FOOD!!! Food is truly such an important part of culture, bringing people together, and of course keeping us happy! I love experiencing other cultures through their food, it is definitely one of my favorite parts of travel. Each culture has it’s unique cuisine, cooking techniques, and flavor combinations that reflect its history, geography, and traditions. Exploring different cuisines provides us with a deeper understanding of a culture and its people. It’s also a fun way to connect with others and create meaningful memories.
When I travel, I try to do some research on what food typically looks like in that country. When people eat certain meals, what people eat for those meals. I like to learn more about what the “norm” is in a region that I’m visiting. With all of the places that I visit, I try my best not to eat American cuisine in those places. I know that food is a big factor when I visit, on my opinion of the place. Soooo, I wanted to create this list just for me on how I felt about these countries based on their foods. PLEASE NOTE!!! This is solely my opinion and is based on the few foods that I’ve had in each of these locations. This list is just for fun and not to dissuade you from traveling to any location. I love food, trying food, and since it’s such a big part of culture and travel, I thought it’d be fun to make this.
DISCLAIMER!!
This ranking is solely based on the countries that I have been to outside of the US. I have only been to 11 countries outside of the US so this is ONLY comparing these countries to one another, not in general! I am listing it based on the city in each country that I have been to. Also, this is based on that country’s cultural food, not like if I got Sushi in Mexico for example. It’s important to remember that everyone’s tastes are different, and just because a particular dish or restaurant didn’t suit my preferences, it doesn’t mean that it’s not good or that you or other people wouldn’t enjoy it.
10. Berlin, Germany
I really didn’t get to try enough places here, so keep that in mind with this ranking!! But nothing here wowed me, in fact I actually didn’t like some of the food that I got. Now at this point in my trip, I was ready to leave Europe (a story for another day lol), but I was so over the not great food that I went against myself and got Five Guys on my last night. (I can get that at home). Whenever I go back to Berlin or Germany in general, I’ll make sure to try more restaurants recommended to me and give more unique German foods a chance. One dish that stuck out was currywurst which I did not love at all. But it was cool to try out and I had it as street food so it was cool to experience that aspect.
9. Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona was such an amazing city and it had so many diverse food options. I tried a lot of new things here, since it’s easier with tapas, and the food was pretty good. I’m not a huge fan of Paella so I decided not to splurge on that, but of the meals that I had in Barcelona, they were good but I wouldn’t go back because of the food. I would go back because of the city and the experience. I had one of the best conversations while eating at the late night taco spot by my hostel with the owner, and it’s experiences like that that really make you remember a place.
8. Paris, France
This one may be a bit controversial but it’s my opinion. Now the pastries…Those were amazing!! However, the food again did not wow me. I had some steak frites that were amazing, with a nice green sauce pairing, almost like a chimichurri. The buttery, flaky croissants and rich, velvety hot chocolate are definitely must-tries for anyone visiting Paris, especially from Carette which was a high recommendation. I also went to Big Love which is a sister restaurant of the popular Pink Mama, and I didn’t love my dish, but I met a friend there and her pizza was amazing, so I’d recommend the pizza from there! But other foods that I had either tasted basic or I did not particularly like them, but I believe that the finger foods and pastries really carried this city well. That being said, even though I found the food that I had in Paris to be just okay, there are still plenty of options to choose from. From classic brasseries serving steak frites and onion soup, to trendy cafes and gourmet restaurants, there’s something for every palate.
7. Florence, Italy
This one shocked me, because I imagined that Italy would be much higher on my list. But Florence has a unique history when it comes to food, especially their bread which is made with no salt, giving it a different texture and taste than most other bread. And I love bread, but this was not necessarily my favorite type. The pasta of course was good, and I tried a couple of highly recommended restaurants such as Trattoria Zà Zà, and it was very good, again, just didn’t wow me. All of the food tasted very fresh which I enjoyed, and with every restaurant, parlor, or cafe that I went to, I was met with smiles and good conversation. So while the food in Florence was good, the beauty and atmosphere of the area left a better taste in my mouth.
6. Guanacaste, Costa Rica
I only put this here on the list because I did not get a chance to truly taste authentic Costa Rican food. I stayed on a resort for the most part on this trip, so the main food that I had was resort food. It definitely was delicious, but I just don’t want to use that to fairly judge. I only tried street food outside of the resort once and it was amazing. We got these chicken kebabs on the beach and some chicken on an excursion which was also really great. But I want to try more before I give a fair rating. However, what I did have was great so I know that when I get the real taste of Costa Rica, I’ll be amazed.
5. San Juan, Puerto Rico
I love Mofongo! And I was a bit skeptical since it would be using green plantain and I am so used to yellow plantains, but the flavors from the stew inside of the plantain really made this dish pop, and I truly enjoyed it! Other than that, the desserts and just regular fruits, fried plantain, and chicken were pretty delicious as well. I love most Latin cuisines so all of the flavors definitely made me happy! And… the drinks here tasted amazing! I spent my 21st birthday in PR and then again for my friend’s birthday so the fruity, tropical drinks were very tasty and refreshing!
4. Oranjestad, Aruba
Not going to lie, Aruba made it this high solely based on one place. I mean all of the food was great and flavorful, but this place really took the cake. We went there twice on our 4 day trip…that should say something. So Aruba was technically a Dutch colony, so of course many people there speak Dutch, and other languages of course, but the Dutch Pancake House was the restaurant that has stuck with me since that trip! The variety of options, everything tasted amazing, even something as basic as the breakfast sausage. I got a pina colada inspired Dutch pancake with bananas and I fell in love. It’s definitely decadent, but melt in your mouth pancakes. I can’t wait to share more about why I loved this island, but just know, this is my top restaurant recommendation for this entire post!
3. Nairobi, Kenya
If you know me, you know that I’m not a morning person. But the breakfast served at my hotel made me wake up every single day to make sure I had my time there. Some popular things that I had were Mandazi, which reminded me of a mix between Kala and Pollo (chin-chin), both of those are Liberian snacks that I really enjoy. They also had stews such as Nyama and sausages and fruits. Honestly, that breakfast just started me out for a great day every single day of that trip. Nairobi also has so many cool restaurants with amazing views, food, and vibes, along with a number of rooftop bars. So finding great food was never a problem! I had some great wings in my hotel, and some great Mexican food at a restaurant recommended by my friend! There was also this really popular cafe all over the city called Artcaffe and every meal that I had there was phenomenal!
2. Mazatlan, Mexico
I spent over two months here, so I feel like I can speak on this location the most. Everything was amazing and best of all cheap!! I could get two tacos, a quesadilla, a drink, and chips and salsa all for less than $10 USD. A lot of the meals that I had during the week were homecooked, but on the weekends we would go all out! I tried a bunch of amazing restaurants but nothing beats the street food, like the churros or the fruit sorbet, and the fruit from sitting on the beach. I think Mexican food is so popular for a reason, so being able to eat authentic food every day can’t be beat!
1. Chiang Mai, Thailand
All of Thailand has some great food, but this city definitely wins! Everything that I ate was amazing and I even had the luxury of attending a cooking class here. I got to buy my ingredients, pick them from the farm that we were on, and cook them myself. And if you’re going to do a cooking class here, Sammy’s school is a great place to do so. It’s his own family farm and garden and you really get to learn about everything that you’re cooking! The best thing that I ate was definitely Khao Soi and specifically from Mama’s, this restaurant right down the street from my hostel. I have no clue the name of that restaurant but it was this hole in the wall restaurant run by a crabby older lady that everyone called mama. That food was so good, my mouth waters just thinking of it. While you’re sweating since there’s no AC, you’re also sweating from the heat of the food but still stuffing your face with flavorful noodles while in a city in plastic lawn chairs. I would give so much to be there right now!
Bonus: Liberia!!
There’s no way that I could rank countries based on food and not mention Liberia! Of course this takes number one for me but I’m definitely biased. I love (mostly) every single Liberian dish, I think that the flavors just combine so well and paired with a nice steaming plate of rice, chefs kiss! If you would like to know how to make some of the most popular Liberian dishes, comment down below, I would love to write about that. But it’s interesting to see how so many West African cuisines are made with similar ingredients and just have different names. However, I obviously think that Liberian cuisine is the best!
My top recommendations for Liberian dishes would be Cassava Leaf, Palmbutter, and Palava Sauce, but those are just my favorites! (Just like everything else in this post!)
In conclusion…
Ranking foods from different countries is definitely subjective and is based on personal taste, cultural background, and individual experiences. Every country and culture has its own unique culinary traditions and flavors that are worth exploring. Traveling to different countries and experiencing their food is not only a delicious adventure but also an opportunity to learn about the history, traditions, and culture of that place. Even if a certain dish or cuisine may not be your personal favorite, it’s important to keep an open mind and appreciate the effort and passion that goes into creating it.
Food has the power to bring people together and create a sense of community, and exploring the different flavors and culinary traditions of different countries is a wonderful way to connect with people from all over the world. So whether you’re a foodie or simply someone who enjoys trying new things, exploring the food of different countries is an enriching and delicious experience that is definitely worth pursuing.
To learn more about what I think about certain countries and locations, be sure to check out my previous posts and stay tuned for more!