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I’m not fussed for ticklists. For example there are 11 countries in Southeast Asia. Since 2015 I have been sitting on 10 countries. Because I would much rather jump on another flight to Japan etc. than fly to East Timor. The whole country counting thing is lost on me. So I’ve decided to make up my own ticklist following something I do care about and that of course is food. So to add a bit of incentive going ahead I’ve decided to track down all the National Dishes of Europe to their origin countries.
So one of my lesser goals in travel is to eat the traditional dishes of every country in Europe. Something that is not as simple as expected, where they are often hidden behind the hot dogs, kebab shops, and multiculturalism of today’s modern Europe. And while I did aim to tick off all the National Dishes in Europe, I found many countries have no official National Dish, or they may also have many. For example, Chicken Tikka Masala is a National Dish of England, but I’d much rather share some good old fashioned fish and chips.
Anyway, below I share a full list of Europe’s National Dishes which I am slowly working to tick off through road trips, toll vignettes, and the help of a handy esim company. For those completed I share my own experiences of both National dishes along with other popular staples of European Foods. This which are easier to track down as tourists, and, of course, the more delicious foods these country’s have to offer..
🇬🇧 British Isles
The British Isles sit off the northwestern coast of mainland Europe, bringing together the distinct food traditions of Northern Ireland, Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales. Expect hearty comfort food, plenty of potatoes, fresh seafood, traditional breakfasts and a healthy appreciation for the local pub.
🇬🇧 Northern Ireland: The Ulster Fry
Similar to the Full English Breakfast, and the Full Scottish Breakfast, only better. The Ulster Fry includes a number of regional additions including potato bread, a flat wheat bread mixed with potato, and soda bread which is leavened with baking soda. But my favourite addition is definitely the black pudding, a savoury blood pudding with a blend of onions, pork fat, oatmeal and pigs blood. Goes well with Bushmills Whisky (I guess). Here for our Ultimate Guide to Northern Irish food.
🇬🇧 Scotland: Haggis
One of the “weirder eats” of Britain is Haggis, a savoury pudding made from the liver, heart and lungs of a sheep, minced with oatmeal, onion, suet, salt and spices. And I personally love the stuff (although I am half Scottish). Traditionally it is served with neeps (mashed turnip) and tatties (mashed potato), and maybe a whisky gravy. Although, in travel, I eat it more in breakfasts, or crisply battered at the local chippies (chip shops). Haggis goes perfect with whiskey and is essential eating on Burns Night. Don’t forget to address the Haggis. Here for our Ultimate Guide to Scottish food.
🇮🇪 Ireland: Irish Stew
I was brought up on stew in Northern Ireland, so I was never in a hurry to fork out on something I could otherwise eat at home on a daily basis. Opting instead for a Steak and Guinness pie maybe, or some battered scampi, etc, when in Ireland. Anyway, I did give Irish Stew a whirl recently, and it was a fair bit different to what I know (Ulster Irish stew), as I guess every bowl and recipe can be in some way different. But, at its most basic, traditional Irish Stew (below left) is a stew of lamb, onions, and potatoes, and occasionally carrots. And a garnish of parsley to make it look fancy. Goes well with Guinness and Irish Whiskey.
🇬🇧 England: Fish and Chips
Part of my love for travel in the U.K. is the traditional fish and chip shops that are found throughout the region, but I would say at their best along the coasts. Anyway, I always prefer my fish and chips from chip shop takeaways, where the batter of the fish is full and fluffy, and the chips tend to be chunkier and double deep fried. And always with lashings of salt and vinegar. But restaurant and pub grub options are also worth a punt, where they traditionally come with a dollop of tartar sauce, which is like a caper and pickle mayonnaise. And maybe a lemon wedge. Goes well with a pint of bitter.
🇬🇧 Wales: Cawl
Cawl is a traditional Welsh stew, usually made with lamb, leeks, potatoes and other root vegetables. Basically Wales in a bowl. A dish we failed to find in 2 road trips through the country (4 nights). Im guessing, as with many homemade comfort foods, it doesn’t make modern restaurant menus. Granny can make it better back home. But I couldn’t find a Welsh breakfast either (our guide to British Breakfasts) and I had to go to Tesco to find out if Laverbread even existed (the staff hadn’t heard of it but I found it). Found Welsh Rarebit at à tourist stop for £8 and it’s little more than cheese and toast. I’m not sure if I let wales down or the opposite but they do have fish and chips, castles, and Wrexham Lager.
🇫🇷 Western Europe
Western Europe brings together some of the continent’s most famous culinary destinations, shaped by Atlantic coastlines, fertile farmland and centuries of food tradition. From French cooking and Belgian beer to Dutch comfort food, this is one of Europe’s most varied food regions.
🇫🇷 France: Beef Bourginon
France is likely the hardest to choose for on this list, due to the sheer diversity and range of food in the country, plus we almost always just order Steak-Frite. Otherwise, I’ll go for Beef Bourginon, due to its international recognition, and its love locally, where it was recently surveyed as France’s National Dish (23%). And this is partly due to the use of red wine in its recipe, where it is pretty much a stew of red wine braised beef, with carrots, mushrooms and shallots. Beef Bourginon is best found in Burgundy (us in Beaune below) and it literally translates as ‘Beef Burgundy’. Goes well with Burgundy wine and maybe some Macaron (not Macaroons).
🇧🇪 Belgium: Steak-Frites
Steak-Frites would be our go-to meal pretty much anywhere in the world. A good rib-eye steak (or entrecote as in French), and pepper sauce (aupoivre), with french fries (les frites) on the side. Sorry, Belgian Fries on the side, as any Belg will tell you that these humble deep fried potato batons were “incorrectly” named ‘French fries’ by American servicemen in Belgium following World War I. As the earliest origins of the “French Fry” actually dates back to the late-1600s, in Belgium. And Belgian Fries have been officially added to the UNESCO list of cultural treasures. However, there will always be a bit of saltiness between the two nations, although, Belgian definitely do the best Beers.
🇳🇱 Netherlands: Stamppot
Stamppot is a traditional Dutch comfort food made by mashing potatoes with vegetables such as kale, carrots or sauerkraut, normally served with smoked sausage. It’s simple, hearty food that’s particularly popular during the colder months.
🇱🇺 Luxembourg: Judd mat Gaardebounen
Judd mat Gaardebounen is widely regarded as Luxembourg’s national dish, pairing smoked and salted pork with broad beans in a rich sauce. It’s traditional Luxembourgish comfort food showing many of the hearty influences shared with neighbouring Germany, Belgium and France.
🇲🇨 Monaco: Barbagiuan
Barbagiuan is Monaco’s best-known traditional speciality: a small fried pastry typically stuffed with Swiss chard, ricotta and herbs. It’s particularly associated with Monaco and the surrounding French Riviera and is about as close as the tiny principality gets to a national dish.
🇩🇪 Central Europe
At the heart of the continent, Central European cuisine is typically hearty, filling and perfectly suited to colder weather. Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein bring plenty of sausages, schnitzels, dumplings, potatoes and cheese, normally accompanied by excellent beers, wines and schnapps.
🇩🇪 Germany: Currywurst
As a curry lover, I do love that curry is recognised as national dishes of some unlikely countries, such as the katsu curry in Japan, and the Currywurst in Germany. But they both have British influences as well, where the British introduced curry to Japan back in the 1800s, and Herta Heuwer, the creator of the currywurst, made the recipe from ketchup and curry powder sourced from British soldiers in Germany (1949). Anyway, Currywurst takes Germany’s humble Bratwurst sausage, fries it, and serves it chopped into pieces with a curry laced tomato sauce. And it is now quintessential street food found throughout Berlin and much of Germany. Goes well with Jaegermeister? Or German Schnapps and Beers.
🇨🇭 Switzerland: Fondue
The official National Dish of Switzerland is the Fondue, a communal pot of melted cheese, heated over a portable stove, and eaten with boiled potatoes and bread. And it would be Best found these days in the resort towns of the Swiss Alps, as we did at Cafe Du Pont, which is apparently the oldest restaurant in Zermatt famous for its herb-laced cheese fondue. But it can be tricky to track down as a meal for one, so many opt instead for the simpler solo serving of “raclette” cheese melted onto a plate with potatoes (The Swiss do love their cheese). I also love rösti, considered to be another national dish of Switzerland, and they’re a bit like hash potatoes (below right). May go well with some Appenzeller. Appenzeller.
🇱🇮 Liechtenstein Käsknöpfle
Käsknöpfle is widely considered Liechtenstein’s national dish, made from small soft dumplings layered with melted cheese and topped with crispy onions. It’s hearty Alpine comfort food, normally served with apple sauce on the side.
🇦🇹 Austria: Wiener Schnitzel
There is a fair bit of overlap between Austria and Germany, which, to be fair, goes the same for much of central Europe. And while Schnitzel is likely found high on any traditional German menu, it is very much an Austrian invention where Wiener Schnitzel is considered to be the National Dish of Austria. And Wiener Schnitzel is more or less a breaded veal cutlet, made from a batter of flour, beaten eggs and bread crumbs, before deep frying and serving with maybe a lemon wedge and potato salad. Note, the name “Wiener” comes from its origins to in “Vienna”, the capital of Austria, which is spelt “Wien” locally in the German language.
🇮🇹 Southern Europe
Southern Europe follows the warmer Mediterranean and Adriatic regions, where food is shaped by sunshine, coastlines and fresh local produce. Expect olive oil, seafood, tomatoes, grilled meats, pasta, rice and wine, with some of Europe’s most internationally famous dishes originating here.
🇵🇹 Portugal: Bacalhau
Bacalhau, or salted cod, is often considered Portugal’s national dish and is famously said to have hundreds of different recipes. Rather than a National Dish however it feels more like an ingredient added to various dishes. The most famous, and Cristiano Ronaldo’s favourite dish, Bacalhau à Brás, shredded bacalhau, with onions, thinly fried shoestring potatoes, and scrambled eggs (pictured below in Faro Old Town). Otherwise I was mostly on peri-peri chicken with Super Bock. Oh, and don’t forget Portuguese Egg Tarts (Pastéis de nata) a treat I am all to familiar with from eating through Macau (a former colony, now a Chinese territory sharing deep Portuguese heritage).
🇪🇸 Spain: Paella
Aside from fish and chips and Birds Eye fish fingers, I think the first proper seafood dish I ever ate was paella in Spain when in my mid-teens (we’re not very adventurous with food in our family). So this was Paella de Marisco (Spanish Seafood Rice), the national dish of Spain, where rice is cooked in a shallow pan with seafood and primarily a flavouring of saffron (although I prefer some paprika spiced pork Chorizo). Otherwise, what I really love about traditional eating in Spain, is Tapas. Where small portions of foods are served to pick and choose from. And we are kind of used to this style of eating in Asia, where we just order a bunch of plates to the table, and then share them around. Instead of each diner being lumped with just 1 big plate of food. Enjoy with some chilled Sangria or maybe a Rioja.
🇦🇩 Andorra: Escudella
Escudella is Andorra’s traditional national dish, a hearty mountain stew made with meat, sausages, vegetables and often pasta or rice. It’s particularly associated with the colder winter months and Andorra’s Pyrenean mountain culture.
🇮🇹 Italy: Pizza
I am risking to have an entire list here without pasta (although Manistra na Pome, or Pasta with Tomato Sauce, is a big staple in Croatia). Otherwise, pizza is loved the world over, although it will always be found best at its origins in Italy, where recipes and interpretations vary regionally throughout. For example, in Rome, it is “pizza bianca“, meaning “white pizza”, because it has no tomato sauce or even cheese at times, and it’s literally, at its most basic, just bread flavoured with salt and olive oil. However, what we know mostly to be pizza, is the Neapolitan style pizza (from Naples), made with tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. Anyway, they probably go well with grappa.
🇸🇲 San Marino: Piadina
Found within Italy, is the tiny landlocked country of San Marino, which I am including here simply because we have it covered. And unlike other small countries, like Andorra, Monaco, and the Vatican, which we passed without eating. It is hard to miss the Piadina in San Marino, where it’s sold on pretty much every corner of the old city of San Marino. Anyway, the Piadina is a simple griddled flatbread, which comes with various fillings, but almost always prosciutto crudo (dry-cured ham), and occasionally some tomato, rocket and cheese. There is also a local cuisine in San Marino, known as Sammarinese cuisine, for those who want to adventure further.
🇲🇹 Malta: Stuffat tal-Fenek
Stuffat Talking, or rabbit stew, is widely considered Malta’s national dish, with rabbit slowly cooked in a rich tomato and wine sauce. It’s one of the most traditional examples of Maltese home cooking.
🇭🇷 Croatia: Peka
Peka is a traditional Croatian dish of meat or seafood slow-cooked with potatoes and vegetables beneath a heavy iron bell covered with hot coals. It’s particularly popular along the Dalmatian coast and is a great example of traditional Croatian cooking.
🇲🇪 Montenegro: Kačamak
Kačamak is a traditional Montenegrin dish made from potatoes and cornmeal, often mixed with cheese and served with thick soured milk. It’s hearty mountain food with simple ingredients and is particularly associated with the colder, mountainous north of Montenegro.
🇬🇷 Greece: Moussaka
Moussaka is one of Greece’s most recognisable traditional dishes, layering aubergine with seasoned minced meat and a thick béchamel topping. There are variations throughout the region, but the Greek version is probably the one most tourists will recognise.
🇨🇾 Cyprus: Souvla
Souvla is a Cypriot favourite made from large pieces of meat slowly roasted over charcoal on long skewers. It’s particularly associated with family gatherings and celebrations and is normally made with lamb, pork or goat.
🇹🇷 Türkiye: Döner Kebab
Türkiye has no official national dish (Kuru Fasulye, a savory white bean stew ia favourite with locals) but it’s otherwise hard to see past Döner Kebab made from seasoned meat roasted on a vertical spit, thinly sliced, and commonly served in flatbread wraps. One of Türkiye’s most successful culinary exports. It’s hard to argue. Otherwise I found a whole lot more to explore on road trips through Turkey eating; Corba: Turkish Soup., Kofta: Turkish Meatballs., Pide/Lahmacun: Turkish Pizza! Tost: panini-like toasties and, Gozleme, a savoury stuffed flatbread. Dont get me started on the breakfasts. I share more here: (Essential Eating in Turkey).
🇵🇱 Central & Eastern Europe
Central and Eastern Europe is where the food becomes noticeably heavier and heartier, with traditional dishes built around meats, potatoes, dumplings, cabbage and warming stews. Fermented and pickled foods are common, as are sausages, strong spirits and recipes designed for cold winters.
🇵🇱 Poland: Bigos
I always knew a bit of Polish food before turning up in Poland, as there are sections of Tescos dedicated to them, and there are Polish supermarkets, and half my friends are Polish back home (I have 2 friends back home). At the same time, many of the snacks I eat through Europe, like kabanos, kielbasa, and kaboski (I’m serious about sausage), I consider to be Polish. Anyway, in Poland, I was after something less international, and Bigos is considered to be Poland’s National Dish, so I gave it a go. In English though, Bigos is called Hunter Stew, where meat brought back hunters was thrown into a stew of sauerkraut, and this is how it tastes. Like pickled cabbage mixed with meat.
🇨🇿 Czechia: Vepřo Knedlo Zelo
Some of my best times in Europe were eating in the Czech Republic, where eating is cheap and unpretentious, and it’s always like a good and proper medieval Bohemian feast (in Cesky Krumlov in particular). So I almost always go with the national dish, called Vepro Knedlo Zelo in the Czech Republic, which is a plate of roast pork with “knedliky” bread-like dumplings, and sauerkraut. Although these Knedliky dumplings also come with many variations of meats, including game meats like venison, rabbit, and pheasant at times. Washed down with meads, schnapps, ales and grogs. Absinthe is always fun as well.
🇸🇰 Slovakia: Bryndzové Halušky
I do get mixed up between eating in Slovenia, and Slovakia. But not so much that they’re similar cuisines, but because I again found lots of “Farmer’s plates” on the menu. So again they share various local meats and sausages in Slovakia, including the hugely popular Domáce Klobásy (homemade Slovak Sausages), although the real surprise for me, during one snowy night near Bojnice Castle, was Bryndzové Halušky. And this is the Slovakian national dish, consisting of potato dumplings, sheep cheese, and bacon bits, and I honestly wasn’t looking forward to trying it. But it was no doubt one of my food highlights in Europe, where the texture is a bit like chewy pasta, and the cream sauce, with bacon bits, reminds me almost of carbonara. Anyway, it apparently goes well with Žinčica (whey of the sheep milk).
🇭🇺 Hungary: Goulash
Our visit to Hungary was somewhat shortlived, after losing our budget for our time there within an hour of arriving. After being fined by the Budapest subway Gestapo. They’re just not the most welcoming of folk. But Budapest no doubt makes up for it with a majestic riverside backdrop, and just some really good and hearty paprika dishes, including the national dish of Goulash. And while this paprika-laced meat (often beef) and vegetable soup/stew is common through much of East Central Europe, Goulash otherwise originates from way back in medieval Hungary. Goes well with a pálinka fruit brandy.
🇸🇮 Slovenia: Kranjska Klobasa
I remember eating breakfast at a guesthouse in Krangsha Gora, when our host insisted on pouring 30′ alcohol schnapps into my tea before I was to drive over the Julian Alps into Austria. Which she ensures me is tradition, and normal, and legal there. Anyway, for traditional foods in Slovenia, I found many restaurants serving “farmer’s plates”, which would be similar to Ajdovi Žganci Pečenica) which bring together a selection of local meats and sausages, including blood sausage, the much-loved Carniolan sausage (Kranjska Klobasa), and some soured turnips (kisla repa). They go well with some local schnapps.
🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina: Ćevapi
Cevapi are small grilled sausages made from minced meat and one of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s most iconic foods. They’re traditionally stuffed into warm somun flatbread with chopped onions, often with a generous dollop of kajmak or other creamy accompaniments.
🇷🇸 Serbia: Pljeskavica
Pljeskavica is a large grilled minced-meat patty and one of Serbia’s best-known traditional dishes. Often described as a Balkan burger, it’s commonly served inside flatbread with onions, kajmak, ajvar and other toppings, and is a staple of Serbian grills.
🇽🇰 Kosovo: Flija
Flija is one of Kosovo’s most distinctive traditional dishes, made by slowly layering thin batter with a creamy filling and cooking each layer individually. Traditionally prepared beneath a heated metal lid, it’s a time-consuming dish often made for family gatherings and celebrations.
🇲🇰 North Macedonia: Tavče Gravče
Tavče Gravče is North Macedonia’s national dish, made from beans baked with onions, peppers and paprika in a traditional earthenware pot. It’s simple, hearty Balkan comfort food and is commonly served with bread, pickled vegetables or grilled meats.
🇦🇱 Albania: Tavë Kosi
Tavë Kosi is widely regarded as Albania’s national dish, combining baked lamb and rice beneath a thick mixture of yoghurt and eggs. The result is a rich, slightly tangy casserole and one of the most distinctive traditional dishes in Albanian cuisine.
🇷🇴 Romania: Sarmale
Sarmale is one of Romania’s most traditional dishes, made from cabbage leaves stuffed with minced meat, rice and herbs before being slowly cooked. They’re commonly served with polenta, sour cream and sometimes smoked pork, particularly during celebrations and holidays.
🇧🇬 Bulgaria: Banitsa
Banitsa is a traditional Bulgarian pastry made from layers of filo dough filled with eggs and white brined cheese. Eaten throughout the country, it’s particularly popular for breakfast and can be found everywhere from bakeries to family tables.
🇲🇩 Moldova: Mămăligă
Mămăligă is a traditional Moldovan cornmeal dish similar to polenta, commonly served alongside cheese, sour cream, meat or stews. Once considered simple peasant food, it remains an important part of Moldovan cuisine and is often shared as part of a larger meal.
🇺🇦 Ukraine: Borscht
Borscht is Ukraine’s iconic beetroot-based soup, typically made with vegetables and often beef or pork, then served with sour cream and fresh herbs. Recipes vary between families and regions, and the tradition of Ukrainian borscht cooking is recognised by UNESCO.
🇧🇾 Belarus: Draniki
Draniki are traditional Belarusian potato pancakes made from grated potato and onion, fried until crisp on the outside and soft inside. They’re generally served hot with sour cream and are one of the simplest and best-known staples of Belarusian cuisine.
🇪🇪 Baltic States
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania sit together on Europe’s Baltic coast, sharing cuisines shaped by cold winters, forests, farmland and the sea. Traditional Baltic food relies heavily on potatoes, rye bread, pork, fish and preserved ingredients, creating simple but seriously hearty dishes.
🇪🇪 Estonia: Verivorst
Verivorst is a traditional Estonian blood sausage made with pork, barley and spices. Particularly popular around Christmas, it’s normally served with sauerkraut, potatoes and lingonberry jam, making it one of the most distinctive dishes of traditional Estonian cuisine.
🇱🇻 Latvia: Grey Peas and Bacon
Grey peas with bacon is one of Latvia’s best-known national dishes, combining locally grown grey peas with fried onions and fatty bacon. It’s simple, filling food traditionally eaten during winter and especially associated with Christmas celebrations.
🇱🇹 Lithuania: Cepelinai
Cepelinai are large Lithuanian potato dumplings shaped like zeppelins and traditionally stuffed with minced meat. Usually topped with sour cream and a bacon-and-onion sauce, they’re substantial comfort food and one of the most recognisable dishes in Lithuanian cuisine.
🇳🇴 Northern Europe
Northern Europe brings together the Nordic countries, where long winters, rugged landscapes and extensive coastlines have shaped traditional cooking. Seafood features heavily alongside lamb, pork, potatoes, root vegetables and preserved foods, with simple ingredients traditionally designed to survive harsh northern climates.
🇮🇸 Iceland: Kjötsúpa Lamb Soup
Kjötsúpa is a traditional Icelandic lamb soup made with slow-cooked lamb, potatoes, root vegetables and herbs. Simple, warming and well suited to Iceland’s climate, it has been a staple of Icelandic home cooking for generations.
🇳🇴 Norway: Fårikål
Fårikål is widely regarded as Norway’s national dish, made by slowly stewing mutton with cabbage and whole black peppercorns. Traditionally eaten during autumn, it’s simple Norwegian comfort food normally served with boiled potatoes.
🇸🇪 Sweden: Swedish Meatballs
Swedish meatballs, or köttbullar, are probably Sweden’s most internationally recognised dish. The small seasoned meatballs are traditionally served with creamy gravy, mashed potatoes, lingonberry jam and pickled cucumber, creating the sweet and savoury combination associated with Swedish comfort food.
🇫🇮 Finland: Karelian Stew
Karelian stew, or karjalanpaisti, is one of Finland’s best-known traditional dishes, combining chunks of meat with onions and slowly cooking them until tender. Originating in Karelia, it’s hearty Finnish comfort food commonly served with potatoes or other root vegetables.
🇩🇰 Denmark: Stegt Flæsk
Stegt flæsk is widely considered Denmark’s national dish, consisting of thick slices of crispy fried pork served with boiled potatoes and creamy parsley sauce. It’s straightforward, hearty Danish food and remains a classic in traditional restaurants throughout the country.
there is a closed bracket in a section on Slovenian plates yet good dish choices