For all the food fanatics out there, traveling is essential, if you want to taste everything the world has to offer. That is why we have rounded up the most resounding symphonies of flavor, the most colorful dishes and the tasties bites. Here is your guide to the fascinating, international cuisines.
Van Sloan's note: I generally agrees with the list, but would add Moroccan cuisine as number 8. Thus Sloan's World's Top 10 Most Tasty Cuisines are: French, Italian, Chinese, Indian, Thai, Mexican, Japanese, Morooccan, Spanish, Greek. It is interesting that all but Thailand and Mexico in the list below were once the world's leading civilizations. (But a top cuisine is not a feature of the most recent top countries: United States and Britain.) See List of leading civilizations )
10. Lebanese Cuisine
The Lebanese cuisine is the place where you can taste all the goodness
the Middle East has to offer. Foods are generally Mediterranean, high
on vegetables, little meat and full of flavors. Perhaps the most famous
dish worldwide is the appetizer mezze - a selection of dips, pickles,
salads and nibbles with Arabic bread. It also includes an abundance of
fruit, fresh fish and seafood and little animal fat. The country is
also famous for the Arabic sweets, Tripoli being referred to as the
“Sweet Capital” of Lebanon. [Lebanese
Recipes]
9. Greek Cuisine
With a significant influence from the Turkish and Italian cuisine, the
Greek cuisine is a focused around olive oil, vegetables and herbs
specific to the Mediterranean region. Eating in Greece is a different
experience from Greek restaurants in other countries - gyros for
example is considered by Greeks junk food. Restaurants now offer an
authentic eating experience, being up to date with the latest culinary
trends and stocked up with regional specialties. The Taverna and
Estiatorio are widespread, being the places where you can find
affordable authentic cuisine. [Greek Recipes]
8. Spanish Cuisine
For a lighter approach on food, we turn to the Spanish cuisine,
containing a variety of meat and fish, as well as vegetables. It is
also influenced by the seafood available from the surrounding waters.
Spanish cuisine uses the most oil among all Western and Central
European cuisines. One of the most popular drinks in Spain that goes
perfectly with its national dishes is sangria, a drink made of wine and
fruits. [Spanish Recipes]
7. Japanese Cuisine
Known for its seasonality of food, aspect and quality of ingredients,
the Japanese cuisine is rapidly becoming a trend worldwide. White rice
and soybeans are the ingredients you should expect to find in almost
any dish. According to Michelin Guide that ranks cities worldwide for
their restaurants, Tokyo is the most delicious city, with 150
top-ranked restaurants, as opposed to Paris and London that have 148.
Apart from its capital, it is fascinating to uncover the local cuisine
throughout Japan. [Japanese
Recipes]
6. Mexican Cuisine
Known for its varied flavors and spices, Mexican Cuisine is a result of
the Spanish conquistadores’ interaction with the Aztec culture. Most of
the Mexican food we eat today is a delicious combination of ancient
traditions, Aztec, Mayan and Spanish. The French also had their part in
the story, adding baked goods such as sweet breads and the bolillo. You
can easily choose the restaurant you are going to eat in by popularity:
restaurants with good food usually attract all the customers. There are
also exotic options for your menu, such as iguana, insects,
rattlesnake, deer and even spider monkey. [Mexican
Recipes]
5. Thai Cuisine
Many people say Thai food alone, with its balanced mix of hot, sour,
bitter and sweet, is a good enough reason to visit the country. The
foods are characterized by the use of fresh herbs and flavors, such as
lime juice, lemon grass and fresh coriander. Similar to many Asian
cuisines, rice is the main component in Thai foods as well. You will
often come across nam pla, a strong fish sauce, shrimp paste and
noodles. If you’re looking to get a kick of out your lunch, you should
try the raw beef, fermented fish paste or deep fried insect larvae
mostly present in the Northeast, where eating insects in fairly common.
[Thai
Recipes]
4. Indian Cuisine
One of the world’s most sophisticated and diverse cuisines, only one
part of the Indian cuisine is known to the world. The Indian food
served in restaurants worldwide is North Indian, also known as Mughlai
or Punjabi. There are other 3 categories of Indian cuisine: South, East
and West. The foods are mostly vegetarian, but many include lamb, goat,
chicken meat and even fish. Indian cuisine is usually very spicy so in
order to enjoy the food, start slowly and in a few weeks you’ll get
accustomed to the flavors. Meals are usually eaten without cutlery,
while seated on the floor, but these traditions are starting to change
for the restaurants oriented to the Europe or the US. [Indian Recipes]
3. Chinese Cuisine
Originated in various parts of China and now spread throughout the
world, Chinese cuisine is now eaten by a third of the world’s
population every day. The cuisine is easy to create, economical and
tasty. Most of the food is prepared in bite-sized pieces because the
Chinese culture regards knives and forks as weapons. Usually, every
person at the table is given a bowl of rice while the other dishes are
shared by everyone at the table. Some dishes are cooked from endangered
species, such as facai moss while others from meat you would want to
avoid such as dog. [Chinese Recipes]
2. Italian Cuisine
Perhaps one of the oldest in the world, the Italian cuisine can be
traced back to the 4th century BC. It became what is today along with
the discovery of the New World, that brought potatoes, tomatoes pepper
or maize on the list of ingredients. An Italian meal is structured into
several sections: antipasto (the appetizer), primo (pasta or rice
dish), secondo (meat course), dolce (dessert). Italy is also famous for
over 400 kinds of cheese, including the famous Parmigianino Reggiano,
and 300 types of sausages. [Italian Recipes]
1. French Cuisine
Starting with the Middle Ages that brought rich banquets to the French
Revolution, where refined techniques were used, French Cuisine can be
called in the 21st century “haute cuisine”. It is as popular as the
poetry or French arts, a meal at a restaurant comparing to “a sort of
theatre you can eat”. Pastries are a large part of French cooking.
Cheese and wine are also a major part of the cuisine, being perhaps the
most famous of all. The modern restaurant has its roots in French
culture so restaurants are bountiful, but as for recommendation before
deciding on one. In Paris alone, there are over 5,000 places to eat,
with prices and menus to suit anyone’s taste. [French Recipes]