The Asia Pacific region has landed six of the Top 10 spots on the Lonely Planet’s just-released “Ultimate Eatlist” which ranks the top 500 foodie experiences from around the world.
Topping the list is eating Pintxos in San Sebastián, Spain, followed by Curry laksa in Kuala Lumpur and Sushi in Tokyo taking the number two and three spots. Rounding out the top five is Beef brisket in Texas and Som Tum in Bangkok.
Som Tum, also known as Green papaya salad (Image: WikiCommons)
Explaining their “Ultimate Eatlist” Lonely Planet says:
“When we travel, the food we eat tells a story, unlocking social customs and revealing ancient traditions, all while offering us a chance to connect with the locals in an organic way.”
The process by which they arrived at this year’s ranking began with “surveying all the food-obsessed writers, bloggers, and staff connected with Lonely Planet, asking them to vote for the tastiest and authentic gastronomic experiences they’ve encountered on their extensive travels.”
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Once that data was collected Lonely Planet food editors tapped chef Adam Liaw and food blogger Leyla Kazim to definitively rank the entries.
The entries were evaluated according to the taste, cultural importance, and “the special atmosphere of the location.”
As Lonely Planet Editorial Director Tom Hall explains:
“This is not a list of the 500 best restaurants or chefs, or dishes. This is about the overall experience of eating a particular dish in a specific location.”
Bibimbap (Image: Pixabay)
After recently naming Busan as the best place to visit in Asia for 2018, Lonely Planet is once again heaping praise on South Korea’s destination brand, this time ranking eating Bibimbap in Seoul as the eighth best foodie experience on the planet, describing it as “the South Korean bowl food that’s everybody’s best friend.”
Lonely Planet’s Top 10
1. Pintxos in San Sebastián, Spain
2. Curry laksa in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
3. Sushi in Tokyo, Japan
4. Beef brisket in Texas, USA
5. Som tum in Bangkok, Thailand
6. Smørrebrød in Copenhagen, Denmark
7. Crayfish in Kaikoura, New Zealand
8. Bibimbap in Seoul, South Korea
9. Pizza Margherita in Naples, Italy
10. Dim sum in Hong Kong
If you want to work your way through the entire list of 500, you’ll have to shell out $29.99 USD at Lonely Planet’s online store, here.
