Welcome! Learn about Real Food Traveler, the digital magazine focused on food and travel.
RealFoodTraveler.com was born on a train in Italy. Want to know more? Enjoy the story of the simple interaction that inspired the founders of this digital magazine about food and travels.
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RealFoodTraveler started with a simple lunch
In 2005, the founders of the site, Anne Weaver and Bobbie Hasselbring, were eating creamy provolone cheese, spicy salami, and fresh Italian rolls they’d purchased from a local deli near the train station while traveling in Italy. Across the aisle, three college-age girls eating McDonald’s hamburgers jealously eyed their lunch.
Looking for local places to eat – the authentic food experience
“Where’d you buy that?” asked one of the the girls, pointing to the simple but delicious feast. Bobbie and Anne were stunned. In one of the best locales in the world for food and travel, these young ladies didn’t know what foods to eat or where to buy them. In that moment, Bobbie and Anne vowed to build an online travel-food magazine and web community dedicated to sharing information about authentic regional foods around the world. Their mission was to make sure that travelers know what regional foods to not miss and where to find them, no matter where they travel. To accomplish that, they started RealFoodTraveler.com in 2009.
A New Beginning for RealFoodTraveler.com
On January 1, 2018, Courtney Drake-McDonough became the new owner/publisher/managing editor of RealFoodTraveler.com. With a new look, reflective of the content that covers the whole world, and readers from every continent, Courtney has added elements to the site including a series of podcast interviews, more recipes, photos, videos and articles to help travelers know how to make the most out of their journeys. Her goal is to continue on and enhance the wonderful, multi-award-winning site that Bobbie and Anne started. Courtney brings more than 30 years of experience writing about food, travel, arts and culture.
A Food and Travel Website for People Who Love New Experiences
Real food travelers are people who love food and travel and believe that eating local, regional foods can help you really know a place. Whether you eat a juicy elk steak in Montana, a gelato in the Piazza San Marco in Venice, a delicate “bing” crepe in Shanghai, or a potato taco with homemade salsa in Guatemala, authentic regional food connects you with the history, the people and the culture unique to that place.
RealFoodTraveler.com, however, isn’t just about food. It’s about all that’s authentic and true about the places we travel. It’s about the people, the adventures, the accommodations, and the products that make different parts of the world unique and special. If you love real regional foods and authentic travel, RealFoodTraveler.com is the place for you!
Popular meat and cheese boards feature locally-made, artisanal products.Photo by Ed Placidi.
Want to become part of the RealFoodTraveler.com family? Here are some of the ways:
Be the first to get new articles by Subscribing.
Listen to our podcasts, available through our RSS Feed, on iTunes, Spotify and your favorite steaming services.
Shop our recommendations for gear, books, movies, cookbooks, and cooking equipment to help you experience authentic culinary travel better.
Advertise on our site or talk to us about sponsored content.
Join like-minded culinary travel friends on the #FoodTravelChat chat, Wednesdays. Real Food Traveler is the new host of this virtual gathering.
Meet the RFT Editors.
Meet our other writers and photographers — RFT Contributors.
Want to write for us? Check out our Writer’s Guidelines.
Check us out on our YouTube Channel
Drop us a line.
Here’s a sampling of what you’ll find on our site
Guidance for where to eat like a local all over the world:
Foodie Experiences in San Juan, Puerto Rico
Exploring the City of Fez, Morocco
Editor’s Pick: Unique Ways to Eat Like a Local in Historic St. Augustine
How to Eat Like a Local in St. Croix
Ideas for where to have authentic food experiences:
Is the Bathhouse Hot Springs Experience for You?
Travel Packing Hacks: Editor’s Pick
Road Trip Essentials – Tips, Itineraries, and Food
Go behind the scenes on Celebrity Summit’s ship
Unusual Things to Pack for a Trip, Learned the Hard Way by our Editor
Listen to our podcast for more food and travel fun:
Meet Ashley Grant of Bountiful Boards in Green Bay
Tips for Making the Most of Specialty Dining on Cruise Ships
Get to know the owners of Gray Whale Gin helping the oceans one sip at a time
Meet the host of “Bare Feet Mickela Mallozzi”
Where to Experience the Best Virginia Beach Seafood
Editor’s Pick Travels:
