Travel is always an investment in good taste. Make one of these seven amazing cities for food your next destination. Turn off the Food Network, book a flight, and treat your taste buds to new cuisines and new sensations.

1. Portland

In the last few years, Portland has emerged as a top stop for food lovers. During a recent trip, I fell in love with Division Street in Southeast Portland. The street is lined with incredible restaurants, bars and shops. It’s a veritable foodie wonderland where you’ll be tempted to make a few stops in one night to sample different cuisines. And why shouldn’t you? The must: Ava Genes is not to be missed. The Italian food they serve is some of the best I’ve had the pleasure of tasting. For real! Feast on the ribeye with cauliflower, anchovy and watercress butter. Their wines and cocktails perfectly match the quality of the food (try the Sanquita Sidekick). With great décor and a staff that is summarily sexy, you are guaranteed a great night. 

Also: Aviary and Little Bird

Stay: Courtyard Portland City Center

2. Chicago

This hotbed of culinary action offers a hundred good reasons to pay a visit. Here are a few to entice you. Blackbird is a windy city classic with a dazzling interior and even more exquisite menu. Next, Billy Sunday where the name of the game is elevated bar food. Be sure to try the Pimento Cheese Balls, Steak Tartare and Confit Mushroom Tartine. Then, Embeya offers mouthwatering Asian-inspired fare. Consider the Smoked Scallops with Snow Peas on Frisée.

Also: Telegraph, Pizzaeast

Stay: Hotel Chicago Downtown, Autograph Collection

3. New Orleans

Eating has always been serious business in New Orleans where the dining scene has reached new heights and grown more experimental in the past few years. Don’t fret, Creole cuisine is still king. But, now you’ll find visionary restaurants with Vietnamese and Latin interpretations popping up.
Musts: MoPho and Mint

Stay: AC Hotel New Orleans Bourbon/French Quarter Area

4. Los Angeles

A few years ago, some might have snickered if you said that LA was a great destination for foodies. NoNobody’s laughing now. The city has a long list of exceptional eateries for every budget. The hottest newcomers can be found in surging DTLA (that’s Downtown) and Koreatown. In the latter, you will find some of the best Korean BBQ such as Kang Odong Baekjeong or Cassell’s Hamburgers, a staple in the neighborhood. Downtown, you must try Baco Mercat with its signature flat bread sandwich, the Bäco. The must is Petit Trois, with the best omelet you’ll ever have.

Also: Pot, Gracias Madre

Stay: JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE

5. San Francisco

When it comes to the culinary arts, San Francisco is to the West Coast what New York is to the East Coast. You’ll recognize a strong Asian influence in SF. The best representation of this is Slanted Door with its Vietnamese fusion fare. The cocktails are to die for, and the food is out of this world. Make sure you try the cotton candy for dessert. If you’re not a big fan of Asian food, book Flour & Water in the Mission District where I highly recommend their pasta tasting, a sampling of 6 pasta dishes that changes seasonally. 

Also: Prospect, Akiko’s.

Stay: Hotel Adagio, Autograph Collection

6. Miami

In the past few years, Miami has made great strides toward becoming a world-class destination for art and leisure. The food scene is no exception! Most of this evolution is happening not in South Beach but in the city proper. The Design District to be specific. Take one night off from SoBe, hop in an Uber, and make sure your first stop is MC Kitchen for some green-market Italian bites. Continue to Sugarcane where the tapas and ice-cold Caipirinhas are everything.

Also: Juvia has amazing views and excellent drinks. Cecconi’s has a fabulous crowd you’ll want to be in the mix with.

Stay: Hotel Beaux Arts Miami 

7. New York

New York is, of course, the quintessential foodie. Try to skip the best burger joint hoopla and treat yourself to the fine dining experiences that only New York can conjure. First night: Le Bernardin. Yes, it’s a pricey experience, but you will be introduced to so many firsts–food that is so beautifully presented with the best ingredients money can buy. Do dress to impress. Second night: Untitled from Chef Danny Meyer, a new hot spot in the city’s dining scene that’s located on the ground level of the Whitney Museum in the Meatpacking District. Be sure to try the Spare ribs with peaches, caraflex cabbage and cured radish.

Stay: The New York EDITION

Photography and words by Jonathan Ducrest