1. Rome
While in Rome (and Venice too) I survived solely on nutella, apricot pago, and fresh baked bread from whatever bakery was still open and close by when I was on my way back to the hostel. While nutella is undoubtedly delicious (especially on fresh bread), it is not exactly intended to be consumed for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a week strait. I will admit that I snuck in some fruit and vegetables from the markets, but that was really only to prevent scurvy. Now many Italians would argue that Rome is quite possibly the worst place in Italy to go to if you're looking for the very best Italian food, but I have to say that the one Pizza Margherita that I splurged on on the my first day there was almost an erotic sensation, it tasted so good.
I will also admit that some of the money I saved by not feeding myself like a rational human went to a daily scoop of gelato from one of the many little gelato places that are open in Rome in July. That is something I will not apologize for to anyone. A brand new flavour every day was my goal and by the end of a sweltering hot day walking the streets of Rome, a cold scoop of pistachio gelato melting on my tongue was just about the closest thing to bliss I could think of (that or a cold shower...).
While in Italy I was far to poor (and honestly way too overwhelmed with all the sights this fantastic city has to offer) to really get to taste some good Italian food. So the next time I hit up Roma (and believe me, there will be a next time!), I will make a definite effort to eat some of the brilliant food that Italy has to offer.
2. London
Ah London... The few times I was in London I was only there briefly, and so overwhelmed by the cost of everything in the city that I limited my food intake to what was available on the "day old" table at Tesco and trail mix packages from home. I think I also made a couple special trips to Pret a Manger simply because the food there is so SO tempting and fresh and... available! Also, the happy little phrases that are on all the packaging made me smile. Go marketing! Believe me though, London has far more to offer in the way of food than quick sandwiches and day old baked goods at a low end super market. Even putting aside all the REAL high end establishments like The Fat Duck and Nobu, there are still loads of restaurants and places to eat in London that I would absolutely love to gorge my self in. The unfortunate thing about London, however, is that like Rome, there are just too many other things to do there! You forget that you have to eat at some point when you're too busy running from one fantastic sight to another. Cities with a reputation for remarkable eating should tone down their other attractions so that the average middle class traveller can experience some of their food!
3. Tokyo
While I was in Tokyo I experienced two very different types of food on a regular basis. The first type lasted a month and consisted of eating nothing but instant ramen noodles and the occasional trip to one of the billion little sushi-ya's that are on every single corner in the enormous city. The second type of regular dining experience was on the second month of my stay in Tokyo and I'll go into that in another post. When you think of Tokyo, you usually don't immediately think of all that it has to offer in terms of gastronomic indulgence. Gastronomic adventure maybe... but you'd get that same sense of clueless dining anywhere in Asia. The Japanese are notorious for their tendency toward perfection, and they are no different when it comes to their food. It's an art that is taken quite serioulsy and you can tell.
4. Vienna
When I was in Vienna I was only 13 years old and I was there with family to visit family. Most of the time when I was in Vienna I remember eating food at the home where I was staying with family. However, I know that when I was in the city centre there were Kaffeehauses and delicatessens and restaurants everywhere you looked. Vienna is renowned for its baking and fine patisserie, and while there is often nothing better than homemade, having a chance to try some of the finest food that Vienna has to offer would be an opportunity I couldn't pass up.
5. New York
New York is the exception on this list. While in New York I had the opportunity to dine at possibly the best restaurant I have ever eaten at in my life. I also got to try some delicious Mexican food (a treat that I wouldn't easily get to try at home) and pizza that was on par with pizza I had in Rome. What you learn early on while in New York is that if you want to eat you have to keep your eyes open! You gotta pay attention and look beyond the construction sites. Definitely check your guidebook and make an effort to try and find these places. The gems aren't always going to cost you a weeks worth of food at home and are probably closer than you think. I do have to say though, just because the Starbucks are everywhere and easy to find in a pinch, there are definitely better options if you keep your eyes open.
