The cuisine of a place is often one of the things that travellers remember the most. A country’s cuisine is a major component of its culture; therefore, whether you’re indulging in a street market speciality, hosting a family in your home or dining at a classy restaurant, here’s a list of foods you should never miss while travelling the world.
This is only a tiny sampling of the dishes—pun intended— However, there are a tonne of other foods to try and the world is your oyster!
Fondue
SWITZERLAND
Fondue, a dish of melted cheese served in a pot over heat, is the ultimate communal meal. People use long-stemmed forks to dip bread into the cheese. Alternatives to the classic cheese fondue include meat fondue made with hot oil or chocolate that has melted into a delicious dipping dessert.
Bangers and Mash
GREAT BRITAIN
This tasty meal of sausages and mashed potatoes, topped with onion gravy, is a traditional dish from the British Isles and is ideal for a homemade supper.
Paneer Butter Masala
INDIA
The Indian subcontinent is home to paneer, a fresh cheese that pairs perfectly with butter masala, a rich tomato gravy, for the ideal balance of creaminess and spiciness. Either rice or tandoori roti—a kind of flatbread—is served with this dish.
Bunny Chow
SOUTH AFRICA
This fast food item from South Africa is a bread loaf that has been hollowed out and filled with curry. Its roots can be traced back to migrant Indian labourers who, it seems, discovered that carrying their curries in bread was the most practical method while travelling to their sugar cane plantations.
Croque Madame
FRANCE
A traditional breakfast, perfect for any brasserie, it’s a wonderful way to begin the day. A Croque Madame, which is a type of fried egg and cheese sandwich with grated cheese on top, is a good option if you’re sick of croissants and baguettes. The French refer to this dish as a croque monsieur if you eat it without the fried egg.
Borscht
RUSSIA/UKRAINE
Eastern and Central Europe is home to the popular soup that started in Ukraine. There are dozens of ways to make borscht, but the main ingredients are stock, sautéed vegetables, and beetroot. Try it cold as well as hot.
Pasta Carbonara
ITALY
Pasta cooked with cream sauce, eggs, pancetta (sliced bacon), and olive oil is a dish that originated in Rome. Typically, it is presented in a circular dish with Parmesan cheese on top. The pasta needs to be cooked al dente, which is the most important step in creating carbonara.
Souvlaki
GREECE
This is inexpensive, delicious Greek fast food. This dish is kebabs on wooden skewers, made with beef, pork, or chicken (and sometimes vegetables). The dish is either served in a pita sandwich or on a plate with fried potatoes, bread, and other garnishes.
Goi Cuon
VIETNAM
This is a type of spring roll that is wrapped in rice paper and contains prawns, pork, rice noodles, vegetables, and other delectable ingredients. To eat, dip it into a hoisin or chilli sauce and top with chopped peanuts.
Sushi
JAPAN
If you travel to Japan, you must try sushi. Basically any ingredient, including meat, seafood, vegetables, and eggs, can be held together with rice and seaweed, or nori. Wasabi, a spicy horseradish, pickled ginger, and soy sauce are always served with sushi.