There's something primal about the idea of a food-focused road trip. The open road. The smell of something deep-fried in the air. The faint sound of a child screaming because you gave their sibling the "wrong fork". Classic stuff.
Inspired by years of watching Man vs Food and my own inability to say no to anything that comes with a side of chips, I decided it's high time we gave family travel the food tour treatment. Not just the odd drive-thru stop to keep the peace—I'm talking proper, memory-making, sauce-on-your-shirt, "Is this even edible?" kind of food stops.
And yes, it might've all started with a plate of escargot and frogs' legs at Centre Parcs. I ordered them with glee. The kids looked at me like I'd brought roadkill to the table. More for me.
So if you're planning a family trip and fancy swapping motorway services for mouthwatering meals, here are a few food stops from around the globe that have earned a spot on my dad-approved bucket list. Some I've tried. Some I dream about. All are better than another chicken nugget meal deal.
Until I get the chance to drag the whole crew across continents, these restaurant deals closer to home will have to keep us fed, happy, and slightly less feral.
Table of Contents
Stop 1: General Public – Perth, Western Australia
AKA: Where Pizza Meets Bowling and My Jet-Lagged Fantasy Begins
Now, I'll admit—this one's still on the bucket list. I haven't been yet, but with my uncle living out Perth way and the photos alone making me salivate like a labrador at a barbecue, General Public is very much pinned to the "one day" travel board.
Imagine this: you rock up after a long day exploring the Aussie coast, the kids are slightly feral from the flight, your partner's Googling "how to fly home early without the children", and you need a place that does two things well—feeds everyone and entertains them enough to avoid a meltdown. Enter General Public.
They do gourmet woodfired pizza on slow-fermented sourdough bases (try saying that after two Aussie craft beers). The "Mushroom & Truffle Oil" is calling to my inner food snob, and their "Honey Badger" pizza? Hot salami, chilli honey… and possibly the only pizza I'd be willing to share bites of under duress.
What seals the deal for me, though, is the setup. Duckpin bowling. Arcade games. That glorious crossover where food meets fun and the kids forget to whinge for just long enough to let you finish a mouthful in peace.
I've not been (yet), but I'm picturing it now—brownie-stuffed shakes, sourdough in one hand, bowling ball in the other, and a sticky five-year-old asking if they can move in. One day, General Public. One day.
Stop 2: Eischen's Bar – Okarche, Oklahoma, USA
AKA: Fried Chicken, White Bread, and Zero Frills—Just How It Should Be
If you're the type of parent who's ever shouted "JUST EAT WHAT'S ON YOUR PLATE" in a travel-weary haze, then Eischen's Bar might be your spiritual home. It's the oldest bar in Oklahoma—serving up whole fried chickens with all the ceremony of a paper plate and a prayer.
You won't find quinoa, aioli, or avocado anything here. What you will find is a glorious bird, golden and crispy, plonked down with white bread, pickles, raw onion, and no regrets. No menu faff. No substitutions. Just food the way road trips were meant to be: hot, fast, and unapologetically beige.
Despite being a bar, it's surprisingly family-friendly. Think small-town charm meets "if you know, you know". It's cash only and first come, first served—so arrive hungry and mildly competitive.
The place has that faded Americana feel—like you're stepping into a scene from Stranger Things, minus the monsters and with much better chicken. Perfect for families who can handle a bit of chaos and don't mind the odd sticky table. And if your kids turn their noses up? More for you.
Stop 3: El Quim de la Boqueria – Barcelona, Spain
AKA: Where Squid, Eggs, and Chaos Collide in the Best Possible Way
Barcelona's La Boqueria market is the kind of place that slaps you in the senses from the second you walk in. Colours, smells, people shouting, knives flying—it's like a live-action cooking show meets a panic attack, but in a good way.
Tucked inside all the madness is El Quim de la Boqueria, a family-run tapas stall that's earned legendary status—and not just because they once made eggs and baby squid look sexy on a plate. Their Huevos con Chipirones (yep, that's eggs with teeny tiny squid) is one of those dishes that sounds like it shouldn't work, but absolutely does. It's rich, messy, and the sort of thing you'll dream about for months after.
I haven't taken the whole crew yet (the idea of corralling five kids through a packed market is giving me palpitations just thinking about it), but this is the sort of place I'd brave the chaos for. Tapas counters like this teach kids two things: 1) to try weird food, and 2) not to knock over someone's sangria while doing it.
If your offspring aren't quite ready for squid and saffron, there's always patatas bravas, grilled meats, or a simple jamón sandwich to keep them sweet. Plus, sitting at the bar watching chefs whip up dishes from scratch is practically a food education.
Just don't expect a quiet meal. Or elbow room. Or to leave without tomato sauce on someone's shirt (usually mine).
Stop 4: The Crab Shack – Tybee Island, Georgia, USA
AKA: Where Seafood Meets Swamp and Kids Meet Actual Alligators (No, Really)
Now, I've never been to Tybee Island—but I've seen enough photos of The Crab Shack to know it's my kind of chaos. We're talking big platters of seafood, picnic tables under Spanish moss, and actual alligators lurking in fenced-off ponds while you eat. It's basically a David Attenborough special with chips.
If we ever manage to swing a Deep South adventure (preferably one funded by lottery winnings or a long-lost inheritance), this stop is non-negotiable. It ticks every family travel box:
✅ Heaps of food
✅ Messy eating encouraged
✅ Built-in child distraction via gator spotting
✅ No one cares if your kids are being loud, because so is everyone else
Their low-country boil is the stuff of food lore—piles of crab, shrimp, sausage, corn, potatoes, and butter for days. It's the kind of meal where napkins are useless and dignity goes out the window. You just lean into the mess and hope your youngest doesn't try to pet the wildlife.
Prices are fair, portions are huge, and if your kids aren't into seafood, there's pulled pork and chicken fingers. Though let's be honest, they'll probably fill up on chips and then complain they're still hungry ten minutes later.
This one's firmly in my "if I ever survive a long-haul flight with all of them" fantasy list.
Stop 5: Fergburger – Queenstown, New Zealand
AKA: The Burger So Big It Might Count as a Carry-On
Even if you've never set foot in New Zealand, you've probably heard whispers of Fergburger. It's that rare beast—famous, hyped, and somehow still worth it. Like the food version of David Tennant: beloved by everyone, impossible not to like.
Their burgers are the stuff of legend—massive, messy, and cooked so well you'll forget how long you queued. The Ferg Deluxe is a beast: prime New Zealand beef, bacon, cheddar, aioli, and enough napkin carnage to make you question your life choices. They even do venison and veggie options, so you're covered whether you're feeling adventurous or just want something you don't need to Google.
If I ever make it there with the family, I'm picturing this: one kid begging for a plain burger with "nothing touching it", another trying to eat one the size of their own head, and me quietly panicking about ketchup in the hire car.
They've got nearby lakeside spots to sit, which feels ideal for letting the kids run off their burger-fuelled energy while you try to sneak bites from their leftovers like a true dad scavenger.
Stop 6: Poo-Themed Café – Tokyo, Japan
AKA: The One With Toilet Bowls, Turd-Shaped Puddings, and Peak Parenting Moments
If you'd told me ten years ago I'd be dreaming about visiting a poo-themed café, I'd have assumed fatherhood had broken me. And maybe it has. Because honestly? This place is at the top of my travel wish list.
Somewhere deep in Tokyo's rainbow-coloured madness lies a café entirely dedicated to the humble poop. Think: toilets for chairs, urinal-shaped drink cups, chocolate soft-serve that looks suspiciously like… well, you get the idea.
One of my daughters is obsessed—we're talking full-on "Google Images at breakfast" level interest. She begs to go every time we talk about Japan, and I kind of get it. It's weird, it's funny, and it's the kind of core memory you can't buy in a gift shop.
Food-wise? Expect curry served in toilets, parfaits shaped like 💩, and a lot of giggling. It's not Michelin star dining—but it's a 5-star memory in the making. And if it gets your kids excited about travel, even better.
Would I actually eat curry out of a ceramic loo for my daughter? Without hesitation. Would I draw the line at the novelty poo hat? Probably. But never say never.
(It dawned on me that Curry Shop Shimizu closed a few years back, but there's still the museum that she'd love to go, and maybe we'll make a quick detour via South Korea, where the restaurant scene is still strong!)
Wrapping Up: Food, Family & Fantasies (Mostly Involving Chips)
Look, I'll level with you—I haven't made it to all these places yet. Some are dreams, some are saved tabs in the holiday folder I update every time I get an unexpected refund or finally cancel a pointless subscription (goodbye, streaming service I only used once to watch a single documentary about sloths).
But what ties them all together isn't just the food. It's the fantasy of sitting around a table—be it a picnic bench, market counter, or even a ceramic toilet bowl in Tokyo—watching your kids try something new, pull a face, and then maybe, just maybe, take another bite.
Food has this magical way of anchoring memories. Like that time I ordered escargot and frogs' legs at Centre Parcs just to wind up my kids. I thought they'd at least poke at them. They recoiled like I'd served them roadkill on toast. I, however, had a fantastic time.
And honestly, that's the thing. Whether it's gourmet burgers by a lake, chicken on wax paper, or a poo-shaped pudding, these meals are more than food—they're part of the story. The weird, sticky, unforgettable story of being a dad on tour.
So here's to the food stops we've made, the ones we've yet to brave, and the ones we'll tell exaggerated tales about for years to come. One day, I'll take them to General Public in Perth. I'll queue for Fergburger. And yes, I'll book a table at the poo café—camera ready, dignity optional.
Until then? Pass me the chips, and let's dream a little louder.
