ULTIMATE EATLIST THE WORLD’S TOP 500 FOOD EXPERIENCES... RANKED 1 - Ultimate Eatlist - - Ultimate Eatlist - Introduction You’ll need to jostle your way to the bar to order, poised for an opening to appear. chefs and food writers with an interest in world cuisines – from José Andrés to Andrew ‘Un pincho de anchoas con pimientos, por favor. Y una copa de chacolí. ¡Gracias!’ Zimmern – for their five favourite food experiences (see the coloured panels). With this A small plate comes back with your first pintxo and a glass of Basque sparkling wine. long list to hand, we sought to rank the entries: where should you go for the world’s ¡Salud! Welcome to San Sebastián in Spain, one of the world’s greatest cities to eat must-have food experiences? Our team of expert food editors were aided by a panel your way around. Sandwiched between the Bahía de le Concha and the city’s river, the – made up of chef and TV presenter Adam Liaw and food blogger Leyla Kazim – that grid of narrow streets in San Sebastián’s old town are packed with pintxos bars, each evaluated the entries according to the taste of the dish, its cultural importance, and the serving their own speciality of these Basque bites. In Bar Txepetxa on C/Pescadería, special atmosphere of the location. anchovies are the go-to snack. A few doors down at Nestor, it’s a beefheart tomato salad This book is the result of their deliberations. Looking at our top ten, it seems that dressed with just olive oil and salt, or a tortilla so sought after that you have to put your shared, communal food experiences rated highly – pintxos in San Sebastián, dim sum name down on a list for a slice. Further along C/Pescadería, Bar Zeruko’s theatrical in Hong Kong and sushi in Japan – and we wondered what caused this. Clearly, we creations include a morsel of cod on a miniature smoking grill. It’s as if the city has enjoy eating food around other people with the extra local interaction and the sense of been designed to delight every sense – and your sense of adventure, as you meander place these experiences offer. Perhaps the added variety also rewards the more intrepid from bar to bar, meeting different people, trying new and inventive Basque flavours. gastronaut, who is not always completely sure what they’re ordering… Trips like this inspired Lonely Planet’s Ultimate Eatlist, our collection of the world’s Eating local has wider benefits too. Arguably, sustainability is higher when food is most memorable eating experiences. Food and place are inextricably connected: local seasonal and grown in the vicinity, supporting local communities. An advantage of dishes evolved according to what grew nearby or what was in season. Occasionally going to these places in person is that you can ask the server before ordering about the a gastronomic genius will create a classic that is recreated in restaurants around the restaurant’s sourcing policies – of seafood, which figures prominently in our top 20, for world: how many versions of salad Niçoise might ever have been made? But only on example - or where the ingredients come from. Vote with your dollar or yen or euro. the French Riviera can you try it in its home and there, in the golden light and sea This book travels the world with an insatiable appetite. It takes in the culinary breeze, everything makes more sense – the tuna from the Mediterranean, the sun- melting pots of London, New York and Melbourne, and also such don’t-miss ripened Provencal tomatoes. Thanks to migration and globalisation, it’s easy to find destinations as Lima, Singapore and the Yucatán. A few of the experiences we kimchi in Los Angeles or manoushe in Melbourne but only in Korea or Lebanon can recommend are really off the beaten track: bush tucker in outback Australia or Faroese you dig down to their cultural roots. In these places, you don’t just taste the dish but cuisine for example. But what they all have in common is that they will put you in experience the whirl of people, languages, aromas and sounds that are unique to that thrilling touch with a place, its people and their way of life all thanks to some delicious destination. That’s what makes each dish memorable. food. In the Eat It! section of each entry we tell you exactly where to go to try each dish. So, how did we draw up our selection? First, we canvassed the Lonely Planet Turn to our guidebooks and lonelyplanet.com for more detailed directions. community – our writers, bloggers and staffers, a globetrotting group of people known So, don’t delay! Pack your passport (and loose-fitting clothing) and start ticking off to obsess over food and travel – for their most delicious discoveries. We also asked 20 your favourite food experiences from our Ultimate Eatlist. 2 3 - Ultimate Eatlist - - Ultimate Eatlist - Contents 01–99 100–199 1 Pintxos in San Sebastián 10 34 Ragù in Bologna 54 67 Shakshouka in Tel Aviv 80 100 Cream tea in England 109 134 Clam cakes in Rhode Island 129 168 Khinkali in Georgia 149 2 Curry laksa in Kuala Lumpur 12 35 Insalata Caprese in Italy 56 68 Grilled octopus in Italy 83 101 Wienerbrød in Copenhagen 109 135 Humita in Argentina 129 169 Croque monsieur in Paris 150 3 Sushi in Tokyo 14 36 Buffalo wings in Buffalo 57 69 Elotes in Mexico 83 102 Sachertorte in Vienna 110 136 Ramen in Tokyo 130 170 Polos curry in Sri Lanka 150 4 Beef brisket in Texas 16 37 Bai sak chrouk in Cambodia 58 70 Hot fudge sundae in the USA 83 103 Balık ekmek in Istanbul 110 137 Choripán in Buenos Aires 131 171 Aperitivo in northern Italy 151 5 Som tum in Bangkok 16 38 Bakeries in Tehran 58 71 Khao piak san in Laos 84 104 Xiaolongbao in Shanghai 112 138 Keema matar in Chandigarh 131 172 Thukpa in Nepal 151 6 Smørrebrød in Copenhagen 18 39 Smoked salmon in Scotland 59 72 Gaeng keow wan in Bangkok 86 105 Macarons in Paris 113 139 Fried chicken in Nashville 132 173 Tom yum goong in Bangkok 152 7 Crayfish in Kaikoura 20 40 Barbecued pork in Seoul 59 73 Sourdough in San Francisco 88 106 Fondue in Geneva 114 140 Poke in Hawaii 133 174 Umm ali in Cairo 152 8 Bibimbap in Seoul 21 41 Massaman curry in Thailand 60 74 Doubles in Trinidad & Tobago 89 107 Summer pudding in England 114 141 Raclette in the Swiss Alps 134 175 Tandoori chicken in Delhi 152 9 Pizza margherita in Naples 22 42 Fresh coconut in Fiji 61 75 Black-eyed pea fritters in Senegal 89 108 Feteer in Cairo 115 142 Miso ramen in Sapporo 134 176 Żurek in Kraków 152 10 Dim sum in Hong Kong 24 43 Baozi in Shanghai 62 76 Galette des rois in Paris 109 Bhel puri in India 115 143 Cong you bing in Shanghai 134 177 Dragon beard candy in Hong Kong 153 11 Ceviche in Lima 26 44 Midye dolma in Istanbul 62 77 Dal in India 91 110 Gado gado in Bali 115 144 Khichari in London 134 178 Huevos divorciados in Mexico 153 12 Pastéis de nata in Lisbon 26 45 Beignets in New Orleans 63 78 Pumpkin custard in Phnom Penh 92 111 Nystekt Strömming in Stockholm 115 145 Dal bhat in Nepal 136 179 Syrniki blinis in Russia 153 13 Oysters in Australia 29 46 Masala dosa in southern India 64 79 Chilli-salted fruit in Vietnam 93 112 Bratwurst in Germany 116 146 Egg waffles in Hong Kong 137 180 Picarones in Lima 154 14 Cheese experiences in France 30 47 Irish stew in Dublin 65 80 Crab sandwiches in England 93 113 Feijoada in São Paulo 116 147 Banitsa in Sofia 137 181 Eggs sardou in New Orleans 154 15 Jerk chicken in Jamaica 32 48 Kaiseki in Kyoto 66 81 Waffles in Belgium 94 114 Muffuletta in New Orleans 117 148 Mapo tofu in Sichuan 138 182 Slow-cooked chicken in Senegal 156 16 Lamb tagine in Marrakech 32 49 Domatokeftedes in Santorini 68 82 Toverhallerne in Copenhagen 95 115 Glühwein and stollen in Germany 118 149 Cassoulet in Carcassonne 139 183 Tea eggs in Taiwan 156 17 Chilli crab in Singapore 34 50 Piri piri chicken in Mozambique 68 83 Mohinga in Myanmar 95 116 Spaghetti carbonara in Rome 118 150 Nordic cuisine in Copenhagen 140 184 Chapulines in Oaxaca, Mexico 156 18 Moules frites in Brussels 36 51 Fattoush from Syria 69 84 Asado in Argentina 96 117 Bánh mì in Ho Chi Minh City 119 151 Pepperpot stew in Guyana 142 185 Scallop pie in Tasmania 157 19 Peking duck in Beijing 37 52 Doughnuts in Portland 69 85 Apple pie in the USA 98 118 Knafeh in Beirut 120 152 Chicken muamba in Angola 142 186 Pork pie in the UK 157 20 Pho on the Hau River, Vietnam 38 53 Pupusa in El Salvador 70 86 Jiaozi in Beijing 99 119 Vada pav in Mumbai 120 153 Cheesecake in New York 143 187 Escargot à la Bourguignonne in 21 Souvlaki in Greece 40 54 Whitebait fritters in New Zealand 71 87 Crêpes in Paris 99 120 Hotteok in South Korea 120 154 Pierogi in Poland 143 Dijon, France 158 22 Churros in Madrid 41 55 Tiger prawns in Myanmar 71 88 Miznon in Tel Aviv 100 121 Percebes in southern Portugal 121 155 Makroudh in Algiers 144 188 Halo-halo in Manila 159 23 Tapas in La Boqueria, Barcelona 42 56 Samosas in India 72 89 Po’ boy in New Orleans 101 122 Boerewors in Johannesburg 122 156 Icelandic lobster in Reykjavik 144 189 Harissa in Armenia 159 24 Gelato in Italy 44 57 Sea urchin in Hokkaidō 73 90 White truffles in Piedmont 101 123 Assam laksa in Penang 122 157 Turkish delight in Istanbul 144 190 Congee in Hong Kong 159 25 Hummus in Israel 46 58 Spaghetti alle vongole in Italy 74 91 Bush tucker in Australia 102 124 Llapingachos in Ecuador 122 158 Pa amb tomaquet in Catalonia 144 191 Brigadeiro in São Paulo 160 26 Fresh fish in the Seychelles 46 59 Sunday roast in the UK 74 92 Salmorejo in Spain 103 125 Mango sticky rice in Bangkok 123 159 Ćevapi in Sarajevo 144 192 Jamón ibérico in Spain 160 27 Tarte tatin in central France 47 60 Ikan bakar in Kuala Lumpur