Foodie Escapes

Where to go to taste the world

This May Travellers’ Tales is uncovering delectable food and wine destinations and innovative trip ideas. Farm to fork and Michelin-star fine dining, we can craft exciting gourmet experiences around the globe.

Basque Country

The Basque Country of northern Spain is known for valleys of vineyards, fresh seasonal produce and a distinct cuisine. It includes the famous vineyards of Rioja, the historic pintxo (tapas) bars of San Sebastian and villages nestled among the mountains steeped in culinary tradition. In Olaeta, meet the shepherds who make Basque cheeses. Explore the historic port of Lekeitio and head out to sea with the local fishermen. Venture to vibrant cities packed with world renowned Michelin star restaurants, from San Sebastian to Guernica.

No tour of the Basque Country is complete without the wineries. Stay at a family-owned winery or visit a bodega that produces a local Basque white wine known as 'Txakoli'. Travellers’ Tales has food and wine books to whet your appetite. The region is best showcased in Basque Country, blending local recipes with stories and photos that demonstrate the distinctive culinary culture.

Taiwan

Taiwan is a growing hub of cuisine, best sampled at local night markets adorned in glowing lanterns amid neon city streets. We will help to navigate the maze of food stalls to know exactly where to go, and what to order. Taiwan is at the forefront of Asian food trends from bubble tea to steamed bao buns. It also has unique offerings such as the only Michelin-starred ice cream shop in the world, Minimal, which offers a seven-course tasting menu and has its own takeaway shop.

The traditional local dishes are some of the best; where Chinese and Japanese cuisine intertwine. Sample tender beef noodle soup, crispy scallion pancakes, tangy hot-pot, stinky tofu and more. One tradition shared with Japan is the bento box, best enjoyed on trains that speed along the incredible coastline. We can arrange tours that embrace the journey itself, sitting in comfort sampling the best braised pork, pickled vegetables or fried chicken.   

The perfect literary companion is Taiwan Travelogue, a novel set in 1930’s Taiwan that is shortlisted for the 2026 International Booker Prize. This novel follows a Japanese writer and her Taiwanese interpreter who travel around the country and discover the food of each region. Each chapter is named after a local dish ranging from high cuisine to local snacks and features mouth-watering accounts of each and every dish.

Peru

Peru is renowned for its food. One of our favourites is ceviche – fresh fish marinated in leche de tigre, a refreshing citrussy sauce of lime, coriander, onion and chilli often served with sweet potato. The adventurous try grilled guinea pig. Another unique delicacy is alpaca. The tender red meat is served as a stir-fry or steak and best enjoyed as a slow-cooked stew.

Travellers’ Tales can take you to Mistura, a food festival that takes place in Lima every September. Discover huge markets of local ingredients, chef-led cookery classes and shows, and the best street food the country has to offer. We can arrange for you to privately meet a renowned Peruvian chef afterwards to learn more. Then, discover Central: regarded as the number one restaurant in the world!

Our suggested reading for such a trip is Peru, a colourful cookbook by Gastón Acurio. One unexpected cuisine is Chifa. This is a Chinese Peruvian fusion, born from the Chinese immigrant community living in Lima. Chifa uses the best local Andean ingredients, cooked in Chinese style, lomo soltado beef stir fry, wok cooked plantains, rice and pineapple.  Peru, the cookbook, shows how the classic Peruvian ceviche can be cooked chifa-style by mixing fresh local fish with pickled vegetables and dressing with sesame oil and peanuts.

 Mauritius

Mauritius has a vibrant multicultural food scene. Caught between Africa and Asia and offering an abundance of fresh local ingredients, the varying cuisines include Indian, French, Creole and Chinese.

Travellers’ Tales will arrange for you to fish off the spectacular coast with deep-sea fishing charters to hook the freshest catch. Explore the local markets or cook yourself on an open fire on the beach.

Attend private cooking classes to learn authentic Mauritian recipes, from fish curries to boulettes (Chinese dumplings packed with local ingredients). Cooking classes can be arranged with a local family to learn traditional home-cooking.

Our Inspiration

Novels with tasty descriptions have been popular since the famous Like Water for Chocolate transported millions of readers to sizzling Mexico. More recently, Asako Yuzuki’s Butter captured audiences with its sumptuous Japanese and French food descriptions. Many chefs have dabbled in travel writing - notably Anthony Bourdain mixes his descriptions with more practical tips.

We have a wide range of cookbooks and wine books, to transport the world into your kitchen. For the ultimate gift, pair with a Travellers’ Tales Gift Card for the recipient to spend towards their own holiday to a delicious destination of their choice. Discover the endless possibilities of foodie escapes at Travellers' Tales.