Five Food & Travel Books to Inspire You
Need a little inspiration for your next trip? These books will do the trick.
If ever I find myself in a trip-planning slump, in need of inspiration for where to go next or where to eat on my next trip, I turn to books. I’ve shared some of my favorite travel books here before. Today I’m sharing five books that combine stories about food, travel memoirs, and beautiful writing. These five books are sure to spark inspiration for your next trip!
Easily one of the most enjoyable books I read this year, Home/Land is a memoir focused on life in two cities: New York and London. Though it’s not technically about travel, the pictures Mead paints of both cities spark inspiration to visit each one. Mead writes about small details like the way your footsteps sound hitting the concrete of New York versus the cobblestones of London.
Wondering if New York or London is the next right trip for you? Maybe this lovely book of personal essays about life in each place will help you decide.
Immoveable Feast by John Baxter
As we near the Christmas season, I can’t think of a more fitting travel memoir to pick up than John Baxter’s Immoveable Feast. Baxter’s writing about Paris is uniquely informative and personal: he is an expert at weaving the history of Parisian neighborhoods with his personal experiences and antidotes in a way that is endearing. In this particular book Baxter uses one central story that serves as a plot for all of his reminiscing about Paris. The story? The time he found himself cooking the annual Christmas dinner for his very new, very traditional French in-laws at their country estate. Immovable Feast is cozy, funny, and celebrative of Baxter’s adopted country all at once.
Maybe you can’t whisk away to Paris this Christmas season (If you can, what are you waiting for?!), but reading this lovely little memoir is the next best thing.
Quiet Corners of Rome by David Downie
I stumbled upon this book at an estate sale a couple of years ago, and it turned out to be a charming trip-planning tool for my recent trip to Rome. Yes, it’s very specific to one city, but if you’re planning to visit Rome and looking for off-the-beaten-path inspiration it’s the perfect travel guide. Downie has compiled all of the quietest corners of what is a fairly noisy and busy city into one book, organized by neighborhood. His description of each sight, park, and corner is detailed and informative while painting a vivid picture.
I loved using this book to plan part of my trip, but I also enjoyed reading it and looking at the photography of beautiful Roma. Read this one whether or not you plan to go Rome soon but especially if you do.
See You in the Piazza by Frances Mayes
I am a big fan of Frances Mayes’ writing. Her works read as poetic ramblings of her travels in a way that I find very inspiring. Every time I read one of Mayes’ books I want to pack my bags and head to Italy, especially See You in the Piazza.
In this travel memoir, Mayes focuses on small towns in Italy. It’s really an off-the-beaten-path travel guide to Italy disguised as a memoir. Divided by region with specific hotel and restaurant recommendations, Mayes is very detailed in where to go and what to see if you want to explore small town (and consequently lest touristy) Italy. She provides vivid pictures of each town and region with her musings on her own travels there. I found this book to be both beautiful and useful.
Black, White, and The Grey by Mashama Bailey and John O. Morisano
Food meets travel in this somewhat weighty memoir about a a very special restaurant opening in Savannah, Georgia. If you’re dreaming up a trip to Savannah, this book paints a good picture of life there, especially life in the food world.
Bailey and Morisano tell so much more than the story of opening their restaurant in Savannah; that story alone would’ve been interesting, but it’s tied into so many other topics like the very meaningful history of the old Greyhound bus station the restaurant is housed in. Follow Bailey and Morisano on their separate journeys that led them to become partners in opening their restaurant, The Grey. You’ll feel like you took a trip to Savannah once you put it down!
I hope these books provide travel inspiration & help fuel your trip planning! They make great gifts for the food and travel nerds in your life too. Happy reading, friends!