City: New York City, Manhattan
Population: 1.6 million
Local specialties: Bagels, bread, smoked fish, cheese, and local produce

Most people come to New York City to eat... in restaurants. And man, there are a lot of great restaurants. But the city is a wonderful place to cook, too, even if you are fighting a postage stamp-sized kitchen and the absence of a car to haul home your groceries. The millions of food lovers (visitors and natives) running around in New York, plus the traditions brought over from many immigrant populations, means, quite simply, that this city is full of flavor. There are butchers and bagel stores that take you back in time and farmers' market vendors that make a huge city feel like a small town. It's a lot to digest (so much, in fact, that we're saving Brooklyn for a separate guide). We're passing on our favorites—places we visit and can recommend firsthand—but we know New Yorkers are an opinionated bunch, so give us your picks. More

City: Orlando, FL
Population: 2 million in metropolitan area
Local specialties: Oranges and other citrus, authentic Vietnamese and Latin American cuisine

Orlando is probably not the first city that comes to mind when you think of good spots for cooks and food-lovers. Orlando — that's Disney World, right? Well, we chose to include Orlando in our list of city food guides for a couple of reasons. First of all, lots and lots of people end up there every year for conferences, meetings, and vacations; it's the third most visited city in America. Secondly, if you know where to go, Orlando actually has a lot of good little spots for cooks and food-lovers; it's not all Cheesecake Factory!

Here's a list of some great spots for food-lovers and cooks, thanks in large part to Gabi of Honest Fare, an Orlando-based food blog. More

City: Boston, MA
Population: 610,000
Local specialties: Seafood, locally-made fruit wines, apples, honey

We've been talking about the West coast, and now we're going all the way east: Boston! Markets, artisans, farms, and groceries: Where do you shop in Boston? What are the must-taste spots for food-loving visitors? If a visitor was going to take home a food souvenir from this city, where would you suggest they buy it? More

City: Vancouver, BC
Population: 3 million
Local specialties: Seafood, locally made cheese, and fresh produce

We're continuing our series of food-lovers' guides by sticking around in the Northwest for the moment. Vancouver, BC! We just visited, and it is a truly remarkable city. It's located on a major seaport, between the Pacific and the incredible mountains of Canada. It has a mild, moist climate, and fresh fruit and vegetables are everywhere, as well as just-caught seafood. It is also very diverse, and Asian cooking of all kind is very popular. Here's your open spot to discuss Vancouver and the best markets, artisans, and shops for food-lovers and cooks in this beautiful, food-loving city. More

City: Seattle, WA
Population: 3.3 million
Local specialties: Seafood, fresh-roasted coffee, cherries and other fruit

It's Escapes Month here at The Kitchn, and we want to give you ideas for things to eat and places to visit while you're away. We want to inspire your inner chef and introduce you to the best spots for food-lovers in a dozen or so major cities. These guides don't deal with restaurants; there are plenty of other guides for that. These are the spots for food-lovers and cooks: the markets, specialty cookshops, and best small-batch artisans. If you're traveling in one of these cities this summer, we hope these guides help you find something inspiring.

First up? Seattle! A homebase for cooks and food-lovers. More