Whether your tastes lean traditional or trendy, Charleston delivers. As the heart of Lowcountry cuisine — a coastal blend of seafood, rice and diverse cultural influences rooted in the city’s historic port — this Southern treasure offers a rich, sensory experience at every turn. 

“The food scene in Charleston is very diverse, with cultural influences from Italian to Gullah (enslaved Africans),” says Rodney Scott, the James Beard Award-winning pitmaster and owner of Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQ. 

For seafood with flair, line up for the 40-seat Chubby Fish and order a caviar sandwich, or head to the waterfront Bowen’s Island for fresh oysters and Frogmore stew, a combination of sausage, shrimp, corn and potatoes. Brunch is an everyday affair here, not just a Sunday indulgence. At the iconic Poogan’s Porch, dig into Lowcountry hash and to-die-for buttermilk biscuits.

Home to more than 800 farms, Maui is at the center of Hawaii regional cuisine — a vibrant fusion where Indigenous meets immigrant cultures. The food here is “a true mixed plate of Hawaiian, Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese and even Mexican,” says Peter Merriman, chef and owner of Merriman’s and a pioneer in the farm-to-table movement. Thanks to rich volcanic soil and the surrounding Pacific Ocean, Maui’s bounty is as diverse as it is delicious. You’ll find it showcased everywhere, from upscale Oao sushi to mom-&-pop-style rice bowls at Tin Roof (above, bottom right), from “Top Chef” alum Sheldon Simeon. The sourdough pizzeria at Restaurant Marlow sources ingredients from greens to beef from nearby producers, and visitors can dine on the farm at Maui Bees, which raises honeybees and holds weekly seven-course dinners inspired by their gardens.

America’s biggest and most cosmopolitan city, New York has given the world a lot to chew on, from street-corner hot dogs to cronuts. Classics endure, like Katz’s Deli, serving up sandwiches since 1888, and the occasion-worthy Grand Central Oyster Bar. But innovative newcomers like the Peruvian izakaya Papa San (right) should also be on the menu. The city’s Italian roots run deep, from touristy Little Italy — where Emilio’s Ballato turns out superior pastas — to the boroughs (try Borgo in Brooklyn from hit-making restaurateur Andrew Tarlow). And then there’s the pizza. By the slice or whole, pizza is in a category all its own. Lombardi’s Coal Oven Pizza, established in 1905, claims the title of America’s first pizzeria. At Lucali, you can watch dough maestro Mark Iacono stretch your pie before it hits the oven.

From café culture to fine dining and sweet patisserie treats, the City of Light delivers a full spectrum of gastronomic awe for every palate and budget. Build a trip around meals at Michelin-starred restaurants like the elegant Pierre Gagnaire and its avant-garde take on French cuisine, or procure taste-tingling picnic provisions at the lively Marché d’Aligre, one of the city’s most beloved markets (and scene of the barricades of the 1789 revolution).

Paris also makes it easy to go to the source for classics. Make a stop at Stohrer, the city’s oldest pastry shop, founded by King Louis XV’s personal pastry chef, for its rum baba, which was invented here. When you’ve had your fill of baguettes, visit Du Pain et des Idées for its acclaimed rustic loaves called pain des amis, or bread of friends.

As one of only two UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy in the United States, San Antonio’s food scene boasts a rich culinary heritage shaped by centuries of cultural exchange. “You have to tour the Mission San Jose,” says local restaurateur Diana Barrios Treviño, referring to the 18th-century Spanish colonial church, “because they tell you who brought what to the table — Native Americans, Spaniards, Germans and Mexican vaqueros” (or cowboys). Treviño runs the iconic Mexican Los Barrios, a must-try place for Monterrey-style cabrito. It also makes bang-up renditions of the city’s staple puffy taco, subbing deep-fried masa for tortillas, along with institutions like Ray’s Drive Inn. Texas loves barbecue, of course, but in San Antonio, it gets a global accent at the Jamaican Jerk Shack and the Tex-Asian Curry Boys BBQ.