It can be very beneficial to read up on a location before you visit – especially if you’ve never been there before. Additionally, if you’re not sure where you want to go on your next travel adventure, reading travel books might be a good way to decide. If you take your gastronomical pleasure into account when making these plans, it might behoove you to read up on the best places to eat in the places you are considering seeing. But wait…that sounds like a whole lot of reading, doesn’t it? Lucky for you, we’ve gathered 7 of our favorite books about food AND travel. Check them out before you plan your next trip, and we are sure your wanderlust will be satisfied along with your appetite.
Diners, Drive-ins and Dives: An All-American Road Trip…with Recipes!
by Guy Fieri and Ann Volkwein 
If you’re looking to stay within the Continental US, this book would be a heck of a good travel companion. Also, a bottle of Prevacid might come in handy. Guy Fieri won The Next Food Network Star the second season it was on, and he had a show called Guy’s Big Bite, wherein he taught us how to make amazing chili fries, the best nachos ever, and about 11 different types of barbecue. He went on to host Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, wherein he took us through hole-in-the wall eating establishments that actually gave some of us hunger pains while watching. Seriously – Captn’ Crunch French Toast? Genius! This book follows the same vein and features many of the places he visited on the show. Read this book for a list of places to visit as you take an all-American road trip.
Frommer’s 500 Places for Food and Wine Lovers
by Holly Hughes
One of the most popular series of travel guides, Frommer’s is the series that gave us Europe on $5 a Day and many other great books. Frommer’s also has a comprehensive website where you can get all sorts of helpful destination information, plus they have bloggers that blog about travel. This book covers a wide range of places around the globe where you can find great food and wine – like farmer’s markets, vineyards, specialty food stores, and more. Also, it offers great tips on hotels and public transportation that will assist with your travel planning.
Roadfood: The Coast-to-Coast Guide to 700 of the Best Barbecue Joints, Lobster Shacks, Ice Cream Parlors, Highway Diners, and Much, Much More
by Jane and Michael Stern
This book is touted by USA Today as “a bible for motorists seeking mouth-watering barbecue or homemade pie.” Jane and Michael Stern are well-versed in their subject, having authored more than forty books about the country’s local food. The book (and the previous six editions of it) is arranged by region, then by state. For a guide to the best barbecue, ice cream, hotdog stands, and more, pick up this book.
Her Fork in the Road: Women Celebrate Food and Travel
by Lisa Bach
Part of the Traveler’s Tales series of books about the human’s emotional relationship with food, this book features essays by some highly talented female writers about specific experiences they’ve had with food – in many different countries and towns. From an essay called “Tempted in Jakarta” by Faith Adiele, to one called “Easter Nachos in Warsaw” by Kristin Roberts, this book is more than a treat for your culinary appetite, but for your spiritual appetite as well.
500 Things to Eat Before It’s Too Late: and the Very Best Places to Eat Them
by Jane and Michael Stern
Given that the authors of this book are experts on food around the US, it is not unusual that two of their books would make our list. Since not every restaurant, food stand, and mom-and-pop eatery lasts forever, this book complies all of the Stern’s must-eat foods around the country. To further convince you, the book includes vibrant photographs so realistic you can almost smell them. This book will have you planning a road trip in no time.
Food: A Taste of the Road
by Richard Sterling
With essays by some truly talented writers, this book talks about local cuisine in Mexico, China, Malaysia, and more. With stories so amazing and outlandish that you feel like you have stepped into another world, this book inspires the itchy feet that many of these essayists experienced that took them to their destinations. Thought-provoking and sometimes downright delectable, this book is a good read whether you like to travel or not.
Food Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 Extraordinary Places to Eat Around the Globe
by National Geographic
A National Geographic book generally has some aspects you can count on. One – it will be well-researched. Two – the photographs will be amazing. This book does not disappoint in either category. If one were to follow the itinerary set forth in the book, one would realize they’d be spending a lot of money on travel, because such a wide territory is covered. From the US to Tokyo, to South America, to Europe and beyond, you will learn about famous eateries, as well as lesser-known places. A pleasurable read for anyone, and a valuable addition to your home library.
Brought to you by CustomConcessions.com.
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