Food Experiences Worth the Trip

Some meals become travel memories in their own right. From Naples to Honolulu, with stops in Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, and Bologna, here are the restaurants and cafés that left a lasting impression on me—the ones I still go back to in my travel notes and can't wait to share.

Some people plan their trips around museums, beaches, or local markets.

I plan mine around what I'm going to eat.

Every destination has its own culinary identity, dining traditions, and specialties you simply can't experience anywhere else. Sometimes, one unforgettable meal captures the essence of an entire city better than any landmark ever could.

These are some of my favourite places, discovered over years of travel—the ones I recommend without hesitation.

Italy: Where Even the Simplest Meals Become Unforgettable

To me, Italy is Europe's ultimate food destination.

Not because it's extravagant, but because every bite feels intentional.

Fresh ingredients. Timeless recipes. Traditions passed from one generation to the next.

In Italy, meals become experiences: long evenings on lively terraces, lingering aperitivos, and gelato enjoyed while wandering through narrow streets.

L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele — Naples

This was one of the best pizza experiences I've ever had in Italy.

A thin crust with beautifully blistered edges, tomatoes that actually taste like tomatoes, and a recipe that has remained virtually unchanged since the restaurant opened in 1870.

They serve only two pizzas. That's all they need.

Adress : Via Cesare Sersale, 1 - Naples

Osteria Del Podestà — Bologna

Tagliatelle al ragù in Bologna bears little resemblance to what most of the world calls "Bolognese." Here, it's a local institution.

A simple dining room. A concise menu. Fresh pasta rolled by hand.

Quite simply, the best pasta I've ever eaten.

Adress : Via degli Orefici, 21a - Italie

GROM Gelato — Rome

GROM's pistachio gelato is in a category of its own.

Rich, intensely flavoured, and naturally green—the kind of colour that tells you it's the real thing.

Without question, it's the best pistachio gelato I've had in Rome—and quite possibly in all of Italy.

If you only have time for one gelato stop in Rome, make it this one.

Multiple locations throughout Rome (Piazzale Flaminio, 16 - Rome)

Paris: The Classics Worth Planning Ahead For

In Paris, it's surprisingly easy to eat well—even by accident.

But some addresses are worth building your itinerary around.

What I love about Parisian cuisine is how simple, generous, and welcoming it feels, while still being executed to perfection. Steak-frites is the perfect example. Every restaurant has its own cooking style, secret sauce, fries, and atmosphere.

Yet the best versions remain unforgettable.

Le Relais de l'Entrecôte

One dish : Steak-frites. A legendary secret sauce. Classic Parisian bistro atmosphere. Old-school service.

It doesn't get much more iconic.

You don't choose what to order. You simply choose to go.

Adress : 20 rue Saint-Benoît - Paris

Maison George Larnicol — Paris

For dessert—or breakfast, because travel has no rules—the pistachio kouignette from Maison George Larnicol is hard to beat.

Made with laminated pastry and finished with caramelization, it's outstanding. Every single time.

Multiple Paris locations (99 Rue de Rivoli - Paris)

Belgium : Where Simple Classics Shine

Belgium and the Netherlands remind you that simple food deserves to be taken seriously. French fries, waffles, pastries : when they're done exceptionally well, they're unforgettable.

Frites Atelier — Brussels

A Belgian classic reinvented by Michelin-starred chef Kobe Desramaults. Just perfectly cooked fries and homemade sauces that let the potatoes speak for themselves.

Proof that greatness can come from a deep fryer.

Adress : Rue Sainte-Catherine 32 - Brussels

Obe — Brussels

Traditional Belgian waffles enjoyed standing on a cobblestone street. Light, crispy and slightly caramelized. No toppings required.

Just the waffle.

Adress : Rue de l'Étuve 4 - Brussels

Aux Merveilleux de Fred — Brussels (and Montreal!)

The kind of bakery that makes you rethink every raisin pastry you've ever had. Fresh cramique, delicate meringue : everything prepared right before your eyes.

The best part? You can now enjoy it in Montreal, too.

Adress, Brussels : Rue Auguste Orts 23 - Brussels

Adress, Montréal : 4200 R. Saint-Denis - Montréal

A Little Farther From Europe

Not every unforgettable meal happens in Europe.

Sometimes, the best food memories are worth crossing an ocean for.

Leonard's Bakery — Honolulu

A Honolulu institution since 1952. Leonard's serves some of the most decadent malasadas you'll ever eat—Portuguese-style doughnuts fried until golden and filled with your choice of cream.

Alexane's Travel Story : Back when I was travelling Oahu on a tight budget, I didn't have a car. No GPS either. Just a hostel employee who looked at me and said, "You HAVE to eat there."

So I walked more than an hour under the Hawaiian sun. A few times, I wondered if it was really worth it...

Then I took my first bite : MIND-BLOWING.

Five years later, I went back—and it was just as incredible. It reminded me that some of the best culinary experiences come from following a local's recommendation... and being willing to walk a little farther than everyone else!

Alexane's recommendation: Go for the macadamia nut filling. You won't regret it.

MEXIQUE

What All These Places Have in Common

The best meals while travelling aren't always the most expensive.

In Scotland, I had fish and chips made with freshly caught fish, enjoyed by the water with spectacular scenery all around. No white tablecloths. No elaborate menu. Just exceptional local ingredients and an unforgettable moment.

In Alsace, traditional winstubs taught me that flammkuchen and spaetzle aren't simply dishes—they're ways of bringing people together. A glass of local white wine. A wooden table. Hours that slip away unnoticed.

In Switzerland, fondue is a lesson in sharing. It's never meant to be eaten alone. You slow down. You talk. You reconnect.

Wherever you are in the world, food has an extraordinary ability to connect you with a place, a culture, and its people.

The meals we remember most are rarely the most luxurious.

They're the authentic local discoveries that allow us to truly taste a destination.

That's why I love travelling for food.

- Catherine, Director of Travel Agency and Partnerships -