For most people, food is an important part of studying abroad—it’s a key component of experiencing the local culture. You may dedicate trips towards finding Italy’s best gelato, your favorite asado in Buenos Aires, or authentic sushi and sashimi in Japan. But where does one even begin to find the best restaurants near them in a foreign country, especially when everything is in a different language? If you’re already abroad, it’s possible to use Instagram to track down the best restaurants closest to you. But if you’re like me and want to plan out some food voyages ahead of time, here’s a list of Instagram pages you can follow now so you’ll be eatin’ good later.
1. United Kingdom
If you’re heading to the U.K, I’m sure that fish and chips and high tea are high on your bucket list of food. But the U.K. has an array of options much larger than the traditional dishes one typically associates with them. Vegans and vegetarians will be at home with the other 3 to 4 million vegetarians living in the U.K. Food in the U.K. isn’t all that different from American food given that their are plentiful options, but that also makes it even harder to decide where to eat. These Instagram pages ought to give you some help with that.
This Instagram page run by @love_food is relatively new to Instagram, but don’t let that fool you—the people running it are seasoned veterans when it comes to the hottest spots to eat.
If you’re studying abroad in the U.K, chances are you’ll be spending some time in London. With the number of restaurants there topping 27,000, a visual guidebook will be your savior. This comes in the form of London Food Babes, who hop all over London trying tons of restaurants to let you know what’s best.
2. Australia
Australia seems to be the home of beautiful vegans living their days out in expensive bikinis at world class beaches, but rest assured, if you wanna get down with a good cheeseburger, Straya has got your back.
With pictures this good, need I really say more? Spend five minutes scrolling through their feed and you’ll be ready to hop on the next flight to Sydney.
I know gelato isn’t associated with Australian food, but let me assure you, Australian gelato is bomb as hell. Especially when that gelato is from Gelato Messina, a gelato place based in Sydney that serves up wild creations like this Black Forest Bisque: chocolate fondant gelato, cherry jam, kirsch cream, and kirsch soaked sponge. When I was in Sydney I ate their gelato for lunch and dinner, and I suggest you do the same.
This page is based in Bali, but I figured I would include it because Australia is a whole lot closer to Bali than the U.S. and a lot of Aussies vacation there—it’s not so crazy to imagine you may end up there after a semester down under. The Spicy Coconut is a vegan restaurant that offers incredibly vibrant, fresh, aesthetically appealing food (Instagrammers rejoice!)
3. Italy
Where do I even begin? Italy is a food lovers’ paradise—I’m not sure bad food even exists there. But if you’re looking for the best of the best, which, of course you are, here are the pages to keep an eye on.
This page captures food in beautiful locations all over Italy so you’re covered everywhere, city or countryside. They also post gorgeous hotel shots—they’re definitely beyond a broke college student budget, but it’s fun to daydream.
We may not all speak Italian, but we all speak food. This page posts nothing in English, but given a tantalizing food pic and a location tag, your foodie senses will get you where you’re going.
4. Chile
As is typical in South America, Chile is very big on meat: grilled meats, seafood, and beefy empanadas. But vegetarians fare just fine on beans, potatoes, exotic fruit, and of course, excellent wine.
This Instagram page captions most of their pictures in Spanish, so following them is a great way to get a feel for common Spanish food vocab. #Spoontip: if you see the word queso, you’re on the right track.
El Huerto, or The Orchard, is an authentic vegetarian food joint in Santiago. If all the asado and seafood are starting to take a toll on you, head to El Huerto for some lighter fare and the prettiest darn vegetables you ever did see.
5. Spain
Gazpacho, paella, ceviche, churros—Spanish cuisine is already incredibly popular in the States, so imagine how much better these dishes will taste once you’re living it up in España. Luckily, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to try it all, since Spaniards stretch out their meals over many hours in order to better enjoy their food and company.
Barcelona Food Guide is the Instagram of a tangible, downloadable food guide, so you can flip through the guide’s pages and then verify which restaurants look best on Insta! That’s a win-win if I’ve ever seen one.
I know, it’s another food guide account. But when it comes to Spain, your best bet on Instagram is to find the food guide for your city—in one place you can find what to eat, where to eat, and maybe even rack up some extra followers if you tag #madridfoodguide or #mdrdfood on a drool-worthy food shot you post.
6. France
Prepare yourself for pastries on pastries on pastries. If there’s ever a time to indulge, it’s when you’re in a country with some of the best macarons, tarts, and croissants in the world. If you’ve still got room in your stomach after that, and props to you if you do, maybe some coq au vin or escargot will hit the spot.
Food Guide to the rescue once again: they post once a day, so try challenging yourself to a week where you go to whichever restaurant they post that day. You’ll end up trying places you typically wouldn’t.
Every picture this page posts is quality, so there’s no way you can go wrong trying any of the restaurants they post. Get ready to step yo Insta game UP using this handy account.
7. Germany
If you’re looking to live off of sausage, pretzels, and beer for four months, that’s entirely possible in Germany. But for those of you looking for a more balanced diet, major cities in Germany like Berlin and Munich are no amateurs when it comes to the food scene.
Berlin Food Stories is the Instagram page of a blog dedicated to finding the best restaurants Berlin has to offer. As Per, the author, says, “Life is too damn short for bad meals.” If your only standard is “delicious”, check out the Instagram, otherwise check the website to find a great spot that offers exactly what you’re looking for.
From matcha lattes to avo toast to eggs every way, you’ll be brunchin’ big in Germany. You can find any type of cuisine your little heart desires in Munich, whether that’s a juicy American burger or a Neapolitan pizza.
8. China
If you’re studying abroad in China, it’s time to leave General Tso’s Chicken behind—you’re onto bigger and better things. China is a country of intense flavors that require an open mind and acceptable chopsticks skills. Nothing says “I’m new here” like ditching the chopsticks for a fork.
Shanghai To Do is great because they not only give the scoop on where all the great food deals are, they also post about fun things going on in the city, like rooftop yoga and holiday markets.
This page brings creativity to a whole other level when it comes to food. If you’re looking for unique dishes you can’t get anywhere else, like BBQ pork buns (that may or may not leave you in an ethical dilemma) or pineapple cake puffs that resemble shockingly realistic canaries, Hong Kong Foodie has the hookup.
9. Japan
If you ain’t talkin’ sushi I don’t wanna talk. That’s the mindset you’re probably in facing a semester in Japan—it’s hard to focus on other food when you’re surrounded by sushi, which is what most millennials dream of. But if you’re studying abroad in Japan don’t forget about all the other foods you have access to. Gyoza, ramen, and sukiyaki deserve your adoring attention too.
Tokyo Foodie is nice because they post honest reviews with their pictures—if their meal was expensive or not great quality, you’ll know to avoid that restaurant.
Japanese Taste offers an easy segway into Japanese cuisine, writing brief descriptions of all the dishes they post because, let’s be honest, you can’t always tell what it is by looking at it.
10. Everywhere
These travel ‘grammers are constantly on the move, so keep an eye on them to track when they hit up your home away from home. If you’re planning on traveling before or after your study abroad program ends (backpacking Europe anybody?), keep tabs on the best restaurants they visit and make it a point to go too.
Deana Saukam, or Faim Fatale, is a jack of all trades: she formerly owned and operated restaurants, but now dedicates her time towards writing and photographing for her own blog among many other food, travel, and fashion publications, and manages chefs, PR, social media, and events. If gorgeous landscapes and mouthwatering food porn is your thing, give this gal a follow.
These pictures are slightly limited given they require foods that can be held with one hand, but damn does Girl Eat World make it work. The girl behind the account, Mel, is always on the move, showcasing tasty treats in her perpetually well-manicured hand at the world’s most iconic sites: The Great Wall of China, the Sydney Harbour, Stonehenge. Forget the dining hall, I’m eating my lunch at World Heritage Sites from now on.
While this list was compiled especially for all you lucky students heading out to see and experience new cultures, anybody experiencing wanderlust or an addiction to food porn should check out these pages. They’ll be sure to help you out whenever you finally make it to one of these gorgeous countries. Happy scrolling!