Many recent investigations demonstrate this: before planning a trip, tourists evaluate the quality of the food that they can taste once they arrive at their destination. Local cuisine seems to count even more than the place to stay. And, if you consider the fact that people travel more than ever (the record 1.4 billion international trips last year), it's easy to guess how hungry for new culinary experiences is growing. That's why the authoritative American magazine "Eaters", which intercepts the most significant food trends, has compiled, with the help of its network of culinary experts, a list of the 19 cities where you can eat better. Spoiler: there is no Italian. Strange, isn't it?

George Town, Malaysia

It is a crossroads of culinary diversity, thanks to Chinese, Indonesian, Indian and British influences. A typical day here could start with a Malaysian-style breakfast based on nasi lemak, rice cooked in coconut milk and served with sambal, a spicy sauce. For lunch a thali, Indian single dish with rice, vegetables and bread, and for dinner the Chinese style fried noodles or some small street food specialties.

Marrakech, Morocco

If you ask a Moroccan, he will tell you that the best traditional food is what you eat in the local houses. But as there are more and more foreigners coming to Marrakech as culinary tourists, new truly excellent restaurants have been opened offering high quality Moroccan cuisine. It is still not easy to find places that serve tagine and couscous for dinner, but the possibilities for tourists to taste the traditional foods of the city have grown.

Malmö, Sweden

In Malmö many talented young people want to work with natural and healthy products, grown thanks to the mild climate and organic farms of the Skåne region. To be a city of 300 thousand inhabitants, Malmö offers a wide range of bars and restaurants. All delightfully unconventional.

Richmond, Canada

It is without doubt the best place to eat Chinese food in North America. Richmond's culinary landscape is a journey through the traditional foods of its residents (many of whom have roots in Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China) and the creations of young Asian-Canadian chefs who, starting from traditional dishes, they are building others who are truly their own.

Gyeongju, South Korea

Eating in Gyeongju is a journey through time: you can dine like a royal Silla, with recipes handed down over the centuries and cooked by specially trained chefs, or eat like a monk, based on clean, vegetable food, prepared and served by Buddhist clergy.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America

About a dozen breweries have opened in the area in the past three years. In the city of cheese and beer there is a lot to eat and in 2020 there will be even more to see. According to "Eaters", it is because of the Democratic National Convention to be held in July, where party delegates will select the Democratic presidential candidate.

Akko, Isreale

Here the different origins and faiths intertwined peacefully, and food benefited from all these convergences. In the city there are coffee enriched with cardamom and Yemeni hawaij, as well as the infinite international variations of hummus and seafood. Olives, dates, tahini, za'atar, fresh fish and rare herbs come together in this city where the past meets the present and the sea meets the land.

Marseille, France

During the nineteenth century, immigrants from Italy, Spain, Greece and other countries arrived in Marseille to work on its docks, mills and factories. This first influx of cultures helps explain how an extraordinarily cosmopolitan gastronomic scene evolved, which became even richer with the arrival of North African returnees from the French colonies after independence in the 1950s and 1960s. Talented young chefs from all over France have started to open small restaurants serving a cuisine that has never existed before, a contemporary bistro cuisine from southern France at moderate prices, fresh and creative.

Lagos, Nigeria

A flood of street food and restaurants that serve the food of immigrant populations from all over West Africa, rich in spices and oil. Do not miss the specialties such as jollof rice, white rice with tomato sauce, a stew of peppers and palm oil.

Nagoya, Japan

While Tokyo is stormed by visitors for the 2020 Olympics, Nagoya is in a perfect position for a collateral journey focused on food. Although it is true that there is not much to do, there is plenty to eat (as "Michelin" noted in 2018 when he added Nagoya to his list). Nagoya-meshi, the Japanese term used to describe the cuisine of the region, includes kishimen (spaghetti dishes), hitsumabushi (crispy eel in sauce), miso katsu (pork fried in miso sauce) and much more. Nagoya is a place where food is as generous and cheerful as its inhabitants.

Monterrey, Mexico

This is where the arrachera steak (a fibrous cut of beef that comes from the animal's abdominal muscles) was born and the largest barbecue competition in Latin America. Beef barbacoa, grilled cabrito and ribeye and soft flour tortillas would be enough reason to visit this city, but there are also many other lesser known regional goodies waiting to become the new international food trends.

The East Village, New York City, United States of America

It is the neighborhood of Manhattan with the smallest spaces, the most affordable prices and perhaps the widest variety of innovative restaurants than any other. There are many cuisines: Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Ukrainian, Jewish, Indian, Vietnamese, Filipino and more.

Pristina, Kosovo

It is part of the youngest nation in Europe, which declared independence only 11 years ago, and which has since expressed itself through art, nightlife and, of course, food. The cuisine of Pristina has historically been influenced by the flavors of the Ottoman Empire, the former Yugoslavia and its Mediterranean neighbors, with particular attention to grilled meats, peppers, cheeses, desserts and pickles. But with a new identity.

Porto, Portugal

Portuguese food is increasingly popular all over the world, and Portugal has never had so many tourists (especially Americans) willing to devour everything that this small country has to offer. But most of them start and end the Portuguese adventure in Lisbon, returning home without tasting the Nordic cuisine of Porto. Here, local chefs cook traditional foods with a newfound refinement, giving a new shape to rich recipes that for decades have been considered too heavy.

Cartagena, Colombia

It is a fusion of indigenous cultures with the influences of African, Arab and Spanish populations, which have left their mark throughout history. The culinary tradition includes hearty stews, cheese empanadas, stuffed arepas, grilled meats and tropical fruits. Chefs from all over the country arrived in Cartagena, attracted by the abundant fresh fish and tropical biodiversity.

Hobart, Australia

The artistic and musical scenes, here, have exploded, and the kitchen has matured with them. Tourism has also grown and chefs have started arriving in Hobart, attracted by the slower pace of life, the close-knit community and the impeccable farmland. An increasing number of new restaurants are showing that the city can offer much more than just a fish and chip.

Oakland, California, United States of America

One of the gastronomically most dynamic cities in the United States, and not because of James Beard or the Michelin stars, but its chefs, who through food tell their complicated stories and the fight for fairness.

Cork, Ireland

If the city center might still look like a sleepy Irish postcard, Cork is far from snobbish, with its music and art festivals, and the locals who, together with the students on its university campus, fill the locals. What has grown around the old English market, the traditional heart of the city, is a diversified space, where there is a small Ayurvedic coffee from southern India, naturally leavened pizza, Japanese food, Middle Eastern coffee, the impeccable fish and chips and craft beer.

Santiago, Chile

It is the favorite tourist destination in South America for wine lovers. The chefs of Santiago, inspired by the culinary revolutions that are taking place throughout South America, are overturning the old belief that traditional Chilean food was not suitable for refined cuisine.