8 great European cities for food lovers

A vacation to Europe will leave you with memories of incredible sights: the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Big Ben in London, and Antoni Gaudí’s Sagrada Família Basilica in Barcelona, among others.

But you’ll also return home with indelible remembrances of the meals you’ll have: the inventive panoply of a street food market in Copenhagen, the wickedly rich spaghetti carbonara in Rome, or the succulent simplicity of grilled prawns in Dublin.

In Europe, meals are cherished experiences. Here are some of our favorite cities for food lovers.

Don’t miss: Chicken tikka masala. It’s the U.K.’s unofficial national dish, despite its Indian origin. (British politician Robin Cook described it as a “perfect illustration of the way Britain absorbs and adapts external influences.”) Head to the East End restaurants along Brick Lane, a.k.a. “Curry Mile,” for this dish of marinated chicken chunks in a creamy curry sauce and pair it with a British cider.

Don’t miss: Smørrebrød, a traditional Danish sandwich that’s received a face-lift as Copenhagen’s food scene has evolved. The open-faced sandwich on dense, sour rye bread typically boasts toppings of pickled herring, meat, or cheese—but don’t be surprised to find combinations that include pearl onion and buckwheat or cod roe with bergamot. Chase it with a strong shot of Danish aquavit.

Parisians take their food and wine seriously. Boasting more than 100 Michelin-starred restaurants and influencing much of the rest of the world’s cuisine and modern-day fusions, Paris even has an annual award to the baker with the best croissant. In 2022, the winner of the prestigious “Concours du Meilleur Croissant de Grand Paris” was Antoine Boidron of Ben et Antoine Les Papas Gâteaux bakery in Aytré, a commune in Nouvelle-Aquitaine of southwestern France.

Parisian gastronomy can be overwhelming to the novice foodie who’s unsure of what to eat beyond stereotypes such as escargot (snail) and anything involving a béchamel or espagnole sauce. Just don’t overthink it: Head to any of the city’s charming bistros or brasseries and indulge in what you may never have tasted before, such as blanquette de veau (veal in cream sauce) or pistachio soufflé. It’ll inevitably be the best you’ll ever have.

Don’t miss: Paris is surrounded by some of the most globally heralded vineyards, so the wine selection is likely to be incomparable to any other city. Start with a sommelier-recommended bottle and pair your food around the wine. French cheeses such as Camembert or Saint-Nectaire are great accompaniments.

Don’t miss: Fresh grilled octopus. This is not your run-of-the-mill fried version. In Greece, the octopus is straight from the bountiful seas of the Saronic Gulf or off the Cyclades islands and prepared in a traditional way that makes it extra tender. Enjoy it at a seaside taverna with a glass of retsina (white wine infused with the resin of the Aleppo pine tree) or tsipouro (Greek brandy).

While traditional Irish dishes such as cabbage, stew, and soda bread aren’t exactly fireworks for the palate, Ireland has turned an impressive corner when it comes to its culinary prowess. Dublin, specifically, has emerged as an exciting foodie destination in the wake of Brexit, attracting creative chefs who find inspiration in Ireland’s fresh, local ingredients.

Farm-to-table dining experiences filled with fresh butter and cheeses, duck, foraged celeriac, and a bountiful seafood selection have earned restaurants such as Tang and Spitalfields praise.

Don’t miss: Dublin Bay prawns in garlic butter. It’s a melt-in-your-mouth experience that has left many food critics euphoric. The dish pairs 2 local ingredients: freshly caught langoustines with Ireland’s succulent butter. Savor it alongside a pint of Guinness. The Irish will be the first to tell you (with a wink) that their national drink pairs well with everything, and simply tastes better in Ireland.

The food and wine of the Eternal City is as much a seductress as its ancient ruins—and some might argue more so. Multicourse meals featuring iconic dishes such as cacio e pepe (fresh pasta with cheese and black pepper) and saltimbocca (pan-fried veal with prosciutto) are flavorful, filling, and full of history.

The vineyards throughout Italy, including those in the Lazio region surrounding Rome, have roots going back centuries.

But a superb culinary experience here needn’t be all white tablecloths and vino. Street food, such as porchetta (pork roast seasoned with salty garlic and rosemary) and home-spun gelato, can prove exceptionally memorable, especially when consumed against the backdrop of a bustling Roman square.

Don’t miss: Carbonara is the dish to seek out in Rome. Join a cooking class to learn how its simplicity is the key to its mouthwatering explosion of egg, guanciale (cured pork jowl), and Pecorino Romano cheese. Because of the richness of the dish, a crisp, dry white wine, such as a Malvasia-Trebbiano blend, pairs well.

Don’t miss: Rijsttafel (translation: rice table). It’s a culinary homage to the cuisine of Indonesia, which was once a Dutch colony. It involves a continuous parade of small plates with origins across the Indonesian islands, from spicy to sweet, accompanied by rice. Think of it as the Dutch-Indonesian equivalent of Spanish tapas. Pair your meal with a Belgian beer, followed by jenever (a Dutch spirit distilled from juniper berries).

Don’t miss: La Bomba. This tapas favorite has its origins in Barcelona at the family-run La Cova Fumada—a sign-less bar that specialized in seafood tapas way before tapas became cool—but it has since made its way onto menus throughout Spain. This potato-and-meat croquette is typically topped with a closely guarded sauce that could be aioli (garlic and olive oil) or something much spicier. Pair it with a Priorat, a Catalan wine hailing from one of Spain’s most prestigious wine regions.

Erica Bray is a Chicago-based travel journalist and mindfulness teacher. A seasoned travel industry veteran with more than 20 years of media experience, she has written for Travelzoo, Yahoo! Travel, Frommer’s Travel, Fodor’s, Orbitz, Travelocity, and AAA Insights.