Most of my favorite memories are from traveling to new places and experiencing new flavors, cultures, and adventures. Although I’m not much of a creative cook myself, I love eating good food and trying new dishes from around the world. I’ve put together a list of some of the best eats from around the world that I’ve found on some of my trips below.
I’m lucky to live in San Francisco because there is such a diverse range of cuisines to choose from here. But I’ve had fantastic meals pretty much everywhere I’ve traveled. And eating is one of the best parts of a mobile lifestyle, wouldn’t you agree? I’ve picked up an addiction of photographing a lot of the food from my travels too, and all of these pics are my own. Be forewarned, this list of best eats is apt to get your stomach growling!
Best Eats From Around The World:
Istanbul, Turkey: A trip to Instanbul isn’t complete without a cup of Apple tea, a plate of baklava, and a handful of Turkish delight. The spice market is also not to miss. It’s so full of color and you can get super cheap kebabs there too. Also, make sure to try the fresh grilled corn and hand squeezed pomegranate juice from one of the street vendors. YUM.
Helsinki, Finland: What I remember most about Helsinki are the grilled fish stands down by the water at Market Square. Most of the vendors will let you sample one or two, which is just enough to get you hooked. There’s also lots of salmon, and grilled potatoes. Also don’t miss the super sweet strawberry stands. There are also bounds of red currants and chanterelle mushrooms for sale here too.
Amsterdam, Holland: If you go to Amsterdam you have to try the Indonesian food (the Dutch colonized Indonesia if you’re wondering) from a family run restaurant like Soenda Kelapa. You get lots of little dishes packed with flavor. My favorite was a squid dish with curry and spices. There are also lots of fantastic cheese shops all around Amsterdam that let you sample pretty much everything and have all sorts of fantastic cheeses. Also try the sweet and chewy desert stroopwafels.
Venice, Italy: When in Venice you must try squid ink pasta. If you’ve never seen it before, it may look scary because it’s black, but oh man is it so good. Also don’t miss the fish market here. There’s a huge range of seafood and it’s fun to walk around and see the selection. The gelato in Venice is also not to miss, and you’ll find it everywhere.
Bruges, Belgium: The mussels, Belgian fries, waffles, and chocolates in Bruges are so delicious. My favorite meal was at Bierbrasserie Cambrinus which I paired with a perfect fruit lambic beer. There are literally hundreds of beers to choose from. Make a reservation or get there early as Cambrinus fills up quick.
Paris, France: There’s nothing quite like eating fresh pastries and breads in the heart of Paris. Crepes are also a nice light meal or snack. And if you want something a little more hearty that’s also super cheap, pick up a hotdog baguette from a food stand as you stroll the city. Delish!
Naples, Italy: Two words: margherita pizza. People really aren’t kidding when they say you haven’t had a real pizza until you go to Italy. My mouth is watering just thinking about how incredibly good the pizza is fresh out of the wood ovens. Order your own because you’re not going to want to share!
Barcelona, Spain: Tapas, tapas, and more tapas. YUM. Barcelona is a city that you want to take your time in. Grab a late dinner with a pitcher of sangria, some seafood tapas (squid is excellent), and finish with some fruity gelato which I found to be really good here. Paella is also a must, just stay away from the super tourist traps, and be aware that many places will charge you extra to dine in.
Rome, Italy: I had a fabulous frutti di mare linguini in Rome along Piazza Navona. It’s a great place to people watch as you enjoy a delicious meal. Make the effort to find restaurants that use fresh pasta in their dishes because it makes a big difference in taste.
Mykonos, Greece: This was another place where I had a delicious frutti di mare pasta. The prices are insane though if you want to get a table right along the water, so be prepared to pay up. Restaurants are piled right on top of each other here, so it’s easy to stroll around and see which dishes looks best before sitting down. Grilled octopus is another great dish to try.
London, England: I enjoyed eating in China Town the most. Grab some Malaysian food or dim sum. Simple, cheap, and tasty. London will leave you broke very quickly and it’s not really a place you want to splurge on fine dining. But there are some great up-scale Indian restaurants that are very tasty. Head to Tamarind if you’re feeling rich.
Tokyo, Japan: You can’t go wrong with food in Japan. Try Japanese spaghetti, fresh noodles, homemade silken tofu, azuki bean ice cream, shabu shabu, omanju, and sushi. You’ll also find some of the most perfect, and very expensive, fruit that bursts with sweetness. Head to the top floor of any department store for great restaurants and browse the huge selection of sweets and food gift boxes in the basement levels.
San Juan, Puerto Rico: The street food in San Juan is cheap, filling, and will leave you smiling. You can have your pick of fried plantains, empanadillas, alcapurrias (fritters), lechon pork, and rice dishes with chiles and beans. You’ll also want to enjoy the fresh fruit, and sip local coffee and rum.
Toronto, Canada: I went to a fabulous vegetarian restaurant in Toronto called Fressen. It’s a little bit pricey but the cocktails and ambiance were nice, and the food was really fresh and packed with flavor. I also had decent Indian and Thai food during my treks around the city too.
Cancun, Mexico: I went on a snorkel tour around Isla Mujeres and had the best homemade food there. Spaghetti with poblano chile sauce, rice with local spices, and freshly caught grilled fish (red snapper I think) with lemon and orange spices. The Mayan influence here makes simple dishes incredibly delicious.
Untemplaters, what are your favorite best eats from around the world? What city are you dying to go back to for the food? Do you ever set a food budget when you travel?
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I’ve had pizza from Italy and it’s true, you haven’t had pizza until you’ve been there. All of these other foods look absolutely delicious. Nothing like fresh food from another country that you’re not accustomed to.
These are beautiful pictures and they almost all look delicious! That squid ink pasta is definitely a little frightening. Thank you for sharing!
Haha, yeah it does look rather intimidating at first! Boy was it so good though. I could sure go for some more pasta right now.
I’ll admit that I don’t have a very adventurous palette. If I was in a resteraunt in another country, I’d probably order the most familiar sounding food on the menu.
Ever time I go back to NJ, I make it a point to eat at a diner. The closest thing to a diner here is IHOP.
I find that surprising since you love to cook! When I was growing up I never wanted to try new foods, but since I started traveling and moved to SF I’m glad I’ve been exposed to so many new flavors and dishes. I like asking the servers what their favorite dishes are too as well as the most popular ones before I place my order which helps avoid disappointment too.
You are making me hungry! The best part of travel is the foods of different cultures. The simplest of things can be memorable such a cup of coffee at a Paris cafe or a pastry in Lisbon. Part of the experience.
Yes, I love going to family run restaurants when I travel because you just see their love and culture in their style of cooking. I remember a lot about the places I visit based on the food.
I’m hungry too! Guacamole is probably one of the reasons why I live in Guatemala. And raw fish cocktails and grilled seafood by the Pacific ocean.Morocco was also a palate’s delight. There are carts and little restaurants everywhere, it is hard not to spend the whole day eating. I agree with you that food is one of the best perks of mobile lifestyle.
I learned how to make guacamole last year and now I’m hooked. Fortunately avocados are plentiful and affordable in California. I’m sure there must be a lot of good food in Guatemala. I want to go there some day to visit Tikal. And that’s exciting to hear Morocco has great food. I want to go there someday.
Thanks Sydney, I am starving now too! (it’s 12:06pm) haha.
The black squid ink pasta and the backlava look to DIE for! Yum, yum, yum, need to go travel and stuff my face now.
The best food imo is from Singapore, Malaysia, and Japan imo. The Japanese due Italian pasta the best!
Sam
Yes, they were so good. Mmmm They sure know how to make good desserts in Istanbul. And the squid ink pasta was so delicious and had a lot more flavor than I would have thought. I haven’t been to Singapore or Malaysia yet, but fortunately there are some great restaurants in SF that I’ve tried. I agree Japanese style spaghetti is SO tasty.
Well, NOW I’m hungry! Sheesh! My best meal in Venice were the happy hour eats. The ones on little toasts?
🙂 My stomach was growling like crazy when I put this post together. I didn’t have the happy hour bites in Venice. I spent most of my snacking in between meals on different flavors of gelato!
While in Finland we stayed with a family so lots of home-cooked meals. As far as eating out, though, my favorite memories are from Helsinki: the reindeer kabobs from the indoor market and our visit to the Karl Fazer Café. 😀
I missed out on the reindeer kabobs. Helsinki had some nice surprises like the Rock Church and the Sibelius Monument. I was surprised how plain the Helsinki Cathedral is inside though.
We had the advantage of local hosts to help us hit everything. Plus, my wife lived there for a few months. 😀
The Rock Church was great – even better since we got to hear some choirs singing in there… the acoustics were amazing! Agreed on the Cathedral – we didn’t get to look around much because a wedding was taking place, though.
I also had my first Indian food while in Finland. Our hosts go to India every couple of years and they took us to their favorite restaurant. They said it was as authentic as they could find in the area.
Wow that’s cool. I would have loved to hear singing and organ music in the Rock Church. I actually stumbled upon it by accident as I was climbing around on top of it thinking it was just a random hill of rocks because I came from the opposite side.
That’s funny about you trying Indian food for the first time in Finland. I don’t remember seeing any when I was there. One of these days I would love to go on a quick tour of India with an experienced guide. Despite all the poverty there are so many incredible sights, colors, and flavors to experience there.
I’d say my favorite food was in Paris, but it could have been the scenery that added to the “flavor.” Your Istanbul pics made me want to hop on a plane and go there now.
I live in a small town that’s about three hours from any major city, and for many people here, going to a city means getting to experience chain restaurants. When we asked people where we should eat in Dallas (after moving here from Detroit), they’d say, “Oh, you should go to the Cheesecake Factory!” Cheesecake Factory? Are you kidding? Or better yet, “They have a Rainforest Cafe!” Rainforest? There was one ten minutes from my house. We’ve now found great neighborhood restaurants to visit but are always searching for cheap, good food wherever we travel.
Paris is so magical. I want to go back someday and go through the Louvre again and go to Versaille. You should totally take a trip to Instanbul some day. It’s fabulous!
I grew up with chain restaurants too and didn’t really experience great food until I started traveling.