Food & Wine
The best food cities in Europe: 8 places to travel to for the food
Some cities you visit for the museums. These you visit to eat. Here is Picolo’s list of the best food cities in Europe, from pintxos in San Sebastián to ragù in Bologna and pastéis de nata in Lisbon, with a hotel in each city.
It is quarter past nine on a Tuesday evening in San Sebastián. The bars in the old town are packed, the counters covered with little slices of bread topped with anchovies, ham and peppers, and people stand with a glass of txakoli, pointing. Nobody sits down. Everyone moves on to the next bar. These are the moments that make a city a food city.
We have chosen eight cities in Europe where food is the main reason to travel, and where you can eat well without booking months ahead. For each city we have picked a hotel well placed for eating.
The links to the hotels are partner links. If you book through them, Picolo may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
How we chose the food cities
A food culture of its own: dishes and traditions you cannot get as good elsewhere.
Good food at every level: from street food and markets to Michelin-starred restaurants.
Easy to reach: direct flights from the UK or one connection.
Walkable: you should be able to eat your way through the city on foot.
Spain and France
San Sebastián: pintxos and starred restaurants
San Sebastián is often called one of the world’s best food cities, with pintxos bars in the old town and several Michelin-starred restaurants in and around the city. Go from bar to bar, order one pintxo and one glass, and move on.
Hotel Maria Cristina is the city’s Belle Époque classic on the Urumea river, with the old town and its bars within walking distance.
Book your food trip: See rooms at Hotel Maria Cristina
Villa Florentine
Views over Lyon
Lyon: bouchons and the market hall
Lyon is often called the gastronomic capital of France. Eat in a bouchon, the traditional bistros serving sausages, quenelles and local wines, and shop for cheese and charcuterie at Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse.
Villa Florentine sits on the hillside above the old town, with views over the whole city from its terrace.
Book your food trip: See rooms at Villa Florentine
Hotel Montalembert
Saint-Germain, Paris
Paris: bistros, boulangeries and cheese
In Paris you can eat simply and brilliantly on the same day: a croissant from the local bakery, lunch at a bistro and cheese from a fromagerie. The Left Bank has some of the city’s best known food shops.
Hotel Montalembert is in Saint-Germain, close to Rue du Bac and the food shops around Le Bon Marché.
Book your food trip: See rooms at Hotel Montalembert
Italy
Art Hotel Commercianti
Medieval Bologna
Bologna: tagliatelle, mortadella and the market streets
Bologna is the home of ragù, tortellini and mortadella. The market streets of the Quadrilatero, next to Piazza Maggiore, are full of cheese, ham and fresh pasta, and the city has some of Italy’s most traditional trattorias.
Art Hotel Commercianti is in a medieval building by the cathedral, right in the food district.
Book your food trip: See rooms at Art Hotel Commercianti
Grand Hotel Vesuvio
On the Bay of Naples
Naples: the home of pizza
Naples is the place for real Neapolitan pizza, pizza fritta and sfogliatella. Read our own guide to the best pizza in Naples for the pizzerias and the street food.
Grand Hotel Vesuvio stands on the seafront at Via Partenope, looking out to Castel dell’Ovo.
Book your food trip: See rooms at Grand Hotel Vesuvio
Portugal
Bairro Alto Hotel
Between Chiado and Bairro Alto
Lisbon: pastéis de nata, seafood and the market hall
Lisbon has pastéis de nata, grilled sardines, bacalhau and some of Europe’s best seafood bars. The market hall at Cais do Sodré gathers many of the city’s well known chefs under one roof.
Bairro Alto Hotel is on Praça Luís de Camões, between Chiado and Bairro Alto, with a roof terrace facing the river.
Book your food trip: See rooms at Bairro Alto Hotel
The Yeatman
The wine hotel in Vila Nova de Gaia
Porto: francesinha and the port lodges
In Porto you eat francesinha, a hearty sandwich in sauce, and drink port in the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia across the river. The city is also the gateway to the Douro Valley.
The Yeatman is a wine hotel in Vila Nova de Gaia, overlooking Porto and the Douro river.
Book your food trip: See rooms at The Yeatman
Scandinavia
Hotel Alexandra
By City Hall Square, Copenhagen
Copenhagen: New Nordic and smørrebrød
Copenhagen has been the heart of New Nordic cuisine for years, but it is just as good at the simple things: smørrebrød for lunch, cinnamon swirls from the bakery and a hot dog from a street stand. Torvehallerne by Nørreport is a good place to start.
Hotel Alexandra is by City Hall Square, with classic Danish design furniture in the rooms.
Book your food trip: See rooms at Hotel Alexandra
When is the best time for a food trip?
Spring and autumn are the best seasons for most of these cities: the markets are full, it is pleasant to walk, and the restaurants are open. In August many Italian and French restaurants close for the summer holidays.
When should you book your hotel?
Starred restaurants: book your table before you book your hotel.
San Sebastián and Lyon: fill up during festivals and big events.
Flexible rates: choose a cancellable room if you are planning far ahead.
Frequently asked questions about Europe’s best food cities
What is the best food city in Europe?
There is no single answer, but San Sebastián, Bologna, Lyon and Naples are often at the top. San Sebastián is known for pintxos and many starred restaurants, Bologna for pasta and ragù, Lyon for bouchons and Naples for pizza.
Which European city is best for street food?
Naples is among the best, with pizza fritta, cuoppo and folded pizza. Lisbon and Porto also have good, affordable street food, and San Sebastián has pintxos eaten standing at the bar.
Do you need to book restaurants in advance?
For the best known restaurants, especially those with Michelin stars, you need to book well ahead. Pintxos bars, bouchons and pizzerias often do not take bookings, so you simply walk in.
When is the best time for a food holiday in Europe?
Spring and autumn are best, with good produce in the markets and comfortable temperatures. Try to avoid August in Italy and France, when many restaurants close for holidays.
Where should you stay on a food trip?
Stay central, so you can walk between markets, bars and restaurants. We have chosen hotels in the heart of each city’s food scene, such as Maria Cristina in San Sebastián and Art Hotel Commercianti in Bologna.