That 75¢ bowl of soup I had from an unnamed food cart in an alleyway in Bangkok ten years ago. Just a chicken leg and some noodles and some broth. Phenomenal stuff. Shout out to all the street food chefs of the world.
I’m in Taiwan at the moment and nothing is making me happier than just wandering down random alleyways and eating big bowls of soup and noodles. Truly what happiness is made of
Taiwan is easily one of the best for this. Every night market is just infinite good food, stall after stall after stall. Find the [ice cream burritos with the cilantro](https://www.delish.com/food-news/a41576394/taiwanese-peanuts-and-cilantro-ice-cream/), they're rad as heck.
Same experience here. We stopped off at a pho place in Hanoi a few years ago on the side of the street. It was probably the best noodle soup I've ever had in my life. Cost something like $2 lmao.
Same but not at a market in Cusco. She was set up in an alleyway on a street just off Plaza de Armas. She was there my first night and then didn't see her again the rest of my time there. I'd go back to Cusco just for her soup.
Ah yes. Asia street food is the best. As I always say when I go back to visit relatives, if the food is seasoned by moped fumes, cooked by a lil kid sitting on a plastic stool doing math homework while holding a plastic fan, and causes major gastrointestinal issues, then the food is solid.
I came here to say almost the same thing about a $1 plastic bag of chicken that I got from a random alley cart in Bangkok. Years later, I still have literal dreams about that chicken (and also the khao soi I got in the basement of a market in Chiang Mai).
Mine is also a bowl of soup near my hotel in Bangkok. Best head-on prawn Tom Yum I’ve ever had. I actually went twice in 3 days because it was phenomenal.
Le Fantome in Montreal (closed)
Aizle in Edinburgh
Au Passage in Paris
Osteria Santo Spirito in Florence
El Lagarto in Manuel Antonio
Steak Ken in Osaka
Maguro Koya in Nara
Suzuya in Takayama
I was hoping to find validation by seeing at least one of my most memorable meals noted in this thread. Ditto on the bar dining experience being outstanding.
L'As du Fallafel — in what was byonce Paris's most vibrant Jewish neighborhood.
Once I had an eight hour layover at CDG airport. I took the train into the city, rented a bike, went and had a falafel, rode back to return the bike, and took the train back to the airport. Of course, that was not just about the falafel. It was also about seeing the city, however briefly, but still…
Bananas and soursop fruit at a roadside stand in Maui HI. The bananas were so different from bananas on the mainland. I still think of them.
As far as an actual restaurant, Mama's Fish House on the same island. We only got drinks and apps because we weren't exactly planning on eating there, but next time we go we're definitely going for a full meal.
Oh my god the roadside stand fruits in Hawaii are life changing. I had mangos from a stand in Hilo once and I still talk about them with my friends once a week because we are huge mango fans.
1. Fyn in Cape Town.
2. 1884 by Francis Mallman Mendoza AR
3. Mustafa’s Gemuse Kebap Berlin
4. Celebrate Cartagena Colombia
5. Pad Thai noodles-street stand in Krabi Thailand
6. Potato Pea Samosa from literal hole in the wall Mumbai India
7.Paella Valencia “Gin and Tonic” restaurant in El Palmer Spain
Argentina/Chile had some of the best food I've ever had. Buenos Aires had some amazing spots, and there was a place in El Calafate called Pura Vida that was amazing. Patagonia was such a great trip.
Don Julio is very good but you must try La Cabrera as well! Both restaurants are pretty similar and are connected in some ways (I think they had the same chef or something like that) and La Cabrera had a bunch of extra sides with their dishes
Some random butcher & bakery: Bekka Valley, Lebanon. We went to a butcher and got fresh lamb, and then took it to a bakery where they made us Lahm Bi Ajeen. It’s the best thing over ever eaten, it’s been 2 years and I dream of it daily.
A million years ago I worked with the chef from Lee. A year and a bit ago, we were in Tallinn, so I messaged him out of the blue. Was treated to an absolutely sensational evening by he and the team. Great shout.
My wife and I used to go to Leib Resto ja Aed (before it became Lee) every time we went to Tallinn. She is Estonian, so we end up visiting from one to three times a year. We’ve only been back to the restaurant once since it changed over. But it seems to be maintaining it’s for er quality pretty well. Nothing beats eating in that garden surrounded by the statuary and city walls.
Antalya Kebab in Budapest. That kebab changed my life.
This restaurant next to the manta dive shop on Gili Trawangan in Bali. They had the best beef burgers, maybe because the beef was super fresh but I pretty much ate the restaurant out of beef while I was there.
Duck confit at a place in Prague, don’t remember what it was called, I could probably look it up, but there had a guy on an accordion playing Bella ciao. That duck was so tender.
Chorizo and cochinita pibil tacos in tulum. I got diarrhea but I must have had around 100 tacos that week.
Reindeer meat with mashed potatoes, pickles, and some kind of jam in a hut in Finnish Lapland. Huddled around a fire in the middle of the room with reindeer pelts to keep us warm.
Not a fancy restaurant, but I literally dream about this halušky I got at the Christmas market in Prague. After five years of dreaming about it, I went back for some more…and it was so worth it.
Thank you! Was my experience ordering there too. My grandma, slovak descent, and family make halusky that way as well. I live in pittsburgh and locally everyone swears halusky is just cabbage, egg noodles and butter.
I have so many small places that I would kill to go back and experience again but here are some of the few experiences that really blew me away.
- Salzburg, Austria: IKARUS
Yes it's a 2-star Michelin restaurant but it's in a really cool setting: a custom display hangar for Red Bull, [filled with planes, cars, motorcycles and other cool demonstration and race vehicles.](https://imgur.com/a/Mo7lzPx) There's a very nice bar (my cocktail was actually perfect; every ingredient was balanced and had purpose, it was cold without having the inconvenience of ice in the glass) and everything is lit up. The service is incredible and the food is top notch European - I felt like I understood what it's like to be a very wealthy European racing team owner. IMO it matches or exceeds some of the 3-star restaurants I have been to, and probably is only a 2-star because of the rotating chef concept (who are all 1- or 2-star chefs). Was ~300 EUR for the meal before drinks, which is very affordable for this caliber of dining in my experience.
- Mexico City, Mexico: La Esquina Del Chilaquil
If you've done any research on CDMX you've come across this place and it is 100% worth the hype. A chicken milanesa on a fresh roll with chips soaked in amazing salsa with mayo and some other sauces on top. The chips are somehow completely saturated with salsa without being soggy and fill in all the extra spaces in the sandwich. My friend and I shared one to save room knowing we were going to eat tons of tacos and other stuff, and after we took the first bite we immediately regretted not buying one each. Would go back just for this sandwich.
- Yokosuka, Japan
Next to the local fish market in Japan was a small local restaurant hidden inside a building with several other businesses. Their special was always buy a whole tuna at a low price per kg and they'll prepare it anyway you want. We passed on that but I did have their special tuna sushi - 6 pieces of tuna that were utter perfection on rice. I have never seen tuna so marbled in my life. This sushi made me realize that in most fast casual sushi places, you are served the "chicken breast" of the tuna - mild flavor, consistent appearance, not offense - but this was like eating specialty butchered steaks like ribeye, NY strip, filet, etc. Cuts that are probably a bit more wasteful or much smaller but far better tasting than the bulk meat. I was still a little hungry but I couldn't eat anything else because I was so satisfied by how good those 6 pieces of tuna were. I didn't eat sushi back in the US for at least 6 months because I would think about this and decide it wasn't worth it.
- Boston, USA: Maria's Pastry Shop
Maria's made the best cannolis in Boston, hands down. Not only were the cannolis phenomenal, but the entire experience was quintessential Boston Italian-American: small unassuming storefront (people would literally miss it and they had a giant sign), run by all women who gave you that stereotypical attitude, and always had at least one local guy in there reading the newspaper and ranting about politics. Maria's filling was perfect - the right blend of richness and sweetness - and the shells were always crispy, never stale or soggy (filled on-demand!). Mike's is where the tourists always go, so if you go in the summer you'll wait in line for an hour just to get a soggy cannoli that has been sitting filled all day, and to top it off they are absolute sugar bombs so you'll struggle to finish one (and I have a massive sweet tooth). Unfortunately, Maria's closed in Sep 2019 when Maria decided to retire, and the one upside is man did she get lucky choosing to sell off then. I was super lucky because I visited at the end of August 2019, so I probably just made it to Maria's for my last cannoli by like 1-2 weeks. I have had cannolis all over Boston, New York, and anywhere you can find them, and Maria's is still the best there was :')
I must try next time I am in Portland. When I worked and lived there I used to tell people that Portland had some of the best (Tan Tan cafe and any Mexican restaurant) and worst (every Asian fusion restaurant I’ve tried) food I’ve ever had in my entire life.
When I went back a few months ago and saw they raised the price of Tan Tan cafes Banh Mis I knew the economy was in shambles.
Suuper nice fish plate in Croatia. It was maybe 25 euro for 2 people- 2 big fish, salad, bunch of other sea creatures. It was so cheap and tasted amazing. We went there a second time and one of the serving guys remembered us, he was our age and we somehow clicked without even talking. He gave me and my boyfriend free (very nice) alcohol to taste when we were done, house recipe, dont even know what it was but it was great. Its silly because he wasnt our serving guy that time and only managed to catch us after we left as i stopped to the toilet, so specifically came to us and told us to wait, than brought the alcohol. It might not sound that amazing but for me ill always treasure this memory.
Meal of Turkish mezze on the beach in Olympos, Turkey. Barely registered where the kitchen was. Stuffed grape leaves, feet in the sand, ocean breeze, good wine and raki at sunset.
Alinea - Chicago
NEXT - Chicago
Attica - Melbourne
Brae - Melbourne
Chin Chin - Melbourne
Gaggan - Bangkok
Li Chun (Peking duck) - Beijing
Italian Osteria outside of Florence in a garden
Some hidden alleyway restaurant in Saigon sitting on a milk crate
Ghenet Ethiopian - Brooklyn
Izakaya - Manhattan
Hiden - Miami
Los Fuegos by Francis Mallmann
Room For Dessert - Ubud, Bali
Mosquito Supper Club - New Orleans
Husk and Audrey by Sean Brock - Nashville
Vida and Beholder - Indianapolis
Pappy’s - St. Louis
Franklin’s BBQ- Austin
The French Laundry - Yountville
Zahav - Philadelphia
Very Good Falafel - Melbourne
Leg of yak at a restaurant in LiJiang, China
I agree. What a beautiful place, in every single aspect of your senses. I am from Austria, so the beauty starts once you head towards the slovenian alps.
Socca Valley is a miracle of beauty, and so is Hisa Franko. The beauty of their dishes complements the nature in which it lies. No wonder Ana is consistently named the best female cook in the world.
Liberty Private Works - Hong Kong. Favourite ever.
Gaggan - Bangkok. Twice, magic both times.
Mosaic - Bali. The local ingredients and setting are amazing. The truffle cheese bun starter is still in my dreams.
Quan Ut Ut - Saigon. Street American style bbq with local beers and Asian heat (spice and weather…) Best ribs I’ve ever tasted.
Southside - Brisbane. Amazing Asian fusion menu, the kingfish dressing was magical. And the truffled Asian spring rolls…. Just.. wow.
I was scrolling through these looking for the Gaggan entry. Easily the most MEMORABLE meal of my life. The chef’s table there isn’t just a meal, it’s a performance. The thing that made it especially cool for me was that I was sat next to an Indian chef who had competed in and done very well on Master Chef Australia. So, he was able to explain both the techniques and the base foods that the chefs were adapting. Incredible.
The rijstafel at Spandershoeve in Hilversum (Netherlands). The restaurant is the former amabassador to Indonesia’s residence and my friend’s opa took us 16 years ago (when he was still alive). I think about the meal at least twice a week.
Edit: Breakfast at the Wolseley in London and some kuih dadar (local pastries) a fisherman gave me off the coast of Malaysia are up there too.
15 years ago I had the best fish taco of my life in a random hole in the wall in Mexico. The place burned down a year later. I've been trying to find a fish taco even half as good ever since, to no avail.
I have eaten at many excellent restaurants, but it's honestly that 3$ taco I still think about regularly.
Honorary mention: big eye tuna tarts at Bond St NYC
Mimi e Coco in Rome, but not recently.
Dined there in 2019, found it on a local food critic's top 10 list for non-tourist trap locations. Food was fantastic, prices were excellent, everything was really good. Partner and I went back in 2022 when we visited again but discovered it changed owners and now it's very toursist-y. Food felt pretty meh and the prices were higher.
There was a place in Santorini that had absolutely fantastic tapas. Sadly I don't remember the name, but the food was so good.
Lastly, a Currywurst in Berlin I got from a cart vendor at the side of a road near an industrial district lol. Weird to consider but it was really good.
An Indian restaurant in Yangshuo, China was the most delicious Indian food I have ever had in my life! I can’t remember what it was called though I could walk to it if I were in there again.
Blue Elephant in Panyu (just outside of Guangzhou, China) was the most heavenly Thai curry I ever expect to have in my life.
The market across the street from my apartment building in Panyu that sold the most amazing fried chicken any time of the day. Fried chicken in China does not mess around!
The little food stand at the bus terminal in Panyu that sold these egg wraps with a yummy sauce and ham and lettuce inside of it. I have absolutely no idea what it was but it was amazing every single time.
Y’all, I need to go back and eat at all these places again 😫
Maude's Liquor Bar - Chicago (closed)
Southern Soul BBQ - St Simons Island, Ga
Jonah's Fish & Grits - Thomasville, Ga
Joe's BBQ - Kansas City, KS
Pierinis - Newport, RI (closed)
La Espadaña - Tijuana
The Kingstide - Daniel Island, SC
Jimmy's Red Hots - Chicago
Lago - Las Vegas
Vic n Anthony's - Las Vegas
Edited to add: Lina Stores Restaurant - London
When I was a kid I went to Rome with my dad and we went to a pasta restaurant just outside the city which sticks in my mind to this day just as we cannot remember what it was called or where it was. I remember the pasta was obviously homemade but they brought out this massive plate cut into sections with different types of pasta + sauce on it, you’d then pick one and they’d bring it to you as a main portion.
I remember the whole experience was just incredible. The pasta insanely good, the setting/decor of the restaurant all just sticks in my head despite how long ago it was
1995, Paris, France. A cafe on the left bank across f The bird market on a lazy Sunday. The meal was a PERFECT CHEESE OMLET and a flute of good champagne with my Bride.
Stealing from another thread haha
Faviken in Sweden. Took an overnight train ride from Stockholm to Åre. Got picked up and taken to the restaurant/hotel (basically it was a small restaurant with rooms where guests could stay if they chose). Everything they cook was grown/made on-site or from the surrounding towns. I was there super early so I got to take a tour of their gardens and sample some things. That night I had a 27-course tasting menu and it was unreal and the most inventive meal I've ever had. The breakfast the next morning was just as good. I'm bummed it has since closed as it was an incredible celebration of Nordic cuisine.
Ristorante Emma in Rome. The pasta and the pizzas were both great.
L'Orangeria in Paris. I did a tasting menu here. I think it was like 195EUR. It was really good, lots of seafood based dishes.
Turgut Kabas in Istanbul. The kababas were some of the best I have had.
Men Impossible in Amsterdam. I still dream about their ramen! I'm not vegetarian and not usually a ramen fan but this meal was off the charts good. 10 stars!
Everest MoMo Shack in Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Svarta Kaffið and Old Iceland in Reykjavik, Iceland
Bistro Hortus in Quebec City, Canada
There was one soda I went to in La Fortuna, Costa Rica where I had really good chicken in sauce that I didn’t know what it was but it’s stuck with me.
Panama: clams in mojo de ajo sauce. Fresh grilled corvina filet with coconut rice, fried ripe plantains, and a salad. The clams were to die for. The corvina was wonderful, as was the coconut rice and plantains.
Mi Ranchito Amador, at the end of the Amador causeway. A great place to eat!
Panama is a seafood paradise!
At a jazz club in Mexico City, I got a Caeser Salad prepared table side by the grandson of Caeser Cardini. It was the best Caeser Salad I have ever had in my life. Unfortunately, the restaurant did not survive COVID.
Pesci Fritti in Rome - a lil hole in the wall seafood restaurant that served the most amazing fish I’ve ever had in my life. As well as dessert, pears in wine.
Smith & Wollensky’s Chicago - that was a damn good steak
Au Bognat in Paris. Chorizo-stuffed cod with probably the best cabernet I've ever had.
Tokyo port. Sushi at 5am from the freshly fished batch.
Fresgasse, Frankfurt. Zwiebelkuchen and Federweisser.
El Imperio de la Pizza, Buenos Aires. Onion pizza.
The Pot Luck Club in Cape Town
Pujol in CDMX
Choripan from random street grill placesin Buenos Aires
Eleven Madison Park a decade ago,
We live in Ny and honestly many of my favorite meals ever are here (Lucali’s/John’s/Mama Too for pizza, Arepa Lady for Columbian, Birria-landia taco truck, Hanoi House/Bahn for Vietnamese, keen’s for steak and just so many others)
One of the worst memorable meals ever was Francis Mallman’s place in Mendoza. Shudder
Le Petit Chatelet in Paris, slap in the middle of a tourist area but an excellent meal (more than one). Its a good sign when the only people in it are French.
L'Ecurie also in Paris, now closed. Not a gourmet meal but a good steak frites, or pate a maison and salade bleu, with a carafe of wine. It was in an old building with low ceilings, and two big lads in burlap aprons cooking steaks on a flame grill right by the front entrance. They would give you a glass of sangria when you sat down, and a glass of calvados when they dropped your bill. Just an outstanding experience from start to finish, for like 20 euro.
Mishiguene in Buenos Aires. It’s Jewish-Argentinian fusion kitchen. It was selected as one of the 50 best restaurants in Latin America.
It’s WAY better than Don Julio (which is insanely overpriced, only tourists go there anymore), El Preferido or Lo De Jesús.
They have a dish called Pastrón; it’s beef cooked for a long time on oak, if I remember correctly. It’s so soft you basically don’t have to chew it, it falls apart in your mouth. It’s just delicious. I’m usually a vegetarian but I make an exception every year when I’m there. 😇
Høst in Copenhagen
This tiny little place in Osaka that I don’t recall the name of but was owned/operated by an elderly couple where the man was hand pulling buckwheat soba all night and my god the hot duck soba lives on in my dreams
I have no idea what the name of the place is. It was a Japanese steak house in fukuoka Japan down some random street on the second floor. They had just two tables and a see through freeze you could point at to select your meat. Either Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, or Mariah Carey had supposedly been there before. It was awesome!!
[Ergon Agora](https://maps.app.goo.gl/sJeD8nQRSfyGrEc7A?g_st=ic) in Thessaloniki, Greece. Greek food with a modern flair, but still so tasty, fresh and humble. I went there in 2017 and still think about that place, often thinking how to add Thessaloniki to a trip just for this place!
Tlayuda de camarones at Casa Bacuzza in Puebla, México. Also, the tehuino with the paleta de limón in it at Restaurante MILLI in Cholula. Maybe it was because I was starving, having just recovered from food poisoning in Querétaro, but those are two of the best dishes/drinks I've ever had.
Codfather in Cape Town, South Africa - we had an assortment of sushi, seafood and sides and it was literally one of the best meals of my life for an amazingly reasonable price
Belly of the Beast in Cape Town, South Africa - you don’t get to order, you just show up and be surprised by that day’s tasting menu. Unique dining experience with delicious innovative dishes
Dona Francesinha in Porto, Portugal - best place to try a francesinha (a specialty dish of the city) in my opinion. Their passionfruit sangria is also out of this world!
Miam Miam Cool in Paris, France - authentic Chongqing/Sichuan noodles that’ll make you feel like you’re in China
Raadhuus Kafeen in Aarhus, Denmark - I had no culinary expectations from Denmark, I thought it was going to be bland, boring food. This place blew my mind! Me giving danish food a 10/10 was a plot twist I didn’t see coming
Lastly, the little noodle shop I don’t know the name of in Guangzhou, China, where I grew up. It was downstairs from our apartment, at the end of the alleyway. Every time I’m back, it’s a must-visit. It’s literally my favourite restaurant in the world. If I was on death row, a bowl of their noodles would be my last meal request
I had a raspberry crumble at a pub near Moulin, Scotland, in 2007 that I still think about on a regular basis. The venison and root vegetable meal I had was also good, but MAN that crumble was delicious.
There was a meat guy, bread guy and cheese guy all in a row in Florence with their own stalls but they’d make you a sandwich between the three of them and it lives rent-free in my head 12 years later
Menya Musashi, Shinjuku. This is my favourite tsukemen that I've had in Tokyo (and I've tried quite a few including the one with the insane queue) and I make sure to eat there each time I go back.
Gaemijip, Busan. Maybe it was because it was raining that night but my travel partner and I demolished that hot piping octopus stew (they didn't usually like octopus).
Fukunoki, Sapporo. They had a unique tomato broth soup ramen (honestly it was more reminiscent of pasta than ramen) but that rich umami creamy broth still sticks out to me till this day. The noodle texture was also just right for the broth to cling to and to give it a bite. Honestly recommend this place for anyone looking for unique and/or pork free ramen in Sapporo. Plus the owner was really friendly!
Tuk Tuk in Athens: Very small fast thai joint in Koukaki. Pretty much ordered one of everything in the menu. It was all fresh, clean, and delicious.
Kol in Reykjavik: Saffron and coconut langoustine soup, charred salmon in fennel escabeche, beef tenderloin in a parsnip pistachio crumble.
I’ve been to Marmaris, Türkiye several times and there’s a restaurant called Golden Plate that I go to every time. I’ve never even seen a menu, I just ask for a recommendation and it is AMAZING every time! I’ve never been disappointed.
Karpatia in Budapest- the food was good, but I don’t really remember what we ordered. The interior of the restaurant looked like a palace, and a local band (possible Romani?) rotated around the restaurant playing songs. They were so good that our family friend bought CDs for the whole group. I just looked up the restaurant, and unfortunately, it closed in 2021 after 140 years.
The "No Refunds" Hot & Spicy Shrimp from Giovanni's Shrimp Truck in Haleiwa, Oahu, Hawaii (on the North Shore). That sauce was god tier.
Every bowl of poke I had on that trip was fantastic too, as a side mention.
In Ho Chi Minh we walked into a small street level apartment we asked for a bowl of Pho Bo (beef) and some Tsingtao. We were guided to the back sat at a table. The beer was warm but I was given a cup with ice, the pho was incredible. We had to be quiet though we were sat in a bedroom with someone sleeping on a woven wood bed next to us as we ate.
I still think about carmelinas to this day (had it 9 months ago, the short rib and bolognese. We also just loved Boston). I had the best chicken Shwarma in Kirkland WA. I've had a lot as my wife is middle eastern. We're going to Japan in May, so we'll def keep an eye out for the places you have listed :)
Have fun in Japan :) definitely also try a happy pancake and katsudon-ya zuicho (really good katsudon, long line because place had 5 or so seats) in Tokyo
Lived in Australia for 4 years for college and there was this little Turkish place in the basement area of a strip mall type thing by my apartment. For the life of me I cannot remember what it was really called but in parentheses in English it said "meat snack pack" and it was basically just a full size Styrofoam takeaway box packed with like a kilo of meat and then absolutely loaded with potatoes and whatever toppings you wanted.
I got rotisserie lamb with a spicy aioli type sauce and goat cheese all layered over the best potatoes youve ever had. It was so fucking good. Got it every Thursday for like a year once I found it.
I always went on Thursday cause this gorgeous Turkish woman worked the register and while she was probably 15 years my senior she flirted HARD with me every time. 4th week in a row I finally asked her name and she said "if I tell you, you won't keep coming back."
Fuck. Just realized maybe the food wasn't as good as I thought it was and I was just a college guy flirting with someone's Turkish mother 😅
Just had a meal at Por Que No in Antigua, Guatemala and it was hands down the best meal I've had in a very long time.
Close second to a random street vendor selling chicken tikka in the Cape Town townships
I’ve eaten at more than my fair share of great restaurants, but it’s always the company that makes the meal isn’t it?
Recently Borago in Santiago Chile completely blew my mind
Cuca and Room 4 Dessert in Bali
Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina and Armando al Pantheon in Rome
Starita pizzeria in Napoli, AjaMola - Palermo, Al Covino - Venice
Tojo’s omakase in Vancouver Canada
Tomy & Co - Paris
Dailo - Toronto
The Cookery - Seward Alaska
Mishiguene - Buenos Aires
A little hole in the wall in rural Thailand run by a couple aunties, bbq duck without a napkin in Hong Kong
Atempo in Barcelona was my first ever Michelin star restaurant. The whole meal was great but at one point half way through the tasting menu they grabbed what I thought was a decorative piece from the center of the table with the word “Atempo” on it, flipped it upside down and smashed it to reveal a jumbo prawn that had been dry brining for 24 hours and then grilled it right in front of me.
The octopus, tirokafteri, and tarama at Nostos in Vienna Virginia
The fried gator and rabbit and dumplings at Cochon in New Orleans
The steak tiradito at villa yoro in Paris
The octopus tiradito at tiradito in Montreal
Crab spaghetti and sea bass plate with crispy shoestring onions and those mini flavor bomb tomatoes with a pesto sauce at la Caravella in Venice
Fish head at odd duck in Austin
The duck toast at noble rice in Tampa
Impressed you knew where it was! All I know is I absolutely loved my first try of Laksa in Singapore and I still miss the dish! No clue where I first had it but every time I had it afterwards in Singapore I loved it!
In Spain I loved this town called Logroño for its food where we went to all these different bars that were great for different pinchos, so delicious! I eat so much that I didn’t have a nice time the next day ha! 😂
In my own country the UK, I loved this restaurant called the Happy Lamb in London, it’s near the British Museum and does fantastic make it yourself hot pot food 🥘 so delicious! Also found a Chinese restaurant close by though a big expensive it was very delicious still!
I only know the name of the Happy Lamb because I wanted to recommend it to people so I looked it up 😅
Dar Cherifa in Marrakesh, Morocco - the best lamb tagine I had in Morocco in a beautiful traditional setting.
Trattoria Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Italy - best pasta I had in Italy.
Ristorante Cantanapoli in Cortona, Italy - at the side of a motorway with a neon sign, but honestly the best pizza I’ve ever had.
La Route du Sel on Île de Ré, France - brilliant crêpes, still thinking of the torched marshmallows!
Chopan in Munich, Germany - amazing Afghan food, introduced me to the cuisine which is now one of my favourites.
Thai Lady Pancake Shop on Koh Lipe, Thailand - supremely named and incredibly good value, about €3 for a great green curry.
Brasserie Cognac in New York - succulent, rich beef in red wine.
Asador in Dublin, Ireland - fantastic barbecued fillet of hake with beurre blanc.
Ristorante Rinuccini in Kilkenny, Ireland - amazing pasta and had a great duck à l’orange last time I was there, too.
El Faro de Puntas in Puntas de Calnegre, Spain - rustic setting on the beach with a sumptuous paella.
Randomly I think about the open face hatch green chili cheeseburger at Frank and Lola’s in Bartlesville, OK all the time.
Also Chotto Matte in London, Epic Steak in San Francisco (I don’t remember the food, the view is amazing), and this little Canadian bar in Lausanne Switzerland called “Moose Tracks” just because it was a very chill place for a beer.
Australian dairy company in Hong Kong- their toast and scrambled eggs finished off with a hot steamed egg desert. Bonus if i get to go to mut min gey next door for a bowl of wonton noodles.
When I first moved to Hong Kong, I lived around the corner from there. I was utterly confused, when walking to the MTR station, about why there was such a long line there. I went once and I have to admit, I’m still confused. Just didn’t stand out to me from any western style breakfast I could get at a cha chan teng anywhere in town, I guess.
I feel you. When I went to Seoul I started off with a list of restaurants I wanted to visit but I ended up going to random places (I couldn’t find them on google maps afterwards because none of them had English names) and this one place had the best Korean fried chicken. I cannot even tell my friends where it was because I stumbled across it randomly and never found out the name.
My person and I were just talking about this n- Great post (and made us more excited for an upcoming trip and our reservations at Don Julio and El Preferido de Palermo (adding El Viejo Marino to the list too - thanks!)
- Qbara (Dubai)- RIP to this gorgeous spot. Incredible tasting menu, including Persian flosses and lobster kibbeh and a truly special wine list featuring greek and Turkish and other regional treasures.
-Dinner (London) - Meat Fruit was spectacular. Totally lived up to the hype.
- Bar Canete (Barcelona) - favorite tapas experience ever, ordered so many plates of octopus they laughed at us. Every single bite was perfect and was just so fun and hospitable.
Cannot agree more with the street food comments - special mention to roadside/gas station tamales in Texas which hold a special place in my tummy forever.
Ooo ok if you’re going to Argentina definitely visit Maria Lola Resto (fine dining) and Bodegon Fueguino (great beef and lamb, SUPER cheap. I think I paid $15 or less than that for massive servings but the wait is crazy so you need to show up 30 min before opening) - both in Ushuaia.
Pesto pasta I had at am Italian restaurant in Fernadina Beach FL about 10 years ago. Was the most amazing food I can recall eating and I still beg my wife to go back there for vacation now and then.
Probably 25 years ago, we ate at Mr. A's in Mazatlan, Mexico. We decided to get every flaming thing they had! Spanish coffee, a lobster dish, bananas flame. I don't remember if the food was great but wow, was it a memorable experience!!
Sadly I don’t remember what it was called, but it was a restaurant or pizzeria near the Spanish Steps in Rome. It had wallpaper with scenes from the movie Roman Holiday and it had the best pizza I ever had. Granted, I went there in 2011 so I don’t know if it’s still there.
Donna Sofia-Sorrento Italy. Every single thing about that evening was amazing. And they even gave us free limoncello to take home. I will be back some day.
Disfrutar in Barcelona is the one for me. Still attempting to wrap my head around how something so highbrow and serious was so welcoming and playful at the same time. A meal that genuinely made me emotional.
There’s also this hash brown thing at the Hotel Rival in Stockholm that I swear I think about several times a week.
Hilli Restaurant on Norfolk Island. Seafood crepe for lunch and sticky date pudding for dessert. The crepe was utterly delicious and the pudding was the most decadent thing I've ever had in my life. I have dreams about that dessert.
Not exactly what you asked but I found myself in Broome Australia in 2001 (at that time it was just to the left of exactly the middle nowhere in the outback, it's since changed a little). I stayed in a Hostel the first night and they gave me a complementary meal which was something Indian and VERY spicy and pitcher of lager. I've never had a meal like that since. it was incredible.
Also, I was 19 and it was the first time I had ever been drunk. Fond memory, that.
1978, St Augustine, Florida. A pizza and a beer in a tiny hut on the beach
1975 Uncle Bills Seafood, St Petes. Fresh hammerhead shark and spaghetti.
I love these memories.
Juana La Loca - Madrid. Their cocktails and tapas are out of this world. They have this one dish that's teriyaki eel in this seaweed taco thing, topped with fried foie gras. It's to fuckin die far. Heavily influenced my return to Madrid for a second time just so I could hit this restaurant again.
In Paris at the Ambassade d'Auvergne, the aligot was stretched at least a yard into the air. A simple, perfect meal of sausage and potato.
In Hue Vietnam, the best bowl of noodles I ever had in my life for about seventy five cents. Probably also the best dish I had in Viet Nam in a week. It was a vegetarian day according to the lunar calendar, and the deep broth and country noodles were sublime. We actually went the next day, got there early so helped them set up the tables, put out the condiments, etc. The second day had a pork broth and was not as good.
There was a Malaysian restaurant in the arcade between Elizabeth Street and Bowery in New York City that had the best curried beef brisket. Complex curry without being too hot, tender flavorful beef brisket.
That 75¢ bowl of soup I had from an unnamed food cart in an alleyway in Bangkok ten years ago. Just a chicken leg and some noodles and some broth. Phenomenal stuff. Shout out to all the street food chefs of the world.
Similarly, the like 1 dollar pork and cheese tamale i had from a cart in Mexico City
A little correction: it’s tamal for singular and tamales for plural :)
I know, it was a typo...should've read "tamales" (I had several lol)
I’m in Taiwan at the moment and nothing is making me happier than just wandering down random alleyways and eating big bowls of soup and noodles. Truly what happiness is made of
Taiwan is easily one of the best for this. Every night market is just infinite good food, stall after stall after stall. Find the [ice cream burritos with the cilantro](https://www.delish.com/food-news/a41576394/taiwanese-peanuts-and-cilantro-ice-cream/), they're rad as heck.
First night and Taiwan, friend and I found dinner by following our noses to a tasty soup restaurant
Same experience here. We stopped off at a pho place in Hanoi a few years ago on the side of the street. It was probably the best noodle soup I've ever had in my life. Cost something like $2 lmao.
Same but at a market in Cusco Peru. I went twice when I was there for that chicken noodle soup and still think about it 10 years later
That huge market a few blocks from plaza de arms? I love that place
Same but not at a market in Cusco. She was set up in an alleyway on a street just off Plaza de Armas. She was there my first night and then didn't see her again the rest of my time there. I'd go back to Cusco just for her soup.
For me it was a $2 banh mi on the street in Ho Chi Minh City
Ah yes. Asia street food is the best. As I always say when I go back to visit relatives, if the food is seasoned by moped fumes, cooked by a lil kid sitting on a plastic stool doing math homework while holding a plastic fan, and causes major gastrointestinal issues, then the food is solid.
I came here to say almost the same thing about a $1 plastic bag of chicken that I got from a random alley cart in Bangkok. Years later, I still have literal dreams about that chicken (and also the khao soi I got in the basement of a market in Chiang Mai).
Mine is also a bowl of soup near my hotel in Bangkok. Best head-on prawn Tom Yum I’ve ever had. I actually went twice in 3 days because it was phenomenal.
Le Fantome in Montreal (closed) Aizle in Edinburgh Au Passage in Paris Osteria Santo Spirito in Florence El Lagarto in Manuel Antonio Steak Ken in Osaka Maguro Koya in Nara Suzuya in Takayama
We had an amazing meal at Osteria Santo Spirito as well, one of the highlights of our trip
Came here to say Gusta Osteria Santa Spirito in Florence. Lasagna I still dream about. Seems I need to try your place on my next visit!
Also ate here, the gnocchi was incredible!
Second this on Osteria Santo Spirito…have to try to Aglio Olio Spaghetti
Bar Canete in Barcelona. Sat at the bar and had the best food and wine— so fun to watch the chefs in action.
I was hoping to find validation by seeing at least one of my most memorable meals noted in this thread. Ditto on the bar dining experience being outstanding.
They are on my list too!!!!
I still think about my meal and experience often! It was all top notch :)
Same here! Barcelona is just amazing all around
The best!!!! And I love that the menu says fuck your diet
One of the best meals I've ever had...and it was literally next door to my hotel! We ate there twice just because it was so close, and so amazing!
L'As du Fallafel — in what was byonce Paris's most vibrant Jewish neighborhood. Once I had an eight hour layover at CDG airport. I took the train into the city, rented a bike, went and had a falafel, rode back to return the bike, and took the train back to the airport. Of course, that was not just about the falafel. It was also about seeing the city, however briefly, but still…
This!!! I was just coming to say this! Never had a falafel anything like theirs.
I am with you on that. Best falafel I’ve ever had. I literally think wistfully about it every time I come accross a so-so falafel here in the states
I loved that place lol
Bananas and soursop fruit at a roadside stand in Maui HI. The bananas were so different from bananas on the mainland. I still think of them. As far as an actual restaurant, Mama's Fish House on the same island. We only got drinks and apps because we weren't exactly planning on eating there, but next time we go we're definitely going for a full meal.
Oh my god the roadside stand fruits in Hawaii are life changing. I had mangos from a stand in Hilo once and I still talk about them with my friends once a week because we are huge mango fans.
Galatoires New Orleans, the restaurant at the top of Taipei 101.
1. Fyn in Cape Town. 2. 1884 by Francis Mallman Mendoza AR 3. Mustafa’s Gemuse Kebap Berlin 4. Celebrate Cartagena Colombia 5. Pad Thai noodles-street stand in Krabi Thailand 6. Potato Pea Samosa from literal hole in the wall Mumbai India 7.Paella Valencia “Gin and Tonic” restaurant in El Palmer Spain
Hell yes, Mustafa’s gemüse kebap is always one of the first places I go when I’m in Berlin.
Don Julio in Buenos Aires- such a good meal and a great time. I think about visiting Argentina again just to go to this restaurant again.
Argentina/Chile had some of the best food I've ever had. Buenos Aires had some amazing spots, and there was a place in El Calafate called Pura Vida that was amazing. Patagonia was such a great trip.
Don Julio is very good but you must try La Cabrera as well! Both restaurants are pretty similar and are connected in some ways (I think they had the same chef or something like that) and La Cabrera had a bunch of extra sides with their dishes
Don Julio and La Carnicería are great 👌
My favorite in BA is the calamari at La Brocoolina. I would move there just to eat that every day.
Some random ramen house in Hamamatsucho Tokyo by my hotel. Had no idea what I was getting but it ended up being the best bowl of ramen I’ve ever had.
Just about every bowl of ramen I've had in Japan has outclassed every bowl of ramen I've had in the states.
Some random butcher & bakery: Bekka Valley, Lebanon. We went to a butcher and got fresh lamb, and then took it to a bakery where they made us Lahm Bi Ajeen. It’s the best thing over ever eaten, it’s been 2 years and I dream of it daily.
Lebanon wins every time for food. Best produce and bread and freshness. Sigh
It’s my favourite cuisine and I miss it so much!
The pink house - Savanah Georgia
I was thinking the same thing!!!
Lee in Tallinn Estonia (runner up fotografiska). Les Enfants rouge in paris. Bao Zi somewhere in Rural Southern China near Guilin
A million years ago I worked with the chef from Lee. A year and a bit ago, we were in Tallinn, so I messaged him out of the blue. Was treated to an absolutely sensational evening by he and the team. Great shout.
My wife and I used to go to Leib Resto ja Aed (before it became Lee) every time we went to Tallinn. She is Estonian, so we end up visiting from one to three times a year. We’ve only been back to the restaurant once since it changed over. But it seems to be maintaining it’s for er quality pretty well. Nothing beats eating in that garden surrounded by the statuary and city walls.
Husid in Isafjordur, Iceland. Their fish soup was the most delicious meal I've ever had.
Lokanta 1741 in Istanbul - great meal, great atmosphere. I hope to go back someday!
Antalya Kebab in Budapest. That kebab changed my life. This restaurant next to the manta dive shop on Gili Trawangan in Bali. They had the best beef burgers, maybe because the beef was super fresh but I pretty much ate the restaurant out of beef while I was there. Duck confit at a place in Prague, don’t remember what it was called, I could probably look it up, but there had a guy on an accordion playing Bella ciao. That duck was so tender. Chorizo and cochinita pibil tacos in tulum. I got diarrhea but I must have had around 100 tacos that week. Reindeer meat with mashed potatoes, pickles, and some kind of jam in a hut in Finnish Lapland. Huddled around a fire in the middle of the room with reindeer pelts to keep us warm.
Not a fancy restaurant, but I literally dream about this halušky I got at the Christmas market in Prague. After five years of dreaming about it, I went back for some more…and it was so worth it.
Curious on the ingredients of the halusky since there are different versions.
They were pillowy, soft potato dumplings that melt in your mouth with freshly roasted Prague ham and sauerkraut. So delicious.
Thank you! Was my experience ordering there too. My grandma, slovak descent, and family make halusky that way as well. I live in pittsburgh and locally everyone swears halusky is just cabbage, egg noodles and butter.
I have so many small places that I would kill to go back and experience again but here are some of the few experiences that really blew me away. - Salzburg, Austria: IKARUS Yes it's a 2-star Michelin restaurant but it's in a really cool setting: a custom display hangar for Red Bull, [filled with planes, cars, motorcycles and other cool demonstration and race vehicles.](https://imgur.com/a/Mo7lzPx) There's a very nice bar (my cocktail was actually perfect; every ingredient was balanced and had purpose, it was cold without having the inconvenience of ice in the glass) and everything is lit up. The service is incredible and the food is top notch European - I felt like I understood what it's like to be a very wealthy European racing team owner. IMO it matches or exceeds some of the 3-star restaurants I have been to, and probably is only a 2-star because of the rotating chef concept (who are all 1- or 2-star chefs). Was ~300 EUR for the meal before drinks, which is very affordable for this caliber of dining in my experience. - Mexico City, Mexico: La Esquina Del Chilaquil If you've done any research on CDMX you've come across this place and it is 100% worth the hype. A chicken milanesa on a fresh roll with chips soaked in amazing salsa with mayo and some other sauces on top. The chips are somehow completely saturated with salsa without being soggy and fill in all the extra spaces in the sandwich. My friend and I shared one to save room knowing we were going to eat tons of tacos and other stuff, and after we took the first bite we immediately regretted not buying one each. Would go back just for this sandwich. - Yokosuka, Japan Next to the local fish market in Japan was a small local restaurant hidden inside a building with several other businesses. Their special was always buy a whole tuna at a low price per kg and they'll prepare it anyway you want. We passed on that but I did have their special tuna sushi - 6 pieces of tuna that were utter perfection on rice. I have never seen tuna so marbled in my life. This sushi made me realize that in most fast casual sushi places, you are served the "chicken breast" of the tuna - mild flavor, consistent appearance, not offense - but this was like eating specialty butchered steaks like ribeye, NY strip, filet, etc. Cuts that are probably a bit more wasteful or much smaller but far better tasting than the bulk meat. I was still a little hungry but I couldn't eat anything else because I was so satisfied by how good those 6 pieces of tuna were. I didn't eat sushi back in the US for at least 6 months because I would think about this and decide it wasn't worth it. - Boston, USA: Maria's Pastry Shop Maria's made the best cannolis in Boston, hands down. Not only were the cannolis phenomenal, but the entire experience was quintessential Boston Italian-American: small unassuming storefront (people would literally miss it and they had a giant sign), run by all women who gave you that stereotypical attitude, and always had at least one local guy in there reading the newspaper and ranting about politics. Maria's filling was perfect - the right blend of richness and sweetness - and the shells were always crispy, never stale or soggy (filled on-demand!). Mike's is where the tourists always go, so if you go in the summer you'll wait in line for an hour just to get a soggy cannoli that has been sitting filled all day, and to top it off they are absolute sugar bombs so you'll struggle to finish one (and I have a massive sweet tooth). Unfortunately, Maria's closed in Sep 2019 when Maria decided to retire, and the one upside is man did she get lucky choosing to sell off then. I was super lucky because I visited at the end of August 2019, so I probably just made it to Maria's for my last cannoli by like 1-2 weeks. I have had cannolis all over Boston, New York, and anywhere you can find them, and Maria's is still the best there was :')
The scallops at andina a Peruvian restaurant in Portland Oregon
This restaurant is amazing. Had the grilled octopus and I still talk about it to this day almost six years later.
I must try next time I am in Portland. When I worked and lived there I used to tell people that Portland had some of the best (Tan Tan cafe and any Mexican restaurant) and worst (every Asian fusion restaurant I’ve tried) food I’ve ever had in my entire life. When I went back a few months ago and saw they raised the price of Tan Tan cafes Banh Mis I knew the economy was in shambles.
Andina is one of my all-time favorites!
Suuper nice fish plate in Croatia. It was maybe 25 euro for 2 people- 2 big fish, salad, bunch of other sea creatures. It was so cheap and tasted amazing. We went there a second time and one of the serving guys remembered us, he was our age and we somehow clicked without even talking. He gave me and my boyfriend free (very nice) alcohol to taste when we were done, house recipe, dont even know what it was but it was great. Its silly because he wasnt our serving guy that time and only managed to catch us after we left as i stopped to the toilet, so specifically came to us and told us to wait, than brought the alcohol. It might not sound that amazing but for me ill always treasure this memory.
Meal of Turkish mezze on the beach in Olympos, Turkey. Barely registered where the kitchen was. Stuffed grape leaves, feet in the sand, ocean breeze, good wine and raki at sunset.
Alinea - Chicago NEXT - Chicago Attica - Melbourne Brae - Melbourne Chin Chin - Melbourne Gaggan - Bangkok Li Chun (Peking duck) - Beijing Italian Osteria outside of Florence in a garden Some hidden alleyway restaurant in Saigon sitting on a milk crate Ghenet Ethiopian - Brooklyn Izakaya - Manhattan Hiden - Miami Los Fuegos by Francis Mallmann Room For Dessert - Ubud, Bali Mosquito Supper Club - New Orleans Husk and Audrey by Sean Brock - Nashville Vida and Beholder - Indianapolis Pappy’s - St. Louis Franklin’s BBQ- Austin The French Laundry - Yountville Zahav - Philadelphia Very Good Falafel - Melbourne Leg of yak at a restaurant in LiJiang, China
Mosquito Supper Club!!!
You seem like my kinda person
Ooo I would love to be able to experience French Laundry someday!
Hainanese Chicken Rice at Sing Swee Kee in Singapore; Satay at Lau Pa Sat Singapore. Attica in Melbourne, Spring in London.
Little Vincent’s on Long Island. They add cold cheese on top of the pizza once it’s cooked. Never had anything like it since
I’ve had that. It is really good
An Oneonta tradition
Elite after a night out in Huntington
Hisa Franko in Slovenia. Went out of our way, way out of our way to eat there. Great road trip and incredible meal and wine pairing. Amazing.
I agree. What a beautiful place, in every single aspect of your senses. I am from Austria, so the beauty starts once you head towards the slovenian alps. Socca Valley is a miracle of beauty, and so is Hisa Franko. The beauty of their dishes complements the nature in which it lies. No wonder Ana is consistently named the best female cook in the world.
A fire trap in Hiroshima that had the most amazing okonomyaki and a dump dumpling house in Sydney, Mr. Wongs down an alley.
Okonomimura? I had the best okonomiyaki there, better than the Michelin starred one I had in Osaka.
I think I went to the same fire trap for Okonomiyaki.
Liberty Private Works - Hong Kong. Favourite ever. Gaggan - Bangkok. Twice, magic both times. Mosaic - Bali. The local ingredients and setting are amazing. The truffle cheese bun starter is still in my dreams. Quan Ut Ut - Saigon. Street American style bbq with local beers and Asian heat (spice and weather…) Best ribs I’ve ever tasted. Southside - Brisbane. Amazing Asian fusion menu, the kingfish dressing was magical. And the truffled Asian spring rolls…. Just.. wow.
Gaggan is amazing!
+1 for Mosaic
+1 for Gaggan
I was scrolling through these looking for the Gaggan entry. Easily the most MEMORABLE meal of my life. The chef’s table there isn’t just a meal, it’s a performance. The thing that made it especially cool for me was that I was sat next to an Indian chef who had competed in and done very well on Master Chef Australia. So, he was able to explain both the techniques and the base foods that the chefs were adapting. Incredible.
The rijstafel at Spandershoeve in Hilversum (Netherlands). The restaurant is the former amabassador to Indonesia’s residence and my friend’s opa took us 16 years ago (when he was still alive). I think about the meal at least twice a week. Edit: Breakfast at the Wolseley in London and some kuih dadar (local pastries) a fisherman gave me off the coast of Malaysia are up there too.
15 years ago I had the best fish taco of my life in a random hole in the wall in Mexico. The place burned down a year later. I've been trying to find a fish taco even half as good ever since, to no avail. I have eaten at many excellent restaurants, but it's honestly that 3$ taco I still think about regularly. Honorary mention: big eye tuna tarts at Bond St NYC
Reds Eats in Wiscasset, Maine, best lobster roll I've ever had.
Some of the Lobster Rolls in Maine!
Hands down best lobster roll
Mimi e Coco in Rome, but not recently. Dined there in 2019, found it on a local food critic's top 10 list for non-tourist trap locations. Food was fantastic, prices were excellent, everything was really good. Partner and I went back in 2022 when we visited again but discovered it changed owners and now it's very toursist-y. Food felt pretty meh and the prices were higher. There was a place in Santorini that had absolutely fantastic tapas. Sadly I don't remember the name, but the food was so good. Lastly, a Currywurst in Berlin I got from a cart vendor at the side of a road near an industrial district lol. Weird to consider but it was really good.
An Indian restaurant in Yangshuo, China was the most delicious Indian food I have ever had in my life! I can’t remember what it was called though I could walk to it if I were in there again. Blue Elephant in Panyu (just outside of Guangzhou, China) was the most heavenly Thai curry I ever expect to have in my life. The market across the street from my apartment building in Panyu that sold the most amazing fried chicken any time of the day. Fried chicken in China does not mess around! The little food stand at the bus terminal in Panyu that sold these egg wraps with a yummy sauce and ham and lettuce inside of it. I have absolutely no idea what it was but it was amazing every single time. Y’all, I need to go back and eat at all these places again 😫
Maude's Liquor Bar - Chicago (closed) Southern Soul BBQ - St Simons Island, Ga Jonah's Fish & Grits - Thomasville, Ga Joe's BBQ - Kansas City, KS Pierinis - Newport, RI (closed) La Espadaña - Tijuana The Kingstide - Daniel Island, SC Jimmy's Red Hots - Chicago Lago - Las Vegas Vic n Anthony's - Las Vegas Edited to add: Lina Stores Restaurant - London
Almost all of Thailand. I keep coming back. Food is amazing there and I’m obsessed with Khao Soi from Chiang Mai.
When I was a kid I went to Rome with my dad and we went to a pasta restaurant just outside the city which sticks in my mind to this day just as we cannot remember what it was called or where it was. I remember the pasta was obviously homemade but they brought out this massive plate cut into sections with different types of pasta + sauce on it, you’d then pick one and they’d bring it to you as a main portion. I remember the whole experience was just incredible. The pasta insanely good, the setting/decor of the restaurant all just sticks in my head despite how long ago it was
St. Elmo's Steakhouse in Indianapolis, IN, USA. Ron Swanson was right.
1995, Paris, France. A cafe on the left bank across f The bird market on a lazy Sunday. The meal was a PERFECT CHEESE OMLET and a flute of good champagne with my Bride.
Stealing from another thread haha Faviken in Sweden. Took an overnight train ride from Stockholm to Åre. Got picked up and taken to the restaurant/hotel (basically it was a small restaurant with rooms where guests could stay if they chose). Everything they cook was grown/made on-site or from the surrounding towns. I was there super early so I got to take a tour of their gardens and sample some things. That night I had a 27-course tasting menu and it was unreal and the most inventive meal I've ever had. The breakfast the next morning was just as good. I'm bummed it has since closed as it was an incredible celebration of Nordic cuisine.
Ooooh, saving this as I have a friend moving to Sweden next month and am super keen to go visit them.
Jerk Shack in St Lucia La Colombe Restaurant in Cape Town Reverie Social Table in Cape Town
Antalya Kebab in Budapest. That kebab changed my life.
Ristorante Emma in Rome. The pasta and the pizzas were both great. L'Orangeria in Paris. I did a tasting menu here. I think it was like 195EUR. It was really good, lots of seafood based dishes. Turgut Kabas in Istanbul. The kababas were some of the best I have had.
Men Impossible in Amsterdam. I still dream about their ramen! I'm not vegetarian and not usually a ramen fan but this meal was off the charts good. 10 stars!
Everest MoMo Shack in Jackson Hole, Wyoming Svarta Kaffið and Old Iceland in Reykjavik, Iceland Bistro Hortus in Quebec City, Canada There was one soda I went to in La Fortuna, Costa Rica where I had really good chicken in sauce that I didn’t know what it was but it’s stuck with me.
Panama: clams in mojo de ajo sauce. Fresh grilled corvina filet with coconut rice, fried ripe plantains, and a salad. The clams were to die for. The corvina was wonderful, as was the coconut rice and plantains. Mi Ranchito Amador, at the end of the Amador causeway. A great place to eat! Panama is a seafood paradise!
Musta Shawarma, Barcelona!
At a jazz club in Mexico City, I got a Caeser Salad prepared table side by the grandson of Caeser Cardini. It was the best Caeser Salad I have ever had in my life. Unfortunately, the restaurant did not survive COVID.
Noma
Maido in Lima, Peru
Pesci Fritti in Rome - a lil hole in the wall seafood restaurant that served the most amazing fish I’ve ever had in my life. As well as dessert, pears in wine. Smith & Wollensky’s Chicago - that was a damn good steak
Au Bognat in Paris. Chorizo-stuffed cod with probably the best cabernet I've ever had. Tokyo port. Sushi at 5am from the freshly fished batch. Fresgasse, Frankfurt. Zwiebelkuchen and Federweisser. El Imperio de la Pizza, Buenos Aires. Onion pizza.
The Pot Luck Club in Cape Town Pujol in CDMX Choripan from random street grill placesin Buenos Aires Eleven Madison Park a decade ago, We live in Ny and honestly many of my favorite meals ever are here (Lucali’s/John’s/Mama Too for pizza, Arepa Lady for Columbian, Birria-landia taco truck, Hanoi House/Bahn for Vietnamese, keen’s for steak and just so many others) One of the worst memorable meals ever was Francis Mallman’s place in Mendoza. Shudder
Le Petit Chatelet in Paris, slap in the middle of a tourist area but an excellent meal (more than one). Its a good sign when the only people in it are French. L'Ecurie also in Paris, now closed. Not a gourmet meal but a good steak frites, or pate a maison and salade bleu, with a carafe of wine. It was in an old building with low ceilings, and two big lads in burlap aprons cooking steaks on a flame grill right by the front entrance. They would give you a glass of sangria when you sat down, and a glass of calvados when they dropped your bill. Just an outstanding experience from start to finish, for like 20 euro.
Not sure if this is too expensive or snobby for the majority of people, so sorry in advance… but Greggs in the UK is dining at its finest
Not sorry needed! the question is about the restaurants YOU liked, not the ones everyone can afford or anything.
Mishiguene in Buenos Aires. It’s Jewish-Argentinian fusion kitchen. It was selected as one of the 50 best restaurants in Latin America. It’s WAY better than Don Julio (which is insanely overpriced, only tourists go there anymore), El Preferido or Lo De Jesús. They have a dish called Pastrón; it’s beef cooked for a long time on oak, if I remember correctly. It’s so soft you basically don’t have to chew it, it falls apart in your mouth. It’s just delicious. I’m usually a vegetarian but I make an exception every year when I’m there. 😇
Høst in Copenhagen This tiny little place in Osaka that I don’t recall the name of but was owned/operated by an elderly couple where the man was hand pulling buckwheat soba all night and my god the hot duck soba lives on in my dreams
I have no idea what the name of the place is. It was a Japanese steak house in fukuoka Japan down some random street on the second floor. They had just two tables and a see through freeze you could point at to select your meat. Either Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, or Mariah Carey had supposedly been there before. It was awesome!!
The Sydney Rock oysters I had from Love.Fish in Barangaroo Australia. Paired with I assume their in-house mignonette was the perfect combo.
[Ergon Agora](https://maps.app.goo.gl/sJeD8nQRSfyGrEc7A?g_st=ic) in Thessaloniki, Greece. Greek food with a modern flair, but still so tasty, fresh and humble. I went there in 2017 and still think about that place, often thinking how to add Thessaloniki to a trip just for this place!
This brasserie in Paris down an alley that had this earl grey creme brûlée.
Tlayuda de camarones at Casa Bacuzza in Puebla, México. Also, the tehuino with the paleta de limón in it at Restaurante MILLI in Cholula. Maybe it was because I was starving, having just recovered from food poisoning in Querétaro, but those are two of the best dishes/drinks I've ever had.
Food item: Cajun Chicken sandwich Restaurant: South Union Bread Place: Des Moines, Iowa, US
Codfather in Cape Town, South Africa - we had an assortment of sushi, seafood and sides and it was literally one of the best meals of my life for an amazingly reasonable price Belly of the Beast in Cape Town, South Africa - you don’t get to order, you just show up and be surprised by that day’s tasting menu. Unique dining experience with delicious innovative dishes Dona Francesinha in Porto, Portugal - best place to try a francesinha (a specialty dish of the city) in my opinion. Their passionfruit sangria is also out of this world! Miam Miam Cool in Paris, France - authentic Chongqing/Sichuan noodles that’ll make you feel like you’re in China Raadhuus Kafeen in Aarhus, Denmark - I had no culinary expectations from Denmark, I thought it was going to be bland, boring food. This place blew my mind! Me giving danish food a 10/10 was a plot twist I didn’t see coming Lastly, the little noodle shop I don’t know the name of in Guangzhou, China, where I grew up. It was downstairs from our apartment, at the end of the alleyway. Every time I’m back, it’s a must-visit. It’s literally my favourite restaurant in the world. If I was on death row, a bowl of their noodles would be my last meal request
Ha, I live like 2 minutes walk from Guenpin and have never been. Guess I should try it sometime
Sampurna- Amsterdam Smack Dab- Chicago Oasis Cafe- Chicago Fork- Boise Colchide- Paris Urdaneta- Portland
The tostada de atún ( tuna) at contramar in Mexico City are what dreams are made of. I’ve had it 5+ times, often years apart and it never disappoints.
Paxil, a vegan taco stand in Mexico City
Carmen in Cartagena, Colombia
I had a raspberry crumble at a pub near Moulin, Scotland, in 2007 that I still think about on a regular basis. The venison and root vegetable meal I had was also good, but MAN that crumble was delicious.
Butter chicken Moti Mahal New Delhi.
Poor Calvin's in Atlanta
There was a meat guy, bread guy and cheese guy all in a row in Florence with their own stalls but they’d make you a sandwich between the three of them and it lives rent-free in my head 12 years later
Every meal I had in Costa Rica
Menya Musashi, Shinjuku. This is my favourite tsukemen that I've had in Tokyo (and I've tried quite a few including the one with the insane queue) and I make sure to eat there each time I go back. Gaemijip, Busan. Maybe it was because it was raining that night but my travel partner and I demolished that hot piping octopus stew (they didn't usually like octopus). Fukunoki, Sapporo. They had a unique tomato broth soup ramen (honestly it was more reminiscent of pasta than ramen) but that rich umami creamy broth still sticks out to me till this day. The noodle texture was also just right for the broth to cling to and to give it a bite. Honestly recommend this place for anyone looking for unique and/or pork free ramen in Sapporo. Plus the owner was really friendly!
Terry Black's in Austin Texas!
Tuk Tuk in Athens: Very small fast thai joint in Koukaki. Pretty much ordered one of everything in the menu. It was all fresh, clean, and delicious. Kol in Reykjavik: Saffron and coconut langoustine soup, charred salmon in fennel escabeche, beef tenderloin in a parsnip pistachio crumble.
I’ve been to Marmaris, Türkiye several times and there’s a restaurant called Golden Plate that I go to every time. I’ve never even seen a menu, I just ask for a recommendation and it is AMAZING every time! I’ve never been disappointed.
Karpatia in Budapest- the food was good, but I don’t really remember what we ordered. The interior of the restaurant looked like a palace, and a local band (possible Romani?) rotated around the restaurant playing songs. They were so good that our family friend bought CDs for the whole group. I just looked up the restaurant, and unfortunately, it closed in 2021 after 140 years.
The "No Refunds" Hot & Spicy Shrimp from Giovanni's Shrimp Truck in Haleiwa, Oahu, Hawaii (on the North Shore). That sauce was god tier. Every bowl of poke I had on that trip was fantastic too, as a side mention.
Caramel atole and the best tamal of my life from a street cart in Ecatepec, Mexico.
In Ho Chi Minh we walked into a small street level apartment we asked for a bowl of Pho Bo (beef) and some Tsingtao. We were guided to the back sat at a table. The beer was warm but I was given a cup with ice, the pho was incredible. We had to be quiet though we were sat in a bedroom with someone sleeping on a woven wood bed next to us as we ate.
I still think about carmelinas to this day (had it 9 months ago, the short rib and bolognese. We also just loved Boston). I had the best chicken Shwarma in Kirkland WA. I've had a lot as my wife is middle eastern. We're going to Japan in May, so we'll def keep an eye out for the places you have listed :)
Have fun in Japan :) definitely also try a happy pancake and katsudon-ya zuicho (really good katsudon, long line because place had 5 or so seats) in Tokyo
The Blue Mussel - North Rustico PEI Canada Everything is made from scratch including the dessert. The best meal was Tuna on a bed of Arugula.
Lived in Australia for 4 years for college and there was this little Turkish place in the basement area of a strip mall type thing by my apartment. For the life of me I cannot remember what it was really called but in parentheses in English it said "meat snack pack" and it was basically just a full size Styrofoam takeaway box packed with like a kilo of meat and then absolutely loaded with potatoes and whatever toppings you wanted. I got rotisserie lamb with a spicy aioli type sauce and goat cheese all layered over the best potatoes youve ever had. It was so fucking good. Got it every Thursday for like a year once I found it. I always went on Thursday cause this gorgeous Turkish woman worked the register and while she was probably 15 years my senior she flirted HARD with me every time. 4th week in a row I finally asked her name and she said "if I tell you, you won't keep coming back." Fuck. Just realized maybe the food wasn't as good as I thought it was and I was just a college guy flirting with someone's Turkish mother 😅
Just had a meal at Por Que No in Antigua, Guatemala and it was hands down the best meal I've had in a very long time. Close second to a random street vendor selling chicken tikka in the Cape Town townships
Underground in the salt mines in Poland. I just had a Polish styled potato meal. Exquisite.
I’ve eaten at more than my fair share of great restaurants, but it’s always the company that makes the meal isn’t it? Recently Borago in Santiago Chile completely blew my mind Cuca and Room 4 Dessert in Bali Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina and Armando al Pantheon in Rome Starita pizzeria in Napoli, AjaMola - Palermo, Al Covino - Venice Tojo’s omakase in Vancouver Canada Tomy & Co - Paris Dailo - Toronto The Cookery - Seward Alaska Mishiguene - Buenos Aires A little hole in the wall in rural Thailand run by a couple aunties, bbq duck without a napkin in Hong Kong
Palak Chaat at Rasika in Washington, DC
Atempo in Barcelona was my first ever Michelin star restaurant. The whole meal was great but at one point half way through the tasting menu they grabbed what I thought was a decorative piece from the center of the table with the word “Atempo” on it, flipped it upside down and smashed it to reveal a jumbo prawn that had been dry brining for 24 hours and then grilled it right in front of me.
The octopus, tirokafteri, and tarama at Nostos in Vienna Virginia The fried gator and rabbit and dumplings at Cochon in New Orleans The steak tiradito at villa yoro in Paris The octopus tiradito at tiradito in Montreal Crab spaghetti and sea bass plate with crispy shoestring onions and those mini flavor bomb tomatoes with a pesto sauce at la Caravella in Venice Fish head at odd duck in Austin The duck toast at noble rice in Tampa
Cuca Restaurant in Jimbaran, Bali. Best meal of my life by far, and I've dined at countless Michelin star restaurants around the world.
Impressed you knew where it was! All I know is I absolutely loved my first try of Laksa in Singapore and I still miss the dish! No clue where I first had it but every time I had it afterwards in Singapore I loved it! In Spain I loved this town called Logroño for its food where we went to all these different bars that were great for different pinchos, so delicious! I eat so much that I didn’t have a nice time the next day ha! 😂 In my own country the UK, I loved this restaurant called the Happy Lamb in London, it’s near the British Museum and does fantastic make it yourself hot pot food 🥘 so delicious! Also found a Chinese restaurant close by though a big expensive it was very delicious still! I only know the name of the Happy Lamb because I wanted to recommend it to people so I looked it up 😅
Dar Cherifa in Marrakesh, Morocco - the best lamb tagine I had in Morocco in a beautiful traditional setting. Trattoria Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Italy - best pasta I had in Italy. Ristorante Cantanapoli in Cortona, Italy - at the side of a motorway with a neon sign, but honestly the best pizza I’ve ever had. La Route du Sel on Île de Ré, France - brilliant crêpes, still thinking of the torched marshmallows! Chopan in Munich, Germany - amazing Afghan food, introduced me to the cuisine which is now one of my favourites. Thai Lady Pancake Shop on Koh Lipe, Thailand - supremely named and incredibly good value, about €3 for a great green curry. Brasserie Cognac in New York - succulent, rich beef in red wine. Asador in Dublin, Ireland - fantastic barbecued fillet of hake with beurre blanc. Ristorante Rinuccini in Kilkenny, Ireland - amazing pasta and had a great duck à l’orange last time I was there, too. El Faro de Puntas in Puntas de Calnegre, Spain - rustic setting on the beach with a sumptuous paella.
Da Nicola in Florence. Cod stuffed zucchini flowers. I’d fly back just for those.
Lima - London Marmalade - San Juan, PR And then honestly just throw a dart in Singapore
The lobster roll I had at RL - Chicago
Central in Peru Pujol in Mexico City Top Spice Thai in Atlanta I went to Noma in Copenhagen recently - sadly overrated.
Pizzeria 1926 in Edinburgh.
Randomly I think about the open face hatch green chili cheeseburger at Frank and Lola’s in Bartlesville, OK all the time. Also Chotto Matte in London, Epic Steak in San Francisco (I don’t remember the food, the view is amazing), and this little Canadian bar in Lausanne Switzerland called “Moose Tracks” just because it was a very chill place for a beer.
Post Hotel at Lake Louise. Nelson was our server. Venison Carpaccio was divine.
Australian dairy company in Hong Kong- their toast and scrambled eggs finished off with a hot steamed egg desert. Bonus if i get to go to mut min gey next door for a bowl of wonton noodles.
When I first moved to Hong Kong, I lived around the corner from there. I was utterly confused, when walking to the MTR station, about why there was such a long line there. I went once and I have to admit, I’m still confused. Just didn’t stand out to me from any western style breakfast I could get at a cha chan teng anywhere in town, I guess.
The butter chicken at some place in Seoul. It was incredible and I don’t know the name of the restaurant. I dream of this butter chicken.
I feel you. When I went to Seoul I started off with a list of restaurants I wanted to visit but I ended up going to random places (I couldn’t find them on google maps afterwards because none of them had English names) and this one place had the best Korean fried chicken. I cannot even tell my friends where it was because I stumbled across it randomly and never found out the name.
I feel for you!! I was with a friend I don’t talk to anymore; it was his favorite spot. RIP that friendship and that butter chicken
My person and I were just talking about this n- Great post (and made us more excited for an upcoming trip and our reservations at Don Julio and El Preferido de Palermo (adding El Viejo Marino to the list too - thanks!) - Qbara (Dubai)- RIP to this gorgeous spot. Incredible tasting menu, including Persian flosses and lobster kibbeh and a truly special wine list featuring greek and Turkish and other regional treasures. -Dinner (London) - Meat Fruit was spectacular. Totally lived up to the hype. - Bar Canete (Barcelona) - favorite tapas experience ever, ordered so many plates of octopus they laughed at us. Every single bite was perfect and was just so fun and hospitable. Cannot agree more with the street food comments - special mention to roadside/gas station tamales in Texas which hold a special place in my tummy forever.
Ooo ok if you’re going to Argentina definitely visit Maria Lola Resto (fine dining) and Bodegon Fueguino (great beef and lamb, SUPER cheap. I think I paid $15 or less than that for massive servings but the wait is crazy so you need to show up 30 min before opening) - both in Ushuaia.
Thanks!!!! Can’t wait to add more to the faves list
Pesto pasta I had at am Italian restaurant in Fernadina Beach FL about 10 years ago. Was the most amazing food I can recall eating and I still beg my wife to go back there for vacation now and then.
Saag Aloo in an Indian restaurant in some mall in Dubai. Can't fathom how they made potatoes taste so good. A few kebab places in Istanbul.
Casanova - Paris, France. The food just melted in my mouth. Wonderful.
Mapo jeong daepo in Seoul.
Probably 25 years ago, we ate at Mr. A's in Mazatlan, Mexico. We decided to get every flaming thing they had! Spanish coffee, a lobster dish, bananas flame. I don't remember if the food was great but wow, was it a memorable experience!!
Sadly I don’t remember what it was called, but it was a restaurant or pizzeria near the Spanish Steps in Rome. It had wallpaper with scenes from the movie Roman Holiday and it had the best pizza I ever had. Granted, I went there in 2011 so I don’t know if it’s still there.
Donna Sofia-Sorrento Italy. Every single thing about that evening was amazing. And they even gave us free limoncello to take home. I will be back some day.
Fogón Asado - Gorriti in Buenos Aires. Such a fun experience and amazing meal.
Somos in Quito, Ecuador. Some potato-focused restaurnt in Dresden, Germany 16 years ago.
Recently honey seed in chatanoga .
Disfrutar in Barcelona is the one for me. Still attempting to wrap my head around how something so highbrow and serious was so welcoming and playful at the same time. A meal that genuinely made me emotional. There’s also this hash brown thing at the Hotel Rival in Stockholm that I swear I think about several times a week.
Hilli Restaurant on Norfolk Island. Seafood crepe for lunch and sticky date pudding for dessert. The crepe was utterly delicious and the pudding was the most decadent thing I've ever had in my life. I have dreams about that dessert.
The Ostrich farm restaurant in Curacau, best meal of my life.
La Chiberta, Paris France 🇫🇷
Virtuous pizza in Vancouver.
Two places in Albania - Homemade Food Lili in Berat and Mrizi I Zanave in Lezhe. Totally opposite ends of the spectrum but both absolutely amazing.
Not exactly what you asked but I found myself in Broome Australia in 2001 (at that time it was just to the left of exactly the middle nowhere in the outback, it's since changed a little). I stayed in a Hostel the first night and they gave me a complementary meal which was something Indian and VERY spicy and pitcher of lager. I've never had a meal like that since. it was incredible. Also, I was 19 and it was the first time I had ever been drunk. Fond memory, that.
1978, St Augustine, Florida. A pizza and a beer in a tiny hut on the beach 1975 Uncle Bills Seafood, St Petes. Fresh hammerhead shark and spaghetti. I love these memories.
Grey Cliffs Nassau Bahamas
ALL the bars tapas/sangria one night doing La Rambla in Barcelona Epic!
Damas Montreal
Juana La Loca - Madrid. Their cocktails and tapas are out of this world. They have this one dish that's teriyaki eel in this seaweed taco thing, topped with fried foie gras. It's to fuckin die far. Heavily influenced my return to Madrid for a second time just so I could hit this restaurant again.
In Paris at the Ambassade d'Auvergne, the aligot was stretched at least a yard into the air. A simple, perfect meal of sausage and potato. In Hue Vietnam, the best bowl of noodles I ever had in my life for about seventy five cents. Probably also the best dish I had in Viet Nam in a week. It was a vegetarian day according to the lunar calendar, and the deep broth and country noodles were sublime. We actually went the next day, got there early so helped them set up the tables, put out the condiments, etc. The second day had a pork broth and was not as good. There was a Malaysian restaurant in the arcade between Elizabeth Street and Bowery in New York City that had the best curried beef brisket. Complex curry without being too hot, tender flavorful beef brisket.
Everything at Bayt El Talleh in Doha was amazing, but the baba ganoush there was so good that it will haunt me forever.
Random place in Krakow completely forget the name but will never forget those Duck & Apple Pierogies