20 local delicacies to whet your tastebuds in Europe…and where to find them

Having been born and raised along the shores of the Irish Sea, the continent that has paved a welcome for me more than any other is Europe. As a result I've tantalised my taste buds with well-known delicacies that could feed an army of foodies. Here are just twenty…

1. Pizza in L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele, Via Cesare Sersale 1/3, Naples

Photo courtesy of Pranav Bhatt

Pizza is one of my favourite foods. Whether it’s Bangkok, Melbourne or Chicago, hunting down the best pizza joint in town is always on my list of things to do. That’s why I had to visit the place that invented them. This extremely unassuming restaurant offers just two pizzas – margherita (tomatoes, olive oil and mozzarella) and marinara (tomatoes, oregano, olive oil and garlic). They're both devilishly tasty and extremely good value.

2. Fish and Chips in The Golden Hind, 73 Marylebone Lane, Marylebone, London

Photo courtesy of Marshall Segal

It’s hard to think of a dish as quintessentially British as fish and chips. Of all the restaurants, diners and cafés that have it on their menu in the English capital, The Golden Hind in Marylebone is one of the best known. Open since 1914, choose from a myriad of dishes sourced from the sea, then enjoy your meal while looking at the pictures adorning the walls.

3. Tripe roll from a ‘Trippai’ (Tripe Stand), Piazza Cimatori, Florence

Boiled cow’s stomach served in a bread roll and sauce of your choice might not sound too appealing, but a tripe roll is a delicacy in the Tuscan capital, so when in Rome…or Florence as the case may be. As this is an outdoor dining experience, and one that doesn't involve sitting down due to the lack of seating surrounding the ‘trippai’, I suggest going for lunch.

4. Goulash in the Great Market Hall, Vámház krt. 1-3, Budapest

Photo courtesy of alex.ch

Budapest’s Great Market Hall is worth a visit whether you're planning a pit stop for lunch or not. Dating back to 1897, it’s a stunning piece of architecture that boasts vibrancy to match. The upstairs balcony is where you’ll find stand after stand serving hearty, Hungarian dishes like goulash and dumplings.

5. Currywurst, Konnopke’s Imbiss, under the bridge at Eberswalder station, Eberswalder Str, Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin

Found in the Prenzlauer Berg neighbourhood, of all the places to try currywurst (sliced German sausage served with curry sauce) in Berlin, this is one of the most famous. Dishes come with chips but no seats. You'll have to enjoy yours standing up here.

6. Slice on the Stone, Cabacas, Rua des Gaveas 8-10, Barrio Alto, Lisbon

Photo courtesy of Daniel Go

This unassuming restaurant is where I first got a taste for olives, but that’s not why you should. The main attraction here are lean pieces of steak that you can cook yourself on a hot lava stone. The tables are extremely close together, it can get smoky due to the grilled steaks, but it’s a dining experience not to be missed by anybody visiting the Portuguese capital.

7. Gyros/Souvlaki in Bairaktaris, Pl Monistiraki 5, Monistiraki, Athens

Photo courtesy of Stephen Pougas

While it’s unashamedly touristy, this restaurant still manages to serve traditional kebabs to thousands of hungry passers-by every day. If you're wondering what the difference is between the two, a gyros is served as a full meal while a souvlaki is more a fast-food type dish. Both will trigger thoughts of ‘mmmmm…’.

8. Irish breakfast in Cinnamon, 83-87 Main Street, Ranelagh, Dublin

It’s hard to walk the streets of central Dublin without encountering a bar, restaurant or café that doesn’t have ‘full Irish on the menu’. This is just as much a good thing as it is a bad thing – it’s the same everywhere you go. But make the small journey to the south Dublin suburb of Ranelagh and you can enjoy a ‘breakfast salad’ that comprises of an artisan black pudding, bacon lardons, baby potatoes, a poached egg and parmesan shavings, all served on a bed of mixed leaves.

9. Tapas in Bar Las Terasas, Calle Santa Teresa 2, Santa Cruz, Seville

Photo courtesy of Kevin Phua

As soon I saw the dry-aged ham hanging from the ceiling in this tapas bar I knew I was going to like it. This quaint venue is steeped in history, has lots of wines to choose from, but the attraction here is the jamón. You'll enjoy the memorabilia hanging from the smoke-stained walls too.

10. Piergoi in Zapiecek, Slawkowska 32, Stare Mesto, Krakow

Photo courtesy of dfb

Do your research on what delicacies to try in Krakow and you'll soon discover one of them is pierogi – pastries filled with everything from summer fruits to meat. Opt to try them here and you'll be able to see them being made as well as eat them.

11. Meatballs, Nytorgsgatan 30, Sodermalm, Stockholm

When there’s a restaurant that specialises in meatballs that isn't on the tourist trail in the Swedish capital, you know it’s worth the hunt. Here you can sample small tasting platters or larger dishes, making more of a meal of the trip. But what’s most interesting is that there is more than one type of meatball to choose from. To find out what they are simply ask your server for the day’s specials.

12. Snails in Bistrot du Peintre, 116 Avenue Ledru-Rollin, Bastille, Paris

Snails are another delicacy that mightn’t appeal to too many people. I was one of those but decided to give them a go on a trip to Paris. This Bastille favourite is a good place to try them for the first time, as the interior is as delicious as the food.

13. Haggis in The World’s End, 2-8 High Street, Old Town, Edinburgh

Ignore the fact that this restaurant is on Scotland’s famous tourist trail the Royal Mile. The haggis they serve here is provided by Campbell’s, that dates back to over 100 years and is served with ‘tatties and neeps’, otherwise known as potatoes and turnip. I strongly recommend trying their sticky toffee pudding too…

14. Paella in La Riuá, Calle Mar 27, La Xerea, Valencia

There are lots of local delicacies to try in Spain, but when you're in Valencia Paella is what you want to try since this is the city in which it was invented. La Riuá, which is close to the city’s cathedral, is popular among both locals and tourists and serves the rice dish with chicken, rabbit or vegetables.

15. Wiener Schnitzel in Mariahilferbrau, Mariahilfer Strasse, Vienna

Photo courtesy of Sam Roth

This restaurant close to Vienna’s Westbahnhof train station has a wide variety of food to choose from. Served in airy surroundings and by servers donning traditional Austrian outfits, it’s a good place to try Austria’s celebrated Wiener Schnitzel. Other foods known to the region that you can try here include sauerkraut and dumplings.

16. Fondue in Fribouger Fondue Stuebli, Rotwandstrasse, Zurich

Photo courtesy of t-mizo

I know you can get sweet fondues and meat fondues, but the original format is a cheese fondue, which is why it’s the only one available in this popular Zurich restaurant. They've five cheeses to choose from and can be complemented by bread and potatoes, pickled onions and gherkins or pineapples and pears can compliment these. A must for anybody going Swiss this summer.

17. Cichetti in All’Arco, Calle Arco, San Polo, Venice

Photo courtesy of Brian Luster

Did you know that Venice has its own take on tapas? It’s known as ‘cicchetti’ and can be savoured in ‘bacari’ – small wine bars. This bacari close to the fish market is always busy and always has a counter full of cichetti such as sardines in sauce, smoked ham, croutons with creamed cod and more. These can be nicely washed down with a glass of ice-cold white wine or even Prosecco. Take note though – it sometimes closes after 5pm.

18. Kebab in Çiya, Güneşlibahçe Sokak 43, Kadiköy, Istanbul

Since it opened its doors in 1987 this restaurant has been known for its traditional Turkish fare, and in particular kebabs, throughout Istanbul. Choose from ‘Baba Ghanush’ (mashed roasted eggplant with pepper and more and topped with beef or chicken), ‘Çiya Kebab’ (knife ground beef, walnuts, yogurt, mozzarella, parsley, mint and sumac) or a host of other kebabs.

19. Moules Frites in Chez Leon, Rue des Bouchers 18, Brussels

Rue des Bouchers is one of those touristy streets I usually try to avoid in cities. You know the ones with hawkers standing outside trying to coax you in with the ‘special price’? This is one of those streets. But amongst all the kitsch is Chez Leon, a restaurant dating back to 1893 that dishes out some of the nicest mussels and fries you'll find anywhere in the world.

20. Aperitivo in Bar Brera, Via Brera 23, Brera, Milan

More an experience for the atmosphere (and thriftiness) than the food, ‘aperitivo’ in Milan is a time of day when bars around the city offer plates full of free food for whoever is there to try it. All you need is to treat yourself to a glass of wine or otherwise when you're there. Think hot pasta, cold meats, pizza slices and salads…all for free.

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