Travel doesn’t just broaden the mind—it also has the power to expand our culinary horizons! One of the most exciting parts of any trip abroad, at least for us, is sampling the local cuisine. Sure, seeing the magnificent sites and talking to the locals is exhilarating. But at some point, we all get hungry, don’t we? And that means it’s time for a solid meal, some fab drinks, and a range of delish snacks. Those small experiences can genuinely have a massive impact on your life.
Traveler and artist Dennis Irschara, who goes by u/rakahr11 on Reddit, sparked a very interesting discussion on the r/travel online community. They asked other internet users to spill the tea about their most memorable food stories while they were traveling abroad. We’ve collected the most intriguing ones below. Read on to see what they had to say. Though keep in mind—this post is almost guaranteed to make you hungry (that’s why we brought snacks).
Bored Panda got in touch with traveler Dennis, who has been to a jaw-dropping 34 countries, with a few questions about his passion for adventure and food. He was also kind enough to share some great advice for tourists who want to develop their palates. You'll find our full interview with the author of the thread as you read on.
#21
Actual authentic vientames pho was awesome.
Eating spicy yak meat in Bhutan was interesting.
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48points
In Dennis' experience, it's best to share dishes with each other and to stay curious. "Just because Dish A wasn’t to your taste, Dish X might just tickle your taste buds and hit that spot! If you can, try to find home cooking or workers' lunches, like Italian Trattorias, Tavernas in Greece, 'Hotels' in India, and the corner street food stand in Thailand. It’s the local everyday food that I find the easiest to try. It’s very convenient as well!" the traveler some of his wisdom with us.
According to the traveler, something else that he's grown to appreciate is that many dishes have "transformed into their local fusion version" and he is deeply amazed by how creative different societies are. Dennis explained that someone might know what pizza tastes like in Italy, but it's interesting to see what other countries might make of the dish.
"So I never run around complaining that the Italian restaurant in Random City in Random Country didn’t serve me an authentic Italian pizza. They actually did. It’s simply their version of an Italian pizza. Love the differences: it's just another experience you can tell your loved ones!"
#22
My top three meals during international travels would have to be the following...
- Fresh kabobs (mine with chicken, peppers, and onions) + GIANT pita bread from a food stand behind the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul.
- Falafal with potato from a food cart in Jerusalem; or was it Tel Aviv? Hmm.
- Endless bowl of gnocchi at a beautiful restaurant overlooking Rome. Wish I could remember the name of it, but who knows if it’s even still around (that was like 20 years ago).
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44points
#23
I never really liked fish until one day I had fresh Tandori Tuna Steak in Kerala. A complete revelation.
40points
#24
Went to Central America and stopped in El Salvador we had Pupusas which are corn tortillas (or rice tortillas) stuffed with cheese other ones with pork and cheese or black beans. I’ve had them here in the U.S but these hit different they were smaller and so much tastier. The U.S Pupusas are large like the size of your hand the ones in El Salvador are silver dollar size. A must try if you visit or have a Salvadorean restaurant near by. Oh the pickled relish that goes on top...
38points
Dennis also shared with Bored Panda the list of 34 countries that he has been to: Italy, the Vatican, San Marino, France, Lichtenstein, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, and the United States.
He told us that he counts countries that he's spent longer than a day in. He doesn't include layovers like in the United Arab Emirates or Qatar, but counts a day's visit for city-states like the Vatican and San Marino.
#25
In Morocco, they always served fresh mint tea in every restaurant/hostels I went to. I wasn't a tea person before but definitely loved it after this experience. Also, different types of flatbreads (sweet or savory) served with honey or butter for breakfast!! So good.
All the bread in Germany.
Warungs in Indonesia. Different types of veggies, meat, and fish with rice. Gorengan (there are different types but idk what they are) for snacks!
I love carbs.
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37points
#26
When I got to Central Asia I realized that I really hate dill. Apparently it's in everything.
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34points
#27
I will never forget my tomato egg noodle soup in a random small 'restaurant' in Chengdu, China. It was around the corner of our hotel and we were starving. Not expecting anything from a little streetshop we hopped in for dinner. The owners didn't speak a single word of English and we only knew 2 words in Chinese. By theatrically flopping our hands around we somehow managed to order some food and it was the best meal we have ever had. The next night we went back! The locals were so much fun, felt like we played hints the entire night ;). I've tried to recreate the recipe many times now, but it will never be the same
Also, I will never forget the delicious Pastel de Nata from Portugal! My mouth starts watering when I think about it....
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33points
#28
Plokkfiskur, horsemeat and skyr in Iceland,
Pasteis de Nata from Manteigaria in Lisbon (better than Belém IMO)
These massive pine nuts called Piñones in Patagonia. They are a very common snack over there and they come from Araucaria trees.
You essentially heat them on a stove before you crack open and nibble on them. Sad that I cannot find them back in London!
You essentially heat them on a stove before you crack open and nibble on them. Sad that I cannot find them back in London!
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29points
#29
We were in Budapest and the Chicken Paprikash was so fresh and delicious. I've had it before but this was a game changer!
In China, we did overnight Great Wall tour, our guide took us to this tiny Hot Pot spot right outside of the wall close to the Mongolian border. We picked the trout we ate out from a pond that was in the restaurant!
My mom and I went to Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany. We had to order our apple strudels we were planning on having for desert BEFORE the castle tour even began! They make each one fresh and it takes hours. Hands down best dessert of my life.
Small one but had fresh papaya right off the tree in the Dominican Republic, I'll never forget that!
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28points
#30
The cheapest food is often the best. Noodles on a plastic table in Thailand, grilled fish over coals in a Cebu open air market, hawker stalls in Singapore. But one of my favorite foods anywhere would be good Yakitori in Japan or Pepper Crab in Singapore.
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28points
#31
Best hot dog in the world is in Iceland, and much cheaper than other food there.
Best steak I had was in Kobe Japan.
I also live 30?minutes from Tijuana, but we also have Tacos El Gordo which is pretty much the same tacos without the border hassle.
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27points
#32
I don't have a specific dish that comes to mind but my biggest take away from eating while abroad is that standards of cleanliness vary drastically all over the world. I yet to have gotten sick! Also, what may seem weird to eat in my culture may be perfectly normal in others. But good food is good food.
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25points
#33
Gotta give Brazil all the love!
The Gauchos in the south with churrasco and potato salad, high gastronomy (at a high price) in São Paulo on par the world's best, passing Rio heading north toward the Amazon you'll find any number of fruits you've never heard of, maybe with some real-deal açaí and cupuaçú for brekkie before exploring endless, breathtaking beaches.
And street food? Fuggedaboutit! Pastel, coxinha, rissóis, quibis, pão de queijo (pro-tip: na chapa com requeijão!), hot dogs (w/ mashed potatoes in SP?), fried polenta, xis, acarajé in Bahia, and on and on.
It's about the size of the continental US, and having lived there only 10 years the only thing I know for sure is that I'll never see (or eat?) it all.
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23points
#34
So so many.
I could just write 'Vietnam.' as a full sentence, but I'll elaborate. It showed me that there are a million tasty ways to cook shellfish and snails. Baby clam rice bowls with taro stem, herbs, clam broth, and rice. Blood cockles with garlic and pork fat. Steamed leopard snails in lemongrass broth. Scallops on the half shell with tamarind.
Malaysia: fusion gone traditional. Malaysia is probably my favorite foodie destination if I HAD to pick one. South Indian banana leaf lunches with tons of tiny curries, papapum, rice, snake gourd. Perfectly fried chicken with sambal, anchovies, and peanuts over coconut rice. Astringent noodle soups stuffed with shrimp. Stink beans that make your pee smell like marijuana but are somehow delicious going in. 100 varietals of durian. Kaya toast and a runny egg. Wok-charred flat rice noodles with cockles. Someone stop me!
Hokkaido, Japan: ruined me for most raw seafood for the rest of my life. It's almost not worth eating sea urchin or king crab or salmon roe anywhere but there.
Bali knows from grilling fish - I must have had 30 different fish grilled with 30 different sambals.
I think China is the most polarized food place I've visited, giving me the best meals of my life (herb-stuffed spit-roasted fish, Sichuan hot pot, 'chicken foot' mushrooms, etc) and the worst meals of my life (soil-filled snails in a sauce so numbing it took feeling away from my entire chest, for example).
I had a meal in Perth, Australia, that I still kind of suspect I dreamed because it sounds so bizarre. I will reproduce it in full here because what the f**k: "Sourdough bread with macadamia butter; blue crab, avocado, kohlrabi, finger lime, and sea blight in macadamia milk; red emperor with roe, broad bean, sea vegetable, plus a garlic squid ink waffle; fungus wine grape custard with apricot sorbet, lemon aspen, and toasted sandalwood." This was at Wildflower if anyone wants to check whether it actually exists.
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22points
#35
Uzbekistan and Georgia are my two favorite places for food now.
Samsa, not to be confused with the similar, samosas, is a savory meat (beef or lamb) filled pastry with onions. Cooked on the inside wall of a tandoor. The soft, juicy pastry is perfect for a quick bite on the go.
Another classic is plov, or beef pilaf rice. I've had it in the U.S., but f**k it's no match for this Uzbek giant. We had a guy from Bukhara cook us some on a kazan stove. I can honestly say it's the best I've ever eaten in my life.
Then of course Khachupri (po ajarski) and Khinkali in Georgia. Along with my favorite salty dish jonjoli, a flower which they pickle and salt.
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20points
#36
In Spain, I had AMAZING tapas in Barcelona, Madrid, and Seville. Almost all tapas places were great, except for a few obviously touristy ones, eg on a main square, menus on a board outside with photos, wait staff trying to entice you in. But a little away from prime tourist spots, all tapas was wonderful and inexpensive.
Other memorable foods:
-Dutch pancakes for breakfast in Amsterdam
-poutine in a little village an hour drive north of Montreal
-cheese fondue in Switzerland
-french fries with dipping sauce in Brussels
-pastel de nata (custard tarts) in Lisbon; actually all the Lisbon bakeries were wonderful
-anything from a patisserie in France; my 2 favorites are chocolatines and canale de Bordeaux
-Dutch pancakes for breakfast in Amsterdam
-poutine in a little village an hour drive north of Montreal
-cheese fondue in Switzerland
-french fries with dipping sauce in Brussels
-pastel de nata (custard tarts) in Lisbon; actually all the Lisbon bakeries were wonderful
-anything from a patisserie in France; my 2 favorites are chocolatines and canale de Bordeaux
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18points
#37
* Japanese food introduced me to eating sacks of sperm, raw chicken and snake flavoured ice cream. I loved it all.
* Lived in Southern China for a bit as a kid, and after seeing what goes on there, I totally understand veganism. But on the other hand, tarantula goes alright.
* holy f**k horse is delicious. I even like sour horse milk and giant horse sausage. Gg Central Asia.
* Zebra is far less delicious than horse, but Ostrich is the best burger meat I’ve ever had. All of the antelopes taste good too, I can see why lions are fans.
* I eat Kangaroo basically every day, and apparently that’s weird (had this discussion with an Ecuadorean while sharing a guinea pig face).
* That America is the home of Coca Cola, but the only place where you can’t buy real Coca Cola (at least not without going out of your way for Mexican coke). Also American “chocolate” is absolutely disgusting, and I can last 3 days in that country before I destroy a toilet.
* breakfast curry is amazing.
* That I have a limit, and it’s called balut.
* Lived in Southern China for a bit as a kid, and after seeing what goes on there, I totally understand veganism. But on the other hand, tarantula goes alright.
* holy f**k horse is delicious. I even like sour horse milk and giant horse sausage. Gg Central Asia.
* Zebra is far less delicious than horse, but Ostrich is the best burger meat I’ve ever had. All of the antelopes taste good too, I can see why lions are fans.
* I eat Kangaroo basically every day, and apparently that’s weird (had this discussion with an Ecuadorean while sharing a guinea pig face).
* That America is the home of Coca Cola, but the only place where you can’t buy real Coca Cola (at least not without going out of your way for Mexican coke). Also American “chocolate” is absolutely disgusting, and I can last 3 days in that country before I destroy a toilet.
* breakfast curry is amazing.
* That I have a limit, and it’s called balut.
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16points
#38
There's a northern Thai dish, Khanom Jeen Nam Ngeow. One of the main ingredients is cubed chicken blood. Now, I would never have ordered this, had I known what it would be. Luckily, my Thai was only good enough for "One bowl of this, please". It's one of my all-time favourite Thai dishes now - just a pity I'll never get it in Europe :D
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16points
#39
How 'bout a handful of fried and salted millepedes in Oaxaca (very good with VERY COLD Sol beerS {!!!} and green salsa) for starters? Your own bottle of tequila by your side will help also...
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15points
