I'm a food and travel writer — here are my tips for eating out abroad
Ask me about my last trip and the first thing I'll tell you about will probably be something or somewhere I ate. The pintxos-punctuated weekend in San Sebastian where slivers of jamon iberico were the bedrock of breakfast. The double helping of delicate sugar-shell spheres filled with passionfruit and coffee in a Michelin-starred restaurant with rooms overlooking Lake Annecy. The tart pomegranate juice squeezed before our eyes in Tel Aviv's Carmel market as the mercury surged to 35C. The zingy avo on toast that ended up playing a tasty second fiddle to stroking a giraffe in Kenya. Succulent pit-cooked mechoui lamb and mint tea in Marrakesh's spice-lined souk.
You see, I fall firmly in the 'will travel for food' camp; having written about gastronomic travel for over a decade you could call it a perk of the job. Even off the clock, eating out in a new destination can be the most memorable take-home experience from any trip abroad — something that stays with me long after the tan fades. Here's what I've learnt.
Delving into a country's food scene is a gateway to its culture. On my first day somewhere I hotfoot it to the local market. I've nibbled my way from Tomme de Savoie cheese to impossibly pretty pastries in Provence; braved stinky durian and prickly rambutan in Bali; and picked up cactus jam and cholla bud pico de gallo in the Sonoran desert. Consider the market a foundation course in the unique and perhaps unfamiliar produce that will pop up on regional menus — and a chance to ask in-the-know locals where they're eating.
Next stop Rome? Swap the brouhaha of Campo de' Fiori market and follow lauded local chefs like Cristina Bowerman to the historic Mercato Testaccio, on the ancient amphorae depository site of the old trade route. It's less touristy, and alongside produce (including plenty of offal) there are great snack stalls — tripe sandwiches at Mordi e Vai, anyone? In Berlin, join the Kreuzberg clan at the convivial Markthalle Neun — hit up Big Stuff Smoked BBQ, and keep eyes peeled for the regular Sunday Naschmarkt, in collaboration with Slow Food Berlin, which puts the city's artisanal bakeries and heritage grains to the fore.
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Finding joy in food is one of life's great equalisers; something that transcends borders and unites when common language fails. It's always good to have a vague plan of where (and what) you'd like to eat. I recce early and pin points on an offline Google map — handy for avoiding paying extortionate roaming costs or worrying about ropey signal — so if I stumble upon a particular area I know I have solid options on hand when hunger strikes. Reading up before you travel also means that you can book ahead if needed and work out if a restaurant will be able to accommodate any dietary requirements.
It also pays to check opening hours. It's a running joke that you'll be hard-pushed to find an early supper in Spain, but securing a lunch table at 2pm can equally challenging in smaller towns across France, Switzerland and Denmark, where you should go early, especially if you want to enjoy more than one course.
Don't just rely on websites such as Tripadvisor. Sure, they're handy for less obvious destinations, but can you really trust Bob from Bristol's palate? I follow a social media trail: see where foodies you rate are heading to, go to the individual restaurant pages, then check if the chef has an account to see where they are eating locally. Similarly, tighten your search terms, don't just instinctively type 'best croissant in Paris', instead try 'where do Parisian chefs go for croissants?' And don't disregard food tours — the guide will know which of Mexico City's ubiquitous taquerias are the best (usually the one you'd never find yourself).Culinary Backstreets (culinarybackstreets.com) and Secret Food Tours (secretfoodtours.com) are good places to start for half and full-day tours in some of the more obvious foodie destinations. For shorter tours and more off-grid places, try Get Your Guide (getyourguide.com).
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Let's be real: restaurants that are truly authentic don't need to advertise the fact. Unless someone who lives there is telling you that it's the real deal, don't be swayed by the spiel. Rather, look for longevity. In a competitive market, any place that's been on the scene for 20-odd years is usually doing something right.
Hotel restaurants can be hit and miss, but shouldn't always be avoided. My rule of thumb is to order a club sandwich — a universal benchmark — on room service. If they can nail this (and have a good range of local dishes on the in-room menu) it's worth giving the restaurant a go, especially after a long journey or day exploring. My best one? Soho House Berlin. And if you're happy to forgo facilities in exchange for quality food and a bit more personality, the rise of restaurants with rooms around the world is a win for gourmet travellers.
One of my biggest regrets was a four-hour-plus dégustation experience on an Easter trip to Barcelona. The restaurant was called Moments; it felt more like years. The food was wonderful, but after the third course I could see my chance of getting to the Picasso Museum before closing diminishing with every bite. Unless you're travelling specifically for this kind of experience, don't commit to multicourse extravaganzas — lots of fine-dining establishments will do truncated lunch menus, or indeed let you go à la carte. Or just take the pressure off and opt for low-key: Bar Cañete (small plates from £7; barcanete.com) is my go-to in the city.
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My top two pizzas have been outside Italy. One in the middle of the desert at Pizzeria Bianco (pizzeriabianco.com) in Arizona; one in the middle of the ocean at Soneva Fushi, Maldives (soneva.com). The former was worth the long line (go early!) for the crisp base and homemade cheese and salami that earned its owner, Chris Bianco, an episode of Netflix's Chef's Table nearly 20 years after my visit. The latter was delivered to our villa and chowed down in bathrobes as a tropical storm whipped outside.
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Mixologists are increasingly focusing on local ingredients and elevating their bar snacks; the results can provide a great snapshot of a destination's wider culinary outlook. In Ho Chi Minh City's Ton That Dam wet market, seek out Nhau Nhau (anansaigon.com), a playful libation station that puts Vietnamese beer, Hue saké and new-wave banh mi front and centre. Plus, bartenders love to chat — grill them on where they grab dinner after a shift.
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This is a divisive one. We've all heard the stories about people's holidays being ruined by food poisoning after eating street food. It's easy to put such misfortune down to bad hygiene, and of course sometimes this is the case, but it's also to do with the different microbes prevalent in different countries that our bodies are simply not used to. As someone with Crohn's disease, I am particularly mindful of knocking things off kilter, but I can safely say that I've never felt the ill-effects of street food. Indeed, some of my best meals abroad have been streetside: the hazy backdrop of smoke as we devoured one charred satay stick after another in Singapore comes to mind. It's a matter of your personal appetite for risk. That said, if you are advised not to drink the water, don't. Look for where the locals are eating; busy stalls mean that the food won't be sitting around too long.
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What are your top tips on choosing where and what to eat and drink abroad? Let us know in the comments below
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Times
11 hours ago
- Times
This pervasive dining trend is set to wreck my summer holiday
I've just spent three marvellous days in Greece — sun, sea and some great friends, with whom I relished sharing precious downtime. I did not enjoy sharing my taramasalata. Each mealtime our group of six gather would around the same table — either at the hotel where we were staying or in local restaurants. As friends travelling together, of course we did. It was with a sinking heart, however, that I quickly realised we were to share our meals too, thanks to the pervasive — and frankly unwelcome — trend for 'sharing plates'. My joy at perusing each mealtime menu was tempered by the near certainty that my choice would not just be for me, but for all of us. A choice, no doubt, that my dining companions would instantly find more alluring than theirs, and which would fast disappear before my eyes, leaving me to dip into a selection of confusing and dissatisfying alternative mismatched 'bites'. The phrase 'for the table' has become the mantra of those with short-term tastebuds but is the curse of the single-minded diner; the gustatory deficit disorder that plagues our palate in the same way that the smartphone meddles with our minds. The culture of sharing plates is no longer limited to restaurants that specialise in suitable dishes — tapas, for example, or thali, where one can at least expect compatible flavours. In fact it's just one iteration of a wider trend for communal dining, a term applied to a range of set-ups, from disparate diners sharing food and tables, to restaurant guests sitting around a communal table eating individual à la carte orders. It is a veritable buffet of culinary experiences. That said, I can just about cope with starters 'for the table', when I can program my brain to accept dipping in and out of different dishes — I think of it as seated canapés. And puddings, well, I'll rarely have more than a spoonful anyway and it's often off my husband's plate. But main courses? If Iberico pork was meant to be eaten with vegetable biryani, it would come as a menu suggestion, not as carelessly deposited spoonfuls of incongruous flavours rattling around my dinner plate. Even worse, is the expectation that diners share elbow room with complete strangers along trestle tables, now common in even the most traditional of tavernas. It's all very lovely in theory. Meals out, whether on holiday or not, are often a celebratory, convivial affair. Why not share the love — and your food — with other people? Psychologists point to communal eating as a way to connect and to support mental health — the 2025 World Happiness Report ranks shared meals as one of the greatest factors in wellbeing, on a par with income and employment status. Research published in the journal of Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology suggests that social meals stimulate endorphins and are vital to connection with other people — a time when you are more likely to open up, swap stories and discuss ideas. This may well be true, but surely this doesn't mean being forced to sit with a group of strangers and pay for the dubious pleasure? Because, please, the conversation I most want to have over the rare treat of a meal out in an equally rare moment of downtime is with my husband or friend, not small talk with someone I don't know. The sceptic in me wonders if this is a case of providence disguised as preference — after all, those hotels and restaurants that offer it are not just benefiting from the economy of space (more customers per square metre) but from the novelty value too. A straw poll of my fellow Greece guests revealed that, unlike me, most were in favour of the sharing plate, although there was less enthusiasm for communal tables. Nearly all said that they would prefer to dine with their chosen companions than be seated with strangers. So who is it that is feeding this pernicious trend? • 16 of the best quiet Greek islands Back in the London office, I'm surrounded by 'people people' who proclaim to love a shared table. 'It's a study in psychology and I love it!' says one such minded colleague. 'Watching marital breakdown over a schnitzel is my favourite pastime,' she adds. 'I can always spot the signs.' (I too can spot said signs, but prefer to do so from at least a table's distance. Still, each to their own.) There are places, I acknowledge — beyond the family meal or domestic dinner party — where it works, by and large, where every diner eats the same menu, at the same time, and often has a shared experience too. Take, for example, a safari. Here, it's essential. How else can you effectively download the wonder of your game drives and those of your fellow campers? (Or, if you're unlucky with your cohort, trade information on house prices in London, Suffolk and the Cotswolds?) Similarly, communal dining has long been a customary part of the cruise ship experience, particularly river cruises, and is something passengers are almost uniformly enthusiastic about. Here, forewarned is forearmed, and with a greater pool of people to play with (or avoid) there are ways for even the uninitiated to enhance their experience. These are, I'm reliably informed: get to dinner five minutes before the restaurant opens to occupy a seat that's near the window with a view. Prime positioning is important because you may find that people want to sit in the same place every night, but remember, it's first come, first seated. If your first night found you alongside international-level competitive travel bores intent on proving that they've been to more places than you, you are going to want to know your table rights for the next night. But, Wendy Atkin-Smith, the managing director of Viking UK, says, such lengths are rarely required, and in fact these tables are where lifelong friends are made on board. 'Our river ships offer a very intimate experience and our guests all get to know each other very quickly,' she says. 'Our communal tables are very popular and are definitely part of the whole river voyage experience — we don't have any kind of fixed seating so guests are at liberty to move around each evening to meet fellow travellers in a very relaxed and convivial setting.' But what of hotel restaurants — those rarefied centres of intimacy, of romantic dinners, of illicit encounters, and of well-deserved quality family time. Why would they want to mix it up with one big table of potentially gastronomic and social discord? Well, it turns out they are often bringing people together around a shared experience too. For some, it's nothing new. Stuart Smith, the brand home manager at Glenmorangie House, a farmhouse-turned-boutique hotel for visitors to the distillery, says communal dining has been at the heart of its Highland hospitality for 30 years. 'Our dinner party format fosters a uniquely warm and convivial atmosphere,' he says. 'We've even seen groups who first met around our table continue to reunite here every few years, a testament to the enduring bonds formed in this special setting.' Others are doing it to create connections with the past. Flore, the restaurant at De l'Europe in Amsterdam which reopened in April after a makeover, has created a communal table crafted from a single elm felled not far from the hotel. 'It creates a connection between guests and the city's natural heritage,' says chef Bas van Kranen. 'Seating has been designed to allow solo diners, couples, groups of four, and larger parties to all sit together around the same table. The communal table experience pairs diners randomly, they don't get to choose their seat — we find that this breaks down the traditional barriers of fine dining in a way that brings people together rather than isolating them.' At Killiehuntly Farmhouse in the Cairngorms, part of the Wildland conservation network, guests in the main house begin their day together over bowls of porridge with cream and fresh berries at a long, scrubbed farmhouse table. At Lundies House, 120 miles further north in Lairg, dinner is more refined, but no less social. Here communal dining is not a gimmick but a way of life, Ruth Kramer, the head of design at Wildland, says. 'In an era of individualism, there's something quietly radical about sitting down with strangers to eat a meal. It's a gentle return to something older and simpler: the table as a place of welcome, nourishment and unexpected connection.' So I guess if, like me, you don't want an unexpected connection that goes beyond the food, then research before you reserve. Leave the trestle tables and the small plates for the more caring, sharing diners out there, and raise your glass to a summer of enjoying your own dish from the comfort of your own table. Do you enjoy communal dining or would you rather eat alone? Let us know in the comments below
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
UK eases Israel travel advice as evacuation effort winds down
The government has loosened its travel advice for Israel, as a final evacuation flight for British nationals is set to depart from Tel Aviv on move comes after Israel reopened its skies for commercial air travel following a ceasefire agreement that ended a 12-day conflict with Iran. After missile exchanges between the two countries began, the foreign office had advised against all travel to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Friday, the government eased its guidance to advise against all but essential travel to most parts of Israel, the West Bank, and the Golan Heights. It still advises against all travel to parts of northern Israel, the West Bank and the Golan Heights, and to all of foreign office said a sixth evacuation flight from Israel for British nationals was scheduled for this weekend and would be the last, amid falling demand as commercial options increase."The safety and security of British nationals is our top priority," a spokesperson said."The government has organised multiple flights evacuating British nationals and their dependants from Tel Aviv, prioritising the most vulnerable. These flights will end if there is not sufficient demand."The UK has already stopped providing onward transport options for British nationals who have crossed Israel's land borders into Jordan and Egypt.A US and Qatar-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Iran took effect on Tuesday, but in its advice to travellers, the foreign office acknowledged the situation was "fragile... with the potential to deteriorate further".The government said it would keep the situation under conflict began on 13 June when Israel bombed nuclear sites and military targets in Iran, prompting Tehran to respond with missile strikes. Following 12 days of back-and-forth attacks, Iran's health ministry said 610 people had been killed, and Israel's health ministry said 28 people had been nationals left stranded when Israeli airspace was closed due to the conflict were urged to register their presence with the UK government. On Monday, Downing Street said about a quarter of the 4,000 people who had registered their presence in Israel or the Occupied Palestinian Territories had asked for a seat on an evacuation flight.
Metro
2 days ago
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Underrated UK village is a foodie heaven with three Michelin-starred restaurants
If you were to head 11 miles north of Liverpool or 16 miles west of Wigan, you'd stumble across an unassuming village that's home to around 8,300 people. While those who've visited say it's a 'peaceful' and 'wonderful' little spot, it's fair to say there's not a lot to keep you occupied in Aughton, Lancashire. According to Tripadvisor there are three main things to do: go to church, or visit the Oaks Golf Club either for a round of golf or a pamper session at the spa. Despite this, people from all over Europe and even as far as the US return to the village each year for one simple reason: the food. Aughton is a must-visit for foodies with not one, not two, but three Michelin Star restaurants. They have an impressive five stars between them and are all within walking distance of one another. Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration. Sign up here. Moor Hall, a hotel with a modern British restaurant, is the most notable. It has three stars to its name, which means the Michelin gods have deemed the food 'exceptional'. If that weren't enough, the restaurant also boasts a Michelin Green Star for its sustainable practices (most of the seasonal produce is grown in the grounds of the hall), as well as five AA Rosettes. It was just named the second best restaurant in the UK in the National Restaurant Awards 2025. Headed up by chef Mark Birchall, the restaurant serves a Provenance tasting menu for dinner which is priced at £235 per person (this is going up to £265 from July 1). There's also a four-course lunch menu for £125 per person (£145 as of July 1). The restaurant has a cheese room containing some of 'the best British and Irish Farmhouse cheeses', as well as a wine cellar. The AA Awards 2024 awarded Moor Hall's wine list as the 'best in England and overall', and there are two options for wine pairings with a meal, including a £145 Prestige pairing or a Rarity pairing for £295. An alcohol-free pairing is also available for £85 and features single vintage teas from around the globe. There are hundreds of five star reviews on Google, which hail the food as 'amazing', 'fantastic' and 'the best in the country'. Kate Weil wrote: 'Been here several times. It is quite simply the best restaurant in the country. Staff are exceptional, food is beyond belief and the wine is everything. Michelin and quality hospitality at its best. Love coming here, worth every penny.' Similarly, Saveena Pomian said: 'Difficult to express this experience in words. You feel every course is the best thing you have ever tasted, only to be beaten by the next! From the amuse bouche including a delectable warm black pudding in a crisp shell to the most amazing beef tartare that burst with freshness on the palate. This was followed up by native lobster with a delicate flavour and then a moist Guinea hen with a perfect side of offal ragout. 'The carefully chosen ginger ice cream freshens ready for an apple and blackberry pudding. There is an amazing choice of English cheeses followed by an exciting choice of petit fours. We had 12 'courses' in all and the wine pairing was perfect.' They added: 'The atmosphere is relaxed and the service is spot on. Attentive without being obtrusive. An absolutely fantastic gastronomic experience' Moor Hall is also home to the second of Aughton's three Michelin Star restaurants, The Barn. This is a sister restaurant to the main dining space and shares the same ethos, however dining here is much more affordable. Set in a rustic barn, a three course lunch will cost £48 per person, while a set dinner menu is £56 per person. Example dishes might include Chalk stream trout, radish, sea greens and malted wheat or Roasted Sladesdown duck served with organic carrots, red kale and girolles. On Sundays, you can tuck into a hearty roast dinner with 60-day-aged Belted Galloway Sirloin or Herdwick Lamb Rump with yorkshire puddings and some other fabulous trimmings. The third and final spot is sō–lō, another modern British restaurant set in an 'understated' and informal setting. Created by chef Tim Allen, the menu features culinary influences from around the world, mixing flavours and textures with seasonal ingredients. Guests can choose between a £105 tasting menu for dinner, a £52 three-course lunch or a £64 Sunday lunch menu that features dishes such as Cumbrian Heritage Sirloin, Ham, Egg & Chips and an artisanal cheese plate. 'Unstuffy' sō–lō has garnered a big online following with dozens of impressive reviews. Phil Steele posted on Google that his meal there was 'incredible excellent', while Nidtima Maroengsit commented: 'Had an amazing experience. The food is fantastic, especially the Sunday roast – truly a must-try. The staff are so friendly and helpful, making the whole dining experience even better. Highly recommend it!' Others said it was 'as close to perfection as you can get'. If you're in London, you'll have to be prepared to spend a fair chunk of time getting to Aughton. The train is the quickest way to get there but there is no direct service. You'll want to start at London Euston and take an Avanti West Coast train to Liverpool Lime Street. From here, you'll want to head to Liverpool Central and then get the Merseyrail towards Ormskirk, getting off at Town Green (Aughton). Moor Hall is a 15-minute walk from the station, while sō–lō is just five minutes away. Aughton is mostly residential, so there's not too much to do but the wider parish does have two shopping areas, two train stations, churches and a village hall. More Trending As well as visiting the local Michelin star restaurants, there are a few other pubs and eateries in the village, including The Dog and Gun Inn, Daily Dose Coffee, The Stanley Arms and Arthur's of Aughton. And nature lovers can head to the Gorse Hill Nature Reserve to see various wildlife or visit the cafe. For more to do, you can head to nearby Ormskirk, where you'll find farms to visit with the kids, the WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre, the West Lancashire Light Railway, Mere Sands Wood Nature Reserve, and various walking and cycling routes. Beach lovers aren't far from the coast, as Formby Beach is just a nine mile drive from Aughton, or if you're more of a city person, Liverpool is a little over 30 minutes by car or train. Do you have a story to share? 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