A couple of gourmet food halls have recently opened in Vilnius, showcasing the country's revitalized interest in food. Photo / 123rf
Looking past the world’s more obvious foodie destinations, Michelle Tchea taste-tests some of the latest and greatest - yet wonderfully under-rated - places to grab a great meal.
Paris has more than 44,000 restaurants, London is a food mecca for curious eaters given the melting pot of cultures it boasts and Tokyo surely has garnered more than just a reputation as one of the world’s most exciting food cities. However, if you have already been to the French capital, feel that you have conquered the British metropolis and think that Tokyo is far too busy for a self-professed foodie to really enjoy time there - how about exploring the lesser-known culinary capitals of the world?
In a world where everything is subjective and “authentic” eats are scrutinised more than ever, how you judge a food city depends on what you are looking for. For me, as a frequent traveller who bases her adventures solely around food, it is all about accessibility and the destination being diverse in both price and dining experience without compromising on quality of ingredients. If you walk away from a city buckling at the waist yet not regretting packing your suitcase with food souvenirs you definitely know you have a hidden gem. While this list is not exhaustive and perhaps even deeply subjective, I hope it whets your appetite and encourages you to cast your net a little wider when it comes to choosing your next culinary adventure - cheers!
There isn’t a Michelin rating system in Lithuania but that doesn’t mean that they don’t know what they are doing. Getting over a very difficult past under Soviet rule, Lithuania is rediscovering its identity as an independent nation and in this process also its food culture - which makes it terribly exciting for foodies who find themselves in the country’s capital, Vilnius.
A couple of gourmet food halls have recently opened in the city and in one of them, Senatoriu pasazas, is where you will find Nineteen18, a restaurant that specialises in matching locally sourced ingredients with wine in a dramatic open-kitchen setting. Other restaurants in the city for gourmets include Dziaugsmas, seen as a pioneer in the Lithuanian fine-dining movement without the stuffy white tablecloths and Gastronomika, which rivals many top Michelin-rated restaurants. The city also has a booming craft beer scene with Snekutis offering their own homemade beers and Baltas Usas, a relatively new bar located in a basement with their own unique brews available for thirsty travellers.
This year Stockholm proudly stands as the European Capital of Gastronomy but despite the tag it is not really considered a food city - sure, you go there for exceptional seafood but you can find that pretty much in all good restaurants in Scandinavia. What sets Stockholm apart is the vanguard of passionate chefs who are constantly pushing boundaries in a daring manner. There is a subtle “I don’t care if you like my food” kind of vibe in Stockholm. It doesn’t mean the chefs are complacent but rather playful in their dishes. Frantzen is the only three-Michelin star restaurant in the city and sets the bar high, but after the pandemic, fine-dining chefs have become slightly more casual in their approach; closing their fine-dining restaurants and opening slightly more casual ones but with the same high quality you would expect to please a Michelin inspector. A bar called Gemma, Nour, Bank Hotel’s Bonnie’s restaurant and Adam/Abin which opened a new spot in the Meatpacking district are top choices and worth seeking out in the nation’s capital.
Ski resorts are known for carb-heavy dishes to fuel skiers at night after a long day exploring the Alps, but beyond fondue, raclette and rosti, ski resorts offer excellent dining options. Although a stigma in most countries, my favourite place to eat in Europe’s Alps is in my hotel (yes!). Many hotels in Europe are run by chefs and are wonderful destinations to tame a growling stomach. In Crans-Montana, Hostellerie D’ours is my pick and is more than just a boutique hotel, being home to one of the country’s most revered chefs with the gourmet restaurant, L’Ours frequented by locals. A short hop across the border to Austria, Vorarlberg stands as a gourmet retreat with Kristiana Lech a local favourite. Enjoy a great afternoon tea for a different kind of apres-ski. Griggeler Stuba definitely takes the cake (no pun intended) for high-end gastronomy in the mountains and snagging a table at Hotel Tannerhof in St. Anton is definitely a reward in itself to sample chef Gustav Jantscher’s traditional Austrian dishes with a twist. In France, Four Seasons Megeve not only has an impressive art collection curated by the Rothschild Family but an equally exquisite choice of dining options: Le Dame de Pic by Anne-Sophie Pic for French cuisine and Kiato for Japanese fusion to satisfy skiers during their time in France’s premier resort.
What comes to mind when you think of Germany? Sausages, pretzels and beer? There is definitely nothing wrong with an all-carb and booze diet but in the Black Forest, Germany’s largest national park, there are many wonderful discoveries for the culinary-minded traveller. Deep in between the fir trees you will find many family-run establishments that have long been destinations for excellent dining experiences with legendary 3-Michelin-star Bareiss Restaurant in the historic Bareiss Hotel a quintessential fine-dining experience. Other family-run establishments like Gasthaus zum Kreuz in St. Margen and Der Waldfrieden Gastuben are wonderful food stops in the Black Forest Highlands. With many young chefs returning home after the pandemic, new restaurants have opened, much to the delight of gourmets in the region, including Oschberghof by chef Manuel Ulrich, Geroldsauer Muhle and Molkenkur in Baden-Baden.
Poznan rightfully deserves its place as a food city - not just among the Polish but the world. Chefs in the city are adventurous and innovative, creating spectacular dishes that blend the bohemian charm and historical legacy of the city. Walking around this compact city you will find many great traditional restaurants breaking the “ho-hum dishes” stereotype you expect from Eastern Europe, particularly in the Art Nouveau district of Jezyce. Here you will find plenty of good restaurants including Resturant Modra. For more upscale dining options, look for the new vanguard of fine-dining chefs at Muga, the first Michelin-starred restaurant in Poznan and Restaurant A Noz Widelec, a great place for seasonal and regional cuisine at a whole new level beyond pierogis.
Perhaps you know the Sacher Torte, a rich, dense chocolate cake created - and best eaten - in a Viennese cafe, but while the capital of Austria is known for its Unesco world heritage sites, classical music and beautiful architecture, it is also a great place for foodies. Not only is it the only capital in the world to produce wine within its city limits (a mere 600 hectares with 176 winegrowers) but it has a growing vanguard of young chefs reimagining traditional Viennese cuisine. More than just schnitzels (although delicious), traditional beisl (inns) are being transformed into neo-gasthaus with establishments such as Pramerl & the Wolf and Lidwig Van restaurant being examples of young chefs taking over traditional houses without forgetting their heritage.
The trendy spot is just six minutes from the Waikiki beach.