie favorites like Paris, Singapore with its street-food stalls, and the frozen-in-time local hangouts along the canals of Venice. You don’t have to take our word for it. In Oaxaca, Mexico, famous for its complex mole sauces, chef April Bloomfield shares her favorite regional Slow Food restaurant, while designer Anya Hindmarch names London’s best sausage toast.

There’s something for every taste. But every pick hits that sweet spot where food, company, and setting combine for a truly transporting—and delicious—experience. Find out where in the world to satisfy your cravings. —Colleen Clark

See T+L’s Complete Bucket List

Slurp oysters fresh from Tomales Bay at the Hog Island Oyster Bar ($$$), in the Ferry Terminal Market—or better yet, at its home base, 50 miles north. 

Make a movable feast of a tapas crawl, from classic El Vaso de Oro ($) and modern Paco Meralgo ($) to the popular Bar Pinotxo ($) and locals-only Bomba Bar Cova Fumada ($).

“The food in Oaxaca, Mexico, is excellent: complex moles; chicken soups with different kinds of chiles; fresh street-side tacos. I love La Biznaga Restaurant ($$), which specializes in regional Slow Food dishes.” —April Bloomfield, chef

At Maxwell Road Hawker Center (1 Kadayanallur St.; $) you’ll find sublime—and immaculate—Hainanese chicken rice and laksa noodles.

Devour the ultimate lobster roll at a waterfront table at the Clam Shack, in Kennebunkport, one of the best seafood restaurants in the U.S.

Dragon Well ($$$$) is a visionary restaurant whose tasting menu—dedicated to centuries-old, organic cooking traditions—will change the way you think about Chinese food.

The city reveals its charms once you step off the tourist-clogged path. Thomas Jonglez, co-author of the Secret Venice guidebook, recommends eating a plate of crudo at Trattoria Antiche Carampane ($$), a local favorite for seafood, and sipping a canal-side glass of wine at Cantine del Vino Già Schiavi (39-041/523-0034).

Arrive at Tsukiji Fish Market before dawn to watch the tuna auction, then have the freshest sushi of your life at Sushi Dai (81-3/354-7679; $$).

Pair oysters with brown bread and pints of Guinness at Moran’s Oyster Cottage ($$).

The city’s range of rich eats merits a comfort-food tour. Don’t miss the pork-shank risotto at Club Chasse et Pêche ($$$); the foie gras poutine at Au Pied de Cochon ($$$); and the mother of all smoked-beef sandwiches—Quebec’s answer to pastrami—at Schwartz’s Deli ($$).

Drive the Pacific Coast Highway south from Carmel, stopping at Redwood Grill ($$) for a pulled-pork sandwich.

See T+L's Complete Bucket List

Sit down to a meal of oysters plucked from the water at 34 South ($$), a harborfront restaurant along the Garden Route.

A rented cottage such as Fiscavaig ($), a strikingly modern glass-and-wood structure, is the ideal base for walks and whisky tastings at Tallisker distillery.

Enjoy oysters alongside fresh langoustines and a bracing Chablis at Le Bistrot du Port (33-2/97-31-60-55; $$$), in Sauzon.

A foodie’s dream day, as conjured up by Daniel Rose, chef-owner at Spring restaurant.

Breakfast: Head to the crêpe stand at the Ave. Président Wilson market (Wednesday and Saturday) for buckwheat galettes with andouillette, ham, cheese, and egg. Order a big bottle of cider—it’s the only way you can drink in the morning without someone looking at you funny.
Coffee: I love the informal and busy vibe at the Café du Marché (33-1/47-05-51-27) on Rue Cler, my old stomping ground when I was a student.
Lunch: Arpège ($$$$) always has a great selection of vegetables; the ravioli with fresh peas is a standout, as is the lobster.
Snack: A loaf of yeasty pain des amis from Du Pain et Des Idées. Eat it on the bridge over the Canal St.-Martin.
Dinner: Order the lamb shoulder at Au Passage (33-1/43-55-07-52; $), in the 11th Arrondissement, co-owned by Spring’s former sommelier.