If you’re partial to Cantonese cuisine, a visit to its birthplace Guangzhou is a must-do. For Yongsheng Li, executive Chinese chef at Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou, Cantonese food is the taste of home. “It honours ingredients, preserves their pure freshness, and can be both elegantly refined and warmly familiar; a living tradition that carries our culture forward,” he says. Brunch-time dim sum is an important cultural ritual here, one which can be embraced everywhere from historic eateries to Michelin-starred fine diners. There’s institution Tao Tao Ju (opened 1880), famous for roast goose and egg tarts, or luxe Hongtu Hall on the river. If you prefer to try more local cuisine out of doors, make your way to Beijing Road Pedestrian Street.

There are few places more food-obsessed than Bangkok – the electric Thai capital is globally renowned for its street food, bars and restaurants. Apart from old favourites like Yaowarat (Chinatown) and Chatuchak, there are always new additions to the food scene. 2025 welcomed Sorn, Kaenkrung and the reborn, Michelin-starred Gaggan. For MasterChef winner and author of Thai: Anywhere and Everywhere Nat Thaipun, each region of Thailand tells its own unique story through food. “Travelling in Thailand taught me that food is never just food,” she say. “It is culture, history and feeling. In Bangkok, Chinese-Thai cooking shows itself in noodle shops, soy, steam and smoke… My most vivid memories are from rural Isan and Nakhon Sawan, where meals were shaped by what was grown, gathered or grilled that day. Every dish reflects place, season and lived experience.”

Hong Kong is always a good idea if you’re a fan of eating, with a world of dining options. There’s Cantonese, some traditional, and a sprinkling of Colonial-era dishes to be found; specialties include roast duck and goose, char sui and wonton noodles. But there are always new eateries to explore, with recent additions like fruit-devoted Orchard Cocktail Bar, modern Pedder Chinese, and Central Asian-focused Yurt.

The Philippines isn’t just for diving and surfing. Cebu is the archipelago’s oldest city, and one passionate about its food. “Cebu is one of the best food cities in the Philippines,” says Yasmin Newman, cookbook author and host of A Taste of the Philippines on SBS. “It’s home to vast food markets loaded with fresh produce and seafood, as well as faves including biko (sticky rice cakes) and humba – sweet-salty braised pork. Most famously, it’s home to what’s been dubbed the world’s best roast pig, Cebu lechon – crisp-skinned suckling pig stuffed with aromats and slow-roasted over charcoal.” Where you’ll find the best of this dish is heavily contested. House of Lechon, Rico’s Lechon and Ayer’s Lechon are much commended; the Carcar City Public Market offers a more authentic dining experience. Newman advises seeking out lechon on weekends, when “key streets by the beach become lined with vendors selling lechon with pickled papaya and steamed rice”.

In the state of Jeonbuk is this city famed for its clusters of heritage houses and stores. But it’s not just history buffs that love this destination, but fans of bibimbap, as this is considered the dish’s capital. Jeonju bibimbap is a regional specialty, with a deeper flavour than the traditional that sees the rice cooked in bone broth before tossed with various toppings. Hanok Village hosts the best in town; both Hangukjip and Hub Jib have been popular since 1952, or there’s fellow heavyweight Gajok Hoegwan which serves its bibimbap in traditional brass bowls.

Vietnam is a veritable buffet, with cities rich with street-food discoveries. And while Ho Chi Minh, Hoi An and Hanoi are must-visits, there are other places to enjoy local specialties off the beaten track. The Central Highlands, a region with strong ties to its ethnic minorities, is catnip for the adventurous. Da Lat is an easy base to explore the area and its famed dishes, like cháo vit (duck congee) and com lam (sticky rice in bamboo).

Often overlooked for its more bohemian cousin Bali, Jakarta is the major metropolis with plenty to tempt the food-focused. Indonesian specialties like satay, nasi goreng, and ikan bakar are best enjoyed in warungs; try those around Kota city and Blok M. For fine dining fare there’s the lauded August, and Esa, both serving modern dishes with an Indonesian twist. And a burgeoning bar scene; there’s mid-century Modernhaus, and cocktail specialist Cosmo Pony. The host of Beyond Bali With Lara Lee (now streaming on SBS On Demand), chef and author Lara Lee loves the energy of the Indonesian capital. “Jakarta’s food is gloriously loud and the city’s food tells its story, especially through Betawi cooking, where you taste the soul of Jakarta in every bite,” she says. “There’s nothing like a bowl of Soto Betawi, rich with coconut milk and spice, and then Nasi Uduk, a fragrant coconut rice served with all the best sidekicks including crunchy fried shallots, peanuts, kerupuk, sambal, slices of omelette, and crispy fried chicken or tempeh. The best part? The food of Jakarta is meant to be shared, talked over, and eaten with your hands in the heat of the street.”

This island nation remains a firm favourite among foodies, thanks to a mingling of both street food and fine dining (there are 42 restaurants here with Michelin stars). Recent arrivals include our own Gelato Messina, alongside Belimbing (new-gen Singaporean cuisine) and the innovative Bon Broth. The lavish St Regis Bar (formerly the Astor Bar) also recently reopened, undergoing an opulent overhaul of both interiors and cocktails. Head chef of The Fifty Six in Brisbane’s Naldham House, Singaporean Gerald Ong recommends visiting the citystate’s famed hawker halls to best absorb its global nature (here’s our list of 7 of the best hawker centres in Singapore). “I love the multicultural aspect of Singapore,” he says. “You could go to a hawker centre with a group of friends, and share plates representing different ethnic groups. It’s very powerful, and makes the world seem a little bit closer.”

Much like its architecture, Malacca’s food reflects its diverse history. And if you ask Sydney-based, Malaysian-born chef Junda Khoo – who now heads eight Malaysian venues across Sydney and Melbourne – food is a snapshot of Malacca’s heritage. “Malacca is so full of history, especially with the Peranakan/Nyonya cuisine,” he says. “Malacca’s food and culture are about memory and soul – every spice, every recipe, every tradition tells the story of families, migration and love passed down at the dining table.” You’ll find Peranakan/Nyonya cuisine, Portuguese-Malay fusion and Malay classics on the menu in this UNESCO World Heritage site. Try it at street markets; Jonker Street Night Market, a hub of 450 stalls, and Pasar Malam Malim Jaya are two of the best. Also visit Heeren and Jonker Streets, with their cafes, boutiques and historic houses.

Or take to a different side of Thai cuisine in the northeast of the nation. It’s here Isan resides, a district heavily influenced by Lao and Khmer cultures, making for a local cuisine that is famously spicy, salty, and sour all in one tantalising mouthful. Must-try dishes include Som Tum (papaya salad), Larb (spicy minced meat), and Gai Yang (grilled chicken) which can be found in abundance among the street food of historic city Udon Thani.