Discover the ultimate culinary delights from around the world in 60 mouthwatering dishes!
People visit a country not only because of its beautiful landscape but also the kind of food it serves. Food is a major travel motivator. It’s one of the deciding factors that a traveler takes into consideration when visiting a place.
Culinary tourism is now a part of the whole travel experience. Dining out and seeking a different gastronomic experience is as common as visiting sights. Hence, the emergence of food guides that take you to food or wine tasting tours, cooking classes, food festivals, etc. Beyond your taste buds, there are 60 of the world’s most delicious foods that you can pick as the runaway winner in this list.
Table of Contents
Culinary Masterpieces from Around the World
Delicious food comes from anywhere around the world. Each offers a unique taste. From mild to savory and spicy, you’ll find it all here.
French Onion Soup
It’s a classic soup made from onions caramelized in butter, and beef broth. Served with croutons or toasted bread with gruyere, fontina, or gouda cheese on top. Broiled to achieve that gooey, creamy, and delicious taste with different textures.
One of the finest in French cuisine, the soup is a delicious dish perfect for the cold weather. Best served with roasted veggies, or french fries.
Pizza Napoletana
This Neapolitan pizza is prepared with the most basic dough and the freshest of ingredients – pomodorini tomatoes, basil, butter, and mozzarella di bufala. Put a drizzle of olive oil on top before cooking in a wood fired oven. Thin crust, puffy sides, no fancy toppings.
Greek Hummus
Hummus is a creamy dip or puree of cooked garbanzos (chickpeas), tahini paste, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice. The Greek hummus tastes a bit sour and garlicky. Can be consumed simply as a dip for fruits and chips. Or as a substitute for mayonnaise in sandwiches, or spread for steamed sweet potatoes.
Pad Thai
Pad thai is one of the popular foods in Thailand. It’s the country’s national dish. This stir-fried Thai food consists of rice noodles, scrambled eggs, fresh vegetables, dried shrimp, and tofu. Stir-fried in a wok, seasoned with fish sauce, palm sugar, and tamarind paste. Then immediately served with garlic, roasted peanuts, and lime wedges.
The vegetarian version of pad thai consists of soy sauce instead of fish sauce and doesn’t include any meat.
Goi cuon
Gỏi Cuốn (spring roll) is one of Vietnam’s signature dishes. This healthy dish is made from pork, shrimp, herbs, rice vermicelli, seasonal veggies, and other ingredients wrapped in rice paper. It’s served at room temperature, and dipped in peanut sauce. It pairs great with sweet & sour chicken or sweetcorn soup.
Peking duck
Peking duck is a Chinese signature dish. This flaky and crispy duck dish is prepared using only specially bred ducks, slaughtered after 60 days. Seasoned with sweet bean sauce and spices, air-dried overnight and roasted to perfection in a closed oven. This gives the meat a crisp skin and thin texture.
China peking duck is typically served in 3 courses, with cucumbers, spring onion, and sweet bean sauce. First the skin with garlic sauce and scallions. Then with lotus buns or pancakes, consumed as sandwiches. The rest of the peking duck is served with broth.
Kokoda
Kokoda is the Fijian version of the Peruvian ceviche. It’s a Fijian delicacy from raw fish (snapper, trevally, or mahi-mahi) caught in Fiji waters. The dish consists of lemon juice, red onions, red chili, and fresh coconut milk. The tangy sourness of lemon, the creamy richness of coconut milk, and a bit of spicy and salty make kokoda one of Fiji’s delectable foods.
Biryani
Biryani is a rice dish made from basmati rice, marinated meat (usually mutton or chicken), saffron, fresh cilantro, rosewater, and garam masala spices. The meat and rice are cooked separately, layered, and slowly cooked together with the broth. Then garnished with onions and raisins cooked in ghee. This one-dish Indian food goes well with shorba (a spicy, tomato-based soup).
Egyptian Falafel
Falafel is a favorite side dish in the Middle East and a popular street food in Egypt. The Egyptian falafel is made by mixing ground fava beans, spices, and all-purpose flour. Molded into balls or patties and then fried.
Fava bean-based falafel is more moist and lighter than the chickpea-based falafel of Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and other countries in the Middle East.
The sauce is a blend of mayonnaise, yogurt, dill, cucumber, salt & pepper. Chill for half an hour before serving. Best served with tahini sauce, pita bread, onions, and tomatoes.
Sushi
Sushi has 3 core ingredients: vinegared rice (shari), raw premium fish (tuna, salmon, flounder, sea bream, or blue-striped bass), and nori (seaweed) sheets.
Cylindrical sushi rolls sliced into smaller pieces are called maki. Hand-rolled individual servings of sushi are called temaki. Style and presentations vary depending on the chef, and the ingredients used in this Japanese dish.
Perception of Taste and Flavors
Culinary experts strive to create flavorful feasts that satisfy all the senses. For you to enjoy your food and have a memorable dining experience.
Taste vs. Flavor
•Taste perception refers to your ability to recognize different flavor sensation of food through your sense of taste.
•The five taste sensations recognized by humans are sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami.
•While taste is limited to the tongue, flavor involves the combined perception of taste, smell, texture, and even temperature.
•A compromised sense of smell, or the loss of it can significantly impact your perception of flavor.
•Texture, or the way food feels in your mouth – whether it’s crunchy, creamy, or chewy, also influences how you perceive its flavor. The texture of food is as important as the way it tastes.
•Temperature (hot or cold) also affects flavor perception.
Exploring Flavor Profiles and Combinations
Flavor profiles refer to the specific combination of tastes, aromas, and textures that make up a particular food or dish.
The concept of balance should be considered when creating flavor combinations. For example, a dish with a rich flavor profile may benefit from a squeeze of lemon or a pinch of sugar to counterbalance the intensity.
Contrast is another element used in combining flavors. This can be achieved by putting together opposing tastes such as sweet and salty. Or by adding something crunchy to the creamy to balance its texture.
Famous European Gastronomic Delights
If there’s one that trumps all the rest, it’s Italian cuisine. But the best food comes from around the world, not only from Italy.
Lasagna
Lasagna is an Italian dish known around the world. One of Italy’s scrumptious meals, lasagna is a baked casserole that consists of flat pasta sheets layered alternately with ragú fillings (usually ground beef cooked in tomato sauce and spices), bechamel sauce, and lots of parmesan cheese.
Wiener Schnitzel
It’s a cutlet of manually tenderized veal (some use pork or chicken), seasoned, breaded, and deep-fried. Others pan-fry it in lard or clarified butter till it turns golden brown. Considered the best food among the Austrians, wiener schnitzel is garnished with chopped parsley and lemon. Best served mashed potatoes.
Seafood Paella
Paella de marisco is a Spanish rice dish. This delicious dish consists of pan-seared short-grained rice, seafood (clam, cuttlefish, mussels, prawns, squid, snails), green beans, saffron, salmoretta, cloves, sofrito. Assembled in a paellera and cooked slowly in broth and olive oil.
Qofte
One of Albania’s most popular food dishes, qofte are meatballs made from ground beef, pork, lamb, or chicken. Seasoned with grated onions, eggs, breadcrumbs, feta cheese, herbs and spices like paprika. They can be grilled, pan-fried, or baked. Best served with yogurt sauce or salad.
Khachapuri
It’s a Georgian (the European country, not Georgia in Atlanta) fried cheese bread made from mchadi dough (Georgian cornbread) that’s stuffed with two kinds of cheese (imeruli or sulguni).
The Svanetian style is made with a pillowy dough, with soft cheese and green onion fillings. The Gurian variety is crescent-shaped, flaky, and stuffed with hard-boiled eggs and cheese.
Escargots de Bourgogne
This pricey gourmet in French cuisine consists of farm-grown snails. The snails are purged, cleaned, and removed from their shells. Then cooked slowly in wine, butter, and broth. They’re then placed back into their shells before serving. The buttery escargots’ smooth and chewy texture with rich garlic butter sauce and parsley go well with Sauvignon Blanc (white wine) or champagne.
Brudet
Brudet is a delicious Croatian seafood stew. Usually made with white fish (codfish or sea bass), calamari, shrimps, clams, scallops, white wine, tomatoes, saffron threads, herbs (parsley, basil), olive oil, and seasonings. Best served with artisan bread or polenta.
Irish Champ
Champ (aka poundies) is Ireland’s national dish. It’s the Irish version of the “usual” mashed potato. It’s made from boiled potatoes of course, butter, milk, salt & pepper. What sets it apart is the added chopped scallions, and loads of butter.
Goulash
One of Hungary’s national dishes, goulash is a meat and vegetable stew. It’s made with beef (or pork), carrots, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, peppers, and flavorful broth. Paprika is its main seasoning. Best served with steamed rice or pasta.
Pierogi
Pierogi is the national dish of Poland. It’s a dumpling made with an unleavened wrapper and filled with anything from meat, potatoes, fruits, sauerkraut, or cheese. Can be fried or boiled, and is often topped with melted butter, sour cream, fried onions, or Greek yogurt.
Asian Delectable Flavors
Here are some of the most delectable foods in Asia that you might want to try.
Ramen
This Japanese food is a noodle soup dish served in a bowl that consists of wheat noodles, flavorful broth, vegetables, and meat. It’s classified by the kind of broth used. The salt-based shio, the soy sauce-based shoyu, the soybean paste-based miso ramen, and the pork bone broth-based tonkatsu.
The meat (chicken breast, pork tenderloin, or flank steak) in ramen is braised in low heat, and seasoned with sugar and sake. It’s served with a soft-boiled egg (Shoyu eggs are soy sauce-marinated eggs) and meat toppings.
Massaman Curry
Thai massaman curry is a one-pot dish loaded with Thai and Indian spices. It’s made from beef, coco milk, potatoes, and curry paste. The curry paste is made from blended dried spices like cardamom, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground peanuts. This yellow curry is a flavorful dish – thick, creamy, less spicy, and a bit sweet.
Dim sum
Dim sum is small portions of Chinese delicious wonders that come in bite-sized dumplings, which are meant to “touch the heart.”
Popular dim sum dishes include siu mai (pork and shrimp dumplings), har gow (shrimp dumplings), char siu bao (steamed buns with barbecued pork filling), and xiaolongbao (soup dumplings).
They’re served as snacks or appetizers. Sweet treats include puff pastry, tarts, rolls, and puddings.
Beef rendang
This Indonesian dish is a beef chuck stew – seasoned with coconut milk, turmeric, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, chilies, and galangal. It’s then left to simmer for a few hours, which gives it a tender texture and exotic taste. The blast of flavors is one of the reasons why the dish is loved around the world.
Chicken Tikka Masala
Chicken tikka masala consists of boneless, skinless, and chargrilled chicken marinated in yogurt, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and Indian spices. And then mixed with heavy cream or coconut milk to create a smokey, spicy flavor. It’s one of India’s less spicy dishes.
Tom yum
This unique and healthy spicy-sour-flavored soup is the best food in Thai cuisine. It can be enjoyed as a stand-alone snack or served with sticky rice, topped with chopped cilantro or basil.
It’s a delicious blend of shrimp, mushrooms, fish sauce, lime juice, galangal, shallots, and aromatic herbs like lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves.
Tabbouleh
This Mediterranean appetizer is one of Lebanon’s vegan treats. It’s a healthy salad made with bulgur wheat, mint, parsley, chopped green onions, and tomatoes. Add lemon juice and olive oil as seasoning.
Bibimbap
It’s a healthy Korean dish made from rice and vegetables. Cooked white rice is prepared in a bowl, and topped with beef, chili paste, and sautéed vegetables (spinach, radishes, bellflower roots, and perilla namul). Garnished with a sunny-side-up egg, bibimbap sauce, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Here’s the trick for a delicious bibimbap, stir thoroughly before eating.
Beshbarmak
Aside from it being Kyrgyzstan’s national dish, Beshbarmak is also popular in other countries in Central Asia. The dish is made from seasoned horse meat ( or beef, or mutton). Cooked for several hours until it’s very tender. It’s then poured over homespun noodles and served with chopped parsley. The dish means “five fingers” in Kyrgyz, which means to be stirred and eaten with your bare hands.
Lechon
It’s the star of every special occasion and other celebration in the Philippines. Lechon is a whole pig roasted for 5 to 6 hours over burning charcoal. The inside part of the pig is seasoned with soy sauce, and stuffed with lots of garlic, spring onions, ginger, bay leaves, star anise, chilies, chives, and lemongrass. It’s then glazed with Sprite while the pig is being roasted. The result is a golden brown whole pig skewered in a large bamboo. Crispy skin, juicy and tender underneath. It’s served with atchara or a special lechon sauce made from the pig’s liver and spices.
North and South American Mouthwatering Dishes
North and South American cuisine is a fusion of multi-racial flavors and cultures that reflect the region’s vibrant spirit – resulting in a unique culinary style. It’s known around the world for using fresh herbs and spices as ingredients.
Canadian Poutine
It’s a simple and hearty Canadian dish that consists of french fries and cheddar cheese curds. The brown gravy (seasoned flour, unsalted butter, and broth) is served at room temperature to keep the texture. While the fries are added right before serving the dish. Pairs well with marinated cucumbers or vinegar coleslaw.
Mexican Tacos
Tacos are usually served on soft corn tortillas. The fall-off-the-bone meat filling (carnitas) is stewed and simmered for hours. The pico de gallo, cilantro, homemade salsa, avocado, chili peppers, shredded cheese, and lime add up to the texture and flavor of the taco.
Hamburger
Just like fried chicken, hamburger is known around the world as fast food favorites. It’s considered as the United States’ national dish. It’s made from grilled ground meat (pork, turkey, chicken, or beef) and patties placed inside a bun. Mayonnaise, ketchup, or mustard can be used as spreads before stuffing the sandwich with cheese, pickles, tomatoes, and lettuce.
Peruvian Ceviche
Peruvian ceviche is a seafood dish made with diced raw fish (flounder, mahi mahi, halibut, or white tuna) and marinated for 30 minutes in lemon or lime juice. Or a mixture of both. And seasoned with red onions, salt, cilantro, and chili peppers. Served immediately after the marination, with corn on the cob, plantain chips, or sweet potatoes.
Bandeja Paisa
The national dish of Colombia, bandeja paisa is a delicious recipe made with red beans, white rice, ground beef, crispy pork rind, plantain, arepa, and chorizo. Topped with avocado slices and fried egg.
Brazilian Feijoada
Feijoada is a rich Brazilian bean stew. Made with black beans, bacon, pig feet, ears, and dried beef. Cooked in a clay pot slowly over low heat. And because it’s rich and heavy, Brazilians have it during lunch, only once or 2x a week.
Argentinian Asado
Asado is one of Argentina’s grilled recipes. It’s made from marinated chicken, pork, or beef. Also, chorizo and morcilla (blood sausage). All are cooked on an open fire or grill (parrilla). Best served with grapefruits, grilled bell peppers and eggplant, vegetable or avocado salad, and red wine.
Chivito
Chivito is Uruguay’s national dish. It’s a tall sandwich made with sliced churrasco (skirt steak from special grass-fed beef), mayonnaise, black olives, tomatoes, ham, and mozzarella cheese. Bacon, hard-boiled or fried eggs are also included. Served in a bun, and accompanied by fried potatoes.
Tequeños
Tequeños are popular around the world. They’re crispy and flaky bread sticks made from puff pastry wrapped around white cheese sticks, and fried to perfection. They’re the go-to irresistible snack for many Venezuelans.
Sopa paraguaya
Sopa Paraguaya is a spongy cornbread made from corn flour, milk, cheese, butter, onions, and pig fat (lard). It’s a staple food and one of Paraguay’s national dishes. It’s the best food for breakfast or snacks. And pairs well with soup and skewer recipes.
Exotic and Exquisite Cuisine
Exotic dishes are foods that are unique to specific regions or cultures around the world. They’re distinctive textures, flavors, and preparation methods make them intriguing.
Bird’s Nest soup
Bird’s nest soup is a rare and expensive delicacy in Chinese cuisine. The nests are made of the dried saliva of swiftlets – small birds native to Southeast Asia. And are harvested from caves or cliffs.
The soup is made with chicken or pork broth, mushrooms, crab meat, ginger, and sugar. The hardened nests dissolve into gelatinous strands when added to the broth. The soup itself has a light, salty taste, but most of the flavor comes from the broth. It’s known for its unique texture and numerous health benefits.
Fried cow’s brain
Cow’s brain is an exotic delicacy in Morocco, Europe, and the United States. It’s prepared by soaking and cleaning the brain in cold water. Season it, bread it up, and deep-fry it. It’s savory, crispy on the outside, and custardy inside. Usually served with hot sauce and pita bread.
In some places in Europe, the brain is sauteed in beurre noir sauce, together with the tongue and capers. In the US, the brain is mixed with scrambled eggs and is made into a sandwich.
Hákarl
Hakarl is an Icelandic dish made from shark meat. The meat is placed in storage boxes, buried, and covered with stones to press the body fluids out. This process takes 6 to 9 weeks. The meat is then hung outside to dry for 6 months to remove the toxins and create a distinct flavor. The result is a pungent, strong-smelling delicacy. It’s served mainly as an appetizer.
Hákarl smells strong like blue cheese or ammonia. It has a cheese-like texture (the shark’s body). The belly part is chewy. Some take it with Brennivin or schnapps to wash down the strong taste.
Balut
Balut is a popular Filipino delicacy. Filipinos harvest the duck eggs after an 18-day incubation. The fertilized duck embryo is then boiled for 20 to 30 minutes, and it’s best eaten hot while still in the shell.
Break the top of the shell, so you can sip the fluid in it. Add a pinch of salt and flavored spicy vinegar for a more enjoyable eating experience. It’s considered a nutritious street food not only in the Philippines but in many parts of Southeast Asia.
Fried Tarantulas
Fried tarantulas are usually found in Skuon, where they’re sold by street vendors and local markets. The tarantulas are first marinated in a mixture of sugar, salt, garlic, and MSG. Then deep-fried to kill any bacteria, until it’s crispy. Often served as a snack, they come with a variety of dipping sauces.
Cambodians and tourists enjoy fried tarantulas for their unique taste and crunchy texture. Some say they taste like crab, shrimp, or something similar to the taste of almonds.
Ant Egg Soup
Ant egg soup is a Laotian exotic dish made from ant eggs, snakehead fish, tomatoes, basil, lime juice, tamarind, lemon grass, galangal, garlic, chili, and fish stock. Ant eggs are a good source of protein. The soup is prized for its prawn-like, nutty, and buttery taste.
Haggis – Scotland
Haggis is an unusual but savory blend of a sheep’s innards. The lungs, liver, and heart are mixed with mutton or beef suet, onions, oatmeal, spices, and other seasonings. Traditionally, haggis is encased in the sheep’s stomach, and boiled. ½ kilo of haggis takes an hour to cook.
Jellied Moose Nose
Jellied moose nose is a Canadian delicacy that offers a rich blend of flavors. The gamey essence of moose meat, and the aromatic influence of the spices used during the cooking process. The taste is described as hearty, slightly tangy, and savory.
The jelly is made from the snout of a moose, cooked for hours, and cooled in a brothy liquid. This forms a solidified block of jelly that can be sliced and served to guests. It’s tender, gelatinous, and tastes like corned beef. The gelatinous consistency is often compared to aspic or head cheese.
Boshintang
Boshintang is a controversial dog meat soup consumed primarily in South Korea. The dish is prepared by boiling dog meat with perilla seed powder, green onions, dandelions, gochujang, and bean paste, resulting in a rich and flavorful soup. It’s believed to help boost stamina and vitality. Garnish with Korean mint before serving.
Huitlacoche
Huitlacoche was regarded as a disease-causing fungus that infected corn crops. It grows on corn ears, transforming the kernels into swollen, blackish-grey masses. Today, huitlacoche is used as a healthy ingredient for soups, stews, quesadillas, tamales, and sauces.
This unusual ingredient is considered a culinary treasure due to its distinctive flavor and texture. Huitlacoche tastes earthy, smoky, and slightly sweet, like mushrooms and corn. Its texture is soft and velvety, making it a popular choice for various dishes.
Heavenly Desserts for Your Divine Indulgence
Lamington is a soft, square, or rectangular sponge cake dipped in chocolate icing and coated with desiccated coconut.
The icing is made with cocoa powder, icing sugar, butter, and milk. After the cake is dipped in the icing, it is rolled in desiccated coconut, which gives it its signature appearance. Variations of the recipe include fillings such as jam or cream.
Pavlova – New Zealand
Pavlova is a meringue-based cake topped with whipped cream and fresh fruits (kiwi, strawberry, passion fruit). The meringue is crisp on the outside and has a soft, marshmallowy texture on the inside. It’s a light and delicate dessert, known around the world for its beautiful presentation and contrasting textures.
Italian Gelato
Italian gelato is a frozen dessert noted for its smooth, creamy texture and intense flavors. It’s similar to ice cream but has a lower fat content, churned at a slower speed – which results in a denser and silkier texture.
It comes in several flavors such as vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry, pistachio, tiramisu, etc. Gelato is often served in small, shallow cups, or in crispy wafer cones. And can be topped with whipped cream, fruit syrups, chocolate drizzles, or sprinkles.
Baklava
Baklava is a Turkish sweet treat known for its rich, sweet flavor and flaky texture. It’s made by layers of thin, buttery, and flaky sheets of phyllo dough, finely chopped pistachios, and rose water-flavored syrup or honey. The pastry is then cut into small diamond or square-shaped pieces before being baked until golden and crispy.
Tiramisu
Tiramisu is an Italian food. Preparation involves dipping ladyfinger biscuits (savoiardi) into strong espresso or coffee and layering them with a creamy mixture made from mascarpone cheese, eggs, sugar, and Marsala (red wine).
It’s served chilled, allowing the flavors to blend, creating a deliciously creamy and decadent treat. Once chilled and set, the top is dusted with cocoa powder or grated chocolate.
Crème Brûlée
Crème brûlée is a custard-based French dessert that’s made from egg yolks, cream, salt, sugar, and vanilla. It’s creamy, tangy, and slightly sweet. The “burnt cream” and caramelized sugar on top add a distinct flavor and savory crunch to the dessert. The contrast between the smooth, creamy custard and the brittle torched sugar is what makes crème brûlée so delicious and popular.
Austrian Sachertorte
Sachertorte is denser than sponge cake. It’s a Viennese dessert that consists of two layers of chocolate cake with apricot jam in between, covered in a chocolate glaze. It’s served with whipped cream. It’s a rich and indulgent dessert that’s loved worldwide.
Gulab Jamun
Gulab Jamun is an Indian sweet confectionery that consists of deep-fried dough balls soaked in rose water and saffron-flavored sugar syrup. It’s a dessert or a stand-alone snack garnished with crushed pistachios or almonds.
Belgian Waffles
Belgian waffles are characterized by a crispy exterior and a soft, airy interior. They’re larger and have deeper squares or pockets, which are perfect for holding syrup, butter, or other toppings.
They’re made from flour, eggs, milk, butter, sugar, and leavening agents (yeast or baking powder). They can be eaten as a snack, or breakfast food, topped with whipped cream, confectioners sugar, chocolate spread, butter, or margarine. They may also be served with vanilla ice cream and fresh fruit as a dessert.
Churros
Churros are a delicious Spanish fried pastry. They’re made by mixing flour, water, and salt to form a dough, which is piped through a star-shaped nozzle to give it its distinctive shape. The churros are then deep-fried until they become crispy outside and fluffy inside. They’re served hot, dusted with sugar, and often enjoyed alongside a cup of thick hot chocolate for dipping.
Conclusion
How you rate the best food or the “deliciousness” of it is based on your taste, food preparation, and the overall dining experience it provides.
Each has its own story, which makes it hard for you to single out which best food satisfies all your senses. From the tomato sauce-based Italian food its cheesy pizza, the spicy curries in India, to the fried chicken of the old West, local foods can both be delicious and yes, weird.
Truth is, the “most delicious food in the world” is a matter of personal preference and individual experience.
Hungry yet? Discover more.
