This is not the aspirational fluff of Instagram wall neon; it’s fact. Recent surveys have shown that a majority of travelers consider food first when planning a trip, even ahead of where they sleep. Add to this that people are also traveling more than ever before — earthlings logged a record-breaking 1.4 billion international trips last year — and it’s safe to say that the hunger for new culinary experiences is more ravenous than ever.

While the endlessly alluring bistros of Paris, izakayas of Tokyo, shawarma stands of Tel Aviv, and tasting menus of Mexico City will always top many people’s lists of cravings, we’re continually on the lookout for something new to fill our bellies, our passports, and our feeds.