Many travellers head to the likes of Italy, France and Spain for one thing and one thing only: food. After all, where can you find a more authentic Neapolitan pizza than in its hometown of Naples? Then you have France’s gastronomic capital, Lyon, known for its bouchons and Michelin-starred restaurants, and Spain’s sunny San Sebastián for pintxos by the sea.
But according to a new study, none of these countries take the top spot for Europe’s most ‘authentic’ food destination.
The research, conducted by travel company Saga, analysed more than 5,000 restaurants across 125 European cities using Google reviews, looking at how often the words ‘authentic’ and ‘traditional’ appeared, as well as overall customer ratings. Where to go for the best local cuisine? Well, perhaps save Lyon and San Sebastián for your next trip, as Budapest came out on top.
Best known for its ruin bars and thermal baths, the Hungarian capital is fast becoming a serious culinary contender too, with new Michelin stars added to its dining scene each year. It’s also home to Central Europe’s first Time Out Market, opened just over a month ago.
The city’s signature dishes are hearty and flavour-packed: goulash, a rich beef and paprika soup; chicken paprikash with sour cream; and Gundel pancakes, filled with rum-soaked raisins and walnuts.
Recommended: The best restaurants in Budapest
Time Out’s Budapest expert Peterjon Cresswell recommends booking a table at Borkonyha, a Michelin-starred restaurant serving inventive Hungarian cuisine, or Rosenstein, where classic family recipes are the pride and joy of the chalkboard menu.
In second place came another surprise: Piraeus in Greece. Often overshadowed by the ancient history of nearby Athens, this coastal city packs a serious culinary punch. As the country’s largest harbour, it’s a seafood paradise – think juicy mussels, grilled octopus, steaming fish soup and crispy fried cod. And for dessert? Fresh loukoumades, the golden honey-drenched doughnuts said to have been served to victorious Olympians in ancient Greece.
Other European cities serving up tip-top ‘authentic’ cuisine include Vienna in Austria, Valletta in Malta and Prague in Czechia. Faring better than its foodie rivals, Spain and France, Italy did make the cut, but only just – with Milan securing tenth place. Check out the full top ten below.
Europe’s top 10 ‘most authentic’ food cities, according to Saga
- Budapest, Hungary
- Piraeus, Greece
- Athens, Greece
- Vienna, Austria
- Krakow, Poland
- Prague, Czech Republic
- Valletta, Malta
- Warsaw, Poland
- Munich, Germany
- Milan, Italy
Did you see that four African cities have been crowned among the world’s 20 best food destinations?
Plus: The best young chefs in Europe’s culinary capital.
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