Abstract
Gastronomic tourism has become one of the most dynamically developing, experience-based segments of contemporary tourism, closely linking local food systems, cultural heritage, regional identity, and sustainability goals. Going beyond dining, gastronomic tourism is increasingly emerging as a tool for regional development, particularly in rural, sparsely populated, and economically disadvantaged areas. Following the political transition, the problems of a long-term structural crisis emerged throughout Hungary, affecting our study areas as well, where gastronomic tourism offers an alternative development path alongside traditional industrial policy approaches. This article examines the interpretation of gastronomic tourism as a best practice in two counties of the Northern Hungary, which, although they have followed different paths of economic and social development, share many similarities. Embedded within the theoretical frameworks of sustainability and just transition, the analysis evaluates the regional development potential of these examples.