Top 10 Food Cities to Visit From a Cruise Ship

By Kimberly Coyne

Planning a vacation involves a lot of details, from selecting the right location, hotels, cruise flights, etc. One area of growing interest for travelers is to experience the food culture, from local cuisine and food markets to the top-rated restaurants and other delicacies. Spending a port day on a cruise doesn’t have to involve the typical shore excursion to museums and monuments. Many cruisers seek food tours and restaurant experiences as their favorite thing to do in ports worldwide. In reviewing The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, many of these highly acclaimed last-based restaurants are accessible to experience by cruise ship either during a port day or pre/post cruise stay.

If you are planning a cruise to any of the cities below and want to immerse yourself in the food culture fully, consider booking a reservation at these once-in-a-lifetime restaurants. You will have bragging rights to share with foodies at home and onboard your ship. You will also enjoy a gastronomical experience only a few people lucky enough to get a reservation can experience.

1. Copenhagen, Denmark

The food scene in Copenhagen has transformed in recent years from restaurants serving meatballs and traditional smorrebrod to expanding the palate and offerings to include Michelin star-rated restaurants. The food revolution is sending foodies to this beautiful city in droves.

According to Word’s 50 Best Restaurants, Copenhagen is home to several top-rated restaurants. Coming in at the top spot is the number one-ranked Noma. The restaurant offers a special lunch menu featuring vegetables from a local community of farmers. The average lunch is DKK 3000 per person, about $400 pp USD. Reservations can be made on their website to ensure a table at the highest-rated restaurant.

Coming at number two on the World’s Best List is Geranium, also in Copenhagen. The restaurant suggests that you allow at least 3 hours to experience the courses. For lunch and dinner, reservations should be made as far in advance as possible and require a deposit.

There is no shortage of restaurant choices serving up Nordic traditions to exotic gourmet experiences. With so many organic and locally produced foods, Copenhagen is quickly becoming a food lover's paradise.

Cruises to Copenhagen

2. Barcelona, Spain

Many ships are spending the day in Barcelona, and numerous ships call the port home for the Mediterranean season. The fifth-ranked restaurant, Disfrutar, calls Barcelona home. The restaurant is only open in the evenings for dinner service, so reservations should be made as early as possible. The restaurant is located a short 20 min cab ride from the port.

For those in Barcelona only for a port day, another option would be to try the sister restaurant, Compartir, which offers a lunch and dinner service. But, again, advance reservations are highly recommended, and the location is approximately a 20-25 minute taxi ride from the port.

For other food options, most of Barcelona serves up traditional Catalan dishes, many with a contemporary twist on the local favorites. Residents of Barcelona are not considered adventurous eaters, so many restaurants will serve variations of the same dishes. There is not a huge international influence here, but the notable exception is Japanese food, with sushi becoming very popular in recent years.

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3. Stockholm, Sweden

Spending a day in Stockholm can be hard to decide what to do with all the options available to cruisers. Be sure to experience the four courses at the boutique restaurant Frantzén, the number six top-rated restaurant worldwide. With only 23 seats available, reservations are a must, and the fixed menu is the same for lunch and dinner and includes beverage pairing with each course.

The restaurant is located a quick 10-15 minute taxi ride from the cruise pier and a short walk from the central train station and other local attractions.

Stockholm is widely regarded for its diverse gastronomy and exciting restaurants from top-rated chefs. From traditional cuisine to pop-up contemporary fusion stands, the city offers a plethora of seafood and shellfish dishes sure to please pescatarians and general foodies alike. Click here for a list of other suggested restaurants to check out in Stockholm.

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4. Lima, Peru

In a suburb of Lima, Peru, about a 30-40 taxi ride from the cruise port of Callao, discover the seventh-ranked restaurant in the world, Maido. Mitsuharu “Micha” Tsumura is the head chef and owner of the restaurant. Born in Lima, inspired by Osaka, and studied in the US, the dining experience at Maido is sure to be as unique and varied as the owner himself. Open for lunch and dinner and offering three dining experiences that merge Peruvian cuisine with Japanese to form a new reality: Nikkei Cuisine.

For those looking to take in more local cuisine, the traditional foods of Peru are pretty varied, from the delicacy of cuy (aka guinea pig) to ceviche. For a more detailed list of local cuisine and suggested restaurants, check out the food and drink guide: 10 things to try in Lima.

Cruises to Lima (Callao)

5. Singapore

The island country of Singapore merges many Asian cultures with Western influence to create this unique experience of old and new. Odette, number eight on the list, was founded in 2015 by chef Julien Royer and named after his grandmother. The restaurant features modern French cuisine with Asian influences to create a palate-pleasing menu of unique flavors. Located about a 10-15 minute taxi ride from the cruise port and next to the National Gallery of Singapore, Odette is open for lunch and dinner. Reservations open 60 days in advance.

With so many cruises homeporting in Singapore or spending a day or more on the itinerary, it gives cruisers plenty of time to explore all the culinary options in this city. Newton Circus is a local food-stand area that will test the limits of some palates. So, if you are looking to eat where the locals eat, look no further and plan to spend time wandering the food stalls and taking in local Singaporean foods.

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6. Vienna, Austria

Located in Stadtpark in the heart of Vienna, Austria, is the twelfth-rated restaurant, Steirereck. While only accessible for those on Danube River Cruises, this awe-inspiring restaurant merges Austrian cuisine with a contemporary setting and flair to create a relaxing yet chic dining experience.

Most river cruise companies have onboard bikes for cruisers to use during the day, so grab a bike and explore the city. Then, plan a stop at Stadpark and check off a bucket list dining experience.

Vienna is the city where locals across the Austro-Hungarian Empire gathered and influenced the modern food scene. From Hungarian goulash to Turkish coffee, kebabs, and Austrian schnitzels, street foods and local restaurants offer these traditional dishes and more. Add in other regional influences from France, Germany, and Greece, and now you have a melting pot of flavors and dishes sure to please the most discerning diners.

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7. Buenos Aires, Argentina

Get ready to take in the pinnace of Argentinian meats and wines in this capital city. A can’t miss stop includes Don Julio’s in Buenos Aires whether you are spending the day in port or a few days pre- or post-cruise. The restaurant is both a traditional butcher shop and a steak restaurant with an impressive wine list. The sustainably farmed beef transforms into melt-in-your-mouth steaks, accompanied by local dishes. Just a short 15-20 minute taxi ride from the cruise ship port, this world-renowned restaurant comes in at number 13 on the World’s Best List. This restaurant is immensely popular with locals and tourists and is open for lunch and dinner daily. Make reservations as early as possible to ensure a table.

Buenos Aires and, more generally, Argentina were heavily influenced by Italian immigrants in the 19th century. As a result, you will find an array of gelato shops, pizza, and homemade pasta restaurants complimenting the traditional steak scene. Other international influences have collided in this city, making it a vibrant multicultural city for food lovers.

Cruises to Buenos Aires

8. Hong Kong

The hub of a cosmopolitan city meets traditional Chinese culture to spark a new and innovative style found in Asia's number-one-rated restaurant and the tenth-ranked worldwide at The Chairman in Hong Kong. The restaurant features an extensive menu not often found in high-end and highly-rated establishments. Open for lunch and dinner, the acclaimed restaurant features the chef’s favorite, a steamed flowery crab, a prized delicacy from the South China Sea known for its sweet taste.

The Chinese strongly influence the food scene in Hong Kong, but there are glimpses of international influences sprinkled throughout the city, given it’s a former British territory. There are many local markets with food stands to wander through, trying various local cuisines. Another must-do in Hong Kong is dim sum - trust us on this one. Find a great place and get ready to indulge. Roasted or grilled street meat abounds, along with noodle dishes of every type and size.

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9. Toyko, Japan

Tokyo boasts more than 60,000 restaurants, so there is never a shortage of places to eat. Additionally, the Chefs in Tokyo have more Michelin stars than in any other city worldwide. Tokyo is a food lover's paradise, and a great way to experience the food scene without breaking the bank is to visit at lunchtime.

Comfort food with fresh ingredients is prepared to intrigue and make someone happy. That is the goal for every dish prepared at the eleventh-ranked best restaurant in the world, Den. Located in the heart of the financial district, the restaurant is a short walk from Gaienmae Station on the Ginza.

The sea surrounds the island country of Japan, while the overall topography is mountainous. More than 70% of Japan is forest and working with the sea and land; they call this type of place the Satoyama. The capital city of Tokyo is home to the number 19 ranked restaurant, Narisawa. Their website describes their food and philosophy as “taking the rich culinary culture of the Satoyama, and the wisdom of our ancestors, we pass it through the NARISAWA filter to create a new, independent genre called “Innovative Satoyama Cuisine.”

As sushi's birthplace, Tokyo boasts more sushi restaurants per capita than anywhere else in the world. If noodles are more your speed, sample Raman, Udon, and Soba, all of which are readily available in restaurants and food stands. Enjoy Kobe beef, chicken, pork, and other mouth-watering options.

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10. New York City

The Flatiron District is home to the 22nd-best restaurant in the world, Cosme. Serving contemporary cuisine inspired by Mexican flavors, the owner and chef, Enrique Olvera, also owns the ninth-ranked Pujol in Mexico City. The cocktail menu is as inspired as the food itself and features many mezcal and tequila pairings. This Michelin-rated restaurant requires reservation well in advance.

New York City offers more than 23,000 restaurants serving up every cuisine imaginable. Take time to explore all five boroughs that make up this electric city. For those cruising from the Big Apple, consider a few days pre or post to take in the sights and the food culture of this melting pot city.