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If you have a penchant for international cuisines and dining out is your favorite past time, it’s worth being educated on the world’s foodie capitals. The amazing thing about our world is that the food landscape is not only extensive in size but extremely diverse, whether it’s spicy, exotic foods you’re into or the most indulgent of desserts. 

More so than ever before, cities around the world are now competing for recognition to be crowned the best for food destinations. 

You’ll find that some countries have an eclectic mix when it comes to gourmet, from fine dining elegance and unique street food scenes to vegan offerings and country-specific specialties. 

Here are six foodie spots around the world that foodies will appreciate and enjoy: 

Other than being the city of love, when you think of Paris, you think of food. If you’re not afraid to indulge in freshly baked breads and up your carbohydrate intake, washed down with fine wine, Paris is a foodie delight.

Here, you can experience bubbling croque monsieurs with the most intense cheeses and flavors from local bakeries. With an impressive outdoor eating scene (most cafes and bistros feature pavement tables) you can explore some of the finest rare steak and salty frites (fries) when sat by candlelight, and succulent rotisserie chicken stuffed into crispy baguettes throughout the day.

Paris has an excellent coffee scene, as it does a dessert scene too. You’ll find some of the sweetest and high-quality macarons baked at various patisseries around the city, best enjoyed with a strong Parisian coffee. Make sure you check out Ladurée if you have a sweet tooth! 

Although Paris is popular for its local cuisine, it’s recently been branching out to be a little more diverse. You can now expect a growing number of craft beers, Thai street snacks, and Cali-style burgers popping up around the French capital’s food scene.

As Paris is incredibly large as a city, there are some areas which are catered more towards the food enthusiasts than others. You’ll find lots of guidance and recommendations on mrhudsonexplores.com if you need a helping hand! 

If you’re a firm fan of Italian food and drink, Bologna is a fantastic city for traditional Italian food appreciation. Firstly, this city is filled with meandering, narrow streets which are so charming and picturesque to look at. Some are grand and premium looking, others are crumbling in their old state.  

As Bologna is an Italian province nestled between Florence, Venice, and Milan, it takes on traditions from a range of traditions, offering up the most eclectic and diverse range of fresh Italian produce.

This city is home to Parma ham, parmesan cheese & balsamic vinegar, therefore you’ll be overwhelmed with the amount of food tours that specialize in these. It’s also popular for its pasta offerings, specifically tagliatelle with ragu, creamy lasagne, and stuffed tortelloni. 

Make sure you experience the range of fresh Italian breads baked around Bologna which have to be tried. You have several local breads, including gnocco fritto, which is a fried puffed bread easy to tear up and load up with salami and cheeses. 

For the more experimental foodies out there, Tokyo will open your eyes to a food scene unlike anything tried before! Of course, you can expect some of the tastiest and unique variations of sushi and ramen, taking on Japanese traditions. But there are also some interesting rice bowl creations and unusual desserts creatively cooked and baked here.

Tokyo doesn’t focus itself fine dining, but more about casual dining, although it can be expensive. You can head to food markets, small ramen bars, or if you wish to taste authentic street food, look to takoyaki, taiyaki, and crepes (the latter being prevalent around Tokyo’s Harajuku neighborhood). 

To experience the best of Tokyo’s foodie scene, head to Omoide Yokocho (Memory Lane) where you will find some of the best Yakitori (grilled chicken skewers). While there, it’s worth checking out how fascinating Kabukicho is, which is the red-light district. 

A popular dish worth trying out in Tokyo which is loved by locals is Tonkotsu (pork bone broth) ramen. You can find many of these if you head to explore ‘Golden Gai’ – a large food and drink attraction with the world’s highest number of bars per square meter.

Although Portugal doesn’t always spring to people’s minds when thinking of the best foodie destinations around the world, it’s fast becoming more well known. It is a highly interesting region gastronomically, mainly for its extensive offerings of fresh fish and seafood. You’ll find some of the most delicious seafood inspired meals cooked up at various fish restaurants, paired with portobello mushrooms, mackerel, and cheeses. A popular dish to try in Lisbon is grilled octopus. 

Portugal is also making use of pumpkins, heavily features across soups, cakes, and spreads, so expect to see some pumpkin filled sweet and savory dishes served up.

The Portuguese embrace anything sweet, therefore coffee, tea, and cake breaks are much loved as daily rituals in Lisbon. You’ll find Lisbon is a great city for offering an extensive array of Portuguese cakes and pastries, mainly filled with creams, custards, dried fruits, and cinnamon.  

Of course, every food enthusiast out there has their own individual preferences, so do have a think about what cuisines really make you drool! But if you’re open to new explorations and you wish to delight your taste buds this summer, the above list is worth checking out.