You can learn the rituals, history, and even geography of a place through a shared meal pretty much anywhere in the world—no words needed. But you don't need to hop on a flight to soak up everything a country’s cuisine has to offer. In fact, the inspiration often works the other way around: we’re exposed to slices of other cultures back home that move us to go to the source. If you’re ambitious, that exposure can even start in your kitchen with the right cookbook.

If you're an armchair traveler, prepping for an upcoming trip, or just looking to reminisce about a recent vacation, these books will do the trick. And hey, even if you’re not the most skilled chef, learning to make your own xiao long bao is quicker—and cheaper—than hopping on a flight to Shanghai, right?

Below, find our favorite travel-inspiring cookbooks from the past year.

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This gallery was originally published in November 2019. It has been updated with new information.

Dishoom by Shamil Thakrar, Kavi Thakrar, and Naved Nasir

London’s Dishoom, which has grown from a single outpost to several across the U.K., is easily one of our favorite Indian restaurants in the city. Their Bombay-style comfort food (think: fluffy naan, jackfruit biryani, and spiced masala chai) is worth the flight alone. And now, thanks to their first-ever cookbook, you can make it all at home. The bright blue tome is also packed with stories from Dishoom's chefs, all set in south Bombay, so even if your daal doesn’t turn out just like theirs, you’ll be transported nonetheless.

Buy now: $28, amazon.com

The Turkish Cookbook by Musa Daĝdeviren

As one of Istanbul’s most acclaimed chefs, Daĝdeviren is the person you want to learn about Turkish cuisine from. Not only is he the man behind the iconic Çiya restaurant in the capital, but he and his wife also run a foundation that works to recover Turkish culinary heritage. It’s no surprise that this cookbook, filled with 550 recipes from every corner of Turkey, is somewhat of an encyclopedia of the country’s cuisine. From grilled meats to sweet pastries, everything, despite the complexity in flavor, is still very accessible for the average home chef. Consider it like The Joy of Cooking, but Turkish.