Food in Europe and the Best Places to Dine on Iconic European Dishes

When you’re on your travels, what better way to truly experience a destination than by diving headfirst into the region’s food scene? Rub shoulders with local diners as you savour the flavours of delectable authentic dishes, blending locally sourced produce and distinct culinary traditions. With our selection of some of the most iconic food in Europe and the best places to enjoy these gourmet dishes, join us on a gastronomic odyssey through European cuisine that is sure to leave you hungry for more.

One of the most celebrated French dishes of all, the much-loved pot-au-feu is a slow-cooked casserole of beef and vegetables. Dating from the 17th century when a one-pot stew became a staple of the nation’s cuisine, the dish continues to grace dining tables throughout the land. Delight in a succulent serving as part of a full evening, four-course menu in the cosy, traditional dining room of Le Bouchon de Filles in Lyon.

• Location: 20 Rue Sergent Blandan, 69001 Lyon, France
• Opening hours: Daily 7pm–10pm; Sat & Sun also 12pm-1:30pm

For a similarly inspired gastronomic experience in a contemporary setting, reserve a table at Les 3 Domes to delight in seasonal Lyonnaise cuisine complemented by panoramic Rhône River views.

• Location: Sofitel Lyon Bellecour, 20 Quai du Dr Gailleton, 69002 Lyon, France
• Opening hours: Mon-Sat 12pm–2pm & 7pm-9:30pm

Few foods are as symbolically Spanish as the savoury small plates known as tapas. Allegedly named after the 19th-century habit of Andalusian sherry drinkers, who used to cover their glasses with a thin slice of ham to keep the flies out – tapa means lid in Spanish – tapas encompass numerous appetising snacks from olives and manchego cheese to tasty Spanish tortilla and crispy calamari. In Andalucia’s seductive capital, Seville, tapas are the star of the show. Under the hanging hams and 17th-century beams of El Rinconcillo you can relish a culinary treat to remember amid a crowd of locals and visitors. In addition to the much-prized chorizo and jamón ibérico, other tapas on the menu not to be missed include spiced espinacas con garbanzo (spinach and chickpeas) and tantalising mixed fried fish.

• Location: Calle Gerona, 40, Casco Antiguo, 41003 Seville, Spain
• Opening hours: Thu-Mon 1pm-5:30pm & 8pm-12:30am

A meticulously pounded and seasoned, thin veal escalope is coated in flour, egg and breadcrumbs before being fried until golden brown and delectable – what’s not to like? The Wiener schnitzel is a much-loved food in Europe, with disputed origins from Spain or Italy, but no-one has quite perfected it like the Austrians. As emblematic of Vienna as a Johann Strauss waltz, its popularity in the capital grew from the 19th century onwards until it became the epitome of Viennese cuisine. The long-established Café Rüdigerhof serves some of the best Wiener schnitzel in Vienna. Simple and traditional, enjoy it served accompanied by parsley potatoes or a green salad – delicious!

• Location: Hamburgerstraße 20, 1050 Vienna, Austria
• Opening hours: Daily 11am-2am

Portuguese fishermen started drying and salting cod to preserve it 500 years ago. By the 18th century, as a cheap and readily available source of protein, salted cod had become a staple of Portuguese cuisine. Today, countless different regional bacalhau recipes feature on the menus of both family-run restaurants and modern eateries in the Portuguese capital. On the broad tree-lined boulevard of Avenida da Liberdade, savour inventive interpretations prepared with finest local ingredients amid the understated elegance of Matiz Lisboa – cornbread and sausage gratin codfish served with sun-dried tomatoes is one of our favourites.

• Location: Sofitel Lisbon Liberdade, Avenida da Liberdade 127, 1269-038 Lisbon, Portugal
• Opening hours: Daily 12:30pm-10:30pm

A fabled staple of Italian cuisine, pasta comes in a bewildering array of shapes and sizes. Fresh penne, fusilli, spaghetti, lasagne and tagliatelle are fastidiously prepared and served with a cornucopia of mouthwatering sauces in regional specialities that are loved around the country. And nowhere more so than in the atmospheric culinary epicentre of Bologna. Reserve a table in advance at the relaxed All’Osteria Bottega to lose yourself in some of the best pasta in Bologna and the most loved food in Europe. Dishes like tortellini in brodo, with the ring-shaped, pork-filled pasta shapes served in chicken broth, or tagliatelle with delicious, rich meat and tomato bolognese sauce, are prepared from the finest artisan ingredients and enhanced by the staff’s impeccable service.

• Location: Via Santa Caterina, 51, 40123 Bologna, Italy
• Opening hours: Tue-Sat 12:30pm-2:30pm & 8pm-10:30pm

According to an 18th-century Flemish manuscript, abundant North Sea mussels on the Belgian coast provided people with a readily available alternative foodstuff during times of fish shortages. The edible shellfish were prepared at home, traditionally steamed in a sauce of garlic, butter, shallots and white wine. So good were the bowls of piping hot seafood that moules have become Belgium’s national dish and a favourite food in Europe. Moments away from the capital’s Grand Place, Chez Léon is the place to relish some of the best mussels in Brussels. Moules-frites options include servings with classic marinières, à la crème, or white wine sauces, all come with fries (in a separate bowl) and are best accompanied by a refreshing local pilsner beer.

• Location: Rue des Bouchers 18, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
• Opening hours: Daily 12pm-11pm; Sat & Sun until 11:30pm

Sharing culinary roots with its neighbouring nations of Italy and Austria, Slovenia’s reputation as a go-to destination for food in Europe has been growing steadily since before Michelin published its first guide book for the country in 2020. Alpine omelettes, plentiful seafood and endless sausages feature on restaurant menus throughout the capital, Ljubljana, alongside traditional favourites like the buckwheat dumplings known as štruklji. Rolled thinly and filled with sweet or savoury ingredients, these doughy delights are then steamed, fried or baked. Savour cheese and tarragon štruklji served with succulent lamb and gravy in the relaxed dining rooms of Restaurant Pri Škofu or at a table out front on the leafy terrace.

• Location: Rečna ulica 8, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
• Opening hours: Tue-Sat 6pm-10pm; Sun 12pm-4pm

Dating back to 1653, the Weimar Onion Market sees large crowds descend on the celebrated literary and cultural central German city of Weimar in the second week of October each year. The main square is packed with stalls offering a huge variety of the strong-smelling alliums, alongside agricultural products, pottery and handicrafts – onion braids are a perennial favourite. Sizzling sausages are washed down with a range of local beers, while live music and street performers round out the weekend’s attractions.

Over the ten days of Copenhagen Cooking each summer, the city’s top chefs, producers and gourmets come together to celebrate innovative and traditional Danish cuisine across a packed programme of cooking demos, wine tastings and culinary experiences. Stalls and pop-ups from local restaurants offer treats from cheese and dairy products to frikadeller (meatballs), shellfish and Nordic chocolate. A festival highlight sees hundreds of people sit down to share a three-course meal served up by selected local restaurants at a quarter-of-a-mile-long table laid out along the city’s quayside.

In late autumn each year, the heady aroma of truffles harvested from local woodlands emanates from stalls set out for the International Alba White Truffle Fair. Astronomical prices for the exquisite, highly prized fungi are discussed by vendors and buyers looking to savour them when served with gnocchi, tortellini and carpaccio specialities in restaurants dotting the northern Italian town. Guided tastings, cookery courses, chef dinners and historical reenactments bolster the diverse festival programme.

Forty days after Easter each year over the Ascension holiday weekend, a plethora of food trucks converge on the expansive green space of Amsterdam’s Westerpark for the vibrant Rolling Kitchens food festival. Stroll along the rows of mobile kitchen vans to browse for classic Dutch delights from frikandels (deep fried hot dogs), meaty bitterballen, crispy golden krokets, and fries slathered in mayonnaise, to poffertjes (mini-pancakes) and sugary waffles, as well as plenty of local beers. Spread a blanket out on the grass, settle down and get ready to tuck in.

Each October, the long-established O Grove Seafood Festival sees the central square of this coastal Galician town fill with marquees erected in annual celebration of the region’s plentiful and delicious shellfish. Enjoy razor clams, steamed mussels, velvet crabs, lobsters and octopus prepared in local recipes, served with saffron rice and accompanied by a glass of crisp, Albariño white wine.

Whether you’re a seasoned foodie or simply curious to explore new flavours, these traditional dishes offer a taste of Europe’s rich culinary heritage. So, next time you travel, be sure to indulge in the local specialities – each bite tells a story.