8 Best Travel Destinations for Foodies Who Are Health Nuts
Traveling is awesome. But foodie-inspired itineraries and airport eats? Not always so awesome for your health. While it’s totally a good idea to fully experience the local culture and flavor on vacay, if you tend to care a lot about what you’re putting into your body, think about choosing your next destination based on healthy food tourism. These eight trips boast readily available clean eats, vegan-friendly options and seasonal menus. You won’t have to sacrifice flavor or awesome local activities either. And don’t worry; you can still find treats in all of these spots too!
1. Hawaii: Let’s talk about poke bowls and acai bowls, shall we? Head on over to the Paina Cafe in Oahu for the best poke, or raw fish salad, around. Alternatively, try a more hole-in-the-wall type place like Ono Seafood, a local favorite. You’ll also find no shortage of delicious and perfectly ripe fruit (or fresh fruit smoothies!) no matter where you go on the islands. This state is truly a health junkie’s dream.
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2. San Francisco, CA: Ever wanted to try vegan pastries? In SF, you can definitely do that at Wholesome Bakery. From vegan and gluten-free eateries like Seed + Salt and vegan, organic Mexican restaurant Gracias Madre to spots like Blue Barn, which will customize a dish for you based on what greens, dressing and other ingredients you want included, this city is chock-full of healthy options. Mmm.
3. Melbourne, Australia: Aussies eat pretty well in general, so it’s no surprise that they’ve got a plethora of healthy food spots to choose from. Smith and Daughters is 100 percent vegan and offers up all kinds of deliciousness, and right around the corner is their offshoot, Smith and Deli, which serves more experimental vegan cuisine. Also stop by Seratonin Dealer, which is exactly what it sounds like — a place where you can snag healthy and happy grub and even a personal training session if you wish. Talk about multitasking.
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4. Oslo, Norway: This Scandinavian country is known for its healthy diet, and you’ll find the most clean-eating-friendly options in the capital city of Oslo. At organic restaurant Kolonihagen, you can try everything from new twists on traditional Norwegian fish dishes to healthier versions of foreign cuisines. Since fish is such a big deal there, it makes sense that gourmet sushi would have made its way to the country. For some truly spectacular maki, check out Hanami.
5. Athens, Greece: You’ve heard all about the Mediterranean diet and its benefits, so why not venture over to one of the places it was created? You’ll find fresh fish, veggies and healthy grains no matter where you go in Greece, but urban Athens has tons of awesome options. For some really fancy and super fresh fish, scope Milos, and for something more casual and veggie-friendly, head on over to Avocado, which always has delicious seasonal specials.
6. Reykjavik, Iceland: Not only can you find like a million health spas with cutting edge treatments in Iceland, but you can also find some seriously healthy food. If a smoothie bowl is the way to your heart, stop in at Glo, where you can find everything from fresh juices to veggie burgers. For something more traditionally Icelandic, try the just-fancy-enough Messinn, one of the city’s best restaurants.
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7. Amsterdam, Netherlands: How good does this healthy breakfast from Lavinia Good Food in Amsterdam look? The Netherlands has one of the lowest obesity rates in the world, and it’s likely due to healthy and hearty meals like this one. Also stop by Foodhallen, an indoor food hall that serves up just as much healthy stuff as splurges, like raw vegan takes on traditional Dutch food. It sounds weird, but it’s really good — promise.
View this post on InstagramOrganic romaine and kale ensalada
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8. Sedona, Arizona: If you’ve ever been to this city, you know there’s something special about it. It’s said there’s healing energy vortexes here, plus the hiking situation is pretty fab. For that reason, there are tons of health nuts to be found and thus, lots of great food options. A local favorite is Elote, which serves traditional Mexican dishes with a healthy twist. If you’re paleo, you’re in luck. Visit Cafe Paleo Brio and you’ll be in clean-eating heaven.
Have you visited any of these healthy-food-friendly destinations? Where did you eat? Tell us about it @BritandCo!
(Featured photo via Getty)
