Best Food Experiences in the World – Boston to Barcelona

Wanderlust With Us - Issue XXXII

February 26, 2021

It was a challenge, to say the least, to keep this list at 10, we easily could have made it 100. How can you have a foodie list without New Orleans, Napa, or Tokyo, you ask? We hear you, so we’ll call this part one, for now! We hope we have tempted you with some delicious destinations and edible excursions. We got hungry just putting this together for you.

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elBarri Tour - Barcelona, Spain

elBarri Tours, is one of the most exclusive services and offers a tour that lasts all night in all the restaurants of the Adria Brothers (Owner is Ferran Adrià, owner of ElBulli) and hosted by Albert Adrià in person. Visit each of the restaurants that belong to Albert Adrià, in one night, including the exclusive and non-opening private LAB of Ferrá Adrià: The headquarters of elBulliFoundation in Barcelona. Enjoy dinner in Tickets Bar skipping the line of their 1 year waiting list: We invite you to experience the vermouth at Bodega 1900, get to know the Mexican cuisine at Hoja Santa and Niño Viejo, have fun with the modern tapas at Tickets, and the desserts from La Dolça. Discover the Nikkei cuisine at Pakta and get excited with a unique place in the world, Enigma.

Charleston Foodie Tour - Charleston, South Carolina,

Take a walking tour with a local chef to go behind the scenes to Charleston’s renowned restaurants, tasting along the way local favorites like grits and collards, mouthwatering dishes, and of course some barbecue. Learn how Charleston’s rich and controversial history meet, creating the historic flavors and tastes that are unique to the region. We’d recommend you enjoy a low-country favorite, Charleston Fizz en route. Recipe click here.

Ritz-Escoffer Cooking School - Virtual Experience

The coup de grace of culinary schools, Ecole Ritz Escoffer runs the gamut of training professional chefs all the way to Young Chefs, a program for kids. Whether it is their famous pastry making or another cuisine, visit their virtual experience now to tempt you for later when you can experience this in person.

Noir, Dining in the Dark - Saigon, Vietnam

We can’t say it any better ourselves so we’ll share it straight from Noir: “Take away sight, and out other senses emerge to interpret the world from another perspective. Smell becomes more subtle. Taste becomes more acute. Hearing becomes more sensitive and touch more delicate. Experience a culinary journey through taste, smell, touch, and sound. This is not simply dining, but rather a mind altering experience where smell, taste, touch and hearing unite to bring you a completely new journey of the senses.”

Florence With A Chef - Florence, Italy

A local chef takes you to Florence’s fascinating streets and piazzas to shop at the botteghe, the same places the restaurant “insiders” select their luscious ingredients. Of course, you will be tasting along the way and learning about the authentic tradecraft that makes dishes Florentine. Finish in a professional kitchen where your chef will show you how to make pasta from scratch, and a homemade Tuscan meal.

Montage BBQ School - Palmetto Bluff, North Carolina

Founded by popular PBS TV host, multi-award-winning author, and internationally renowned grilling expert Steven Raichlen, enroll in Barbecue University. It’s been ranked the #1 barbecue experience in the U.S. (Food Network). It’s been called “a fantasy camp for coal heads” (Cooking Light Magazine). And now, the three-day bacchanal of smoke and fire known as Barbecue University™ comes to Montage Palmetto Bluff, during Father’s Day weekend, June 18 – June 21, 2021. Learn to harness the flavor enhancing power of wood smoke and become the king of your next backyard barbecue.

Chef Insiders Tour of Boston w/Barbara Lynch - Oceania Cruises, Riviera & Marina

Not only does Oceania Cruises have its own culinary center onboard Riviera and Marina ships, they take it to shore with insightful and delicious foodie tours like such as the Chef’s Insider Tour of Boston, starring famed chef Barbara Lynch. Without a doubt food is a highlight of Boston and even if you don’t visit with Oceania you should check out Lynch’s Drink, self-declared, “we are a bar that throws a cocktail party every night” or B&G Oysters in the South End.

Eat This, Shoot That - Santa Barbara, California

When first introduced to Eat This, Shoot That in America’s Riviera, Santa Barbara, we were excited, imaging a bite of this followed by a cocktail chaser of that, only to find out the “shoot this” refers to capturing food so delectable you’ll want to grab photos. As if the central wine coast isn’t enough of a draw, you can indulge in delicious gastro pub creations, fresh seafood, and locally grown wines.

La Chevre D'Or

Pictured Above: Views of Eze, France and the terrace of Chevre D'or

La Chevre D’or - Eze, France

Rarely can we suggest one meal in a destination that is enough of an experience to merit the list. But eating at La Chevre D’or in Eze, France, is hardly just a meal. Plan on 6-7 courses, and don’t skip desert as that is a culinary treasure on its own. Sure, it has two Michelin stars, sure it has panoramic sea views, but be prepared for each course to create a taste sensation that stands alone among dining stars in the world. We recommend lunch so you can take in the view.

Dining Around By Bicycle - Franschhoek, South Africa

This charming small town boasts over sixty restaurants with a distinctly French heritage and is heralded as South Africa’s culinary capital. With that many to choose from how can you possibly only enjoy a couple restaurants during your stay? Instead, we recommend a carefully curated progressive dinner, sampling different restaurants as you casually travel by bike on the way to each. Stops might include Chef’s Warehouse at Maison, Petite Colombe, and Cavalli.