Whether you’re a food blogger, food writer or just a really big fan of food (me), we’ve all been at least a little guilty of reaching for our phones before our forks while someone else holds their flashlight over the food to get the right lighting (pro tip if you haven’t tried it)—all for the best grub Gram.
And I know for some of us, food is a maaaajor part of the excitement of travel (it’s by far the main reason I went to New Orleans, let’s be real). I also know that whether we like to admit it or not, social media has wedged itself right into our lives and led us to believe that our adventures, and our food, must be well documented lest people think we weren’t living our best lives.
So, in the interest of embracing all that, and for those of us who are guilty of seeking out something to eat just because we saw it on the Gram, here are 20 really Instagrammable finds from the best international cities for food.
*Note: If you’re currently hungry, you may want to file this to read later when you’re laid out from food coma or something.
1. New York
New York is known for its diversity in all things, especially food. It’s also known for the latest edible craze that has people lining city streets to get one (think cronuts). Now, with Instagram firmly rooted in all things food, people are queueing to snap shots of food just because of how good/cool/pretty it looks. And in the interest of being current, meet Taiyaki NYC, New York’s latest lure for foodies and Instagram fiends. It’s ice cream in a fish. Taiyaki is a Japanese fish-shaped cake with a waffle-like taste, and here they’re made fresh and filled with soft serve done in small batches to, according to the owners, “preserve the true integrity of how a real soft serve should taste.”
2. New Orleans
People flock from all over the world just to eat in New Orleans. That’s how good and not-findable-anywhere-else the Louisiana city’s food is. And Willa Jean’s, a Southern restaurant and bakery has been beckoning the hungry since 2015. One of the most visually delicious items on the menu is the Hangover bowl. It comes with braised lamb, grits, grilled spring onions, crispy garlic and a poached egg, which might be the fanciest “hangover” food on record.
3. Shanghai
It’s hard to think of Shanghai without thinking of xiaolongbao, or soup dumplings, and everyone has their idea of which one’s best (of course, you’ll have to learn how to eat them). Din Tai Fung typically tops best lists, but locals count Jia Jia Tang Bao among the best. Try the crab and pork dumplings, they’re a favorite. But get there early if you want any hope of sinking your teeth into one. Or 10.
4. Hong Kong
There’s no shortage of high quality cuisine in Hong Kong. From haute cuisine to street eats—it’s all there. But the one must-eat in Hong Kong is dim sum and at Yum Cha, partaking in the bite-size Chinese cuisine is meant to be playful. The hot custard buns with eyes are a top pick, as are the BBQ piggy buns complete with ears and a snout. It doesn’t really get better for the Gram than this. Yum Cha even claims to encourage “camera eats first” actions.
5. Tokyo
Ice cream is always a good idea and, according to Japan’s Daily Chico (also called Daily Chiko), especially when you can get all the flavors a shop has at once. The little ice cream place on the basement floor of the Nakano Broadway shopping center offers up a soft serve tower of eight different flavors: chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, coffee, Hokkaido melon, grape, green tea/matcha and fizzy candy. The challenge at Chico is to eat the whole thing before the melting begins.
6. Chiang Mai
In Thailand it’s all about street food, and in Chiang Mai, it’s known for being very good and very cheap. One dish beloved among locals is khao soi, the city’s famous noodle soup, and one of the top picks for where to eat it is Khao Soi Khun Yai. The non-descript roadside spot with plastic chairs and a line of people is lowkey, low cost and high flavor. The soup is made with a mix of deep-fried crispy egg noodles and boiled noodles, plus lime, mustard greens, shallots, ground chillies and meat in a coconut curry sauce. Arrive early because it gets crowded and closes at 2:00 p.m.
7. Singapore
Singapore has been called on of Asia’s best food capitals and consistently ranks among the top 10 destinations in the world for eaters. And when restos like Fat Lulu’s come on the scene, it’s not hard to see why (the place was nominated for Chope’s new restaurant of the year award last year). The modern Asian barbecue kitchen is known for its desert bar as much as its dining, but it’s things like pancakes layered with fried chicken and dressed with sweet chilli sauce and apple coleslaw that gets Grammers going.
8. London
It wouldn’t be London without afternoon tea—but this isn’t your granny’s tea. This one’s inspired by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. One Aldwych in Covent Garden set out to give a staid tradition a new spin, and now afternoon tea comes complete with golden chocolate eggs, chocolate caramel milk, blueberry brioche and homemade candy floss.
9. Paris
When in Paris and plotting which eats to snap shots of, La Maison Ladurée must make the list. The beloved macarons are as colorful as the cafe’s interior, and walking away with a box of the multicolored confections is as much for the enjoyment of biting into the melt-in-your-mouth treats as for posting them on social.
10. Bordeaux
At Blisss in Bordeaux, France, food is art and art is perfect for foodie posts. With a staff of just two, the chef, Anthony, and Isabelle in the dining room, eating here is based on bookings only and it’s a tasting experience. You can either create your own menu, let the chef create it or do a tasting that’s a little bit of everything. It’s designed to be a highly unique dining experience (at a pretty reasonable price) and this ceviche with cod, radish and passion fruit are a taste of what your eyes and IGs could be feasting on.
11. Barcelona
There’s little better than the combo of brunch and cake, so Spain’s Cup & Cake had the right idea with its Brunch & Cake menu. Its dishes are also high on the #Instagramgoals charts. The aim at this hotspot is simply to serve good food, most of which is organic and locally sourced. Also, it’s pretty. At the Brunch & Cake by the Sea location, you’ll be five minutes from the beach, too.
12. Florence
Likely any food found in Italy would be Instagram worthy, but let’s stick with pizza for now. There will always be a battle of who has the best, but one most can agree on is the pizza found at Mercato Centrale. And the best part about this place (besides the pizza) is that it’s a food hall. Which means when you’re done with the pizza, there’s fresh-made mozzarella, truffle pasta and gelato to try too. If this doesn’t make your friends, family and followers drool, something may be wrong with them.
13. Copenhagen
Porridge isn’t typically something people seek out, especially when eating anywhere other than your mom or grandma’s kitchen table. But Denmark knows how to make simplicity chic better than most. At Grød, porridge comes with all the fixings and the goal is to show that porridge can be “delicious, delicate and versatile,” according to the restaurant’s site. The “All in” is a favorite: it starts with oats (that can also come gluten free) and gets finished off with berry compote, apple compote, fresh strawberries, caramel sauce, apples, peanut butter, skyr (a mild Icelandic yogurt), cocoa nibs, almonds, hazelnuts, freeze-dried raspberries, banana and Valrhona. Yes, all of that.
14. Monaco
If a Pantone Cafe isn’t Instagram worthy, I’m not sure what is. The universal color reference company opened a cafe to bring synaesthesia to the world—or the stimulation of two senses at once. In this case, it’s seeing a color and eating it. Or drinking it. Éclairs are topped in colors like Raspberry Rose or Lemon Zest and made to taste as the name suggests, with drinks like Vibrant Orange served alongside. Be sure to add #tastethecolor to your snaps.
15. Buenos Aires
What started as three siblings cooking in someone’s dining room, turned into a much sought after hotspot in Argentina’s capital city. If you’re lucky enough to score reservations at iLatina (voted one of Latin America’s 50 best restaurants) you’ll be met with a menu-less dining experience where the chef serves up a new seven-course set each week. Fingers crossed that this arepa with braised pork shoulder and avocado emulsion makes the week’s cut.
16. Cape Town
At Jarryds in Cape Town, there’s a new Gramstopper in town. It’s sweet, it’s cute and it’s all pink everything—it’s a pancake stack drizzled in mixed berry creme and cherry caviar and topped with jeweled pink candy floss. What makes this South African spot firmly earn its place on this Instagram-worthy list (besides this dish, of course)? The owners say they aim to highlight the “beautiful nature of each and every single ingredient” they serve.
17. Melbourne
Oreo sliders for brunch? Yes, you read that right. As in Oreo. Sliders. And the slider bun is a donut. With that, it should come as no surprise that Left Field is one of Melbourne’s best brunch spots. This Instagrammable Australian find comes served with smashed Oreos, salted caramel, bananas, honeycomb and fresh fruit. Take care not to devour them before they’ve been properly documented.
18. Marrakech
With all the color Morocco comes with, you won’t be hard pressed to find food begging to be photographed. But Nomad would be a good place to start. The modern Moroccan cuisine locale is made largely from fresh, local produce, and unique desserts like saffron scented Moroccan date cake and marjoram and wild mint sorbet, help set the place apart. BONUS: At Nomad, you can kill two Instagrams with one shot, as the restaurant’s terrace overlooks the city’s Rahba Lakdima spice square (Place des Épices) and its quintessential red brick buildings, plus the Koutoubia Mosque and Atlas Mountains on a clear day. It’s also right near the souq so, shopping.
19. Beirut
Beirut has come on the scene as a culinary city and Better from Scratch has come on the scene as the place to find Lebanon’s prettiest sweets. From cake pop ice cream cones to a chocolate chip cookie with an Oreo cookie inside and candy colored cake pop-cicles, Better from Scratch will satisfy all manner of sweet teeth and Instagram feeds.
20. Mumbai
At Spiceklub in Mumbai, chefs are taking traditional dishes to new modern heights. Menu items at this India hotspot include things like “Nannza,” mini naan breads stuffed with paneer (spiced cottage cheese) and gluten free roti. But by far the most popular pick is the lassi shot made with seasonal fruits. It’s equal parts fun and photogenic.
