Most Delicious European Food Dishes, Ranked

This is the creme de la creme of European cuisine. And there's something for everyone.

Some European countries like Italy, France and Spain enjoy worldwide fame for their delicious cuisine. While this fame is well-earned, other countries deserve more recognition as well.

These are the most delicious dishes in Europe to prepare you for your next Eurotrip. Even if you can’t travel to Europe anytime soon, you can take your taste buds on a journey through the continent’s most mouth-watering foods.

45. Pomana Porcului

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Country: Romania

What Makes Pomana Porculiu So Delicious

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There are many variations of pomana porcului. At its base, it consists of different cuts of pork fried in lard, ensuring a fatty, juicy quality to the meat. The dish was usually served before Christmas, though it can now be enjoyed in many restaurants throughout the year.

Pomana porcului is typically accompanied by a cornmeal porridge that complements and tones down the fatty and saltiness of the pork.

44. Schnitzel

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Countries: Austria, Germany

What Makes Schnitzel So Delicious

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You can’t visit Austria or Germany without trying some schnitzel. As the national food of Austria, this dish defines the country’s identity like few other meals do.

Schnitzel has many variations, but usually consists of a thin cut meat that is breaded and then fried. Meats can include veal, chicken, beef and turkey.

43. Steak au Poivre

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Country: France

What Makes Steak au Poivre So Delicious

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This typical French food is very popular within the country, despite its apparent simplicity. It consists of fried beef with black pepper, accompanied with potatoes or fries and salad.

Though it doesn’t sound groundbreaking now, the French know how to add a je ne sais quoi to it. The sauce made in the juices from the steak also adds richness to the flavor.

42. Buzara

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Country: Croatia

What Makes Buzara So Delicious

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With a long coastline, Croatia is an expert at doing seafood. This way of preparing it mixes wine, herbs, garlic, olive oil and breadcrumbs into a mixture. The seafood is then cooked within the mixture, soaking up the scents and flavors of the ingredients.

Different kinds of seafood are cooked in this way, and you may even find many types of seafood in the same dish.

41. Zurek

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Country: Poland

What Makes Zurek So Delicious

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Poland has many soups that enjoy popularity, zurek included. The sour soup is made with fermented bread flour, which oddly enough only makes it more comforting on cold winter days.

The soup is made more hearty by adding several meats, potatoes, mushrooms and other vegetables.

40. Salata de Boeuf

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Country: Romania

What Makes Salata de Boeuf

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This salad may seem strange to some people at first, but it is absolutely refreshing and extremely easy to prepare.

It mixes meat, boiled potatoes and vegetables with mayo and mustard. Usually served cold, it is then topped with hard-boiled eggs and fresh herbs.

39. Fish and Chips

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Country: United Kingdom

What Makes Fish and Chips So Delicious

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After a great night at the pub, there is absolutely nothing better than a good fish and chips.

This simple meal is just what it sounds like: fried fish with a side of fries. It’s heavy and greasy, which is why it’s a great late-night snack.

38. Potato Dumplings

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Country: Slovakia

What Makes Potato Dumplings

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Bryndzove Halusky is one of Slovakia’s staple dishes. The potato dumplings are stuffed with sheep cheese and topped with bacon.

They’re a good street snack for when hunger strikes unexpectedly or a perfect appetizer at a restaurant.

37. Placinta

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Country: Moldova

What Makes Placinta So Delicious

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Meaning “placenta,” this dish is much more appetizing than its name suggests. Potatoes and cheese are used to stuff bread, which is then fried to crispy perfection.

Variations for the stuffing include cabbages, pumpkin, apple and meat. We suggest trying as many as possible.

36. Rabbit Stew

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Country: Malta

What Makes Rabbit Stew So Delicious

Rabbit stewed with potato in a cream sauce.

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For incomprehensible reasons, many people outside of Europe feel iffy about eating rabbit. Trust us, it’s delicious.

This Maltese rabbit stew is a true classic. It is usually cooked in a large communal pot, where the rabbit meat is boiled until it’s perfectly tender.

35. Kaseknopfle

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Country: Liechtenstein

What Makes Kaseknopfle So Delicious

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Kaseknopfle is a kind of mac-and-cheese that is very popular in tiny Liechtenstein. Two types of cheese are stirred into a pasta-like dough, then sprinkled with fried onions.

Most versions don’t include meats, but the double cheese is enough to keep you full for hours.

34. Flija

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Country: Kosovo

What Makes Flija So Delicious

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This dish looks pretty simple, but it’s actually very complicated, taking around five hours to make.

Layers of cream and batter are poured individually into triangles. The cook must wait for each layer to bake before adding the next one, which is why making flija takes so much time.

The good news is that you probably won’t be the one cooking it. Even if you are, the deliciousness makes it worth it.

33. Smorrebrod

Traditional Danish open sandwich smorrebrod

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Country: Denmark

What Makes Smorrebrod So Delicious

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Smorrebrod is a type of sandwich without the top bread and could be Denmark’s most famous dish.

It is usually served on one slice of rye bread and topped with meats, cheese, eggs and/or vegetables. The meats are often cold, particularly if it is fish.

It isn’t the sandwich that you’re used to, but it’s definitely worth a try.

32. Black Rissotto

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Country: Croatia

What Makes Black Rissotto So Delicious

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Black risotto is a normal seafood risotto turned black with squid ink. Olive oil and red wine are also thrown in to mix with the strong seafood flavors.

The squid ink is meant to give a strong sea flavor usually described as umami. Just prepare a toothbrush when you order, since it turns your teeth black.

31. Bisque

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Country: France

What Makes Bisque So Delicious

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Somehow, bisque isn’t one of France’s famous dishes. Nevertheless, it’s one of the country’s best in our humble opinion.

The thick soup is creamy and is usually made with shellfish, several spices and cream. Sometimes, wine is added to bring out a deep flavor.

Bisque is spicier than most other French dishes (though it is by no means actually spicy), which is perhaps why it has a place in our hearts.

30. Goulash

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Country: Hungary

What Makes Goulash So Delicious

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This popular dish is common throughout Central Europe, but it is originally from Hungary. Goulash is extremely important to Hungarians, who have been enjoying it since the Middle Ages.

The dish isn’t necessarily pleasing to the eye, but don’t let its appearance fool you. This is one tasty food. It is a meat stew that also has vegetables, potatoes and generous spices like paprika.

If you’re visiting in the winter, nothing will restore your soul like some goulash.

29. Polish Dumplings

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Country: Poland

What makes Polish Dumplings So Delicious

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Pierogi are often referred to as “Polish dumplings” and have endless variations. The savory and spicy variations often include ingredients like mushrooms, cheese, potatoes, meat and onions. It is one of the dishes you have to try when visiting Poland.

The dish has been around since at least the 13th century. While recipes have surely evolved, the base idea has remained the same. And pierogi are perfect for snacking while exploring the country.

28. Bocadillo

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Country: Spain

What Makes Bocadillo So Delicious

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It may seem strange for one of the world’s most basic sandwiches to make a “best foods” list, but bocadillos pack so much flavor, we just couldn’t exclude them.

Served in baguette-style bread, the most traditional bocadillos have meat with tomato paste and olive oil. That’s all this dish needs to win the heart of anyone who takes a bite.

Of course, there are variations, and you can have bocadillos with eggs, cheese, chorizo, tuna and different types of meat. But any variation will continue the simplicity that sets this sandwich apart. It really doesn’t need anything else.

27. Byrek (Spinach and Cheese Pie)

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Country: Albania

What Makes Byrek So Delicious

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Cheese and spinach are baked into a tasty pastry bread to make a versatile dish. You can have a smaller portion as an appetizer, but you’ll also be quite full with a larger dish.

Byrek can be served on its own or as part of a larger meal. Perhaps this versatility is why the dish is so popular in Albania.

Feta cheese is usually used, and the dish can contain meat, though it is traditionally vegetarian.

26. Mekitsa (Deep Fried Flat Bread)

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Country: Bulgaria

What Makes Mekitsa So Delicious

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If you ever go to Bulgaria, head out in the morning to the streets and find yourself some mekitsa. This deep-fried dough is soft, fragrant, filling and, most of all, delicious. It is one of Bulgaria’s favorite breakfast foods, though it can be enjoyed at any time of the day as a snack.

You can keep it simple and have it with some powdered sugar, or add more flavor with honey, jam or cheese.

25. Draniki (Potato Pancakes)

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Country: Belarus

What Makes Draniki So Delicious

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This fried mix of grated potatoes, onion and egg may not be the healthiest dish out there, but it sure is delicious. Sadly, many people are woefully unaware of the existence of draniki, mostly because Belarus still doesn’t attract too many travelers.

Draniki is great as street food, but if you can’t get enough of it, you’ll also find it in restaurants. Sour cream is usually served on the side to contrast the crisp, fatty flavor of the dish.

24. Tavce Gravce (Macedonian Baked Beans)

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Country: North Macedonia

What Makes Tacve Gravce So Delicious

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Many countries have baked beans recipes, but North Macedonia’s tavce gravce are among the best ones.

White beans are complemented with spices and flavorful vegetables like red and yellow peppers, red onions, garlic and tomatoes. As North Macedonia’s national dish, this is something that you’ll find everywhere in the country.

Try it with bread and feta cheese on the side.

23. Struklji (Giant Cheese Dumplings)

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Country: Slovenia

What Makes Struklji So Delicious

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Another dumpling dish graces us with its doughy goodness. Slovenia’s take on dumplings is stuffed with one of the best things in life: melted cheese. The type of cheese depends on whether the dish is made to be sweet or savory.

The savory version often comes with a bit of tarragon that adds fragrance and a hint of freshness to contrast the grease of the cheese.

22. Cappelletti In Brodo

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Country: Italy

What Makes Cappelletti In Brodo So Delicious

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Cappelletti in brodo is an introductory dish to what is perhaps Europe’s best country for food.

The dish consists of cappelletti pasta in chicken broth. In terms of heaviness, it is decidedly less greasy than other Italian dishes, but the pasta makes it much more filling than other soups.

You’ll have a variety of cappelletti fillings to choose from, including meats and cheese.

21. English Breakfast

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Country: United Kingdom

Fish and chips are great, but we there simply isn’t any British food that can beat English breakfast.

This very heavy dish consists of beans, sausages, tomatoes, eggs, bacon, mushrooms and bread. It’s most popular as a delicious hangover food and will leave you full right up to dinner time.

What Makes English Breakfast So Delicious

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Fish and chips are great, but we there simply isn’t any British food that can beat English breakfast.

This very heavy dish consists of beans, sausages, tomatoes, eggs, bacon, mushrooms and bread. It’s most popular as a delicious hangover food and will leave you full right up to dinner time.

20. Irish Stew

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Country: Ireland

What Makes Irish Stew So Delicious

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Ireland may not be exceedingly cold, but it is windy and the temperatures drop low enough to call for hearty, warm stews. And there’s no stew in Ireland quite like Irish stew.

Traditional Irish stew is made with mutton neck, onions, and potatoes. It is garnished with parsley to complement the fatty taste of the meat.

Some variations include carrots and stout Guinness beer.

19. Fried Calamari

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Country: Greece

What Makes Fried Calamari So Delicious

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We love a dish that’s simple and timeless. Greek’s fried calamari doesn’t need a lot of pizzazz to wow you.

Kalamarakia consists of squid rings, covered in flour and deep fried. It’s served with lemon to freshen up the taste and sometimes garnished with parsley.

You’ll find this everywhere in Greece and makes for a perfect appetizer.

18. Halloumi Cheese

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Country: Cyprus

What Makes Halloumi Cheese So Delicious

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Hear us out: grilled cheese. But not the kind that melts inside a sandwich.

No, halloumi cheese can be eaten as a block on its own. It is usually made with a mix of sheep and goat milk, so the flavor is strong and unlike that of other cheeses.

The texture is thick and creamy, which makes biting into the crisp fried exterior even better.

17. Polpette

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Country: Italy

What Makes Polpette So Delicious

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You definitely know polpettes, even if you haven’t heard their original name. Outside of Italy, most people refer to them as Italian meatballs.

This staple of Italian cuisine is eaten worldwide. It is made with ground meat (usually beef), mixed with garlic, eggs, herbs and cheese, and made into balls.

In Italy, meatballs are usually eaten on their own — not, as Italian Americans do, in pasta — and make for a filling, crispy yet juicy snack.

16. Fondue

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Country: Switzerland

What Makes Fondue So Delicious

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Delicious fondue is Switzerland’s national dish and the perfect apres-ski meal.

The most traditional form of fondue is made in a communal pot where melted cheese is combined with white wine. Small pieces of bread are then dipped into the cheese with special long forks.

Fondue bourguignonne is a French variation that uses hot oil to cook different types of meats. Another modern variation dips fruits, cakes and marshmallows into melted chocolate as a dessert.

15. Migas

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Country: Portugal, Spain

What Makes Migas So Delicious

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Coming from the word for “crumbs,” this dish is popular in Spain and Portugal — two of the best European countries for food.

Migas has many, many varieties, but in essence, it is made with wet bread, garlic and olive oil. Regional variations can include chorizo, spinach, pork, asparagus, beans, rice and more.

We definitely encourage you to try different versions while traveling in either of these countries, and decide which one is the best.

14. Moussaka

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Country: Greece

What Makes Moussaka So Delicious

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Though it kind of looks like lasagna, moussaka tastes very different. For one, it is made with potatoes or eggplant rather than pasta. The stuffing is usually made with ground lamb as well as several vegetables. The top layer consists of bechamel sauce that crisps as it bakes.

We cannot overstate how absolutely delicious this dish is. It’s also fairly healthy, especially the eggplant version, as it mostly consists of vegetables.

13. Escargot

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Country: France

What Makes Escargot So Delicious

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Ah, poor, poor maligned escargot. Look, we hear you, snails do not sound appetizing at all. But we encourage you to taste this famed French delicacy at least once. You might be surprised at how much you end up loving it.

Escargots are cooked with wine and garlic butter, then served with more herbal butter. The texture is surprisingly tender. As the snails themselves do not have a strong flavor, what you mostly taste is the fragrant infusion of herbal butter, which often has thyme, garlic or parsley.

Pair it with some white wine and French bread.

12. Karelian Pie

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Country: Finland

What Makes Karelian Pie So Delicious

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We’ll be honest. Scandinavian food tends to be not the best in Europe. But Finland surprises visitors with its mouth-watering karelian pie.

The pie is stuffed with cheese, rice, carrots, potatoes and/or hard-boiled eggs. We usually like sweet pies over the savory kind, but we’ll be happy to eat karjalanpiirakka any day.

11. Stifado

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Countries: Greece, Cyprus

What Makes Stifado So Delicious

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Popular in Greece and Cyprus, stifado is a stew made with onions, tomato and meat. Wine is sometimes used to add a bit of bitterness.

The meat used varies between regions, but it can be anything from beef to snails to octopus to rabbit or goat. It is usually whatever is most widely available in an area.

Other possible ingredients include mushrooms, spices, cloves and garlic. It is a perfect winter stew, as it is hearty and warm.

10. Gambas al Ajillo (Garlic Shrimp)

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Country: Spain

What Makes Gambas al Ajillo So Delicious

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There are too many amazing tapa dishes to really say which one is the best. But gambas al ajillo is so flagrantly delicious, we just had to include it.

The tapas dish is made with shrimps sauteed in olive oil, garlic, paprika and lemon juice. When done correctly, garlic is the strongest flavor, though it should never overpower and hide the other ones.

The dish is sometimes garnished with herbs.

9. Espetada (Skewered Meat)

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Country: Portugal

What makes Espetada So Delicious

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You can’t really go wrong with meat placed on a skewer and barbecued to perfection. The Portuguese island of Madeira knows this, which is why it’s very proud of its regional specialty.

Beef is the meat of choice in Madeira. Large chunks of it are marinated and skewered over hot coals. The result is tender and perfectly juicy meat that will have you drooling as you wait for it to be served.

8. Roasted Duck With Apples

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Country: Poland

What Makes Roasted Duck With Apples So Delicious

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Polish food is very underrated, and that’s especially true with kaczka z jablkami. Seasoned duck is stuffed with apples and baked to perfection. Once it is done, the stuffing is served with the crispy duck for a dish we wish we could have more often.

The intricate meal is usually eaten for celebrations, but you can certainly try it in a Polish restaurant whenever you visit.

7. Gyros

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Country: Greece

What Makes Gyros So Delicious

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Gyros are the food that Greece has exported more than any other. A popular street food around the world, it has rolled up flatbread stuffed with grilled meat and tzatziki sauce. Lamb is the most popular type of meat for it.

Though simple, the juiciness of the meat, the softness of the flatbread and the freshness of the tzatziki sauce mesh together to make a perfect meal. Gyros are inexpensive yet fill you up.

6. Raclette

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Country: Switzerland

What Makes Raclette So Delicious

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Fondue may be more famous than raclette, but true cheese lovers will always prefer the latter. It’s not that fondue isn’t amazing. It’s that raclette gives you even more cheese to top many foods, not just bread.

Raclette functions as a large piece of cheese that’s mounted onto a special tool. As the cheese melts, you scrape it onto a plate with potatoes, vegetables, pickles, cold meats and, yes, bread.

The cheese is thicker than the one used for fondue and has a stronger flavor. White wine perfectly complements the meal.

5. Crepes

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Country: France

What Makes Crepes So Delicious

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Most people might think of crepes as street food, but this is really only a thing in touristy parts of France. The real crepe experience happens in a sit-down restaurant that specializes in the dish.

Though sweet crepes are the most well-known outside of France, we strongly encourage you to try savory crepes, of which there are countless variations (we especially like mushrooms and cheese). Originating from Brittany, they are traditionally accompanied by cider.

4. Lagareiro Style Octopus

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Country: Portugal

What Makes Lagareiro Style Octopus So Delicious

Polpo alla lagareiro a typical Portuguese dish

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Polvo à lagareiro is a type of octopus so juicy, so delectable, so tender that it’s the dish that made us change our minds about octopus.

Made with a ton of olive oil, the octopus is boiled, then grilled for a crispy outside and a tender inside. It is seasoned with lemon and garlic and usually served with potatoes.

If you try a single dish in Portugal, let this be it.

3. Pizza

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Country: Italy

What Makes Pizza So Delicious

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Was there ever any doubt that pizza would make it to the top three? This dish is so good it has become a truly global food, with countries around the world now having their own variations.

Still, nobody does pizza like Italy does pizza. Traditional Italian pizzas include the ever-popular margherita pizza, pizza prosciutto crudo e rucola, and pizza marinara.

We don’t need to tell you that going to Italy and not having pizza is basically a crime.

2. Paella

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Country: Spain

What Makes Paella So Delicious

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As delicious as pizza is, it’s too greasy to be an everyday meal. Paella, on the other hand, is good for any time, and you can have as much as you want without feeling like your stomach is begging for a break.

Perhaps Spain’s most famous dish, paella originated in Valencia, but there are now regional variations all over the country. It consists of rice made in a special pan and mixed with vegetables, meat and/or seafood.

Good paella takes hours to cook, but the result is worth it.

1. Pasta

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Country: Italy

What Makes Pasta So Delicious

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Like pizza, pasta has become a dish that virtually everyone is familiar with (and probably loves). The best thing about pasta is that it can be made in countless ways, though Italians still claim that only their kinds of pasta are worth it.

The variation is both in the shape and thickness of the pasta itself as well as in the sauces and ingredients used for it. If you’re looking for true traditional pastas, go for spaghetti alla carbonara, lasagne alla napoletana and maccheroni alla pastori.

For its unfailing deliciousness, its versatility and universal appeal, pasta reigns as the very best European dish.