bolognese pasta — Bolognese pasta. INQUIRER.net stock photo

The tastemakers at National Geographic Traveller UK have compiled a list of 17 “must-visit” culinary hotspots to visit in 2019 that includes Lyon, Bologna, Cusco and Zanzibar.

Along with familiar gastronomic destinations like Lyon, France (home of the late chef Paul Bocuse) and Bologna, Italy (famous for its tagliatelle al ragu or Bolognese sauce), the issue takes readers to an onion festival in Roscoff, Brittany and to The Hague for a traditional Dutch family meal.

“A lot of us travel in the hope of a good meal. But if you’re going to truly follow your appetite, it helps to know which destinations can be relied upon to deliver. We’ve picked out those places that have good eating woven into their very fabric, where memorable meals are the norm, not the exception,” said editor Glen Mutel in a statement.

Between destinations, the magazine includes stories that deconstruct the secrets of the Southeast Asia’s spicy noodle dish laksa, a primer on how to use za’atar and tips on making the best Portuguese custard tarts.

Here are the 17 culinary destinations as chosen by NatGeo:

South Australia: McLaren Vale
Italy: Bologna
Sweden: Gothenburg and West Coast
Lebanon: Beirut
Ireland: Boyne Valley
Peru: Cusco
California: Sonoma County
Spain: San Sebastian
South Africa: Western Cape
Argentina: Mendoza
Mexico: Baja California
France: Lyon
Tanzania: Zanzibar
Thailand: Chiang Mai
India: Mysore
China: Chengdu
Sri Lanka: Galle
JB