If you’re anything like us, you don’t merely seek out good food when you travel—you plan entire trips around it. In Japan, the sight of a steaming bowl of kake soba can stop you in your tracks faster than a glimpse of Mount Fuji. In Puerto Rico, the pull of El National Yunque rainforest is matched only by the lure of mofongo doused with a ladleful of seafood stew. And in Lyon, terms like oeufs en meurette and quenelles de brochet are easy enough to recall—though the name of that lovely church by your hotel might not surface quite as readily.
Some destinations serve food so extraordinary that everything else becomes—pardon us—gravy. Here are our most memorable trips from the past year, offered up with the hope that they’ll inspire your own future culinary wanderings.
Photo Illustration: Russ Smith • Photos: Shane Mitchell
Ullapool is a jumping off point for the Outer Hebrides archipelago, a protected harbor filled with little sailboats and one big ferry, deep in a sea loch leading out to a strait where fantastical storm kelpies might lurk. It bears a vague resemblance to a fictional Scottish village in my favorite 1980s antihero comedy, Local Hero (spoiler alert: there’s a mermaid), but that’s not giving this place its real due. In early spring, I walked the pebbled shoreline where gulls screeched as dayboats returned to the pier with scallops, oysters, and langoustines. I ordered all of the above, plus a meaty chunk of locally smoked trout and a big slice of buttered brown bread, at the Seafood Shack, where this catch appears daily on the slate menu board. Afterwards, I picked up a bottle of Seven Crofts Fisherman’s Strength Gin at the Highland Liquor Co. Bottle Shop, and sampled a wee slab of cheese called Fat Cow at West Coast Delicatessen. Dinner was at The Dipping Lugger, a handsomely snug guesthouse facing the harbor, where I had yet more scallops, monkfish with a dab of caviar, and seared venison tenderloin. Then I poured a nightcap from the honor bar, which is really a cabinet filled with single malts rarely found outside the Highlands. —Shane Mitchell, Editor at Large
Photo Illustration: Russ Smith • Photos: Frances Kim
This year marked my first visit to Antigua, and not only did the weather live up to Guatemala’s nickname, The Land of Eternal Spring, but the food was also phenomenal. I was lucky enough to stay at Villa Bokéh, which is one of those rare hotels that’s beloved by visitors and locals alike (it’s the hottest brunch reservation and dreamiest wedding destination in town). The popularity of the family-owned Relais & Châteaux property is in large part due to its lush, meticulously maintained six-acre garden with a gorgeous view of the dormant Agua Volcano. Everything from the traditional Guatemalan breakfast—complete with eggs you can pick from the chicken coop yourself and fresh handmade tortillas—to the deceptively simple black bean soup, which I enjoyed in bed the night I arrived, to chef Marcos Sáenz’s deconstructed take on tapado, a traditional Garifuna seafood stew with coconut milk and plantains, was outstanding.
From the hotel, it’s a quick car ride or leisurely stroll to downtown Antigua, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its cobbled streets and colorful buildings—brimming with culinary delights. Highlights included the tenderest hilachas, shredded beef in tomato sauce, at Comedor Sarita inside the open-air Mercado Central (worth visiting for the produce alone); vibrant tropical ice creams at La Tienda de Doña Gavi; juicy pork dumplings with chimichurri and fried chicken with black garlic mayo at Barriga Llena; flaky white fish with macuy (a native Guatemalan herb) and tetelas with roasted chile sauce at Nanik; and tortilla chips bathed in a rich chicken pepián at Comalote. A nightcap at Ulew Cocktail Bar is also a must—I’m still thinking about their Negroni, which swaps out gin for cusha, a Mayan ancestral spirit made with corn. For food souvenirs, I highly recommend swinging by Pachamama Blends for custom teas and tisanes, and Guatelaria for local sweets like candied figs and guava curls. —Frances Kim, Digital Director
Photo Illustration: Russ Smith • Photos: Kat Craddock
Following a conference in Quebec City this fall, I set off on a solo weekend in the Laurentides. It had been more than a decade since my last trip to Canada—during the last gasps of a doomed relationship!—but with centuries-deep Quebecois and Acadian roots, I’d been quietly yearning to reclaim the region for myself. I settled into a corner room in the Fairmont Tremblant during the sleepy shoulder season, before the ski town revved up for winter. The quiet left space for lazy mornings over the club floor’s lavish breakfast, hikes through flame-colored mountains, and a standout meal at Choux Gras. Under the direction of Quebecois chef Mathieu Cloutier, the hotel’s dining program is deeply rooted in regional products, from the ham on the breakfast buffet to the cocktail bar’s local spirits list to Choux Gras’ maple cotton candy-topped tarte au sucre. A scallop ceviche, brightened with sea buckthorn berries, ice cider, and camelina oil captured the playful locavore ethos particularly well!
After a day steaming by the river in Mont-Tremblant’s Scandinavian Spa, I ventured further afield to Mont Blanc’s Gourmet Sauvage. Now run by its founder’s daughter, the shop is one of the few places to sample their hyperlocal products (elderberry jelly! chanterelle caramel! oxeye daisy capers!) alongside foraged teas, natural cosmetics, and other regional specialties. I tucked an extraordinary bottle of honey wine vermouth from Miel d’Anicet into my bag, which I’ve been rationing by the thimblefull ever since.
I closed the trip with a brunch at Cabane à Sucre Au Pied de Cochon—joined by Montreal-based SAVEUR contributor Mayssam Samaha—for an over-the-top, cider-soaked celebration of the region’s autumn bounty. —Kat Craddock, Editor-in-Chief
Photo Illustration: Russ Smith • Photos: Alex Testere
Just last month, I had a sudden and exciting opportunity to travel to Iceland, a country I’d long dreamed of but never quite managed to visit. Most of the brief trip was spent at the Retreat Hotel at the Blue Lagoon, an oasis of mineral-rich turquoise baths—and some really great food to boot. The hotel is also home to Moss Restaurant, one of only three Michelin-starred restaurants in the country, with a menu of local delicacies (think: cod, lamb, and tuna tartare with Icelandic wasabi) that draws from the dramatic lava rock landscapes, visible from our table through the room’s vast windows. The following night, I had the pleasure of dining at Dill in Reykjavík, where chef Gunnar Karl Gíslasson took me on the most exquisite tasting menu journey, where each bite brought some new (to me, anyway) piece of Icelandic culture and history. I will never forget the crispy fried rosette snack stuffed with smoked haddock and adorned with tender slivers of kohlrabi, or the whelk with turnips and spruce—its broth served in its shell resting atop a tangle of seaweed. The trip was far too short, but I can’t wait to return and see what other adventures the island country has to offer. —Alex Testere, Senior Editor
Photo Illustration: Russ Smith • Photos: Farideh Sadeghin
I recently took a solo road trip and decided to stop in Mystic for a night. It was autumn, so there was peak foliage and lots of good hiking, both in the woods and along the waterfront, but the real lure for me was the food. I got whole fried clam bellies, fries, and slaw at Sea View Snack Bar; mozzarella sticks and the house lager at Mystic Pizza (my love for Julia Roberts will never end); and drinks and snacks at The Shipwright’s Daughter (the monkfish mortadella toast is maybe one of the best things I’ve eaten all year). I stayed at Eileen of Mystic, a bed-and-breakfast a five-minute drive from the town center, and it was perfect. Owners Josh and Erin Cave renovated the charming 1700s farmhouse, which features gorgeous artistic touches throughout (think: vintage soap holders and antique books) as well as a plentiful and filling homemade breakfast. Don’t forget to hit up Nana’s for coffee and a sandwich before hitting the road (or stop at a lobster shack along the water; nearby Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough or Lobster Landing are great not-to-be-missed options). —Farideh Sadeghin, Contributing Editor
Photo Illustration: Russ Smith • Photos: Ryan McCarthy
Repeatedly hailed as the “gastronomic capital” of France, Lyon punches far above its weight. Nestled at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône rivers, the city sits in the heart of the Rhône Valley, surrounded by vineyards, orchards, and abundant farmland, making the region known for its agricultural prowess. Thanks to this, there’s no shortage of world-class ingredients to work with. Some of my favorite spots were Le Café Comptoir Abel for classic Lyonnaise bouchon fare (think pike quenelles and lentil salad with saucisson); Bru, a shop dedicated solely to pâté en croûte; Alebrije, a fine-dining Mexican restaurant employing French ingredients and techniques; Cour des Loges hotel, whose breakfast––especially the egg of the day––should not be missed; and Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse, the iconic indoor market where you can find fresh charcuterie, local cheese, regional produce, and mind-blowing pastries—a true showcase of Lyon’s culinary richness. ––Ryan McCarthy, Assistant Editor
Photo Illustration: Russ Smith • Photos: Emma Simard
The minute we walked through the doors at the Bitterroot Ranch, I knew we would be eating well. The smell of fresh-baked cookies hung in the air as we toured the lodge, a cozy space filled with antiques where we would be sharing all of our meals. On the first night, everyone congregated around a giant platter of bruschetta while drinking seemingly bottomless glasses of wine. We learned about the vegetable garden and the ranch-raised lamb and beef that would feed us. Breakfast was made-to-order with a rotating special each day—waffles, biscuits and gravy, eggs Benedict, omelets. After a couple of hours on horseback, we would meet back at the lodge for lunch, where a buffet table filled to the brim always greeted us. Dinner was typical Western fare: meatloaf, prime rib, pork loin, burgers. Dessert was my favorite: pecan sandies, blueberry-peach cobbler, German chocolate cake, mango sorbet, and an incredibly simple strawberries and cream that now lives rent-free in my head. We also managed to make it into town for a bite at one of the local restaurants, the Cowboy Cafe, and I had what may be the best Reuben west of the Mississippi. Somehow, in this tiny northwest corner of Wyoming, I stumbled into a secret culinary haven. ––Emma Simard, Copy Editor
North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Photo Illustration: Russ Smith • Photos: Emma Simard
When I first arrived in Germany, I didn’t know what to expect. I was excited—I had been to Europe before, but that was almost 20 years ago. I was with family, meeting family. For our first night, my cousins had booked us a table at one of the best restaurants in Rietberg, Gaststätte Bartscher. “It was super hard to get a reservation here,” my cousin Steffi said as we walked in. As soon as we sat, our table was filled with crisp, fluffy potato croquettes, the best schnitzel I’ve ever had, and pints of beer with frothy heads that looked like little crowns. After dinner, we walked through town, taking in the sites and chatting, until we found a spaghetti ice cream shop. This niche little dessert is exactly what it sounds like—ice cream with a muddled strawberry sauce that visually mimics a plate of spaghetti with red sauce.
A few days into the trip, my cousin Marita cooked for us: kartoffelklösse (potato dumplings), rotkohl (sweet-and-sour red cabbage), and rinderrouladen (thinly sliced beef rolls filled with mustard, pickles, onions, and bacon). I’m not a big red meat eater, but I will dream of this meal for the rest of my life. To finish, homemade apple sauce with fresh cream and a sprig of mint. Speaking of memorable dishes, on our last night in town, my cousin Anna hosted dinner and cooked for us; she made the most stunning (visually and flavor-wise) salad I have ever eaten—dotted with fresh herbs and flowers plucked from her garden and drizzled with a homemade lemon-shallot vinaigrette. A little piece of me mourns when I think about that salad because I know I will never be able to replicate it. ––Emma Simard, Copy Editor
Photo Illustration: Russ Smith • Photos: Emma Simard
This fall, I flew to Houston for a friendcation with some fellow gaming enthusiasts. My food excursions began in the suburbs of Shenandoah at EAD Vietnamese Restaurant, where my best friend and I filled the table with nearly half the menu. The crushed shrimp wrap—two thick rice paper rolls chockful of dried shrimp and greens—was served alongside a fish sauce unlike anything I’ve dipped into before. The “beef rattle” tenderloin stir-fry, owners Benjamin and Chelsea Dang’s take on the classic com bo luc lac (shaking beef with rice), was so good, we got another order to go.
Once back in Houston proper, my group scattered at the Pit Room for classic Houstonian barbecue (smoked, no sauce!). I dug into tender brisket and jalapeño-cheddar sausages, and the lightly pickled carrots, jalapeños, and onions were so heavenly, I could barely stay away from the condiment bar.
We also ascended to the rooftop of Post Market—an international food hall located in a former mail-sorting facility—for a remarkable sunset and skyline selfies. The hall boasts 30-plus food concepts, from Uzbek and Eastern European fare at Foreign Grill to Texan hot dogs topped with cream cheese, grilled onions, honey mayo, and sriracha at Yoyos. I savored West African suya steak skewers and yaji-spiced Brussels sprouts from chef Ope Amosu’s ChòpnBlọk. Other weekend highlights included inhaling birria tacos and ramen in the shady respite of umbrellas outside The Birria Queen’s food truck, and munching delicately on chicken feet with black bean sauce and steamed custard buns at beloved dim sum spot Fung’s Kitchen.
My very best bite of the trip was at Katami. Its innovative and perfectly tart NA cocktails are noteworthy, but I am still dreaming of chef Manabu Horiuchi’s soy-marinated tuna nigiri served with a touch of karashi mustard. —Stephanie Pancratz, Managing Director, Editorial Operations
Photo Illustration: Russ Smith • Photos: Thomas Payne
My wife is English, and we’ve made a habit of visiting London a few times each year. But on our most recent trip this past September, our schedules gave me more time to explore the city on my own. We made sure to share a few exceptional meals together—standouts included the sleek, New York-leaning fare at One Club Row, as well as the joyful modern takes on British cooking at Dove and The Pelican—while staying at the wonderful boutique hotel, The Laslett. To our delight, London greeted us with a stretch of rare warm, sunny weather. Taking full advantage, I hopped on one of the city’s Lime bikes and set out to explore the food scene in my own way, grabbing salt beef sandwiches from Northfield Farm at Borough Market, sausage rolls from The Ginger Pig, and tracking down perfect pints at The Windsor Castle in Kensington and The Devonshire in Soho. London’s contemporary food scene rests beautifully atop centuries of layered history. Each visit deepens my appreciation for the city’s evolving culinary spirit. I can’t wait to go back. ––Thomas Payne, Visuals Director
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
Photo Illustration: Russ Smith • Photos: Fatima Khawaja
I went with my family to California in April and came back relaxed, reset, and well-fed. When we explored Carmel-by-the-Sea—along with Palo Alto, Monterey, and Big Sur—we were amazed not only by the rugged coastal beauty, but also the dining options. San Francisco is an obvious choice when visiting the West Coast, but excellent meals are to be had in other parts of California. Head to Zareen’s for Pakistani food (don’t be daunted by the lines out the door, they move fast!); Post Ranch Inn for a composed, delectable meal with a stunning view; or Ad Astra Bread Co. for a sourdough loaf and a great cup of coffee while you peek into their open kitchen. One of my favorites is Chez Noir, an elegant Michelin-starred number where seafood takes center stage. We stayed at La Petit Pali, where breakfast was always fresh croissants and yogurt, and the beach was right around the corner. —Fatima Khawaja, Contributing Editor
Dining and Cooking