Let’s be honest, the best thing about going on your holibobs, is the food. But often the sheer volume of restaurants to choose from on arrival at your holiday destination can be rather daunting. Thankfully, Travelex has done all the hard work for you this summer, revealing the top food spots around the world according to data taken from social media. Weirdly Toronto (rather than Japan) is now THE destination for sushi, and instead of Italy, London is the hot spot for ice cream with over ten times more social media mentions for the dessert than in Rome. Meanwhile tourists love to chow down on curry in New York. Who knew? The findings also discovered that the average person spends £250 on food alone while on a week long holiday and 51 per cent of food-obsessed Brits research restaurants before even stepping off the plane. What’s more 36 per cent of people admit that they post a picture of their holiday meals while away. Guilty as charged… Niamh Shields, from internationally-acclaimed blog Eat Like a Girl said of Travelex's findings, ‘The world is full of fantastic food, and often it is not where you'd expect it. I have had superb sushi in Toronto, there is even the Toronto Sushi Festival there now, and gelato at Gelupo in London that rivals what I have had in Rome. What is really interesting is that it shows where the biggest buzz is on social media, and helps us identify where the next best thing is when it comes to food.’ Here are the top five global food trends identified in the research and where to get your fix…
1. TORONTO: BEST PLACE TO CHOW DOWN ON SUSHI
According to social media, Toronto is THE hot spot for sushi right now. As well as having its own Sushi Festival, it is home to plenty of amazing Japanese restaurants including popular haunt Sushi Kaji. This cosy, upscale restaurant is home to acclaimed chef Mitsuhiro Kaji and offers two tasting menus.
2. NEW YORK CITY: BEST PLACE TO GET A CURRY
Never mind India, New York is now one of the most popular places in the world to have a cuzza. We recommend Tamarind Tribeca.
3. LONDON: BEST FOR ICE CREAM
When you think of ice cream, Italy obviously springs to mind but the most popular destination for posting about it is in fact London! Oddono’s and Gelupoare the best places to head for ice cream in the city.
4. DUBAI: BEST FOR A TRADITIONAL AMERICAN BURGER
Hamburgers in the desert? Yes really. Dubai has caught onto the burger craze with relish (sorry) and you will find one of the best at Ruth’s Chris Steak House. Ruth’s signature Bistro Burger is the one to try.
5. MEXICO CITY: BEST FOR ITALIAN FARE
And there we were thinking that Mexico City would be where to get a burrito. No, no, these days its pizzas are what tourists are chowing down on. Give Santa Pizza a visit when you get there.