As veganism
becomes increasingly the “mode de mange”, Tel Aviv is making a
strong case for being crowned as the plant-based capital of the
world. With around 400 vegan-friendly restaurants speckled
throughout the city, competition is high. Our top picks? Four One
Six serves vegan takes on meaty local classics (such as seitan
shawarma), Bana is unerringly healthy and Opa
has the muted interiors of a White Cube gallery with a pared-back
menu to match. Budding chefs should swing by one of the city’s
shuks (markets) for fresh veg before visiting Levinsky Market in
Florentin to pick up spices (a bag also makes for a charming
souvenir). Of course, no trip to Israel would be complete without
some good, old-fashioned hummus and falafel. Abu Hassan in the Old
City of Jaffa has you covered.

TO STAY: The Levee

This year’s a big’un for Galway. Not only is the city the
European Capital of Culture 2020, but the bounteous area that
surrounds it has earned its stripes too – Galway and the West of
Ireland was the official European Region of Gastronomy in 2018.
Nourishment is the buzzword here. At Michelin-starred Loam,
Head Chef Enda McEvoy’s menu changes daily depending on local
availability. The same goes at Aniar, Galway’s other achingly chic Michelin-starred
restaurant, where hand-weathered ceramics are used to present
artfully dishevelled small plates. In the city, Kai is a go-to for less formal, but no less local
fare. Real gastronomes should also drive out of town and into the
rip-roaring countryside. The Fisherman’s Pub at
Ballynahinch Castle is a creaky, rustic bolthole with an
unexpectedly elegant menu.

TO STAY: The g Hotel

“Mutt City” isn’t the most flattering or ethical of nicknames,
but it’s affectionately used in Houston to describe the city’s
diverse panoply of intercultural cuisine. You want American-style
cooking with Italian, Vietnamese and Mexican influences? They’ve
got it. In fact, Houston is known as the official birthplace of
“Tex-Mex” and The Original Ninfa’s on
Navigation professes to have first coined the term. It’s a
fairly flimsy claim, but you’ll turn a blind eye after trying its
red-snapper ceviche. The self-defined “Modern American” restaurant,
Nancy’s Hustle is also worth a visit. Visitors should loosen their
belts before tucking into Houston’s gut-busting, old-American
classics. Frank’s Americana Revival is famed for its
chicken-fried steak while the waffle breakfast at Liberty Kitchen is more sophisticated than it sounds.
Make a note of Rosie Cannonball, Politan Row and Davis Street at Hermann Park;
they’re on our radar as some of the most exciting new openings this
year.

TO STAY: Hotel Alessandra

South of Seville,
just around the corner from the rowdy crowds of the Costa del Sol,
sits the harbour-side city of Cádiz. It’s a food-lover’s heaven, so
much so that the Spanish even have a word (gaditano) for the type
of glutton that falls for the city’s gastronomic charms. Visitors
should stop by a freiduria – linchpins of the city, where tiny
little Atlantic coast snappers are deep-fried and served like
chips. Such a cavalier approach is telling of a city that’s blessed
with oodles of seafood. El Tío de la Tiza and El
Faro de Cádiz are recognised as two of the city’s best
restaurants. For rustic Spanish dishes visit El Jardín del Califa and
Califa Tapas – the owners are
also the brains behind Hotel Plaza 18 – an antique-filled merchant’s house
and the most stylish boutique hotel to grace the city in years.

TO STAY: Hotel Boutique Convento
Cádiz

In Tbilisi it’s all about cheesy, carb-y, life-affirming dishes
with spicy Ottoman undercurrents. For traditional dining with a nod
to modernity, visit Keto and Kote. Elarji is a slow-cooked cornmeal
dish which looks like hummus but has the elasticity of a fondue –
Georgians are raised on the stuff and Keto and Kote do it well. Its
Baje – a walnut-y sauce seasoned with coriander – is also typical
of the region. Get your fill of khachapuri (roundels of bread
stuffed with cheese) at PurPur. Set on the rooftop of an old mansion, this
restaurant is something of a whimsical cacophony, dressed in
mismatched tablecloths and endearingly gaudy old lampshades. The
Café Gallery isn’t known as a foodie hotspot, but is abuzz with
creatives – come for its food, stay for the crowd.

TO STAY: Rooms Hotel Tbilisi