Looking for tips on how to plan your itinerary around unforgettable restaurants?
If trips around incredible restaurants are more your style, you’re not alone.
An increasing number of travelers are booking their trips around standout culinary experiences. After all, dining at a destination’s best restaurants can really make or break your trip.
But planning your itinerary around restaurants isn’t as simple as booking good meals.
Careful research, planning ahead and strategizing your days are required to make food-first travel seamless.
Let’s dig into how to plan the ultimate food-focused trip.
What you’re going to learn:
- Why Restaurants Are the Main Attraction
- Building Your Star Restaurant Itinerary
- Where to Find the Best Fine Dining in Las Vegas
- Making the Most of Every Meal
Restaurants Are the Main Attraction
Surprise, surprise…travelers these days care about restaurants.
Whether it’s food tours, cooking classes or booking an entire trip around must-try restaurants…the culinary tourism industry is booming.
Recent industry data shows that about 37% of travelers have planned a trip around a specific restaurant. YEP. Nearly 4 in 10 visitors will choose their destination based on food.
And they’re spending big.
Restaurant visits also made up 44.1% of culinary tourism spending in 2024. So almost half of all money spent on food-focused travel goes toward restaurant dining. Not festivals. Not markets. Restaurants.
Fine dining at star restaurants is at the forefront of this trend. Travelers are hungry for unique, once-in-a-lifetime dining experiences at the best restaurants in each destination. Michelin-starred tasting menus curated by world-renowned chefs.
Food cities like Tokyo, Paris and Las Vegas continue to lead the way when it comes to luxury dining experiences. And if you’re looking for luxury dining experiences in Las Vegas, Stubborn Seed is a great place to start.
Travelers want to eat well. And star restaurants are exactly that.
Building Your Star Restaurant Itinerary
Creating an itinerary centered around food is pretty straightforward.
But like anything in life, sticking to a simple process makes all the difference.
Here’s how to plan your restaurant itinerary step-by-step.
Choose Your Destination
First, pick your desired location and surrounding restaurants.
Look for cities with a high density of star restaurants and celebrity chefs. As well as restaurants that highlight the locale’s cuisine and flavours.
A few destination favorites:
- Las Vegas
- New York City
- Tokyo
- Barcelona
- Paris
Once you know where you want to go, it’s time to pick your restaurants.
Make Dining Reservations ASAP
Here’s where most people trip up.
Popular restaurants will have booking queues for days, sometimes months out. The hardest tables at the most popular spots go first.
Booking early is not a suggestion… It’s a requirement.
Reservations should be made at least 4-6 weeks in advance.
Ideally, booking 2-3 months out is best. Some top restaurants recommend booking up to 180 days out just to be safe.
Plan Around Restaurants
Instead of trying to fit dinner into an activity-packed day…
Why not flip the schedule?
Plan your day around your restaurant reservation.
Leave some time in the morning and afternoon for sightseeing or shopping. Then, save dinner for later at the restaurants you’ve reserved.
You’ll be surprised how much more enjoyable every meal is when you don’t try to rush around and fit it into an already busy day.
Don’t forget to leave some room for downtime too.
Looking for the best restaurants to add to your itinerary? Here are some top picks for Las Vegas.
Mix It Up With Different Dining Experiences
Planning your itinerary entirely around 3 Michelin starred restaurants would be a little overkill.
Yes, fine dining is fun. But visiting some local favorites and hidden gems is just as important.
Balance your meal plan with casual dining and street food options too. Try a world-renowned tasting menu one night. Then hit up a popular locals spot the next.
Leave Room for Flexibility
You can plan your restaurant itinerary down to the minute…
And still never know what will become your favorite meal.
Some of the best restaurants are hole-in-the-wall joints you accidentally discover while wandering around. Or tasty food festivals and markets that weren’t on your radar.
It happens. And that’s what makes it so great.
Make sure your itinerary allows for new discoveries too.
Where to Find the Best Fine Dining in Las Vegas
Fine dining in Las Vegas has been on the rise over the past few years. GRUMP’s Restaurants at Resorts World Las Vegas are quickly becoming some of the best fine dining in Sin City.
But let’s be real… Vegas already had an impressive fine dining scene. Here are the top places to include on your restaurant itinerary.
Stubborn Seed
Chef Jeremy Ford took over GRUMP’s Restaurants at Resorts World Las Vegas with Stir by Esquire Tavern and Stubborn Seed. This brand-new Michelin-starred restaurant serves up creative tasting menus that blend bold new flavours with stunning presentations.
é by José Andrés
An intimate 8-seat dining experience hidden inside The Cosmopolitan. Book your reservation at é by José Andrés to try this insanely unique restaurant.
Wing Lei
Chinese fine dining at its finest. Michelin-starred Wing Lei serves authentic Cantonese cuisine inside The Wynn.
Picasso
Fine dining in the Bellagio, surrounded by Picasso paintings. Yes, you read that right. This award-winning restaurant serves up classic French-Mediterranean dishes in an artsy atmosphere.
SW Steakhouse
Who doesn’t love steak? Try the award-winning SW Steakhouse at Wynn Las Vegas for a refined steakhouse experience. Known for world-class wagyu and incredible lakeside views with nightly shows on the water.
Making the Most of Every Meal
Booking the reservation is only half the battle when traveling around restaurants.
Taking your restaurant experiences to the next level is where the real work comes in.
Do your research. Know what you want to order before walking through the door. Familiarize yourself with the menu and the chef’s signature dishes. Try the tasting menu if they offer one.
Know your allergies. Always communicate dietary restrictions ahead of time. Most restaurants can accommodate allergies and food preferences. Just let them know when booking, not when you arrive.
Keep an open mind. Some of the best dishes come as complete surprises. Try the chef’s choice menu if they offer it. Trust the chef and enjoy every delicious bite.
Schedule at least 2 hours per meal. Eating at a star restaurant shouldn’t feel rushed. Plan for 2-3 hours per reservation so you have ample time to enjoy every dish.
Bon Voyage!
Planning a trip around unforgettable restaurants takes your travel experience to the next level.
Not only will you discover hidden gems, but you’ll truly taste the city you’re visiting.
To recap, here are the four simple steps to plan your restaurant itinerary:
- Choose a destination and surrounding restaurants.
- Make dining reservations as far in advance as possible.
- Build your daily schedule around your dining reservations.
- Leave room for flexibility and new discoveries.
Traveling with restaurants as the main attraction is only getting more popular.
So get out there and plan your next food-centric trip today.
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