We travel for new experiences in new places; we travel to relax; we travel for the memories. 2025 is the year we travel for food too, and these are the best foodie destinations to explore.
Travelling for food is a key travel trend for 2025, one proving itself popular no matter the demographic or continent. According to Hilton’s 2025 trends report, 50 per cent of travellers book restaurants before flights, and one in five will travel specifically to discover new restaurants and culinary experiences.
More and more of us are not just budgeting flights and accommodation when we travel, but planning great restaurants into the holiday spend too. And with the current offering of street corner cafes, local, family-run restaurants in quaint villages, and multiple-Michelin starred restaurants across the globe (many of which cater to, or at least have an understanding of, most dietary requirements now) a “foodie” is a great thing to be while travelling.
Picking the right restaurants when we travel is starting to garner the same currency as picking the best spot to stay. Tasting a new place is all part of discovering a new place, and food is a way of connecting to its people; unearthing local culinary artisans via traditional dishes and locally run restaurants is enriching.
Dining at local restaurants is an organic way to immerse yourself in a culture: you can tell so much about a place through its food. These are the seven foodie hotspots to add to your food-fuelled 2025 travel agenda.
Sifnos, Greece
Sifnos is one of Greece’s lesser known islands and, as a result, retains much of its old-school, rustic, quiet Greek atmosphere. Steeped in classic Cycladic charm (sandy beaches, scatterings of white washed villages, and cliff top churches) Sifnos is an off-the-beaten-track alternative to its more vibrant neighbours, like Mykonos and Paros. It’s also making a name for itself in the foodie scene.
Let’s start with the wine at Loggia wine bar, perched on the jagged edges of Sifnos’ cliff-shaped coastline. Accurately self-described as “wine on a rock” we doubt any other wine bar will be able to match this kind of beautifully rugged experience, all while serving some of the freshest and most exciting natural wines by boutique producers. Last year saw pop-ups by chef Pamela Young (previously of Flor London) and chef Jamie Smart (head chef at Newington Green’s buzzy Cadet) and this year will hopefully bring similar. Another spot with clifftop scenery, Cantina Sifnos heralds a zero-waste ethos by changing the menu to suit whatever seafood is caught that day and ingredients harvested from the island’s very best seasonal produce. But you can’t go far wrong in Sifnos, there are incredible tavernas, bars, and restaurants all over the island, each as promising as the next.
Tbilisi, Georgia
Straddling both Europe and Asia – bordering Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia – there’s a whole lot waiting to be uncovered in this unsuspecting country. Starting with wine, Georgia’s Kakheti is an ancient wine growing region, and widely considered its birthplace. In Kakheti the practices of harvesting grapes and turning them into wine using a clay jar called the Qvevri (now listed on UNESCO) date back even further than in wine-loving France.
The capital, Tbilisi, is quickly becoming popular amongst avid foodies for combining centuries-old culinary traditions with inventive modern interpretations. It’s peppered with street stalls and sellers, including at Dezerter Bazaar (one of the oldest open-air markets in Georgia) preserving Georgia’s historic culinary traditions and serving up dishes like khinkali (Georgian dumplings) and khachapuri (cheese-filled bread).
At the heart of this city’s foodie scene though, is chef Tekuna Gachechiladze who owns speakeasy-style bar Apotheka, as well as Littera serving modern Georgian cuisine; the Mexican-Georgian fusion restaurant, Taqueria Tekos; and a cooking school. With each, Tekuna shepherds traditional Georgia fare into “modern” and international styles of dining. Don’t miss the Black Sea fish and smoked aubergine Pkhali.
Edinburgh, Scotland
Gin might be one of the first things to spring to mind when you think of food and drink in Edinburgh, but restaurants are popping up across the city – and appearing on international foodie radars – quicker than ever. Let’s start with Lyla by Stuart Ralston, which was awarded its first Michelin star earlier this year after opening in 2023. Commended for its excellent offering of local coastal, Scottish produce, find line-caught fish (a more sustainable practice), alongside regularly changing dishes on the ten-course tasting menu (or 5 or 7 courses for lunch) that includes Shetland mussel with muscade pumpkin and Yorkshire rhubarb with red pepper and goats milk. Ralston is also the chef-owner of Edinburgh’s Aizle (try the tasting menu here), relaxed spot Tipo, and Ralston’s NYC tribute, Noto.
Another foodie igniting Edinburgh, meet Roberta Hall McCarron chef-owner of The Little Chartroom, Eleanore and Adfern – each restaurant captures the wilderness of the Scottish Isles in food form and with French flair, as per McCarron’s elegant style.
Lake Orta, Italy
Lake Garda and Lake Como generally steal the limelight, but Lake Orta is quietly rising in popularity for its quaint fairy-like charm, and a restaurant scene to match. Locanda di Orta is a waterside Michelin-starred restaurant dating back to the 1800s, now headed up by chef Andrea Monesi. It pays close attention to local ingredients and the culinary highlights of Northern Italy: expect playful interpretations of classics, from a scallop gratin to a sea carbonara.
Slightly higher on the surrounding hills, La Darbia is a 20-apartment hotel boasting impressive vegetable and flower gardens as well as a vineyard (all designed by landscape architect Anna Regge), and a seasonal Italian restaurant, the locally loved La Cucina. Run by head chef Matteo Monfrinotti it’s an off-the-beaten-track food-lover’s paradise; highlights of the menu include raw Mediterranean cuttlefish served with samphire and sea urchin, and the sage and porcini mushroom risotto.
San Sebastian, Spain
Spain’s rugged north coast is often traded out in favour of the sunnier southern shores that back onto the Mediterranean Sea. But there’s a lot waiting to be uncovered in the Basque region. It’s no secret – especially amongst food-savvy travellers – that one of the area’s main draws is the food scene, namely due to the high concentration of Michelin-starred restaurants (largely said to be the second most populous in the world, following Japan’s Kyoto). Traditional Basque cuisine blends French and Spanish fare, with a strong focus on seasonality, fresh catch from the Cantabrian sea, and local produce grown in the nearby, fertile inland farms. Expect fish grilled over hot coals, meat stews, and lots of tomatoes and red peppers.
San Sebastián is littered with Pintxos Bars (the Basque take on tapas bars) and is a great way to start your culinary journey. Sirimiri is an excellent choice, as is the traditional Geralds Bar (listed on World’s Best 50). For a great Michelin spot, head to Amelia by Paulo Airudo which reinvents this seasonal menu-focus with a Michelin flair via unusual flavour combinations, exquisite wine pairings, and experiential presentations. Our advice? Consider a food tour for a good gander. And always leave space for the famous Basque cheesecake.
Osaka, Japan
While Tokyo and Kyoto (worthily) often top most Japan travel wishlists , the Osaka prefecture on the south west coast of the country is known as “Tenka no Daidokoro” translating to “the nation’s kitchen” and also as the “city of gourmets”. And for good reason. One of the best places to dine in Osaka is in the neon-lit Dotonbori district where – unlike most of Japan – street food is served and eating on-the-go is encouraged. Try the okonomiyaki (a pan-fried savory pancake).
Osaka is also home to excellent udon noodles – head to Mitsukabozu and 7.5Hz for some of the best – as well as a whole host of regional dishes. Kuromon Market plates up delicious seafood – including Osaka’s famous dish takoyaki (octopus balls) and grilled Wagyu beef skewers. Indulge in one of the best culinary offerings to come from Japan – the concept of Omakase where you leave the decisions up the the chef – at Yosakura or with the tasting menu at Kashiwaya Osaka Senriyama (listed on World’s Best 50).
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Thailand (especially Bangkok) has long captured avid foodies voyaging around South East Asia, but over the past few years there’s another hotspot on the rise too: Malaysia. Specifically the country’s capital of Kuala Lumpur which, as a melting pot of Malay, Indian, Chinese and other influences (praised by TV personality and chef Anthony Bourdain for its multiculturalism and vibrancy), is now regarded as a top-tier foodie destination. Across the city, Kuala Lumpur offers a unique blend of “high/low” from local street food to innovative dining concepts, each as good as the other.
Kampong Baru is an older area in the city known for great Malay cuisine and street food. Start here with plates of nasi lemak (a rice dish largely considered the national dish of Malaysia), char kway teow (stir-fried noodle dish), and roti canai (flatbread). Over in the newer district of the city, book a table at the two-Michelin starred Malaysian restaurant by Darren Teoh, Dewakan serving high-end dishes with local ingredients and Potager by Chef Masashi Horiuchi.
Lead image credit: Noto, Edinburgh
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