Best Countries for Foodies | The European Edit
We’ve been reminiscing over past travel recently and as an inveterate fork wielder, we realised that so many of those fond memories revolve around the table. I thought I’d put the cutlery down temporarily and gather together a European edit of the best countries for foodies.
These are the countries we find ourselves drawn to time and time again, both exploring further afield and re-visiting. Honestly, many of these are travel classics – and for very good reason.
Portugal | Porto & Lisbon
Every single time I think of Portugal, I hear music playing. I can smell pasteis de nata baking, hear a glass of ginja (cherry liquer) or port being poured and the sunshine is pouring over the terracotta rooftops. Portugal is sheer joy, one of the countries for foodies that I recommend over and over again.
Italy | Literally Everywhere
Where do I even start with the foodie paradise that is every. single. corner of Italy? And, each region has it’s own seasonal specialities. It’s the birthplace of pizza, pasta, prosciutto, burrata, tiramisu, focaccia… oh lord, just typing this is making my mouth water and my fingers itch to book another trip exploring the countryside.
France| Bordeaux, Champagne Region
From the red wine estates of Bordeaux to the sparkling fields of the Champagne – and every local patisserie and a boulangerie between, you can’t go wrong with exploring France. Don’t get me started on the sun-ripened fruit and vegetables, the exquisite cheese, steak tartare and, oh, did I mention the divine ranges of patisserie?
Austria | Vienna
We’ve adored every moment that we’ve spent in Austria and it takes the crown for some of the best desserts of Europe and a particular highlight was the long weekend we spent exploring the coffee shops and grand hotels of Vienna. No, not Vienetta – think Sacher Torte, coupes of ice cream sundaes, freshly baked strudel and apricot confections that I can’t remember the name of, but I will be chasing for the rest of my travelling days. Oh, and the freshly made schnitzel. HELLO.
Belgium | Ghent
When you go to Belgium, sampling gourmet chocolates, enjoying Moules, dipping frites, sipping locally brewed beer, and nibbling fresh waffles under a mountain of freshly whipped cream is the law – of course – but I’ve loved discovering some of the lesser known goodie gems like Cuberdon – a cone-shaped candy found in Ghent, and Gentse Waterzooi – a comforting fish stew that warms you from your head to your toes.
Hungary | Budapest
I haven’t yet thoroughly explored the rest of Switzerland but adored my long weekend exploring Basel, which shares a river with Germany and France AND had the most Michelin stars of any European city. It’s a compact delight that will delight plan-loving foodies.
Spain | Valencia, Bilbao
Forget the tourist traps filled with boozing English people, I love Spanish cities such as Valencia and Bilbao where food is at the heart of society.
England | London, Winchester
Don’t roll your eyes at me. As well as serving up scrumptious local delicacies from Whitstable oysters to Bakewell Tarts, I adore how multi-cultural England is these days – in London you can travel around the world within a few underground stops. You can roll from New Zealand to Zimbabwe, explore the many cuisines around India (or indulge in an Anglicised selection of crafted dishes), walk from Syrian specialities to Malaysian curry OR enjoy farm to plate English delights. Further afield in the UK you can even try a deep-fried Mars bar or a side of Haggis up in Scotland, or enjoy salt-marsh lamb from Wales. The United Kingdom is honestly a smorgasbord of delights and well worthy on this list of the best countries for foodies – it’s no longer a centre for bad beige food, no matter what the jokes say.
Honourable mentions: the Turkish bakeries in Munich, langos in Hungary -a warm tasty fried bread brushed with garlic topped with sour cream and cheese, an afternoon waffle topped with brown cheese and lingonberry jam in Norway (especially after Aurora Borealis spotting), the Hagelslag (chocolate sprinkles) of The Netherlands… turns out it’s a carb heavy list, but YOLO, right?
What countries make you hungry just at the sound of their name?
