A collection of the year’s top food and travel writing, selected by the trailblazing New York Times bestselling author and Emmy-nominated host of Taste the Nation and Top Chef Padma Lakshmi.

“Food and travel are natural companions,” writes guest editor Padma Lakshmi. From this pairing comes “the possibility of seeing anew, of examining how we make and assign meaning.” The powerful personal narratives in this year’s Best American Food and Travel Writing circle the world—from Dakar in Senegal, to Michoacán in south-central Mexico, to the Camino de Santiago in Spain—and deepen our understanding of our place in it. An ode to the American grilled cheese spurs the desire to find beauty in the smallest daily activities. An obsessive odyssey for the perfect Chinese food blossoms into a heart-wrenching search for a lost childhood. Bold and insightful, joyful and moving, this collection of literary essays celebrates the experiences that connect us all.

The Best American Food and Travel Writing 2024 includes C PAM ZHANG • LIGAYA MISHAN • KIESE LAYMON • MARIAN BULL • MAYUKH SEN • BEN TAUB • AND OTHERS

This unforgettable anthology explores the intersection of food, culture, and memory:

• Global Storytelling: Journey from Dakar to south-central Mexico and the Camino de Santiago in Spain, exploring the powerful connection between place and plate.
• Acclaimed Voices: Experience the year's best writing, curated by guest editor Padma Lakshmi, host of Taste the Nation and Top Chef.
• Unexpected Connections: Discover how an ode to the American grilled cheese can reveal the beauty in daily life, and how a quest for the perfect Chinese food can become a search for a lost childhood.
• More Than a Meal: Go beyond recipes and reviews with insightful essays that delve into identity, family, grief, and the experiences that connect us all.