Bangkok

Courtesy Metropolitan by COMO

Bangkok revolves around food. It’s impossible to count the food stalls that line the streets—seemingly all the streets—of this labyrinth of a city. The food is all around you, and every venue, from the lowliest food stall to the loftiest restaurant, takes pride in how it’s prepared. Thai cuisine is one of the most complex, delicate and sometimes spicy in the world. Every meal is supposed to include the five fundamental tastes—hot, sour, sweet, salty, bitter—which is why you are expected to order of a slew of small dishes to be shared by your group of diners… and you wouldn’t want it any other way, as every missed dish is a missed opportunity to enjoy the fragrant spices and bold flavors of Thailand. During a trip, you should not miss trying spicy green-papaya salad, tom yam goong (a sweet-sour fish soup), minced pork or chicken, satay (grilled meat on skewers) and curries. For an abbreviated list of restaurants, read Top Tables Bangkok.