International Food Destinations: The Foodie-Favourite Checklist
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Some trips are planned around landmarks. The better ones, very often, are planned around lunch.
Food-led travel has a different rhythm. You wake up thinking about breakfast, walk a little further than planned because someone mentioned a street stall, and remember a city by the first thing you ate there rather than the first monument you saw. Across Asia and the Gulf, there are a few destinations that make this kind of travel feel wonderfully easy. Phuket, Riyadh, Jeddah, Hanoi, Kuwait and Abu Dhabi all have their own way of feeding a curious traveller, whether through old-town snacks, smoky rice platters, coastal seafood, noodle bowls or slow-cooked festive dishes.
For travellers comparing flight tickets, food can be a useful way to choose where to go next. A beach holiday sounds lovely, but a beach holiday with Phuket-style Hokkien noodles and crab curry sounds more convincing. A Gulf city break becomes richer when it includes Kabsa, Harees, Machboos and Luqaimat. And when fares line up well, it becomes easier to book affordable flight tickets and turn a long-saved food list into an actual itinerary.
This foodie-favourite checklist keeps the focus practical. What should you eat, where does the food culture come alive, and which flavours are worth building a day around?
Abu Dhabi: the must-eat dishes deserve their own checklist
Abu Dhabi’s food scene blends Emirati heritage, Gulf flavours and coastal influences. Traditional dishes are often slow-cooked, gently spiced and built around rice, wheat, meat, seafood, dates and coffee. Must-try dishes include Harees, a smooth wheat-and-meat dish finished with ghee, and Machboos, a fragrant rice dish made with meat, chicken or fish, dried lime, saffron and spices.
Khuzi adds a festive touch with roasted lamb, rice, nuts and raisins, while Saloona offers everyday comfort through a simple tomato-based stew. Seafood, Balaleet, Luqaimat and Arabic coffee with dates complete the experience, making Abu Dhabi a rewarding destination for travellers who enjoy food that feels warm, traditional and memorable.
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Hanoi: broth, charcoal and small-stool dining
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Hanoi’s food scene is almost impossible to separate from Phở. In the early hours, the city seems to wake up around steaming stockpots, with locals gathered on small stools for bowls of clear, fragrant broth before the day properly begins. Phở in Hanoi is usually more restrained than richer versions found elsewhere, which is exactly what makes it special. The broth does most of the talking, carrying a quiet depth from slow simmering, warm spices and good-quality meat.
A classic bowl comes with soft rice noodles, thin slices of beef or chicken, spring onions, herbs and a broth that feels light at first but grows more complex with every spoonful. It is commonly eaten for breakfast, though in Hanoi, Phở never really feels limited to one time of day. Whether enjoyed at a busy street-side stall or a simple local eatery, it remains one of the most essential things to eat in Hanoi and one of the clearest ways to understand the city’s everyday food culture.
Riyadh: Kabsa, Jareesh and the comfort of Najdi food
Riyadh’s food scene is best experienced through Kabsa, sometimes written as Kesba, a fragrant rice-and-meat dish made with chicken or lamb, long-grain rice and warm spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, dried lime and saffron.
Generous and made for sharing, Kabsa sits at the heart of a traditional Saudi meal, with richly flavoured rice and tender meat that reflects Riyadh’s Najdi hospitality. Beyond Kabsa, travellers can try Jareesh, a soft cracked wheat dish, and Gursan, thin bread layered into stew, both offering a comforting taste of Riyadh’s local food culture.
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A food trip does not need to be complicated. Pick one neighbourhood to explore slowly, one signature dish to build the day around and one flexible meal that leaves room for surprises. Some of the best travel memories come from small, unplanned food moments, whether it is a busy breakfast spot, a market snack, a family-style rice dish or a quiet café you find while walking.
The best approach is to keep the itinerary loose and let the food shape the pace of the trip. A little planning helps, but too much can take away the joy of discovering a dish at the right place and the right time. For travellers who enjoy culture through flavour, every destination has a table worth sitting at and a local speciality worth slowing down for.
When comparing flight tickets, leave space in the schedule. Food travel works better when there is time for a second breakfast, an unplanned market stop, or a long dinner that stretches because the conversation is good. The cheapest fare is useful, of course, but the better trip is usually the one where the arrival and departure times leave room for a proper meal.
For travellers trying to book affordable flight tickets, mid-week searches, flexible dates and early planning often help. Once the ticket is sorted, the food list becomes the fun part.
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