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So, after indulging in vast bowls of mouthwatering noodle soups across Southeast Asia, endless tapas and tasty bites across Europe, slow-cooked meats and spicy salsas in the Americas, and outstanding stews in Africa, I’ve put together my top 10 best countries for food.
Food is the best way to understand a new culture. What I like most is that a common language isn’t needed when food is present.
Food is a language in itself, and it’s universal. A few smiles, nods, and hand gestures are all you need to share a good meal with local people and new friends.
Food brings people together. It’s a chance for local people to introduce you to a world of new flavours, aromas, ingredients, and customs you may never have experienced. I’d say that food is the soul of every nation.
Travel is the perfect opportunity to learn about new cultures, traditions, people, and cuisine.
Known as one of the Very Hungry Nomads, I travel the world to eat! So, if you’re like me, you’ll appreciate this post. I’m excited to share my list of the best countries to visit for food!
After eating through 195 countries worldwide, the best countries for foodies are below. It’s time to start planning your next foodie vacation now!
Table of Contents
Italy. I mention the word and immediately have visions of some of the best meals I’ve eaten in my entire life!
So, why is Italy among the best countries for food in the world? It ticks all the boxes, big time! If you’ve visited Italy, I bet you’re nodding your head in agreement with me.
Italian food is made with quality ingredients and lots of love. That’s it. That’s the secret.
If you taste pizza, pasta, sandwiches, or one of Italy’s divine sweets, you will notice this. Usually, minimal components are used to create the dish; however, the ingredients used will be the freshest and of the highest quality.
Italians live ‘la dolce vita’ (the sweet life) whenever food is concerned. It’s something I love most about Italian culture. Food is the centrepiece of any occasion, family get-togethers, and even daily life.
The best thing about travelling independently through Italy by train, or perhaps this 12-day tour of Italy with Expat Explore (get a 5% discount and use our referral code: VERYHUNGRYNOMADS) is to experience several regions of Italy.
Northern Italian cuisine is quite different from southern Italian food – but we’ll let you be the judge of that.
RELATED POST – 15 Best Places to Visit in Italy
Top 3 Cities to Eat in Rome – Rome, Florence, and Bologna.
The Best 3 Food Experiences in Italy
It’s unanimous. Mexico has one of the best cuisines in the world.
Honestly, my list of the best countries for food couldn’t exist without it. Mexican food is diverse, spicy, fun, colourful, and rich in traditions. If you believe Mexican cuisine is just tacos and burritos, you’re in for a big surprise. If you google ‘foodie mx’, you’ll soon discover how popular this destination is for food lovers worldwide.
I spent three months travelling around this beautiful country searching for the best food cities in Mexico, and I only scratched the surface.
Mexico is one of the best countries for food because delicious food is available everywhere and at any time of the day.
Whether you eat from street food vendors, food markets, small eateries, or high-end restaurants, you’ll be left smiling from ear to ear. It’s just that good! Best of all, it’s super affordable too.
Read these 10 Reasons to Travel to Mexico.
Top 3 Cities to Eat in Mexico – Oaxaca, Mexico City, and Merida.
The Best 3 Food Experiences in Mexico
I’ve travelled to many regions and islands in Greece over the years. Over that time, I learned much more about Greek cuisine and gradually explored many Greek dishes.
Surrounded by water, it makes sense that fresh seafood is some of the best Greek food to try. Greece may not appear on everybody’s best food countries list – but it’s a definite contender in mine.
There’s nothing better than sitting in a seaside Greek Taverna chowing down on expertly cooked squid, octopus, or fresh fish, along with all kinds of salads, mezze, and fresh bread. It’s bliss.
On the other hand, the Greeks are masters at cooking lamb, pork, and all kinds of flavoured, tender meats. The popular street snack, the Gyros, is easily the most famous food in Greece, so you need to try it!
Read more about how to explore the best of Athens in one day, and where to eat the best Greek food when you’re there.
Top 3 Cities to Eat in Greece – Athens, Thessaloniki, and Corfu.
The Best 3 Food Experiences in Greece
If you ask anyone who has visited Spain about the quality of food they ate on their trip, I guarantee they’ll tell you it was phenomenal! Honestly, this is the only answer.
Much like in Italy, the Spanish understand the art of simplicity regarding food. Quality ingredients are essential.
Once you add this to a sophisticated style of cooking, fresh herbs & spices, seafood, and a ton of passion, the result leaves you with an incredibly diverse cuisine.
Whether you’re visiting Spain to tackle 7 of the best hikes in Spain, want to eat your way along the coast from San Sebastian to Santander, or join a group tour to see the highlights of Spain – you’ll enjoy the most delicious food you’ve ever tasted.
So, once you’ve read these 7 best tips for travelling to Europe and got your packing list for Europe ready, remember to include Spain in your itinerary.
These are my recommendations for the best 10 cities to visit in Spain, easily one of the best countries for food in the world.
RELATED POST – How to Travel Europe with Train in 2023 – Our Best Tips
Top 3 Cities to Eat in Spain – Madrid, Barcelona, San Sebastian, and Valencia.
The Best 3 Food Experiences in Spain
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If this were a list of only the world’s three best countries for food, Thailand would still make the cut. Thai cuisine is exceptional. This would be the winner if I had to choose just one cuisine to eat for the rest of my life. Thailand has my vote for the best country with food that never disappoints.
So, why is Thailand the best country for food lovers? A typical Thai dish includes five primary flavours: sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and spicy. When these five elements come together, the result is pure joy!
Thai cuisine is diverse, from stir fry to BBQ, spicy coconut curries and zingy salads, noodle soups packed with aromatics and fresh herbs steamed dishes and incredible seafood. There is always a new dish to discover.
Don’t miss my 12 favourite Thai dishes to try on your next vacation.
If you’re a street food lover like me, this is easily one of the best countries for food cooked on the streets. Furthermore, these are some of the most hygienic kitchens you’ve ever seen.
I suggest you indulge in some of the best Thai food in Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. Take a food crawl through this delicious city and visit my carefully curated list of the 15 best Chiang Mai restaurants and places to eat.
Thailand is a top-rated destination for digital nomads. Check out our detailed guides on the digital nomad lifestyle in Chiang Mai vs Chiang Rai and in the southern islands of Ko Phangan vs Ko Samui.
Top 3 Cities to Eat in Thailand – Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Krabi
The Best 3 Food Experiences in Thailand
If I just think about Japanese food, my mouth waters. When I visited Japan, the first thing that struck me was how much care goes into preparing, cooking, and serving this beautiful food.
Japanese cuisine is one of the most cherished food cultures in the world. The history of more than 2,000 years of cooking traditions and preparation techniques is fascinating.
It is like watching edible art come together; the best part is when you indulge in it. Japanese food is lean, fresh, and comforting, with clean flavours and expertly presented every time.
Just writing about Japanese food has inspired me to plan another food adventure across the country. The best way to move around Japan is with a Rail Pass and an appetite to eat everything in sight!
Top 3 Cities to Eat in Japan – Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto.
The Best 3 Food Experiences in Japan
This nation has earned its place on my list of best countries for food because Vietnamese cuisine is fresh, healthy, and packed with flavour.
Travel for foodies doesn’t get much better than this! Choose to take your food adventure across Vietnam, via public transport or join one of these food-filled trips with GAdventures and share the experience with new friends.
Vietnamese foods include rice, noodles, fresh herbs, seafood, soup, green vegetables, and tropical fruits.
Watch for my all-time favourite sandwich worldwide, the Banh Mi. You can find this classic sandwich everywhere!
If you plan to visit Vietnam, don’t miss our Complete Food Guide to Hanoi, featuring the 20 best restaurants and places to eat.
Similarly, if you’re heading to the resort beach city of Da Nang, we’ve covered you for the best culinary spots. Get prepared now and start pinning these 17 delicious restaurants in Danang, Vietnam!
We didn’t forget about the charming city of Hoi; our hand-picked best restaurants and places to eat can be found in our Food Lovers Guide to Hoi An.
While hunting for the best food, try and taste these 10 most popular foods in Vietnam.
Top 3 Cities to Eat in Vietnam – Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Hoi An.
The Best 3 Food Experiences in Vietnam
If you’re heading to Africa, Ethiopia is the best destination for foodies. Aside from the diverse culture, stunning green landscapes, and the long list of things to do in Ethiopia, the food is a significant highlight.
It has to be the most colourful cuisine out there! There’s something special about eating with your hands and sharing food with others from the same platter; this is how you enjoy Ethiopian food.
The base of many meals is injera, a sourdough flatbread made from teff flour, accompanied by a range of flavourful stews, including vegetables, meats, and various legumes such as lentils, and chickpeas.
Some of the most memorable food I enjoyed in Ethiopia was during a 2-day visit to the rock-hewn underground churches in Lalibela and the capital city of Addis Ababa. I highly recommend this food tour in Addis, including a tour of the Atlas neighbourhood with your guide.
Top 3 Cities to Eat in Ethiopia – Addis Ababa, Lalibela, and Gondar
The Best 3 Food Experiences in Ethiopia
Lebanon is a food lovers paradise! Imagine smokey spiced meats, grilled vegetables, tasty stews, dips and mezze, fresh salads, and flatbreads – and the coffee is fantastic too!
Some spectacular sites to visit in Lebanon, such as the fascinating Roman Ruins of Baalbek and the seaside towns of Byblos, Batroun, and Saida are recommended.
Good food in Lebanon is always easy to find. Pick up a tasty falafel wrap, a fresh tabbouleh or fattoush salad, or a hot bowl of ful, a typical Lebanese breakfast of cooked fava beans with spices. Any dish you choose in Lebanon will bring a smile to your face.
And Lebanese people are some of the most welcoming and hospitable people in the world – so there’s another reason to plan a visit.
While discussing Lebanese food and its greatness, I must mention Lebanon’s neighbour, Syria. The cuisine in Syria is quite similar to Lebanon. My memories and experience of travelling in Damascus and other parts of the country warm my heart.
I enjoyed many beautiful Syrian dishes and moments with the warm-natured and resilient Syrian people.
RELATED POST – How to Travel to Syria – Everything You Need To Know
Top 3 Cities to Eat in Lebanon – Beirut, Byblos, and Harissa
The Best 3 Food Experiences in Lebanon
Spicy curries, blistering hot naan bread painted with garlic butter, fragrant biryanis, crispy samosa, stuffed paratha, masala dosa, tandoori chicken, and an unlimited number of sweets, Indian cuisine is exciting!
The best thing about travelling through this vast country is how affordable the food is. It’s also fascinating to see the difference in Indian food as you travel from north to south.
There are some fantastic food-inspired group trips with GAdventures, and if you’re planning to go at it alone, good on you! Get ready for an eye-opening, fascinating time and an assault on all the senses!
Top 3 Cities to Eat in India – New Delhi, Hyderabad, and Amritsar
The Best 3 Food Experiences in India
In summary, I’ve always said that the best country for food is the one that has you returning for more. And the best countries for food lovers mentioned here are foodie destinations guaranteed to hit the spot.
I hope you enjoyed reading about my top countries for food. What is your all-time best country for food? Let me know in the comments below.
Once you’ve decided where you’re heading next to eat, you may be interested in my comprehensive food maps!
Check out my food map of Europe, this detailed food map of Asia (covering 39 countries), and my ultimate food map of Africa!
My 7 tips for finding the best food when travelling may be helpful to you; there are some practical suggestions to avoid getting ill on your travels.
Perhaps you’re travelling on a budget? These 10 cheapest European countries to visit may be just the tool you need to start planning an epic trip.
But, know these 8 things to know about travelling to Eastern Europe before you go, and these are 7 misconceptions about Eastern Europe that every traveller should know.
I’ve got a bunch of tips for how you can save money to travel the world, and even when you’re out there travelling, maybe these 20 jobs that PAY YOU to travel the world will help you travel longer. It worked for me, and we bet it can work for you, too.
Finally, these top 6 travel hacks to save you money and my best travel tips from over 15 years of travel are some of the best travel advice I can share.
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1 Comment. Leave new
Fantastic information! So helpful and enjoyable. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge. it will be a huge help for my upcoming travel 🙂