Whenever we have a chance to sit down with iconic chefs, cookbook authors, and jet-setting travel show hosts, we can’t help but ask: What meals would you hop on a plane for? We want to know about the restaurants—be they on a tiny street in Oaxaca or atop a glittering Hong Kong hotel—that are unforgettable even months and years after a visit. We’re curious about the lauded tasting menus that are really worth it, and also the blink-and-miss-it street vendors whose food will change your life in seconds (and for less than a dollar).
Our global food map, below, is an interactive compilation of these type of recommendations. And they come from the best in the biz. Over several years, we’ve asked personalities like Padma Lakshmi and Kwame Onwuachi about the restaurants they love most, in favorite destinations (expect cozy spots in New York City, and riverside eating in Jamaica, respectively). We asked Alexander Smalls and Elena Reygadas for the restaurants that have surprised them with innovative menus and exciting atmospheres (a pan-African spot in Kigali, and a plant-forward eatery in Buenos Aires both met the bill). Massimo Bottura, of course, shared his favorite eateries in Italy, while Alice Waters waxed poetic about storied dining rooms in California. And if you want to know where Enrique Olvera takes out-of-towners right when they land in Mexico City, we’ve got that, too.
Poke your way around the map by continent, then scroll through the pins we’ve dropped. Enjoy each food expert’s notes on what to order, or why a certain restaurant is so special to them—and consider it time to start plotting your own food adventure. These are the best places to eat, according to the brightest voices in food.
This map has been updated since its original publish date.
