Eyes bigger than your stomach

Jan 19, 2012 3:28:31 AM

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Bring a hearty appetite, roomy trousers, and a camera to these delicious destinations, where the presentation of food has become a spectacle in itself.

1. Donghuamen Night Market, Beijing, China

This bustling night market is a kaleidoscopic food zoo of all the Chinese food you could wish to try (with plenty of critters-on-a-stick you might not care for, into the bargain). For the squeamish, there are lamb kebabs, beef and chicken skewers, corn on the cob, noodles and candied fruit kebabs. For those harder-of-stomach, how about smelly tofu, or deep-fried and skewered creepy crawlies such as grasshoppers, scorpions, silkworms and centipedes? For many it might be a case of look but don’t dare to buy, but the photo opportunities are outstanding. Dozens of stalls are set up here each evening (from about 5.30pm); vendors’ signs are generally in Mandarin and English.

Want fancier fare? Head to nearby Courtyard for fusion cuisine and one of Beijing’s best wine lists.

2. Gelateria di Piazza, San Gimignano, Italy

It’s not only the incredible beauty of the walled Tuscan town of San Gimignano that will cause your heart to soar. Stop by the Gelateria di Piazza and your taste buds will applaud… As the pictures on the wall attest, many celebs have wrapped their lips around one of the gelateria’s rich ice creams (‘all the family thought the ice cream was delicious’ attested one Tony Blair). Master Sergio uses only the choicest ingredients: pistachios from Sicily and cocoa from Venezuela. There are plenty of the traditional flavours, but you’ll be tempted by unusual combinations such as rosemary-scented raspberry, or pink grapefruit and sparkling wine.

Give your appetite another thrill at the town’s Museo del Vino (Wine Museum), where you can taste some of the choice local white wines.

3. La Grande Epicerie, Paris, France

If grocery shopping normally bores you to tears, prepare to be stunned. The exquisitely presented chocolates, pastries, tins of biscuits, fruit and veg, seafood, cheeses, wines and other enticing edibles in this glorious food store within Le Bon Marché department store are a sight to behold (for our money, this beats the Mona Lisa). There are downsides to visiting this shrine to fine food, however. The first: no suitcase (or budget) will be big enough for all that you wish to buy and take home. The second: returning to your neighbourhood supermarket after visiting Le Grand Epicerie will likely reduce you to tears.

You’re not too far from the Jardin du Luxembourg, so snaffle some supplies and dine alfresco in one of the city’s most beloved parks.

4. Tokyo Fish Market, Japan

Come for the tuna auctions, stay for the sushi breakfast. After it’s been fished from the sea and before it turns up on a sashimi platter, most of Tokyo’s seafood transits through Tsukiji Market. This gigantic pulsating hub of Tokyo’s gastronomic system pumps at a frenetic pace. Workers yell, slice blocks of ice, haul massive bluefin tuna, spit, stop for a smoke, laugh, bone an eel and yell some more. You’ll have to trundle out here early to see the predawn arrival of fish and its wholesale auctioning (when visitors are permitted), but even at around 7am there’s still some good market bustle and seafood-slinging going on.

Lines are unavoidable at Daiwa Sushi, Tsukiji’s famed sushi bar (open from 5am). The sushi sets are a good bet if you’re not comfortable ordering in Japanese.

5. House of Master Belgian Chocolate-Makers, Brussels, Belgium

Belgium produces a dreamy 220,000 tonnes of chocolate per year. Its unmatched reputation for sublime chocolate derives from the silky smooth texture created by extended conching (stirring) during the production process, and from the use of pure cocoa butter. A turning point for Belgian chocolate came in 1912, when pralines (filled chocolates) were born in Brussels. On that city’s magnificent Grand Place, La Maison des Maîtres Chocolatiers Belges unites 10 of the country’s choco-craftsmen in an upmarket boutique that also offers demonstrations in English (and the all-important taste-tests) at 4pm Saturday and Sunday.

Also stop by a Pierre Marcolini store – his innovative choc-creations are a top choice for Belgium’s wealthy and fashion conscious.

6. Darjeeling, India

It’ll start on the train there (or indeed, any train in India) – the nasal call of the chai wallahs pacing the platforms, hawking their masala-spiced nectar. But that’s nothing compared to Darjeeling itself. Once you switch to the narrow-gauge steam train that hauls you up to this 2000m hill station you’re surrounded by the stuff : tea in the cafes, tea in the bazaars and a deep-green leafy profusion of tea cascading down the hillsides, with the might of the Himalaya behind.

Between March and November (picking and processing season) take a plantation tour and marvel at what goes into a humble tea bag. Of course, high tea is in order – take it at the Elgin or Windermere hotels. Shop for tea at Nathmull’s Tea Room.

7. Spice Bazaar, Istanbul, Turkey

Although somewhat tainted by tourist creep, this market can easily transport you back to its Ottomanera heyday with the kaleidoscopic colours of its mounds of saffron, sumac, chilli and salça (tomato paste), its herbal teas and lokum (Turkish delight), and enough aphrodisiac remedies to make even a sultan blush. As well as baharat (spices), nuts and honey in the comb, there are truckloads of incir (figs) and pestil (fruit pressed into sheets and dried). This is a regular shopping spot for the city’s best chefs.

Don’t be afraid to do as the locals do – try before you buy, and compare prices. If you’re in need of more sustenance than a market snack, Bab-i Hayat is a beautiful vaulted space over the eastern entrance to the bazaar.

8. Maison Mercier Épernay, France

Épernay, the capitale du champagne and home to many of the world’s most celebrated champagne houses, is the best place for touring cellars and sampling bubbly. The most popular champagne brand in France, Mercier, has thrived on unabashed self-promotion since it was founded in 1858 by Eugène Mercier, a trailblazer in the field of eye-catching publicity stunts and the virtual creator of the cellar tour. Everything here is flashy, including the 160,000L barrel that took two decades to build, the lift that transports you 30m underground, and the train taking you along part of the 18km of champagne cellars.

Stay in style at Le Clos Raymi, once occupied by Monsieur Chandon (of champagne fame).

9. Roquefort Caves, France

In the heart of rural southern France, the village of Roquefort turns ewes’ milk into France’s most famous cheese. Its steep, narrow streets lead to natural caves, where seven producers ripen 22,000 tonnes of Roquefort each year – and some cheesemakers offer tours. La Société, established in 1842, has one-hour tours of its pungent caves (including tasters). It’s now the largest Roquefort producer, churning out 70% of the world’s supply. And did you know that the mouldy blue-green veins that run through Roquefort cheese are, in fact, the spores of microscopic mushrooms, cultivated on leavened bread? Er, yum.

Roquefort is a parking nightmare; it’s better to leave your car beside the tourist office at the main, western entry to the village and walk in.

10. San Miniato National White Truffle Market, San Miniato, Italy

The tuber magnatum pico (white truffle) reigns supreme at the medieval hilltop town of San Miniato, roughly halfway between Pisa and Florence. The woods around here are famed throughout Italy as prime truffle-hunting grounds, and mid-September to December is when all the action takes place. The best way to enjoy it is via the town’s white-truffle market, held on the last three weekends of November. During the festival, restaurateurs and truffle tragics come from every corner of the globe to purchase supplies, sample truffle-based delicacies in the town’s shops and restaurants, and breathe in one of the world’s most distinctive aromas.

From October to December, join a truffle hunt with Barbialla Nuovo Fattoria, an agritourism estate.

Further reading: Check out our top 10 European gourmet weekends – or maybe Wonka-style wonderlands are more your thing?

This article was updated in Jan 2012.

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Comments

30 June 2011 8:16PM millarabello Report this comment
I was already expecting that Italy and France would be very much in spot! Love the food in these countries!
1 July 2011 3:46PM apitsi Report this comment
everywhere in the island of crete and greek mountain villages duh!
1 July 2011 6:24PM beneal13 Report this comment
La Boqueria - Barcelona, Spain
26 July 2011 8:19PM herbie47 Report this comment
Nothing from South East Asia. Surprised Thailand or Vietnam do not feature. Spice market in Istanbul is OK but think some of the ones in India are better, such as Dehli.
27 July 2011 2:50AM paualvar Report this comment
You´ve forgotten the incredibles street markets in La Paz, Bolivia... A party full of smell and colours
27 July 2011 9:42AM byron33 Report this comment
Mahne Yehuda Market in Jerusalem - best local cheap cuisine you can get. Heaven for backpackers.
28 July 2011 3:45AM adimondo Report this comment
One of world's best gourmet sites is the Middle East, especially Syria with its colourful and scenting markets in Aleppo.
20 March 2012 11:46AM aspiringadventures Report this comment
Mmmm... a wonderful list of places to eat your way through! The stalls around the Tsukiji Market are a particular favourite of mine. Another destination making its mark on the Foodie scene is Lima, Peru - check it out some time :)
20 March 2012 11:47AM mangosud Report this comment
It is a mystery to me that you have not included anywhere in South East Asia in this list....What about Bangkok, KL, Georgetown, Singapore or Saigon.
20 March 2012 12:29PM robjjackson Report this comment
Attention to detail please: it's "Windamere". LP should do better.
20 March 2012 2:05PM kejie Report this comment
It's great i'm very close to the first place, Donghuamen Night Market. Go there with some friends tonight? ;) But why didn't list Thailand food on it? It's yummy!
20 March 2012 2:21PM gelynch52ph Report this comment
How could you pass up the entire country of Mexico? It is not all hot and spicy and the coastal areas have some of the best seafoods anywhere in the world. But the country is still in second place to New Orleans.
The city of New Orleans, LA, USA has the best foods and influences from all over the world. Many cultures combined and the spices and foods got blended together using the best from everywhere. That city should be the number 1 gastronomical destination for food lovers everywhere.
20 March 2012 2:24PM gelynch52ph Report this comment
I am really glad you did not include the food desert of Korea. All the food there is spicy hot, very bland, over done with rice, overladen with ginger and/or garlic or any combination of the several. All food there, with VERY few exceptions, is second rate at best.
20 March 2012 2:50PM downinit Report this comment
5/10 from Italy/France and zero from SE Asia, this was clearly written by an American, probably from NY. Dull and predictable as expected.
20 March 2012 9:19PM revel Report this comment
I would also have to add the best Pizza in the world comes from Napoli...check out http://salutoitalia.blogspot.com/2007/07/naples-home-of-pizza.html
20 March 2012 11:07PM utrechtlocal Report this comment
How about Djemaa el Fna in Marrakech? The food is not really good, but the experience to eat on the big square makes up for it!
20 March 2012 11:17PM thaitraveller77 Report this comment
excuse me Lonely Planet but I can't agree with your pick: Thailand isn't on the list at all but France 3 times. French food is totally overestimated!
20 March 2012 11:36PM girlondon Report this comment
Doesn't something like London's Borough Market count as an 'eyes bigger than one's stomach' destination?
21 March 2012 12:16AM febl Report this comment
Concerning Korea.... Well, if the best seaweed in the world, the delicious bibimbap, dry squid, kimbap, kimchi and so on, are just second rate, then there is something wrong. Korea definitely deserves special mention, on any list of the world's most delicious and healthiest foods. If any of you ends up in Seoul ( very recommendable!) then check out some of Seoul's best street food at Gwangjang market. Maybe it's worth mentioning, that I'm Italian and not Korean :)
21 March 2012 12:23AM carodon25 Report this comment
Ad Hoc in Rome is fantastic. All local food and wine is used in their taster menu
21 March 2012 1:05AM iheartasia Report this comment
50% of the entries going to France and Italy?! Hello..... where does South East Asia feature in this article? Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam ..... surely got to be up there?
21 March 2012 1:11AM kidamida Report this comment
I gotta disagree with most people commenting here. SE Asia is beautiful, culturally rich and exciting, but the food is not particularly good.
But how about Brazil? The food in Sao Paulo, for example, is so tasty, rich and filling, tourists always leave with a few extra pounds ;p
21 March 2012 1:44AM sandrodc Report this comment
Of course one cannot please all tastes in a 'best 10' but having skipped La Boqueria market in Barcelona was a big miss. I would happily swap the Grand Épicerie or the Roquefort caves for a day in this bustling multicoloured market where one can find virtually all fresh eatery one can think of!
21 March 2012 3:24AM kelownainfo Report this comment
I like to think of our area of BC in Canada as a hidden gem - still quite under the radar, but fantastic food (it is wine country, after all) and all kinds of true "finds". Our Kelowna Farmers Market is the biggest in BC (Saturdays and Wednesdays from 8 am to 1 pm), or the best gelato E.V.E.R. at Carmelis Goat Cheese Artisan (carmelisgoatcheese.com) - made with goat milk and super creamy. The cheese here is spectacular, too. There are many others, so check the Studio & Farm Tour on our website at www.tourismkelowna.com and you'll see a bunch of really interesting farm-gate producers that are a foodie's paradise.
21 March 2012 3:42AM sd_hall Report this comment
Kaula Lampur for me.
21 March 2012 5:28AM ginaborovnica Report this comment
No North American cities? Although most of these "markets" in New York are just really overpriced, kitschy, and meant to draw in visitors rather than to serve a purpose, New York is really diverse ethnically and places to eat and shop. You really have no limits, especially in Queens, the most ethnically diverse place.
21 March 2012 3:01PM andaleal Report this comment
FOOD. and you didn't mention Thailand? In my opinion they have the finest cuisine on the planet - and you can find examples on any street corner in Bangkok. Thais love to eat, and take such special care with ingredients, seasonings, preparation, presentation and mixture of dishes. Every day I spend in this country is a culinary adventure!!
21 March 2012 10:21PM sofiawatson Report this comment
You forgot the butter chicken from Punjab, and Vadapav from Mumbai :)
22 March 2012 7:38PM michaelandmore Report this comment
Sydney Fish Market should be somewhere on the lists !
23 March 2012 5:19PM thepeoplesquare Report this comment
I'm suddenly hungry. The little nameless street alley in Luang Prabang, Laos that sells buffet plates for $1 is a backpackers heaven.