10 Hottest FOOD destinations

1. Cape Town

From sipping regional rosé on Table Mountain to scarfing hake and fries at Kalky’s, there’s a breezy simplicity to Cape Town’s iconic eating experiences. To taste the Mother City’s more refined side, book a table at modern food lab the Test Kitchen (pictured)—yoghurt snowballs, anyone? If you can’t get a table, the Pot Luck Club across the way at the Old Biscuit Mill serves a fairly amazing tapas-style menu that does something for every taste bud (sweet, salty, even umami); come on the weekend to try some of the best small bites from around the city at the Neighbourgoods Market. End the evening on the cool courtyard at the Gin Bar, where bartenders mix drinks using small-batch spirits flavored with local flora.

2. Dubai

Dubai as one of the world’s top food cities? Believe it. The spare-no-expense scene draws discerning travelers from around the world, who are quick to sample from its deep well. Perched at the end of a wooden pier, Pierchic—yup, that’s its name—is the ultimate spot to revel in the exquisite excess over first-rate fish dishes. In the Park Hyatt, Traiteur gets high marks for crispy rotisserie duck and a 4,000-bottle wine collection. For breakfast, Baker & Spice (pictured) serves up a mean shakshuka, a hearty tomato-and-egg dish, and tasty Berber pancakes are on offer at Moroccan spot Almaz by Momo in the Mall of the Emirates. (Psst: Shake Shack obsessives. You’ll find an outpost of Danny Meyer’s beloved burger chain on the first floor.)

3. Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, a once-binary dining scene—stuffy white-tablecloth spots, gritty dim sum joints—has given way to an array of high-low mash-ups. Gleaming subway tile lines the bar at casual tapas spot 22 Ships, while visionary duo Matt Abergel and Lindsay Jang have garnered a cult following at yakitori spot Yardbird and Ronin (pictured), their rollicking izakaya. If you love those Momofuku Pork Buns, be sure to pop into May Chow’s Little Bao, serving up deep-fried steamed buns—stuffed with ice cream—for dessert.

4. Buenos Aires

Steakhouses—parrillas—are the staple in beautiful Buenos Aires, and the thick-cut beef at Don Julio is a reliable favorite among porteños (that’s what locals call themselves). La Carnicería takes a more modern approach with honey-glazed sweetbreads and house-smoked cuts. If you bore of beef, book a table at Germán Martitegui’s Tegui, where deconstructed desserts with intense flavors liven up the palate. For a city whose people so celebrate their proximity to the port, there’s surprisingly little seafood in Buenos Aires. But the ocean-plucked offerings at Oviedo (pictured) are always on point.

5. Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv’s food scene has gotten hipper recently, with a revived cocktail scene fueling the party-round-the-clock locals. Join them for snacks and cocktails at sidewalk cafe Rothschild 12 or try rum-soaked tiki drinks at Imperial Craft Cocktail Bar. Hummus is a delicacy here—sample the oil-soaked offerings at renowned Ali Karavan. Come sunset, head to Alma Beach for Mediterranean-style mezze on the airy porch at Manta Ray (pictured), or hit rollicking Mizlala for steak tartare accented with tahini and a croissant sandwich stuffed with calf’s brain

6. Gustavia, St. Barts

The Caribbean celeb magnet St. Barts was first colonized by the French in 1648, and the love of cuisine lives on in its capital city. Pair codfish fritters with homemade coconut rum at beachfront La Gloriette, or hit Latin-themed Bonito for breathtaking harbor views in a serene white-on-white setting. Then it’s off to the Pink Parrot Beach Bar for live music and endless glasses of rosé—go ahead and party fearlessly, you can refresh in the morning with an acai bowl or raw-greens concoction from Tom’s Juice Bar (pictured).

7. Taipei

From tongue-searing Szechuan dishes to Cantonese dim sum, Taipei’s food scene highlights the diverse cuisines of the Mainland Chinese who’ve settled there. Small-bites chain Kao Chi has superlative soup dumplings and veggie-studded fried rice at its three-story flagship, and you can order what may be the world’s best bowl of Taiwan’s ubiquitous beef noodle soup at Yong Kang. With more than 90 vendors, Shilin Night Market (pictured) is the place to sample made-to-order oyster omelettes, stinky tofu, and sweet pork sausage.

8. Singapore

Singapore is a top destination for food-obsessed travelers, drawn by big-name spots—Mario Batali’s Osteria Mozza (pictured), Daniel Boulud’s DB Bistro Moderne—and modernist madness at André Chiang’s artful Restaurant André. They queue up for a caramel cashew confection at Tarte by Cheryl Koh, and feast on surf and turf at the Market Grill. And they come for the street food. Oh, the street food. Mee goreng. Pepper crab. Indian-spiced fish head curry. Roti prata and chicken satay. It’s all on offer at the city’s bustling hawker centers; head to Newton, Maxwell, and Jurong West to sample the goods.

9. Shanghai

Is Shanghai the world’s best city for street eats? The sizzling, pork-stuffed dough purses at Yang’s Fry-Dumpling may be worth the trip alone, while fragrant, deep-fried scallion pancakes at A Da are a local favorite for breakfast. Soup dumplings show up everywhere, but you’ll find the best at Jia Jia Tang Bao. On the other side of the spectrum is the multisensory experience at chef Paul Pairet’s Ultraviolet, a sort of modernist dinner theater where evocative flash along the walls as you eat. Guests at Jason Atherton’s casual-cool Commune Social (pictured), meanwhile, snack on tapas while sipping the Mid-East Manhattan cocktail, garnished with a fig.

10. Tokyo

Japan’s capital city overwhelms with extraordinary dining, so a strategic approach is in order. Before you go, book a table at the French-influenced Narisawa to taste your way through the dazzling, nature-inspired dishes of visionary chef Yoshihiro Narisawa. Once in town, head straight to Mentsudan for sanuki udon, or line up early (like, 3 a.m. early) at Sushi Dai (pictured) for life-changing lobes of the world’s freshest raw fish. Bars abound, but sake seekers should beeline it to Sasagin Izakaya for the best brewed rice beverages, plus grilled gingko nuts and crispy tempura.