National Geographic’s latest Best of the World roundup is designed to spotlight the places travellers should have on their radar in 2026, with the emphasis this year firmly on food-led destinations.
Rather than simply ranking restaurants or cuisines, the list highlights places where eating well is tied to local identity, culture and travel experience.
One of the most interesting inclusions is a UK destination that blends rural produce, heritage and fine dining in a way that feels both traditional and very current.
Somerset has been ranked as one of the best places in the world for food right now by National Geographic
Somerset has long been one of England’s most quietly distinctive food regions, and National Geographic’s latest global food guide makes a strong case for why it deserves a place on any serious traveller’s radar.
From apple orchards and cider farms to artisan cheese and destination restaurants, the county offers a food story that feels both deeply rooted and very current.
In Somerset, cider is more than a drink; it is part of the landscape and local identity.
The county is home to more than 450 types of apples and remains one of the UK’s main producers of hard cider, with names such as Thatchers, Burrow Hill Cider and Wilkins Cider drawing visitors who want to taste the tradition at source.
That mix of orchard heritage and hands-on tasting gives the region a strong sense of place that is easy to turn into a travel feature or destination piece.
What makes Somerset worth visiting
Somerset’s food appeal does not stop at cider. The county is also the birthplace of cheddar cheese, with references to its connection to the area dating back to 1170, and places such as Westcombe Dairy letting visitors sample raw-milk cheeses made from cows grazing on lush pastures.
In Bruton, the county’s new culinary centre of gravity, farm-to-table restaurants, gallery-led dining and stylish inns are helping to reposition Somerset as a modern food destination rather than just a rural one.
Somerset is home to one of the UK’s most talked-about rural retreats
Somerset’s food appeal reaches its height at The Newt, a much-admired country estate that has become one of the UK’s most talked-about rural retreats.
Spread across 800 acres of orchards and woodland, it pairs beautifully designed accommodation with a strong sense of place, where gardens, kitchens and landscape all play a central role.
Its experiences lean heavily into food and nature, from bee-focused tours and traditional cream teas to The Great Garden Escape, a London-to-Somerset day trip that includes a first-class train journey, estate tours, tastings and lunch at the vegetable-led Garden Cafe.
