10 Best European Cuisines for Your Next Trip
Enjoy Some Local Specialties to Complete Your Trip to Europe
This list of the best European cuisines for your next trip hopefully helps you decide what to include in your culinary adventure on the old continent. Beyond their enticing foods, you’ll find the countries hosting these cuisines are also delightful places to visit.
You might start with mouth-watering seafood tapas in Spain’s Basque Country or age-old dishes evolved to perfection in the gastronomic capital of France. If you enjoy the variety of a mixed platter, a meze of Turkish appetizers will suit your taste. And if you want to explore the origins of one of the world’s most global dishes, Bolognese ragu, Bologna is the place. These top European cuisines keep people coming back year after year.
1. Cretan cuisine, Greece
A culinary tradition with ancient roots
Categoría: Gastronomía, Familias, Parejas
Cretan cuisine is famed for its use of seasonal, locally grown ingredients as well as fresh fish and seafood. Traditional, aromatic Cretan dishes are flavored with olive oil, lemony sauces, and fresh mountain herbs.
Try local tavernas in small towns outside tourist areas for the best authentic foods. You’ll find goat and lamb marinated and grilled, or slow-cooked until tender and falling off the bone. Vegetarians can also enjoy a wide culinary selection that includes traditional spanakopita with a rich spinach and feta filling. The variety of locally made goat cheeses on the island is unforgettable, and they make perfect additions to fresh Greek salads.
Cretan cuisine, Greece
2. Bolognese cuisine, Italy
One of Italy’s top food destinations
Categoría: Gastronomía, Historia
Bolognese cuisine is famous for its cured meats, vibrant cheeses, handmade pasta, and creamy gelato. Here you’ll find the unmissable tagliatelle al ragu. Italians are strict about their sauce and pasta pairings and will tell you the broader tagliatelle noodle is best for holding the thick Bolognese sauce.
Bologna specializes in tortellini, lasagna, and other pasta dishes unique to the region. The nearby town of Modena produces a Bolognese cuisine staple, balsamic vinegar, which is often drizzled over morsels of parmesan cheese as an appetizer. Bologna is one of Italy’s top gelato destinations too, with some of the country’s highest-rated gelatarias serving classic flavors like cioccolato (chocolate) alongside more unconventional offerings like almond and gorgonzola.
Bolognese cuisine, Italy
3. Lyonnaise cuisine, France
A gastronomic journey rooted in a rich culinary tradition
Categoría: Gastronomía, Historia, Parejas
The stellar Lyonnaise cuisine is steeped in tradition and history. France’s culinary hub since the Renaissance, Lyon has since evolved into the gastronomic capital of France. It’s known for complex and creamy dishes that have been perfected over time, and the best place to sample Lyonnaise cuisine is in local bouchons, simple bistros serving traditional dishes in a lively atmosphere.
Food here is an adventure. Salads may feature foie gras, and tripe is creatively transformed into a local delicacy. The quenelle, a fish dumpling, has been a local specialty since the 19th century. You can’t go wrong by pairing a lovely local bottle of Beaujolais with an authentic dish of Grattons, salted meat that is fried and left to cool.
Lyonnaise cuisine, France
4. Basque cuisine, Spain
Food as art
Categoría: Gastronomía, Familias, Parejas
Basque cuisine is a foodie favorite as it offers a unique experience. Instead of choosing from a traditional menu, you can choose from a variety of small dishes or pintxos laid out on the bar top of each restaurant. Pintxos range from delicious bites of crab salad, cod creme, or Cantabric anchovies to small servings of exquisite savory stews.
Competing in creativity and flavor, restaurants in the Basque Country serve fresh, local ingredients that prize quality above all. As the region sits on the Bay of Biscay, you can guarantee that there’s excellent seafood. Try the local clams or a bowl of chipirones en su tinta, baby squid served with a striking black puree.
Basque cuisine, Spain
5. Porto cuisine, Portugal
Traditional seafood and hearty meat dishes in a magical setting
Categoría: Gastronomía, Parejas, Historia
As expected in Portugal, Porto cuisine offers exceptional seafood with delicious cod dishes, and traditional grilled sardines. But in contrast to the far southern part of the country, in Porto, you can find heartier, more meat-focused options. Papas de Sarrabulho is a testament to this. A thick paste of pork blood, chicken, and various meats.
Porto is a stunning city perched on the Douro River with an abundance of terraced cafes and superb restaurants. Don’t miss the famous pastéis de nata (decadent custard tarts) while you’re here, or the Serra da Estrela, a creamy sheep’s cheese with a velvety texture. Wash it all down with a glass of local port wine from the Douro Valley.
Porto cuisine, Portugal
6. Bavarian cuisine, Germany
Satisfying fare great with beer in chilly climates
Categoría: Gastronomía, Parejas, Fotos
Bavarian cuisine features hearty, meat-centric dishes accompanied by dumplings, beets, cabbage, and potato. Weisswurst, a local white sausage, is often served with sweet mustard, pretzels, and beer. The Bavarian version of sauerkraut is flavorful with onions, pork fat, and grated apple.
For an authentic experience, Schweinebraten (a traditional Bavarian meal of pork shoulder roasted with beer) is best enjoyed in a local Wirtshaus, a lively, rustic tavern where you might share a table with strangers if it’s busy. If you’re ordering a beer with your meal, we recommend sampling a Dunkel or Märzen. Bavaria’s renowned beers are brewed under strict purity laws.
Bavarian cuisine, Germany
7. Provencal cuisine, France
Seasonal and aromatic dishes embraced worldwide
Categoría: Gastronomía, Familias, Parejas
Provencal cuisine boasts lots of fresh salads and seasonal ingredients in its restaurants, along with olive oil, garlic, wild rosemary, and thyme. There’s an emphasis on simple but powerful flavors, and staples in Provencal cuisine have become international favorites. Think ratatouille, tapenade, truffle omelet, and Salade Niçoise.
Don’t miss tasting a bowl of bouillabaisse, the signature dish of Marseilles, an aromatic fish and seafood stew seasoned with saffron, garlic, and herbs. Daube, a fragrant beef stew with red wine, fresh rosemary, and thyme, is also a must-try, and, if you have a sweet tooth, don’t miss the fruit and nut paste candy, Calissons, a specialty of Aix-en-Provence.
Provencal cuisine, France
8. Sicilian cuisine, Italy
A Mediterranean fusion of flavorful influences
Categoría: Gastronomía, Historia
Sicilian cuisine is a melting pot of influences from the Middle East, Africa, Spain, Italy, and Greece, and favors fresh seafood, eggplants, artichokes, tomatoes, and olives. The use of raisins, saffron, and nutmeg illustrate its Arabic influences, while couscous reflects North African roots, and ricotta was developed in Italy by ancient Greek colonists.
Iconic Sicilian dishes have influenced cooking on the mainland and beyond. For example, deep-fried balls of risotto rice named arancini are seen all over Italy but originate from Sicily. This Mediterranean island is the birthplace of cannoli, deep-fried pastry tubes filled with sweet ricotta cream, so be sure to stay for dessert and a glass of locally produced fortified wine.
Sicilian cuisine, Italy
9. Hungarian cuisine
Satisfying stews and soups with spicy and flavorful seasoning
Categoría: Gastronomía, Parejas, Aventura
Traditional Hungarian cuisine is based on hearty stews and soups, with seasonal vegetables, dairy products, bread, and fruit. Paprika is the universal seasoning so lots of dishes have a lovely smoky flavor and warmth. Goulash might be a national dish, but be sure to also try halászlé, a spicy fish soup, and paprikash, a dish of chicken, veal, or pork with a creamy paprika sauce.
A sweet Hungarian highlight that will make your mouth water is a sponge cake layered with chocolate buttercream and topped with caramel called dobos torta. Wash it down with a shot of palinka, Hungary’s popular fruit brandy. Skip the tourist menus and look for local Hungarian restaurants for more authentic food at better prices.
Hungarian cuisine
10. Turkish cuisine
A healthy and tasty cuisine with lots of variation and fragrant spices
Categoría: Gastronomía, Familias, Parejas
Turkish cuisine is healthy and seasonal with Mediterranean, Ottoman, and Middle Eastern influences. Depending on which part of the country you are in, some dishes celebrate fresh vegetables and seafood (like eggplant shakshuka and spicy stuffed mussels) while others (like köfte meatballs and kuzu tandir lamb) favor mouth-watering meats. Legumes, stuffed vegetables, and pickled salads are also common Turkish fare.
Rich flavors come from the use of fresh herbs and a myriad of spices including cumin, sumac, ginger, and many more. If you’re unsure where to start, a meze platter is ideal for experimenting with different combinations of pickled salads, vegetables, dips, meat skewers, and dolma (stuffed grape leaves) and for sharing with friends.
Turkish cuisine
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