Hi, I’m Laura… and I am a foodie traveler. YEP. As much as I am a culture seeker and slow traveler, I must confess - food is a huge component of how I plan and organize my travels. As much as you’ll find ancient sites and once in a lifetime local experiences on my bucket list, you’ll also find a healthy dose of restaurants, dishes and flavors that are “must do’s” too.

My love for foodie experiences abroad stems back to one man: Anthony Bourdain. His travels, tasting the world and learning from its people over traditional meals has always left me inspired. Truly, I think Anthony’s legacy lives on through the savory, delicious meals travelers seek out because of his writing and his shows.

Over the years, I’ve come to realize that many of us out there seek travel experiences for culinary experiences. (I mean, many of you who listen to my podcast Passports & Pizza know this!) And today, I’m coming out on the open to share some of the crazy/silly/strange things I’ve done as a foodie traveler. As Usher once said, “these are my confessions…”

I’ve Planned An Entire Day Around One Meal

You read that right. An entire twenty four hour day centered on one meal. Anybody else?

My Google Maps Is Dotted With A Zillion Restaurants

I love using Google Maps to plan day to day excursions. But, truthfully about 80% of my “starred” places around the world are restaurants and cafes! There’s nothing quite like wandering around a new neighborhood and realizing that you’re only a few blocks away from an amazing coffee shop or cocktail place.

I Won’t Splurge On Anything - Except A Great Meal

This is TOO REAL. I’ve often admitted that I have spending problems, especially when it comes to “splurging” on myself. I don’t have a budget for clothing or shoes, I always buy pharmacy brand cosmetics… the list goes on. However, where I will splurge is on a fantastic meal. Don’t ask me how I rationalize this, but it’s true!

Food Is The First Thing I’ll Recommend When Friends Ask For Recommendations

Whenever I get an email or text asking for travel recommendations, my first thought is always - FOOD. Sure, I’ll give you a nice “must do” list and where we stayed… but you can bet that more than half of the things I’ll recommend are local specialities and where to find them.

When Choosing The Next Destination - Food Is A Deciding Factor

When it comes time to determining where the next adventure lies, I won’t lie to you - I’m constantly thinking about the culinary experiences I long to have. Trying authentic xiao long bao in Taipei? Tasting matcha tea in Kyoto? Savoring cacio e pepe in Rome? Forget about it! This is what dreams are made of. That being said, being a foodie traveler, I’ve never experienced a destination with horrible food. Everything is a new experience and a new flavor to try!

Over-Hyped Restaurants Make Me Furious

There’s absolutely nothing more upsetting in my eyes than when a restaurant that is consistently recommended falls short. It’s like a bad break up. Seriously. But on the other hand…

Finding A Hidden Gem Restaurant Feels Like The Biggest Victory

One of the things that brings me the biggest joy is finding that hole-in-the-wall restaurant that blows my mind. Finding a hidden gem of a cafe, breakfast spot, family owned restaurant that really nails a local specialty? A dream come true! (P.S. you can bet those finds are showing up on my ultimate guides!) Truly, there’s something so satisfying about discovering a hidden gem of a place.