There's no better way to understand the culture of a holiday destination than through its stomach. Every country has its own culinary traditions, ingredients and recipes which have been shaped by available resources and gently evolved over countless generations.
The majority of countries have converged on roughly similar favoured recipes, particularly when they share a close proximity. However, occasionally you'll find a favoured dish that will surprise you and learning the history behind the discovery of these foods can help you better understand a country and its people.
From Australian meat pies to Maldivian breakfasts and Brazilian feijoada, here are some of the most popular foods in each country that should be on the radar of any adventurous foodie.
Australia - Meat Pie
Australia is often thought of as being a bit of a BBQ destination. However, the humble meat pie is probably a more popular Australian institution. Consisting of flaky pastry filled with minced beef, gravy, onions and seasoning. The filling is cooked before being enclosed in pastry and baked until golden and crisp.
Although the origins of this dish are deeply entrenched in European culture, the meat pie has become quintessentially Australian, traditionally enjoyed at bakeries and sports events with an obligatory squeeze of tomato sauce.
Portugal - Bacalhau
Portugal's most famous food is arguably bacalhau, or salted cod. The cod is preserved in salt, then soaked to remove the excess before being cooked with ingredients such as potatoes, onions, eggs and olive oil. Portugal has hundreds of bacalhau recipes, reflecting centuries of maritime history and the country's close relationship with the sea.
South Africa - Braai & Boerewors
More than a meal, a braai is a South African social ritual. Meat such as steaks, chops and boerewors (traditional spiced farmer's sausage) are grilled over an open fire. The sausages are typically made from beef or other meats combined with spices and are enjoyed alongside salads, bread and sauces.
Braais bring together friends & families and are an important part of South African culture that you should aim to experience at least once during your time in the country.
Dubai - Shawarma
Shawarma is one of Dubai's most popular foods and is starting to become an international hit alongside the increasingly popular Dubai chocolate. It consists of thinly sliced, heavily seasoned meats such as chicken or lamb which are slowly cooked on a vertical rotisserie before being wrapped in flatbread with salad, pickles, tahini or garlic sauce. Its Middle Eastern roots have made it a beloved street food and a popular fast food item with tourists and locals alike.
Indonesia - Nasi Goreng
Nasi Goreng is Indonesia's iconic fried rice. Cooked rice is stir fried with ingredients such as garlic, shallots, chilli, kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) and egg, with chicken, prawns or other additions providing additional flavour. Evolving from Chinese-influenced fried-rice traditions, it has become a staple of Indonesian home cooking.
Vietnam - Pho
Vietnam's signature dish, Pho, is a fragrant rice noodle soup traditionally made with a slow-simmered beef or chicken broth. Rice noodles are added with thinly sliced meat, then the bowl is finished with fresh herbs, chilli and lime. The meal's origins can be traced to Northern Vietnam in the early 20th century and is now enjoyed throughout the wider country.
New Zealand - Fish & Chips
Fish & chips is naturally associated with Britain, but did you know it is the most popular food in New Zealand too? Most New Zealand families' origins can be traced back to the UK, with 90% of the 19th century European settlers arriving from England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. This explains why the dish became popular in New Zealand originally, but it is still perhaps surprising that the nation's culinary preferences have failed to evolve over the generations.
As in the UK, fish & chips in New Zealand consists of fresh fish coated in batter and fried until crisp before being served with chunky chips and typically plenty of salt. Fish and chips are particularly associated with seaside holiday dining. .
Barbados - Flying Fish & Cou-Cou
Flying fish and cou-cou is Barbados' national dish. Cou-cou is made by slowly cooking cornmeal with okra until it develops a smooth, polenta-like consistency, while flying fish is traditionally steamed or fried and served with a rich Creole tomato sauce. The dish reflects Barbados' complex African, European and Caribbean culinary heritage mixed together to create this unique food staple.
The restaurant most commonly associated with the dish is Oistins Fish Fry in Christ Church which holds an open-air street market celebration every Friday night. This provides holiday makers with the perfect opportunity to experience authentic Barbados culture and understand how certain dishes form the basis for these celebrations.
Bahamas - Conch
Conch, a large sea snail, features prominently in Bahamian cuisine. The meat can be served raw in a fresh conch salad, battered and fried as cracked conch, or transformed into fritters. Fresh conch is combined with lime, peppers, onion and herbs in salads, creating a refreshing dish which owes its origins to the islands' abundant marine environment.
Finland - Creamy Salmon Soup & Karelian Pasties
Two Finnish favourites are creamy salmon soup and karjalanpiirakka, otherwise known as Karelian pasty. The soup combines salmon with potatoes, leeks, carrots, cream and dill, while the traditional pasty consists of a rye pastry filled with rice porridge. Both showcase Finland's reliance on simple, stodgy ingredients which is suited to its often cool northern climate.
Maldives - Mas Huni
Mas Huni is a traditional Maldivian breakfast made by mixing shredded smoked tuna with grated coconut, onion and chilli. The ingredients are combined without complicated cooking and served with flatbread, creating a fresh, simple and satisfying start to the day. Its reliance on tuna and coconut reflects the Maldives' island setting and fishing heritage.
Mauritius - Dholl Puri
Dholl puri is a paper-thin flatbread filled with ground yellow split peas, seasoned with spices and cooked on a hot surface. It is traditionally served with butterbean curry and chutneys. Introduced through the island's Indian cultural influences, dholl puri has become a defining part of modern Mauritian street food.
Seychelles - Pwason ek Diri
Pwason ek Diri, meaning fish with rice, sits at the heart of Seychellois Creole cuisine. Fresh local fish is seasoned with herbs and spices before being grilled, fried or cooked in a sauce, then served with rice and often vegetables or chutney. Its simplicity reflects the islands' fishing traditions and tropical climate.
Brazil - Feijoada
Feijoada is Brazil's famous black bean and meat stew, traditionally prepared with pork and beef and slowly simmered until rich and hearty. It is commonly served with white rice, farofa made from toasted cassava flour, collard greens and, somewhat unusually, orange slices. Traditionally associated with Wednesday and Saturday meal times, the history of the dish reflects Brazil's diverse cultural influences.
Argentina - Asado
Argentina's most famous food is arguably asado, a traditional open-fire barbecue centred around slow-grilled cuts of beef and other red meats. The meat is seasoned simply so that the natural flavours shine through, with chimichurri often served alongside it.
As with Braai in South Africa and Flying Fish & Cou-Cou in Barbados, Asado is more than just a meal; it's a social tradition where friends and family can gather together around the fire. Opportunities to experience these events are the ideal way to learn more about the culture of the nation you are visiting.
Experience the Most Popular Foods in the World
This eclectic collection of popular foods from around the world are an important part of discovering a holiday destination. From street-food favourites to recipes reserved for family gatherings, each dish offers a taste of the history and culture that makes each country so unique.
Why not book a foodie holiday to one or more of these incredible destinations and sample these dishes from the people and cultures that created them? The Luxury Travel Specialists at Elegant Resorts can use their first-hand experience and knowledge of these regions to create tailor made foodie holiday itineraries that are every bit as unique as you are, combining exceptional accommodation with authentic culinary experiences you will remember long after the return flight home.