Bon Voyage! 4 Top Chefs and Food Writers Lead a Tasty Tour Through France and SpainThis headline covers the key phrase you provided and focuses on an interesting culinary travel experience, which aligns with the types of articles featured on the Mighty Travels website.
Bon Voyage! 4 Top Chefs and Food Writers Lead a Tasty Tour Through France and SpainThis headline covers the key phrase you provided and focuses on an interesting culinary travel experience, which aligns with the types of articles featured on the Mighty Travels website. - Bordeaux's Wine and Dine: Pairing Fine Vintages with Local Delicacies
Bordeaux is world-renowned for its fine wines, but the region also boasts incredible local cuisine that pairs perfectly with its famous vintages. Exploring Bordeaux's wineries and restaurants offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to savor exquisite food and wine.
Start your Bordeaux culinary adventure with a visit to the city's Marché des Capucins, a covered food market overflowing with fresh seafood, cheese, charcuterie, and produce from local farms. Chat with the vendors and sample regional delicacies like oysters from the Bay of Arcachon, duck confit, and aged Comté cheese. Then head to La Tupina for a rustic lunch, where classic Bordeaux fare is cooked over open fires. Try the roast chicken with sautéed potatoes, the slow-cooked lamb shoulder, or daily changing market specials, all ideally matched with a local red wine like a velvety Pauillac.
After lunch, visit premier grand cru classé Château Mouton Rothschild for a behind-the-scenes look at one of Bordeaux's most storied wineries. Tour the cellars dating back to 1853, stroll through the magnificent grounds, and enjoy a tutored tasting of the estate's prestigious wines. The powerful yet refined Cabernet Sauvignons are the perfect pairings for the region's hearty cuisine. For a complete wine and dine experience, book a multi-course gourmet dinner at Le Pressoir d’Argent in the château's ornate dining room.
Dinner reservations at La Grande Maison Bernard Magrez are also a must for experiencing Bordeaux's haute cuisine. Expect creative dishes that highlight regional ingredients like Arcachon sole, Landes hen, and Limousin veal in surprising ways. With two Michelin stars, the extensive wine list features both legendary Bordeaux labels and natural gems from the area's up-and-coming winemakers.
After exploring storied châteaux and Michelin-starred restaurants, head to a local wine bar for a more casual oenophile experience. L'Univerre is a cozy spot to sample affordable Bordeaux wines by the glass accompanied by cheese, charcuterie, and tapas. Le Bar à Vin also offers an extensive by-the-glass list along with small bites like croque monsieurs and French onion soup. It's a laidback atmosphere for tasting classic appellations or discovering new favorite producers.
Bon Voyage! 4 Top Chefs and Food Writers Lead a Tasty Tour Through France and SpainThis headline covers the key phrase you provided and focuses on an interesting culinary travel experience, which aligns with the types of articles featured on the Mighty Travels website. - Barcelona's Best Bites: A Food Writer's Guide to Catalan Cuisine
Barcelona bustles with unforgettable flavors that reflect the region's distinct Catalan cuisine. From beachside seafood paella to pavement tapas bars, this diverse Mediterranean city offers a moveable feast for travelers. As a food writer who has extensively explored Barcelona's culinary scene, I'm delighted to share my insider tips on savoring the city's most authentic tastes and hidden gems.
At the heart of Catalan cooking lies the beloved paella, a rice dish loaded with seafood, meat, beans, and saffron. For my favorite beach paella, head to Can Majó in the Barceloneta neighborhood, just steps from the sand. Their seafood paella with tender calamari, mussels, and shrimp is cooked over open fires in traditional round pans to achieve the socarrat crust Catalans crave. Get there early to snag a table right on the boardwalk for panoramic ocean views.
Another quintessential Catalan experience is hopping between pintxo bars, grazing on small bites pinned to the counters with toothpicks. My top pick is Quimet & Quimet in the Poble-Sec area, a standing-room-only joint crammed with jars of preserved seafood. Don't miss the foie gras and anchovy toast, seared scallops with romesco, and sautéed wild mushrooms topped with a soft egg. Wash it all down with local vermouth on tap.
Besides pintxos, Barcelona excels at casual tapas restaurants known as tapas bars or tavernas. Cal Pep in the Born neighborhood has a buzzing counter dishing out impeccable seafood like grilled shrimp, fried baby squid, salt cod fritters, and marinated tuna belly. Snag one of the few tables for sharing plates of fava bean salad and spinach with raisins and pine nuts.
No food tour is complete without sampling Barcelona's sweets, especially crema catalana. This luscious custard is the region's answer to crème brûlée, with a caramelized sugar crust atop velvety egg custard infused with orange, lemon, and cinnamon. My number one spot for crema catalana is Caelum in the Gothic Quarter, where nuns began making it in the 17th century. Their version is ethereally light yet deeply aromatic.
Bon Voyage! 4 Top Chefs and Food Writers Lead a Tasty Tour Through France and SpainThis headline covers the key phrase you provided and focuses on an interesting culinary travel experience, which aligns with the types of articles featured on the Mighty Travels website. - The Charms of Churros: Madrid's Sweetest Tradition
Madrid boasts a longstanding love affair with churros, the addictive fried dough pastry traditionally dipped in thick hot chocolate for breakfast. While churros can be found all across Spain, they hold a special place in Madrilenos’ hearts and daily routines. Exploring this sweet local custom offers delightful insights into the city’s food culture.
Indulging in churros con chocolate at a bustling cafe or market stall remains an essential Madrid experience. Locals affectionately refer to the piping hot chocolate as “orujo” for its kick of flavor. Thick and intensely chocolatey, it’s the perfect partner to dip the ridged churros into before greedily devouring. Cafe San Gines in the city center has been serving churros since 1894, drawing crowds at all hours for its perfectly executed version. Under the original 19th century tiles, they churn out churros continuously, ensuring you’ll be served hot, crisp sticks as soon as you sit.
Churros stalls at El Rastro, Madrid’s sprawling Sunday flea market, also boast generations of tradition. Look for the banners advertising “churros recien hechos” and watch them being freshly fried to order. Grab your paper cone of churros and side of chocolate from the street vendor, then find a sunny plaza to sit and indulge your sweet tooth, just as locals have done for over a century.
For those craving an updated twist, Rabanito Amarillo in the Malasaña neighborhood serves churros with flavors like matcha green tea, tres leches, and dulce de leche in addition to classic chocolate. Their innovative fillings include Nutella and lemon curd, turning churros into an over-the-top dessert. Yet you’ll still find churros purists opting for the traditional chocolate pairing.
Part of churros’ enduring appeal lies in their versatility - they can be enjoyed at any time of day or night. Locals regularly stop for an afternoon merienda snack of churros or satisfy late night hunger pangs over churros and chocolate on the way home from the bar. During summer months, an early morning weekend outing for churros offers a refreshing break from the heat.
Bon Voyage! 4 Top Chefs and Food Writers Lead a Tasty Tour Through France and SpainThis headline covers the key phrase you provided and focuses on an interesting culinary travel experience, which aligns with the types of articles featured on the Mighty Travels website. - Lyon's Hidden Gems: Unearthing the Secrets of French Gastronomy
With its myriad bouchons, Michelin-starred restaurants, and bustling food markets, it’s no wonder Lyon is regarded as the gastronomic capital of France. Yet wandering through the cobbled lanes and traboules (secret passageways) reveals a more intimate side of Lyonnaise cuisine just waiting to be discovered. Venturing into the lesser-known neighborhoods grants a glimpse into the city’s culinary soul.
Start your exploration in Croix-Rousse, Lyon’s old silk-weaver district perched on a hillside above the city center. Long a working-class enclave, it has remained relatively undiscovered by tourists but boasts some of Lyon’s most authentic eateries. Tuck into huge plates of quenelles, pike dumplings in creamy crayfish sauce, at Le Garet. At Daniel & Denise, the convivial chef serves up family-style peasant fare like cervelle de canut, a smooth herb and cream cheese spread, followed by bugnes Lyonnaise fritters sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Wind your way up the slopes to find hole-in-the-wall Le Bieristan. Here you’ll rub shoulders with locals while sampling Cote de Boeuf ribs, duck confit, Saint Marcellin cheese, and other Lyonnaise specialties, all washed down with regional microbrews. The cozy, unpretentious vibe perfectly encapsulates Lyon’s culinary spirit.
Cross the Saône into the hidden gem that is Lyon’s 5th arrondissement. In this quiet residential area, you’ll chance upon down-to-earth eateries far from the tourist fray. At À Table en 5, Chef Yamina serves bright, contemporary twists on North African flavors, like roasted Tunisian shakshouka with a flaky pastry crust. Nearby À Ma Guise seduces with its daily chalkboard menus celebrating seasonal French fare.
Le Plat du Jour’s cheeky name, meaning “today’s special” in French, belies the refinement of their market-driven cuisine focused on quality ingredients and expert wine pairings. The experience feels like dining in a friend’s home. Don’t miss their signature boeuf bourguignon, tender beef slowly braised in red wine.
Save room for dessert at Pierre & Michel, an acclaimed Lyonnais patisserie specializing in praline tarts, strawberry charlottes, and picture-perfect Paris-Brest choux pastries. Their flourless chocolate cake encased in a shiny chocolate dome rivals those found in France’s top pâtisseries.
To taste Lyon’s food future, venture south across the Rhône into the newly hip Guillotière quarter. Cutting-edge natural wine bars like L’Instant and Mamma Roma have opened alongside multi-ethnic eateries offering tantalizing fusions. Grab a craft beer at Brique House while nibbling on their Franco-Asian tacos and keema naan burgers. End your epicurean explorations on a sweet note with Philippine-inspired halo-halo at Milkshop.
Bon Voyage! 4 Top Chefs and Food Writers Lead a Tasty Tour Through France and SpainThis headline covers the key phrase you provided and focuses on an interesting culinary travel experience, which aligns with the types of articles featured on the Mighty Travels website. - Farm to Table: Sampling Organic Fare in the French Countryside
Venturing into rural France offers a delicious opportunity to connect with the land and people who cultivate the country's famed cuisine. By seeking out small producers at their farms, farm stands, and authentic country restaurants, you can gain intimate access to the seasonal, hyper-local flavors that define France's culinary heritage. Tasting estate-bottled wines paired with just-picked produce and pasture-raised meats provides insights into French food culture while supporting sustainable family businesses.
Start by exploring open-air markets in towns like Revel, Albi, and Carcassonne to chat with farmers and sample their fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and cured meats. Seek out stands with handwritten signs advertising produits fermiers (farm products) for items sourced directly from nearby agricultural operations. Don't be shy about asking questions or requesting a taste to discover new favorite flavors. At an orchard stand, try a slice of a just-plucked Marlous pear. Scoop up a wedge of dense, velvety Tomme sheep's milk cheese to enjoy with crusty bread from the boulangerie.
Venture out of town into the undulating fields of the countryside. Follow scenic routes de vins leading to vineyards coaxed into existence on improbable hillsides. Family-run wineries like Grange des Peres in Languedoc open their ancient caves for tours and tastings that evoke the soul of their terroirs. Pairing their complex, mineral-laced old vine Grenache with a picnic lunch infuses a deeper appreciation for the intricate dance of climate, soil, and tradition underlying each bottle.
Seek out ferme auberges, or farmstead restaurants, for the ultimate locavore experience. Chef tables like La Table de la Bergerie in rolling Limousin country are actual working farms growing much of what appears on the daily chalkboard menus. Savor just-harvested cèpes mushroom tempura, velvety duck confit, or Limousin beef ensconced in a hay-smoked crust, paired with the estate's own appellation wines. Chat with the farmers as they describe their traditional, chemical-free cultivation methods.
Not every meal must be a special occasion. Humble country cafes deliver authentic flavors sourced from nearby pastures, orchards, and gardens. For a light lunch, try a luscious crottin de chavignol (goat cheese) salad dotted with walnuts, paired with a crisp Chinon. Enjoy crackers spread with rustic rillettes, potted duck topped with a layer of goose fat, with a glass of fruity, uncomplicated Brouilly. Let simplicity and quality ingredients shine.
Bon Voyage! 4 Top Chefs and Food Writers Lead a Tasty Tour Through France and SpainThis headline covers the key phrase you provided and focuses on an interesting culinary travel experience, which aligns with the types of articles featured on the Mighty Travels website. - Coastal Delights: Seafood Surprises Along the Spanish Riviera
Spain’s Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts tempt with a bounty of super-fresh seafood. From Galicia’s wild-caught Atlantic turbot to Catalonia’s just-off-the-boat prawns, the quality of maritime fare along Spain’s shores astounds. Digging deeper into the riches of the Spanish Riviera reveals hidden treasures - tiny fishing villages with zero pretension but the day’s catch on every menu.
Skipping past the glitzy beach resorts to out-of-the-way fishing hamlets lets you connect with traditions unchanged for generations. The focus stays squarely on honoring perfect seafood through simple preparations driven by quality over technique. Scoring a table at Malaga’s hottest celebrity chef restaurant guarantees disappointment compared to an utterly forgettable facade hiding Cádiz’s catch of the day, grilled over coals.
Wandering La Coruña’s atmospheric old town leads to casual marisquerias packed with locals slurping plump Galician oysters and steamed percebes barnacles. Tables strain under heaping platters of boiled crab, winking clams, gooseneck barnacles, and velvety sea urchin roe served au naturel with just a squirt of lemon. Cold, pristine shellfish requires zero adornment. Pair it with a crisp, lemony Albariño and the essence of the Atlantic materializes.
The farther you venture from San Sebastian’s famous Parte Vieja, the fewer Michelin stars surround you. The cooking gets simpler but more soulful, like the grilled rodaballo whole turbot at Orio’s no-frills Kaia Kaipe. Their fishermen owners serve just one catch a day with zero pretense beyond oak charcoal perfume. You won’t care about anything but how the collagen-rich flesh melts on your tongue.
Resist the siren call of touristy Cala Ratjada in Mallorca in favor of nearby Colònia de Sant Pere. This tranquil village offers intimate experiences like gathering sea urchins swaying in the rocky cove. Local company Es Trencadas takes you snorkeling before an alfresco lunch grilling your catch with foraged wild herbs. Those buttery sea urchin gonads plucked moments earlier taste sweeter than any elaborately constructed restaurant version ever could.
Veer from Marbella glam to the coast’s humblest beach shack known as a chiringuito. These makeshift eateries create zero waste, serving just-caught sardines and mackerel simply fried in olive oil. Sitting in the sand, cold beer in hand, pulling plump sardines off the skewer feels oddly luxurious. You won’t find fusion seafood tacos or lobster risotto here. Just pescadores putting perfect raw ingredients to exquisite use through restraint bordering on reverence.
Bon Voyage! 4 Top Chefs and Food Writers Lead a Tasty Tour Through France and SpainThis headline covers the key phrase you provided and focuses on an interesting culinary travel experience, which aligns with the types of articles featured on the Mighty Travels website. - Culinary Pilgrimage: Tracing the Steps of Legendary Chefs in Basque Country
The singular cuisine of the Basque Country has reached near mythical status in the culinary world, thanks largely to pioneering chefs like Juan Mari Arzak, Martin Berasategui, and Andoni Aduriz. These legendary innovators put the pintxos of San Sebastian and avant-garde Basque cooking on menus worldwide, influencing generations of rising global talents. For food lovers, journeying through Basque Country offers a pilgrimage tracing the roots of these culinary visionaries by eating at their temples, walking their home streets, and witnessing their creative process firsthand.
Visiting the famed Parte Vieja of San Sebastian remains essential to appreciate Basque cuisine’s origins. Bars like Gandarias dazzle with pintxos perfection - seared foie gras on toast, grilled shrimp skewers draped in melted cheese, charred baby squid with caramelized onions. Nearby La Cuchara de San Telmo pioneered the modern incarnation of pintxos by incorporating avant-garde techniques into miniature bites. Their foie bonbons with port gelee encapsulate the genre’s evolution.
Just being present in the Parte Vieja feels like bearing witness to history, with Arzak and Berasategui launching their empires mere blocks away. Yet Basque Country’s pilgrimage trails lead beyond the bars to the spiritual homes of its celebrated chefs. The route begins in the hills of Alto Degua, where Berasategui grew up on his family’s sidreria. Visiting the restaurant today for lobster bisque and turbot with maritime essences is to taste Martin’s childhood through his refined modern lens.
In the seaside town of Getaria, Arzak’s eponymous temple Dialogo looms over the cliffs. Dining here on dishes like “Steak Tartare in Three Textures” prepared tableside illustrates his lasting creative impact. One can almost see Juan Mari as a boy roaming these same hills in search of wild herbs. Nearby, his daughter Elena has furthered his legacy at Ametsa with Arzak Instruction.
But the pilgrimage now takes curious travelers beyond the established masters to glimpse the vanguard of Basque cuisine. In remote Axpe they seek Asador Etxebarri, where self-taught genius Victor Arguinzoniz grills seafood and beef over unique varieties of fragrant wood fire. At Mugaritz outside San Sebastian, Andoni Aduriz conjures multi-sensory fantasy with dishes like pinecone-infused ice cream. Their processes reveal the myriad influences propelling modern Basque gastronomy ever forward.