Countries with great food are natural tourist destinations. They don’t have to have the world’s craziest rollercoaster, tallest building, or highest glass bridge because they attract tourists through their knack for food. Just look at me, flying to different foodie destinations for their food and coffee.

Come 2023, visit these countries because they know how to respect their protein and produce.

1. Italy

Italy has been a top-rated culinary destination since Nero allegedly played that fiddle. It’s known its rigatoni from its ribollita before anyone outside Italy knew they existed. There’s no denying how tasty Old-World Italian food can be. Just see how many dishes have made their way outside the country’s borders, not all down to migration. Example: Pizza!

2. Spain

Spain is a Top Foodie Destinations in Spain because of the sheer number of regional destinations dotting its calles. It’s the largest producer of olives; that’s all I need to know to declare it one of the greatest countries in the world food-wise.  

If you must know, it’s also an amazing curator of seafood, protein, and produce local only to that part of Europe. Paella is Spain’s national dish, and I suggest you never try it there because your palate will end up too refined to stomach the local, not-so-authentic versions.

3. France

France doesn’t need to prove itself; it has cemented itself as one of those countries with great food with names that sound like sweet nothings because they’re in French. I will forever consider anything I hear in that language outside of Emily in Paris as poetry.

Patrons are willing to pay through the teeth for everyday French food outside France, which begs the question: Why not have it straight at the source? I dare you to start with escargot.

4. Vietnam

Let’s cap this blog off with the underrated culinary gem that’s Vietnam. The country, while most famous for pho, a noodle soup with beef, chicken, and vegetables, does its seafood just as well, if not better.

Vietnam has many fishing villages, so it stands to reason for the country to know a thing or two about seafood. Their shellfish is some of the most decadent (and affordable!) I’ve had on my travels.

Why stop there? Keep reading my local food blog to follow me as I hop from destination to destination in search and explore new cultures and traditions through food. Inspire your travels after my spectacular travel experiences, and learn a thing (or 10) about food along the way.

Reach out to share which countries you think have great food.