Top 10 Must-Try Foods Around the World Every Foodie Should Taste

Hands photographing food with a smartphone. Table has fries, flatbread, dips, and drinks. Bright, casual setting with a wooden table.

Top 10 Foods Around the World

Are you the kind of traveller who plans your itinerary around what you’re going to eat? (No shame—I do it too.)

If your suitcase always comes home a little heavier from all the spices, sauces, and snacks you picked up along the way, this one’s for you.

Here’s the ultimate Gourmet Traveller’s Checklist: the Top 10 Must-Try Foods Around the World that are worth the plane ticket—and possibly your stretchy pants.

Whether you're booking a food tour , browsing local cooking classes, or shopping for specialty ingredients to recreate the flavours at home, consider this your delicious world tour.

A bowl of dumpling soup with bok choy and green onions on a light wooden table, creating a warm and inviting mood.

1. Ramen – Japan 🇯🇵

Forget the instant stuff from your college days—real ramen is a steaming bowl of magic. Each region of Japan has its own take, from miso-rich Sapporo style to creamy tonkotsu in Fukuoka.

The broth is slow-cooked, the noodles are slurp-worthy, and toppings like soft-boiled eggs, pork belly, and nori take it over the top.

🛫 Where to try it: Ichiran in Tokyo (where you can dine in your own little ramen booth—hello, introverts!)

Have a look at these Ramen Bowl ideas so you can creat the prefect Ramen at home.

Close-up of a fresh margherita pizza with mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil on a baking tray. Warm lighting enhances the vibrant colors.

2. Pizza Napoletana – Italy 🇮🇹

When in Naples, you eat pizza. Period. Traditional Neapolitan pizza is made with just a few ingredients—San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella di bufala, basil, and a chewy, charred crust that’s cooked in a wood-fired oven in 90 seconds flat.

🍕 Tip: Don’t overload it with toppings. True pizza Napoletana is about simplicity and quality.

Get your very own Pizza Oven and re-create this Italian favourite in the comfort of your own home.

Hand holding a sandwich in a street with a yellow building. Lanterns hang above. A cyclo driver is in the background. Overcast sky.

3. Bánh Mì – Vietnam 🇻🇳

This crispy, fluffy Vietnamese baguette sandwich is a perfect East-meets-West culinary combo.

It’s got it all—crusty bread, rich pâté, pickled carrots and daikon, fresh herbs, and a protein like grilled pork, chicken, or tofu.

🌿 Fun fact: The French introduced baguettes to Vietnam during colonization—Vietnam turned them into street food gold.

Try a street food tour in Hanoi Train Street and neighbourhood area with a local guide. Sample authentic Vietnamese street food and visit the iconic Train Street for a unique end to your tour.

People in casual wear share a plate of poutine with plastic forks. The fries are topped with brown gravy and cheese curds.

4. Poutine – Canada 🇨🇦

French fries. Cheese curds. Gravy. That’s it. But somehow, poutine is way more than the sum of its parts. It’s cozy, indulgent, and available everywhere from fancy restaurants to roadside diners across Quebec.

🥶 Perfect for: Late-night eats after exploring the snowy streets of Montreal.

Experience more of the food and drinks of Quebec City with this food tour - 5 unique stops, offering a delectable array of 8 diverse food and drink tastings.

Pastry dusted with sugar sits on a white plate with a napkin. Sunlight casts soft shadows on the light marble surface.

5. Pastel de Nata – Portugal 🇵🇹

This little Portuguese egg tart packs a buttery, flaky crust and a silky custard centre with just the right amount of caramelised top. They’re dangerously addictive—trust me, one is never enough.

☕ Best enjoyed with: A bica (Portuguese espresso) on a sunny Lisbon morning.

Discover the flavours of Lisbon on a guided food tour through Baixa, Chiado, and Cais do Sodré. Savour nine bites with three drinks at beloved eateries while delving into the city’s culinary traditions.

Stew with beef, carrots, and parsley in a tan tagine on a wooden table. A glass of amber liquid is in the blurred background.

6. Tagine – Morocco 🇲🇦

Served in its namesake cone-shaped pot, tagine is a savoury stew of tender meat, spices like cinnamon and cumin, sweet dried fruit, and sometimes olives or preserved lemon. It’s Moroccan comfort food at its finest.

🔥 Hot tip: The slow-cooking method makes everything taste like it’s been kissed by a thousand spices.

Learn more about Moroccan food and cooking from Moroccan chefs who will show you how to shop at the local market and put together the ingredients for a delicious, traditional meal and tea.

Vibrant salad in a coconut bowl with sprouts, on sandy plate. Bright, blurred drinks in the colorful background, creating a sunny mood.

7. Ceviche – Peru 🇵🇪

Fresh fish cured in citrus juice, mixed with red onions, chili, and cilantro—ceviche is bright, zesty, and just the thing for a sunny afternoon by the sea. Peru takes ceviche seriously, and you should too.

🌊 Try it in: Lima, especially at a “cevichería” near the coast.

Taste a variety of up to 14 Peruvian flavours with the food tour in one of the most colourful districts of Lima. Take part in interactive workshops and learn how to prepare ceviche, lomo saltado and pisco sour.

Croissant on a black plate with ceramic cups, dishes, and yellow flowers on a white tablecloth. Earthy tones create a cozy mood.

8. Croissant – France 🇫🇷

Yes, it’s just a croissant. But until you’ve had one warm from a Parisian boulangerie, you don’t really know what a croissant can be. Buttery, flaky, and with that perfect crackle when you bite into it—chef’s kiss.

🥐 Tip: Go early in the morning when they’re fresh from the oven.

Dine like a local in Paris’ Le Marais neighbourhood, and taste a mix of traditional and modern French cuisine on a private or shared group tour.

Hands hold a white bowl of seafood curry with mussels, shrimp, squid, and herbs. Set on a rustic wooden table, vibrant colors pop.

9. Tom Yum Goong – Thailand 🇹🇭

This spicy-sour Thai soup is a flavor bomb in a bowl. Made with lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves, chilli, and shrimp, tom yum goong hits every note: spicy, sour, salty, and a little sweet.

🌶️ Spice level: Adjustable, but Thais don’t mess around—get ready to sweat.

Bring a taste of Thailand into your own home with a Thia Spice Kit

Baklava with green pistachios in a wooden tray, next to a glass of tea on a rustic cloth. The background is a white wooden table.

10. Baklava – Turkey 🇹🇷 / Middle East

This sticky, flaky dessert is made with layers of filo pastry, crushed nuts (usually pistachios or walnuts), and soaked in honey or syrup. It’s sweet, but not too sweet—just the right balance of crunch and gooeyness.

🍯 Best paired with: A strong Turkish coffee or mint tea.

Eat your way through Istanbul with a guided tour of local favourite food spots. Discover the Kadikoy neighbourhood and sample Turkish delicacies like kaymak, simit, fish sandwiches, and iskender kebap.

Pro Gourmet Travel Tips 🍴✈️

Here are a few bonus tips for eating your way around the globe like a pro:

Take a food tour on your first day in a new city. It’s the best way to sample local specialties and learn about food culture from the experts.
Sign up for a cooking class—you’ll not only eat well, but you’ll take home new skills (and maybe recipes!).
Pack a travel spice kit so you can experiment with global flavours even in your Airbnb.
Bring home the flavour with local ingredients—just make sure they’re legal to import!

Ready to Eat the World?

Whether you're wandering the souks of Marrakech, grabbing a street snack in Ho Chi Minh City, or savouring a pastry in a sleepy Parisian café, travelling through food is one of the best parts of exploring the world.

Which dish will you try first? Let your taste buds lead the way—and don’t forget to pack an appetite!

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