Where to eat while in Europe?
So, I'm going to Europe(UK, Spain, France, Italy, Germany. etc) at the end of May, and the thing I'm looking forward to most is the food. I need a bunch of recommendations. Places you've been that, have different food, good food, interesting atmospheres, cheap places, expensive places. Any thing is fair game, as long as you put your seal of approval on it. I don't want to be fooled into some sketchy absinthe den! Or do I?
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.
Start Talking!
Need a question answered? Have advice to share? Start a Talk topic now!
Sign up to get your questions answered and share advice.
19 Comments:
Are you going to base your itinerary on the restaurants where you want to eat? Because Europe's a pretty big place...it might help if you list the cities and neighborhoods where you'll be staying.
chgoeditor at 1:38PM on 03/26/09
I just got back from London and found a good chain of pasty shops called Cornish Bakehouse.
meem21 at 1:56PM on 03/26/09
Crepe stands in Paris, gelaterias in Rome--any will do.
drew13000 at 1:57PM on 03/26/09
Venice:Trattoria Giorgio ai Greci. Awesome. The gnocchi with salmon for two was truly one of the greatest things I've ever eaten, and the mussels were superb.
Nuremberg, Germany: small Nurnberger Bratwursts on a bun. To die for.
Prague: I have a lot, send me a message for recommendations.
allyn at 9:18PM on 03/26/09
@chgoeditor - I'm flying into London, then making a loop. So, I will be going to Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome, & many cities in between.
emmonsj at 7:30AM on 03/27/09
In Paris, you must go to one of Pierre Herme's pastry shops. Or better yet all three. It's worth the wait (and the price) for the macarons and for everything else.
DessertLover at 10:32AM on 03/27/09
London: (expenisve) Bentleys, Pont de La Tour, Baltic (not stricly British Food.....) and if it's open by then the Savoy for Afternoon Tea - if it's shut then I hear that the Ritz and the Wolsey are good. Roast over looks Borough Market (also a MUST VISIT for food lovers).
For something a bit cheaper, Smiths of Smithfield (esp for Brunch), anywhere on the Edgeware Road (all middle eastern food), Masala Zone or Brick Lane for Curry (Tayabs in White Chapel is bring your own booze), Diwana Bel Puri in Euston for veg. Indian food, The Eagle or Anchor and Hope pub for Sunday roasts, and the Golden Hinde for fish and chips! Alo Paul Roths deli is great. All can be googled I swear........
If you make it to Lyon in France - every place we went was amazing.
Have a great trip
PeckhamEater at 10:40AM on 03/27/09
Pretty broad topic here.
lambowner at 10:44AM on 03/27/09
Get a bistecca alla fiorentina whilst in Italy. You can find the best ones in the Tuscany region north of Rome.
johnhutch at 11:39AM on 03/27/09
For London on the cheap, I enthusiastically recommend Pret a Manger. It's a chain of pre-made sandwich shops, but they're made with fresh ingredients. I also had good luck with the take-away sections at Sainsbury's and Marks & Spencer. It's not fancy food, but I think the UK outperforms the US in this category by leaps and bounds. I've been genuinely happy to make a meal out of a take-away sandwich and a bag of crisps.
marzipanda at 12:08PM on 03/27/09
Madrd: El Tigre for the best tapas! It is more of a local's place.
nsa4eva at 2:20PM on 03/27/09
Go to Carcassonne and eat a cassoulet. Yummmmmm.
inothernews at 3:05PM on 03/27/09
In Rome, try Zucca Gialla (Yellow Pumpkin) a small trattoria near the Piazza Navona. If you get to Florence, Vivoli for gelato. Also, we found that train stations offer good meals for good value. One of the best salads I have ever eaten was from a small to go place in the Lucerne, Switzerland train station. Also, don't know if you are driving, but in Italy there are places you can pull into from the road called Auto Grills---great food, freshly made at a great price. Have a great time!
jsd517 at 4:47PM on 03/27/09
In London, go to Falafel King by the Portobello market. A beautiful falafel sandwich wiith a cup of minted lemonade for under a fiver.
Pret is good, as is the chain Eat, which does sandwiches and soups.
Also in London, try the North Sea Fish Company in Bloomsbury (near King's Cross and Holborn) which serves perfectly cooked fish and chips...crispy, not greasy, and full of flavour.
Out of the pub chains, I think All Bar One has the best food, particularly the tapas and mezze plates and the Portobello mushroom, roasted pepper and haloumi burger. Be sure to get the frites.
Speaking of frites, you may want to look up Belgo (the best one is near Covent Garden). A pot of steamed mussels and frites, with a good Belgian beer, for less than you think.
And there's always Wagamama, the ultimate noodle bar in the UK. Communal seating, great dumplings, and house-made smoothies to go with terrific noodles served every possible way.
NotAmerican at 1:57AM on 03/28/09
Oh, and don't go for the absinthe. Unless you enjoy the taste of death by licorice.
NotAmerican at 1:59AM on 03/28/09
Roast suckling pig in Spain. Beautiful crispy skin, moist and tender pork flesh. To die for!
Perkins10 at 10:54PM on 03/28/09
In Florence, try La Mangiatoia. Not open on Mondays, I think. It's by the Palazzo Pitti on the other side of the Arno.
If you're into noshing a bit here and there, try Cafe Perseo on the Piazza della Signora during happy hour. The beers and wines are a little more expensive, but they put out a huge spread of delicious appetizers.
shoneyjoe at 12:34PM on 03/29/09
Thanks everyone for the recommendations! Keep them coming.
emmonsj at 6:19AM on 03/30/09
quimet y quimet in barcelona.
cybercita at 10:09AM on 03/30/09