Some people travel the world in hopes to visit many of the famous landmarks before they die, you on the other hand have a different view for your dream getaway.
You don’t plan your trip around interesting museums or any of the other touristy activities that others make the highlight of their trip.
Instead you are more interested in the types of cuisine a travel destination has to offer. Instead of labeling yourself a tourist, a traveling foodie is a better description for your intentions.
Now with all the new restaurants popping up across the nation, let alone the world. It may be difficult to pick one place to visit in your quest for the next great dish.
Which is why we have compiled a list of the top 5 places for senior foodies to visit, so you can spend less time picking a destination and more time enjoying what you love most, FOOD!
With all these tasty dishes, you’ll want to bring your best foodie friend along to share and amplify the experience with.
Enjoy an Appetizing Taste of the Big Apple
Whether you live in New York or have visited, even if you haven’t you know there is an insane amount of people living there. With such a large variety of ethnicities, it’s not hard to see why New York is a must visit destination for senior foodies.
Take your taste buds on a trip to Thailand while sitting in the Pok Pok NY dining room in the middle of the most populated city in America. Pok Pok NY delivers authentic Thai cuisine that will be shockingly savory even to the most seasoned foodie. Local favorites include the warming khao soi noodle soup or the highly talked about fish sauce wings. The best part is you can get authentic Thai cuisine without breaking the bank. So whether it’s a quick lunch or dinner with your foodie counterpart, Pok Pok NY should be one of your first’s stops in Brooklyn.
Check Out Their Menu: www.pokpokny.com
Dress Attire: Casual
Location: 117 Columbia St. Brooklyn, NY 11231
Not in the mood for Thai cuisine? Don’t worry we’ve got you covered with yet another New York favorite that sources nearly all of its ingredients from local gardens. So before you even taste the first bite, you will know you are receiving fresh quality ingredients. Roberta’s offers mouthwatering pizza crafted in a wood burning oven. Sure you can get pizza anywhere throughout New York, but how many can say they are crafted in a wood burning oven with fresh local ingredients? Don’t take our word for it, craft a pizza that will satisfy your taste buds to the very last bite of crust. Pizza isn’t there only specialty either, Roberta’s also crafts fresh sandwiches, pastas and salads.
Check Out Their Menu: www.robertaspizza.com
Dress Attire: Casual
Location: 261 Moore St. New York, NY 11206
Windy City Treats
When people think of Chicago they think windy city, but to foodies this city is packed with hidden treats in some small local shops that you would be a fool to miss out on.
A local favorite that puts their own spin on standard Cuban food by adding a touch of Lebanese flavor is Nini’s Deli. Their menu consists of a wide array of sandwiches on freshly grilled flat bread, as well as numerous options for the vegetarian or gluten free crowd. Based off their 5 star Yelp review, Nini’s Deli certainly won’t disappoint the high expectations of your taste buds. In the mood for a fresh appetizer before your sandwich? Nini’s has you covered with their varying weekly hummus flavors and pita chip dish. Once you gobble down the hummus and pita chips, it’s time for the main entrée. A local favorite is the steak, egg and cheese sandwich which is crafted with antibiotic and hormone free steak. For those of you that are gluten free or vegetarian, the vegetarian slider will be a satisfying treat.
Check out their Full Menu: http://ninisdeli.com/menu.html
Dress Attire: Casual
Location: 543 N Noble St, Chicago, IL
Another popular senior foodie eatery in Chicago is Kabobi Persian and Mediterranean Grill. This casual style restaurant isn’t like your typical sit down restaurant, instead you walk in order at the counter and sit down while the food is being prepared. This is the perfect friendly environment for you and your fellow foodies to indulge in original Persian and Mediterranean meals with a twist. A chef favorite appetizer is the vegetarian Kashkeh Bodemjan. This fresh dish includes mashed roasted eggplant, drizzled with caramelized onion and whey, with garlic and fresh mint adding the final flavor. When it comes to ordering your entrée the salmon kabob is a must have chef favorite. A masterpiece that includes a fresh cooked 8oz salmon filet of seasoned Atlantic salmon, cooked to pristine flavor and served with grilled tomato and your choice of rice.
Check out the Full Menu: http://kabobigrill.com
Dress Attire: Casual
Location: 4748 N. Kedzie AVE, Chicago, IL 60625
Hungry Yet? Here are some traveling tips for seniors that will make your trip easy and all about the food!
Everything is Bigger and Tastier in Texas
When you think of Texas what comes to mind? Cowboys? Horses? Sweltering Heat? Well if you’ve been to Texas you can see why these are common thoughts. Except there is one important aspect of Texas missing, especially for all you foodies. Texas has some of the most delectable comfort food out there. If you don’t visit Texas to try some good ol’ southern cuisine you may be ousted from the foodie community.
If you’re a San Antonio native you may have heard of our next great eatery for seniors with taste buds with high expectations. According to mysanantonio.com readers, Smoke Shack is the place to go for the BEST BBQ in San Antonio. What started off as a food truck has evolved into a brick and mortar restaurant. Both the food truck and restaurant operate daily and let me tell you the menu is packed full of mouthwatering dishes. Sink your taste buds into the chopped brisket sandwich with BBQ sauce & your choice of sides (pinto beans, vinegar slaw, seasoned fries, mashed potato salad, fried okra or spicy cream corn). Dealing with a monstrous appetite? No worries Smoke Shack has you covered with their BBQ plate that allows you to choose 1-3 meats with two sides, and a fresh roll.
View Smoke Shack’s Full Menu: http://www.smokeshacksa.com/#!menu/c161y
Dress Attire: Casual
Location: 3714 Broadway Street, San Antonio, TX 78209
New Orleans is more than Just Marti Gras
You may have a few memories attending Marti Gras throughout the years, some of them you probably don’t like to talk about. Well we have an experience in New Orleans that you won’t be able to reframe from sharing. Which is their taste bud tingling cuisine that you can only experience in the bead filled city of New Orleans.
It wouldn’t be a trip to New Orleans without finding a spot with some of the finest catfish. Which brings us to the High Hat Café, which on top of scrumptious meals the “environment is a hometown atmosphere with friendly staff” according to one Yelp reviewer. Offering plates that include slow roasted pork combined with fried catfish and your choice of side. Or treat your taste buds to the High Hat burger that features pimento cheese, BBQ sauce and your choice of toppings. A local favorite is the shrimp creole over rice complimented with pimento mac & cheese. Head over to the High Hat Café to enjoy some southern cooked catfish, pimento cheese and other southern specialties.
View the High Hat Café’s Menu: www.highhatcafe.com/
Dress Attire: Casual
Location: 4500 Freret St, New Orleans, LA 70115
Putting its own spin on classic New Orleans cuisine, the Palace Café is placed on the iconic Canal Street and livens up original creole dishes. Head over to the Palace Café between 5-7 p.m. during the weekday to enjoy $5 dollar dishes that include alligator sausage pistolette, duck spring rolls and crab claws remoulade. Choose to dine in the lavish high-ceilinged dining room or outside on the patio to indulge in some good ol’ fashioned people watching to complement your turtle soup. If you find yourself in the area, this is the perfect spot for brunch, lunch and dinner.
Check out the Palace Café’s Foodie Friendly Menu: www.palacecafe.com/
Dress Attire: Casual
Location: 605 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70130
Delicious Denver
The Mile High City is not one you want to skip over on your trip in search of foodie paradise. Denver is known for its high elevation and crystal clear views of the mountains to the west. But with restaurants popping up all over towns it’s not hard to see why Denver made our best travel destinations for senior foodies.
One of Denver’s delicious treats include Spuntino, a small and quaint restaurant. Though the size is on the smaller end, the flavor will have you coming back for more and more. Planning a lunch with your fellow foodie? Spuntino’s lunch menu will put you into pure awe. Choose from soup and salad, pasta, ½ sandwich & soup or salad, or a Panini. A popular local lunch menu favorite is the Agnello Panini. Ciabattini bread topped with pickled herbs, spice lamb sausage coated with sesame-whipped ricotta. Maybe you’re in the mood for some tuna? Then the Tonno Panini is a must try! Brioche bread topped with oxford farms greens with red onions, and tuna salad to complete the flavor. Their dinner menu is equally as appetizing. Sink your fork into some pasta crafted with bigoli carbonara, tender belly pork belly, pecorino, egg and black pepper.
View Spuntino's Full Menu: www.spuntinodenver.com/
Dress Attire: Casual
Location: 2639 W 32nd Ave, Denver, CO 80211
While in Denver you definitely don’t want to skip Rioja, which has been named in the top 5 tourist destinations in the Mile High City. Not to mention the Best Chef Southwest award winner Jennifer Jasinski crafting each dish to perfection. Rioja offers fresh Mediterranean dishes that are only made with fresh, local ingredients. Plus, every pasta dish will intrigue your taste buds thanks to their hand-made pasta. It doesn’t matter which dish you go with, you’ll be unable to stop until you are deep into a food coma. Like the butternut squash fettuccini, which features hand-made pasta, Madeira braised short rib, Brussel sprouts, and caramelized onions finished off with chestnuts. Your trip to Denver wouldn’t be completed without indulging in Rioja’s Colorado Lamb dish. This culinary creation features Colorado lamb, grilled T-bone, braised belly, sunchokes, Chinese broccoli, cocoa nibs and dates.
Rioja's Full Menu: www.riojadenver.com/
Dress Attire: Casual
Reservations are Recomended
Location: The heart of Larimer Sqare, 1431 Larimer Street, Denver Co
That about does it for our ultimate travel destinations for senior foodies, but before you go comment and let us know some of your favorite restaurants in your state that go above and beyond just the basic cheesburger or slice of pizza.
