Lonely Planet launches new food and drink imprint

Travel guidebook publisher Lonely Planet has launched Lonely Planet Food, a new imprint devoted to the company’s list of food and drink titles, for "people at home who are keen to experience world food at its most authentic".

The new imprint will house titles from Lonely Planet’s World’s Best series, which features The World’s Best Street Food, The World’s Best Drinks, The World’s Best Spicy Food and The World’s Best Brunches, as well as Lonely Planet’s From the Source series, which introduces food lovers to local dishes from around the world and to the cooks who have perfected them. The series kicked off last year with From the Source Italy and From the Source Thailand. 

Each of Lonely Planet’s new food and drinks titles will now bear the Lonely Planet Food logo. It launches with two brand new titles in Lonely Planet’s From the Source Series: From the Source Spain and From the Source Japan, published Friday (9th September). 

Lonely Planet will continue adding to the list with the publication of Food Trails in October, which maps out 52 perfect weekends across the globe for food lovers, followed in March 2017 with the publication of The World’s Best Superfoods and The World’s Best Spicy Food. 

Lonely Planet’s associate publisher, Robin Barton, said: “Under the banner of Lonely Planet Food, we’ll showcase our knowledge and passion for genuine local cuisine. Food and drink is a huge part of the travel experience and with Lonely Planet’s global expertise and reach we’re able to help lovers of food and travel discover exciting dishes, drinks and more. We will be publishing a wide range of titles, including recipe books that feature food in its place of origin, and travel companions to food and drink trails around the world. We show chefs cooking, customers eating and ingredients being bought in markets, giving readers a true sense of place. A huge part of the food experience is the surroundings, atmosphere and people - our aim is to bring the complete package to people at home who are keen to experience world food at its most authentic.”

The travel market in 2015 saw its first rise in seven years, reported The Bookseller earlier this year. It reached its lowest point since BookScan records began between 2012 and 2014 at around the £59m mark.