We Asked 6 Travel Experts Their Favorite Food Destination—and They All Picked the Same Region

Meals has grow to be a journey motivator in its personal proper. A 2025 examine commissioned by Go to Anaheim discovered that 21 % of American vacationers have taken a visit particularly to eat native meals, with the common traveler prepared to go practically 500 miles for an awesome chew. However in keeping with cooks and journey consultants, some flavors are price going even farther for—and plenty of of them level to the identical place: the Iberian Peninsula.

Meals preferences are extremely subjective, however once we requested culinary insiders the place they’d plan a food-focused getaway, the solutions got here again repeatedly: Spain and Portugal. (As somebody who’s lived in each international locations, I can affirm they’re onto one thing.) They usually didn’t cease at common reward—right here’s precisely the place these consultants say it is best to plan your subsequent food-filled trip.

Lisbon 

“Whereas standard for tourism, Lisbon’s meals scene typically feels underrated,” Travis Masar, the chef behind Pig and Tiger in Denver, informed Journey + Leisure. “Many affiliate Portugal with easy meat-and-potatoes dishes or pastel de nata, however there’s a lot extra to find.” 

As Masar stated, throughout his personal two-week keep, he and his accomplice “beloved beginning our mornings with a pastel de nata and a ginjinha, a bitter cherry liqueur that completely balances sweetness and heat.” A few of Masar’s go-to spots within the metropolis embody Bonjardim for “distinctive piri-piri rooster;” Petisqueira Dos Sentidos, the place you may discover the “greatest octopus, salt cod, and potatoes;” and Casa da India, which “served among the greatest gambas we have ever had, ending with a humble but unforgettable steak sandwich.” 

Sid Simone, the host of the Flavafull Vegetarian Journey Present, agreed, noting that Portugal’s contemporary pastas, sauces, and, after all, the pastel de nata, make my dwelling metropolis shine. However that is not all. “There are indoor restaurant markets (fancy meals courts) the place you may choose from a smorgasbord of entrees, desserts, and wines,” Simone stated. Her go-to eatery is Seiva due to its “rigorously crafted tasting menu and delicately served wine pairing.” Her pro-tip? Take the bus to benefit from the surroundings, then stroll the waterfront.

San Sebastián

Whereas, like Portugal, all of Spain gives spectacular flavors, San Sebastián, the professionals say, gives one thing additional. “Town has an virtually reverent relationship with meals, the place even the informal pintxos bars are run with Michelin-level precision,” Whitney Haldeman, founding father of Atlas Adventures, informed T+L. “Eating there’s much less about indulgence and extra about evolution: wandering from bar to bar, sipping Txakoli and tasting one excellent chew after one other.”

Haldeman stated her favourite spot is Bar Nestor for its well-known tomato salad and “melt-in-your-mouth txuleta (Basque-style steak).”

Mohamed Musallam from Discover Worldwide, additionally shared loads of love for the Spanish metropolis. “This coastal Basque gem has extra Michelin stars per capita than anyplace besides Kyoto, however what makes it really particular is the pintxos tradition: these aren’t simply Spanish tapas, they’re miniature culinary masterpieces showcasing the Basque area’s obsession with taste, high quality, and innovation,” Musallam stated.

His prime suggestions embody the Previous City’s pintxos bars alongside Calle 31 de Agosto and Calle Fermín Calbetón, the place vacationers can hop between centuries-old institutions, every showcasing its personal signature creations. Standout bites embody traditional Basque pintxos paired with txakoli, the area’s flippantly glowing native wine.

Do not wish to wander alone? Tara Busch of the Aware Journey Collective stated she books her vacationers on pintxos excursions to allow them to discover one of the best spots alongside an area. “Menus typically change each day, and even the alternatives of bars open will differ from night time to nighttime, so every day’s tour really is exclusive,” Busch informed T+L. “Plus native guides will discover out what is going to pique the curiosity of their group, and make sure to discover one thing actually fabulous only for them.” Although for those who do go it alone, Busch stated to verify to strive plenty of seafood dishes.

And, as chef Mawa McQueen added, due to the town’s proximity to Biarritz, France, you may at all times hop the border and get a style of each nations in a single journey. “I like to have enjoyable, and I like to eat scrumptious meals, and each of those cities ship each these issues in abundance,” McQueen stated. “The meals in each locations is contemporary, it’s easy, and it’s bought a base of Mediterranean flavors. Their dishes are designed to carry individuals to the desk, to have dialog, to share, and to savor every chew as they’re serving up tapas and different small plates.” 

McQueen added that what the cooks in each locations are doing isn’t sophisticated. And that is what makes them nice. “They’re utilizing what they’ve—seafood, cured meats, contemporary cheese, and seasonal produce— however that’s what makes it stand out far past the opposite giant cities in these international locations. The individuals there are actual, and they’re those truly making your meals from scratch, which isn’t at all times the case in different massive ‘foodie’ locations.”