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What defines a dream trip in 2026? Properly, for the intrepid American traveler, the reply isn’t present in a museum or the lengthy queues of a must-see monument—it’s actually served on a plate.

In our survey of 750 U.S vacationers, an amazing 92.1% of respondents say a metropolis’s meals scene influences the place they select to go, making it one of the vital highly effective drivers of tourism right this moment. 

And the broader knowledge makes a number of different issues unmistakably clear: the 2026 meals journey panorama is all about authenticity, spontaneity, and native experience.  

Immediately, meals is now not an afterthought or a supporting function of a visit; it’s a major engine of worldwide tourism. From the rising hunt for hidden, native gems to the invention of Europe’s most underrated culinary hotspots, conventional culinary capitals are being reassessed, inflexible planning is falling out of favor, and vacationers are more and more searching for confidence and context when exploring unfamiliar cuisines.

So, whether or not you’re exploring new journey tendencies or mapping out your subsequent European journey, this report breaks down the nations, cities, and habits shaping Europe’s journey panorama via the lens of U.S. meals vacationers!

Key Takeaways

• Style Issues — 92.1% say meals influences which cities and nations they select to go to.
• Overplanning is Out — 75.4% of vacationers say they dislike reserving eating places months prematurely.
• Folks Love Hidden Gems Greater than Michelin Stars — 61.7% concern lacking native, hole-in-the-wall spots greater than well-known landmarks or iconic dishes.
• Culinary Capitals are Altering — Rome stays the highest foodie wish-list metropolis, whereas Paris is more and more described as “overrated.”
• Native Perception Fuels a Love for Meals — 85% of vacationers really feel extra assured attempting new meals when guided by insider ideas or native experience.

Acquainted Favorites, Increasing Tastes: Italy nonetheless reigns, however American meals journey curiosity is rising

American vacationers’ culinary pleasure in 2026 stays anchored in acquainted meals locations, however the knowledge reveals a transparent broadening of curiosity past the normal leaders. Whereas Italy, France, and Spain proceed to dominate, rising enthusiasm for nations like Greece and Portugal means that vacationers are more and more motivated by regional depth, informal eating cultures, and on a regular basis native meals experiences fairly than status alone.

Prime European Meals International locations Ranked

1. Italy (45.8%) – Leads decisively, pushed by pasta, pizza, and unmatched regional range.
2. France (20.8%) – Stays extremely influential, although pleasure is extra concentrated round conventional expectations.
3. Spain (14.5%) – Appeals via tapas tradition, walkable meals scenes, and social eating.
4. Greece (8.8%) – Rising curiosity tied to recent elements, road meals, and regional specialties.
5. Portugal (6.0%) – Gaining traction for its seafood-driven delicacies and informal eating tradition.
6. Different European International locations (4.0%) – Signifies urge for food for exploration past probably the most established meals locations.

Iconic Cities, On a regular basis Consuming: Vacationers favor cities the place nice meals feels native, informal, and simple to find.

On the metropolis stage, pleasure concentrates round locations the place meals tradition feels accessible, deeply rooted, and simple to discover. The information favors cities that steadiness iconic dishes with robust neighborhood eating scenes, reinforcing the broader shift towards walkable, informal, and regionally pushed meals experiences.

Prime European Meals Cities Ranked

1. Rome (29.3%) – The clear chief, pushed by iconic Roman dishes, neighborhood trattorias, and an on a regular basis meals tradition that rewards spontaneous discovery.
2. Paris (27.3%) – Nonetheless instructions robust curiosity, although pleasure displays a extra selective relationship with conventional culinary status.
3. Barcelona (19.4%) – Appeals via tapas tradition, markets, and social, late-night eating woven into each day life.
4. Amsterdam (10.6%) – Rising curiosity tied to its various meals scene and relaxed strategy to eating.
5. Lisbon (6.4%) – An rising favourite, fueled by seafood, pastries, and robust worth notion.
6. Prague (4.3%) – Attracts vacationers searching for hearty native delicacies and accessible, reasonably priced eating.

Meals Comes First: For U.S vacationers, what’s on the plate now drives the place they go

Meals is now not one thing vacationers slot in as soon as they arrive—it’s the explanation they select the place to go within the first place. Culinary fame now rivals historical past and structure as a deciding issue, with vacationers more and more prepared to bypass marquee locations in favor of cities and neighborhoods identified for what’s on the plate. This shift is reshaping how American vacationers uncover Europe, elevating lesser-known cities via food-first attraction.

• 92.1% say a metropolis’s meals scene influences which cities they select to go to
• 48.3% say meals influences their vacation spot alternative “quite a bit”
• 70.5% would go to a less-famous metropolis particularly for its meals scene

Genuine Beats Unique: Hidden gems matter greater than hype, buzz, or well-known reservations

The period of the celeb restaurant is cooling. For right this moment’s food-focused traveler, authenticity issues greater than hype, with vacationers way more involved about lacking the soul of a metropolis than its most well-known tables. Fairly than chasing buzzworthy reservations, Individuals more and more need to eat the place locals eat—and uncover locations they wouldn’t discover on a spotlight reel.

• 61.7% concern lacking out on true hidden-gem spots
• Solely 20.7% fear about lacking a well-known or iconic dish
• 53.9% are most excited by discovering a tucked-away, locals-only spot
• Simply 14.5% are motivated by securing a hard-to-get reservation at a hyped restaurant

Spontaneity Over Schedules: Versatile eating now defines the best meals journey expertise

Inflexible, months-in-advance eating plans are dropping their attraction. American vacationers more and more need the liberty to discover meals organically—following suggestions, stumbling into busy native spots, and letting urge for food information the day fairly than one other itinerary or reservation calendar. Flexibility has grow to be a core a part of the meals journey expertise.

• 75.4% say they dislike reserving eating places months prematurely
• Spontaneous eating is most popular over mounted itineraries
• Vacationers affiliate flexibility with extra genuine meals experiences

Avenue Meals Takes Heart Stage: On a regular basis native eats outperform positive eating and tasting menus

In 2026, American vacationers are gravitating towards meals experiences that really feel quick, accessible, and woven into on a regular basis metropolis life. Fairly than carving out time for lengthy, formal meals, vacationers are more and more excited by road meals, markets, and informal walk-in spots that permit them to eat nicely with out disrupting the rhythm of exploration. These codecs supply flexibility, affordability, and a stronger sense of place—typically delivering probably the most memorable bites of a visit.

Whereas hyper-local specialties stay an in depth second, the clear takeaway is that vacationers need meals that matches naturally into how they transfer via a metropolis. Large tasting menus and fine-dining experiences, as soon as the head of meals journey, now attraction to a smaller phase of vacationers searching for construction over spontaneity.

• 30.4% are most all in favour of extra road meals and informal, walk-in eating
• 28.4% are drawn to hyper-local, “solely from right here” specialties
• 17.3% desire fashionable or fusion twists on conventional dishes
• 10.9% are most excited by fine-dining or tasting menu experiences
• 8.9% prioritize plant-based or vegan variations of native dishes

Exploration, Not Algorithms: When it’s time to eat, vacationers depend on sensible instruments—not social hype

Regardless of the prevailing narrative that social media dictates each transfer of the trendy traveler, our findings counsel a extra sensible actuality. In terms of deciding the place to eat, American vacationers proceed to prioritize instruments that provide reliability, readability, and real-world usefulness over purely aspirational content material. Visible inspiration could spark curiosity, however trusted data—and human experience—finally information eating selections on the bottom.

When selecting the place to eat:

1. Google Maps (45.7%): The best choice for vacationers, valued for its opinions and proximity options.
2. TikTok & Instagram (24.7%): Whereas influential for visible inspiration, social media trails considerably behind utility-based search.
3. Meals Excursions & Native Guides (23.6%): Practically as widespread as social media, exhibiting that vacationers more and more worth “curated” human experience over algorithmic strategies.

Confidence By Context: Native perception helps vacationers cross the hole between curiosity and motion

Attempting new issues could be intimidating, even for seasoned vacationers. The survey discovered that 85.0% of individuals really feel extra assured attempting new, unfamiliar meals once they have insider ideas or native steering.

That is the “confidence hole” that separates a very good meal from a life-changing journey expertise. Vacationers in 2026 are searching for a bridge between their curiosity and the native tradition. They don’t simply need to eat; they need to perceive what they’re consuming and why it issues to the group.

Eat Like a Native, See the Actual World

The 2026 traveler is savvy, value-conscious, and bored with the “hype machine.” They’re shifting away from the “Instagram-famous” cafes and towards the cosy, crowded, and hidden spots that outline the center of a metropolis.

At Consuming Europe, this shift isn’t new. For over a decade, our excursions have been constructed round precisely what right this moment’s vacationers need: entry to actual kitchens, actual neighborhoods, and actual tales that don’t seem on an ordinary vacationer map. By pairing native experience with flexibility and context, we assist vacationers transfer via Europe the best way locals do—one significant chunk at a time.

Survey Methodology

The 2026 Europe Meals Journey Survey was carried out in December 2025 through Pollfish. The examine surveyed 750 U.S. adults who confirmed they’re “positively” or “most probably” planning leisure journey to Europe in 2026. The outcomes had been post-stratified to make sure a consultant pattern of the U.S. touring public by age and gender. All percentages are rounded to the closest tenth. For media inquiries or full knowledge units, please contact Consuming Europe.

Sources

Consuming Europe – The Greatest Meals Excursions In Europe. (n.d.). Consuming Europe. Retrieved January 9, 2026, from https://www.eatingeurope.com/

Who Are Meals Vacationers? (2019, August 20). World Meals Journey Affiliation. https://www.worldfoodtravel.org/news-who-are-food-travelers

MICHELIN Eating places – The MICHELIN Information. (n.d.). The MICHELIN Information. Retrieved January 9, 2026, from https://information.michelin.com/en/eating places

Italy Meals Excursions | Consuming Europe. (n.d.). Consuming Europe. Retrieved January 9, 2026, from https://www.eatingeurope.com/italy-food-tours/

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Consuming Europe. (n.d.). Rome meals excursions. Retrieved January 9, 2026, from https://www.eatingeurope.com/rome/

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Consuming Europe. (n.d.). Barcelona meals excursions. Retrieved January 9, 2026, from https://www.eatingeurope.com/barcelona/

Consuming Europe. (n.d.). Amsterdam meals excursions. Retrieved January 9, 2026, from https://www.eatingeurope.com/amsterdam/

Consuming Europe. (n.d.). Lisbon meals excursions. Retrieved January 9, 2026, from https://www.eatingeurope.com/lisbon/

Consuming Europe. (n.d.). Prague meals excursions. Retrieved January 9, 2026, from https://www.eatingeurope.com/prague/