An incredible one in seven UK travellers has chosen a holiday destination based solely on the sights of the food on Instagram, according to new research from Heathrow in their Taste the World report. So wouldn’t it be handy to know the top ten most Instagrammed food destinations around the world before you went away? You wouldn’t want to miss out.
One in five will choose which restaurants to dine in based on what that restaurant’s food looks like on Instagram. As a working travel writer, food reviewer and social media obsessive on the side, I’m not at all shocked by this.
What I was a little surprises at, was the fact that 28 per cent of Brits not only said that they post pictures of their holidays meals, but that they actually they enjoy their holiday more by doing so. If this sounds like you, then check out my post on ten top tips for taking a great #foodie photo for Instagram.
So, where are the top ten most Instagrammed food destinations?
Madrid
Fideuà. Everyone knows and loves paella, but Fideuà is the pasta version. It culminates the typical vegetables, shellfish, tomato and paprika with thin, short noodles to replace the rice.
Paris
Steak tartare. This French classic is on the menu at almost every old-school eatery, often served with frites and the obligatory raw egg yolk.
Edinburgh
Jackfruit. This popular meat substitute is a hit with meat lovers as well as vegetarians, vegans and plant-based eaters. It’s cropping up in curries, stews and ‘pulled-pork’ style tacos and subs across the city.
Rome
Negronis. The slightly more sophisticated, stronger, older sister of the Aperol Spritz, Negronis are famously Italian and there’s no shortage of watering holes in Rome to enjoy an authentic tipple.
New York
Egg waffle ice cream cones with toppings. They hail from Hong Kong, originally known as ‘gai daan zai’ and look like bubble wrap. These made their way over to New York and spread out of Chinatown across the city. The waffle is wrapped into a cone shape and filled with ice-cream and toppings – a dessert-lover’s dream.
Toronto
Charcoal pizza. Charcoal has been sneaking its way into vegan eateries, juice bars and health spots for a while in Toronto but it’s now made it onto several restaurant menus too, notably as carbon crust pizza.
LA
Frosé. Move over tequila, you can keep your frozen margaritas, frozen rose is everywhere in LA and frosé cocktails (the adult slushies) are the only thing anyone is sipping on this summer.
Hong Kong
Dim Sum. There’s no lack of Dim Sum in Hong Kong, it’s everywhere and one of the most popular regional dishes – a must-try for visitors.
Singapore
Raindrop cake. This originated in Japan but is now super popular in Singapore and is all over Instagram. It looks like silicone but is made from seaweed agar and if it’s not eaten within 30 minutes it will dissolve into a puddle, like rain!
Miami
Vaca frita con moros. That’s shredded beef with black beans and rice. Cuban food is king in Miami and this is one of the most popular dishes. The beef is slow cooked with onions and if eaten somewhere truly authentic, the rice is served in a little dome shape.
Additional Taste the World research findings include:
37 per cent of people typically consider a destination’s food/cuisine when planning a trip
25 per cent of people have been influenced to try a new restaurant in a holiday destination they’re set to travel to because of images they’ve seen on social media
14 per cent of Brits (one in seven) have been influenced to travel to a new holiday destination based on other peoples’ images of food on social media
32 per cent of people say that food and drink is one of the main things they get enjoyment from when they travel
People consider Italian food to be the most appealing cuisine on social media
Research conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Heathrow Airport in June 2017 with 1,000 UK adults.
See more food and travel here.
Nice to see that my hometown of NYC made the list. Besides which, we got the best pizzas in the world!
How fun! I’ve been to both Paris and Rome, but it was before instagram. Man, they had some delicious foods there, though!
What a fantastic list! The only place I have been thus far is Los Angeles. I would love to travel those destinations tasting everything and getting a feel of the culture and vibe!
Toronto and Hong Kong are the only place left on this list for me – and I will be ticking off Toronto in a few weeks!! So many tasty destinations!
Awesome pictures taken so far i think. I like the airplane shot, its awesome to take shot from the sky!
Nice article and makes sense that New York and Miami are in the list both cities have amazing diverse food and great restaurants.
When I travel one of the best things to do is try the local food!
I have been to many of these places, and need to visit many more. I think Dallas is underrated for it’s awesome food. We really have a bit of everything.
Food pictures on Instagram always get my attention. I really want to travel to Hong Kong to enjoy dimsum cause it’s my most favorite food ever. Thanks for the fantastic list.
Wow!! This i such a great article. Yes, Madris and LA has a lot of delightful delicacies. This is a must try place. Love it.
I never would have thought of jackfruit as a meat substitute. How fascinating.