European city breaks can be defined by those all important restaurant choices. Whether you want to eat like the locals do in a tiny hole-in-the-wall, join the crowds spilling out of the latest buzzing opening, or book ahead for high-end and Michelin-starred fare – a memorable meal is a must. Here we round-up the very best cities in Europe for eating out, and give you the inside track on the most exciting restaurants.
Copenhagen
Think of Copenhagen restaurants and most people instantly think of Noma, now well established in its new location on the edge of Christiania. Given the difficulty of bagging a table (not to mention the cost), most of us will never get to sample René Redzepi’s creations – but with many Noma alumni having gone on to open up their own places, and other talented young chefs having been inspired to follow suit, there’s never been a more exciting time to eat out in this city. From a six-course tasting menu that puts locally grown vegetables centre stage, to a trendy Mexican taco joint, Copenhagen is brimming with fantastic foodie experiences.
San Sebastián
San Sebastián is a town of variety when it comes to dining style. The famous pintxos are eaten on foot and on rotation; but there are also fabulous sit-down restaurants that have earned the city the distinction of most Michelin stars per capita. A starred meal, however, is only the tip of San Sebastián’s culinary iceberg. Locals frequent spots that serve traditional Basque dishes using market-fresh produce, such as Casa Urola and Astelena 1997. The grill holds a starring role at the table, whether in the form of the txuleta (steak), at Patxikuenea, or the perfectly charred turbot at Elkano. The best way to digest this culinary destination is with a mix of the high, the low, and the miniature.
Paris
The more than 70-strong offering of Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris is formidable, from the legendary outfit serving grand classics in the Eiffel Tower to swinging sought-after joints where, in true Parisian style, the phone is never answered and the dining room is always full. Then there are the bistros and brasseries, all veal kidneys on the menu and vintage coffee machines on the bar – and excitingly, hip, affordable joints are on the uptick, where guests can feast on everything from Asian-inflected tapas to gourmet pancakes. Looks like Paris won’t be losing its reputation as a gastronomic capital anytime soon.
London
The London restaurant scene is one of the best world, and it runs the gamut from great British institutions that have been around for decades to trendy no-reservations spots that open faster than you can keep track of. It should come as little suprise that innovative and impressive chefs from all over the world are keen for a place at the (dinner) table here. Pull up a stool at a long steel counter to watch as Northern Thai dishes are cooked over open flames, sink into your leather booth and press the button for champagne to enjoy with lobster mac ‘n’ cheese, or order a whole spread of small plates inspired by Italy’s diverse regions. If you’re serious about food, you’ll find London has plenty to offer.
Barcelona
Barcelona’s impressive food scene covers all manner of Spanish cuisines. Head to the maritime district of Barceloneta if it’s paella you’re after, but if you want traditional Catalan dishes it’s best to stick inland in Barri Gòtic or Gràcia where you’ll find tiled dining rooms and plenty of pa amb tomàquet (bread rubbed with tomato) and hearty fare. And of course, there are tapas everywhere (even though they aren’t a local speciality) – from downright classics on charming squares to modern versions at hip restaurants following in the footsteps of Ferran Adrià.
Lisbon
The Lisbon food scene continues to boom. An influential wave of young local chefs have remained loyal to the culture of the Portuguese table whilst reimagining it afresh, drawing on the endless bounty from the sea and coastline, the mountains, plains and vineyards. International chefs, such as acclaimed Peruvian Diogo Muñoz, have arrived too, offering diversity on a previously almost uniquely Portuguese platform. But dining out here is not merely about fashion or trends – food is held in high regard by ‘lisboetas’ and eating out is a necessity rather than a luxury. Just make sure you book a table.
Rome
Romans take their food and wine seriously, and so you will never be stuck for somewhere to enjoy a good meal in the city. Aside from the ubiquitous takeaway pizza and tramezzini (sandwiches), snack culture is a more recent phenomenon – but it has been spurred on by the recession, and there are now places where you can grab a decent stand-up or carry-out meal for cheap. Of course, there are also the classics if you’re looking for a more traditional meal, from cacio e pepe to involtini di manzo al sugo (rolled beef in tomato sauce) in lovely family-run trattorias and cosy wine bars. Talented chefs have brought new energy to the city too with creative dishes, such as oysters with red onion sorbet and tortelli filled with anchovies and broad beans.
Lyon
Lyon is a born-and-bred gourmand and deciding where to dine in the city that has been lorded as France’s gastronomic capital for decades can be challenging. Be it earthy street market or food truck, on-trend millennial neo-bistro or Michelin-starred haute-cuisine restaurant, the choice is rich. All budgets are well catered for too – most restaurants serve a cheaper lunchtime menu (fixed two- or three-course meal), making midi (midday) a prime time to indulge in an excellent-value meal. Sampling an iconic andouillette (tripe sausage) or other old-timer offal dish in a Lyonnais bouchon (bistro) is a Lyonnais rite of passage.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh’s thriving restaurant scene stretches from cheap, chilled cafés, including the one J.K. Rowling penned much of Harry Potter in, to sophisticated modern dining rooms with seriously good dishes, all fuelled by Scotland’s excellent natural larder. It’s also one of Britain’s top gourmet destinations when it comes to counting Michelin stars. Whether feasting on a decadent bowl of Orkney lobster thermidor macaroni cheese or the best fish and chips in town, you will certainly not go hungry in the Scottish capital.
Venice
Venice is a minefield of overpriced, tourist-trap restaurants offering depressingly mediocre food. Happily, there are some dazzling fine-dining establishments and authentic local finds for those in the know. Expect everything from intimate, Michelin-starred, canal-side spots offering delicately presented seafood dishes; to old-school Venetian trattorias where punters can slurp on a delicious bowl of pasta and carafe of local wine while watching the world go by.
Amsterdam
It’s easy to eat your way round Amsterdam. Why not start with lunch at an apothecary shop-turned diner, or enjoy a blowout supper at a double-Michelin restaurant with high-rise views? You could swing by a sparsely decorated canalside joint which knocks out some of the city’s best sandwiches or head to an upscale food hall with vendors selling everything from Turkish meze to sushi. Foodies should make a beeline for the über-hip eateries in the dining quarter of De Pijp, but just as pleasing is a good wedge of homemade apple pie served at a classic Dutch restaurant.
Porto
The citizens of Porto like their food, so if you have an appetite you’ll never be short on company. Fish features heavily in the local diet, with salted bacalhau (cod) a particular favourite. Every visitor to the city needs to try a Francesinha at least once. This meat-based, cheese-soaked, beer-sauced sandwich will send your cholesterol levels off the richter scale, but it’s a Porto rite of passage. Cafés are ubiquitous and, for the most part, cheap. Despite Portugal’s colonial history, options for international cuisine are limited, but innovative local chefs, such as Pedro Barreiros, are making their mark.
Bruges
Bruges has a number of seriously good chefs and its highly competitive restaurant scene, much frequented by locals, keeps prices keen (if relatively expensive by UK standards; expect to pay €50-€60/£44-£52 per head, or more, for a good-quality three-course meal with wine). The cooking is essentially French or Franco-Belgian in style, but often with ingenious twists and a bit of fusion. If your budget is tight, look out for lunchtime set-menus at the best restaurants. And avoid the tourist-trap restaurants in and around the Markt and on ’t Zand.
Budapest
Until relatively recently, many restaurants in Budapest seemed to ‘suffer’ customers rather than welcome them. Hungary’s proud culinary tradition withered on the Communist vine, and in the immediate aftermath the food remained stodgy and the waiting staff sullen. But all that has changed. Now you’ll find restaurants catering to all tastes and budgets. Menus are imaginative, service is good, there is a sprinkling of Michelin stars, and vegetarian options go beyond breaded mushrooms and fried cheese. Raise a fork and get stuck in.
Reykjavik
Reykjavik’s culinary scene is as impressively cosmopolitan as the city itself, with a slew of restaurants offering everything from refined Icelandic, Nordic and French cuisine to mid-range and budget South American and Asian food. Vegetarian and vegan offerings have increased in recent years as have the number of places creating sustainable and seasonal menus. Don’t leave without trying the hearty lobster soup at legendary seafood shack, Saegreifinn, which can be found down by Reykjavik’s harbour.
Madrid
Madrid has gone gourmet with a vengeance, but the best of the classic tapas bars are still packed to the rafters come dinner time. Begin a visit to the Spanish capital by sinking your teeth into roast suckling pig at the ‘world’s oldest restaurant’ Botín, or share a plate of sizzling garlic prawns at Cabreira. Then embrace the modern at Bodega de los Secretos, or one of the many Michelin-starred hotspots, including Punto MX, the first Mexican restaurant in Europe to be awarded a star.
Berlin
Berlin has it all, from pioneering vegetarian restaurants and Vietnamese noodle joints to upmarket kebab gaffs and Michelin-starred establishments. For something truly old-school, book dinner at traditional German restaurant Marjellchen, where you’ll be served huge portions of goose and dumplings before being entertained by the gregarious owner, who is prone to bursting out into song.
Florence
Florence is a place of gastronomic delights, with delicious street fare – such as panini and gelato – at every turn, and more than a smattering of elegant dining experiences as well. But with such an abundance of trattorias, pizzerias and gelaterias, it’s hard for an outsider to figure out where the true pearls lie. We have the inside track on the very best, from hole-in-the-wall sandwich bars to Michelin-starred restaurants, where ingredients are straight from the owner’s organic farm.
Dubrovnik
Fresh local seafood tops the menu in Dubrovnik, from octopus burgers in small, low-key restaurants, to slap-up sushi feasts with fresh oysters and amberjack sashimi. Other options in this city range from hearty sandwich joints to intimate Bosnian eateries. There is no shortage of romantic places to eat either, with beautiful little fish restaurants located on leafy covered terraces, or down by the water.
Palma
The joy of Palma’s burgeoning restaurant scene is the sensational choice and diversity on offer. Jogging alongside traditional and quirky bars serving tapas and pinchos are feted Michelin-starred establishments and edgy sushi and Asian food joints. And let’s not forget vermuterias, snazzy vegetarian bistros and classy international dining emporiums. Inspired and innovative menús del día (lunchtime set menus), accompanied by superb local and Spanish wines, abound, providing exceptional value, even from Palma’s leading gastronomic maestros. This may be a bijou capital but it packs a punch when it comes to food, effortlessly holding its own on the world’s culinary stage.
Vienna
Vienna’s gastronomic landscape is as colourful as it is varied, from world-class Michelin-starred restaurants to state canteens that serve surprisingly delicious meals. Sign up for a dinner party with locals in a private home or devour modern interpretations of traditional comfort food in one of the city’s hipster establishments. For Austria’s best-known dishes – such as zwiebelrostbraten (tender roast beef covered with crispy onion rings) or blunzengröstl mit Kren und Krautsalat (fried black pudding with horseradish and cabbage salad), head to a traditional tavern.
Seville
In Seville, you can hop from one traditional tiled tapas bar to the next, trying out small plates of baby clams with artichokes, or wafer-thin slices of jamon iberico. Alternatively, you can slide into a chic velvet booth and dine on elevated tapas: think crab tacos and tuna ceviche. Instead of sangria, an over-priced tourist cliché, order like a local and go for tinto de verano (red wine with soda water) – or else sample the sherry selection, available in most restaurants. Note that you often pay more at an outside table.
Bordeaux
In a city where locals can talk for hours about the subtle resonance of a 1974 first-growth, you’d expect them to be picky about their food. And you’d be right: Bordeaux has some pretty fancy restaurants, which flatter the wines with a dining ceremony that’s almost excessive. But dining in Bordeaux doesn’t necessarily have to be posh. The city is also steeped in traditions from southwestern France and its heartier dishes, such as Pauillac lamb or local Bazas beef, perhaps grilled over vine prunings. Wood pigeon in red wine sauce with garlic croutons is another one to look out for, as are foie gras and Arcachon Bay oysters.
Athens
Athens has a fine selection of places to eat, ranging from down-to-earth traditional tavernas to upmarket restaurants serving fusion cuisine. The area of Plaka is undeniably pretty, though some of its restaurants are aimed at tourists and can be a little disappointing – make a beeline for the excellent Psarras, which has been serving up dishes such as stuffed squid and lamb baked in a terracotta pot with cheese and potatoes since 1898. The city centre is where you will find some excellent so-called modern tavernas, serving classic Greek dishes with a contemporary twist.
Bilbao
Bilbao’s dining scene often gets overshadowed by that of its neighbour, San Sebastián. With its comparatively large population and discerning, diverse residents, however, this city is actually a better place to seek out casual fusion and more daring dining experiments. To get the full picture, you’ll need to bite into some of its budding young favourites as well as dig in your elbows and forks at a rustic wooden table (try Txakoli Simon). Don’t neglect to reserve a meal at one of Bilbao’s excellent Michelin-starred restaurants, which pay their own glamorous homage to local product and tradition, and have nothing to envy the shining neighbour to the east.
Prague
Dining in Prague is dramatically different depending on the season: long winters are spent sheltering in cosy cellar pubs and restaurants. In warmer times, dining on the street or on a river terrace adds a lovely bohemian dimension to the city’s increasingly international cuisine, which still remains highly affordable by western European standards. Then there’s the selection of fine Czech beers, practically cheaper than water. Eating out now offers far more range and satisfaction than ever, with vegetarian, Middle Eastern, Asian and even Latino cuisine on hand in downtown districts and in Vinohrady.
Dublin
Vibrant Dublin has more to its name than historical venues. It is a city full of culinary delights from seafood fresh from Dublin Bay, and trendy little eateries designed to line the pre-theatre stomach, to wonderfully traditional Irish flavours and artisan cafés with sinfully good desserts. Across the city there is an emphasis on locally sourced ingredients, so expect to feast on the likes of smoked Irish trout and meltingly tender beef.
Kraków
The food scene in Kraków is a decidedly Polish one – split between the traditional favourites and an increasingly present contemporary take on old classics. Try chłodnik in the summer, a deliciously pink, chilled beetroot and yogurt soup or indulge in winter with a plate of pierogi ruskie, dumplings of white cheese and potato, fried crisply and served with bacon cubes and sour cream. Cakes and pastries are part of the culture with poppy seed cakes for Christmas, cheesecakes for Easter and doughnuts for Tłusty Czwartek (Fat Thursday, Poland’s Mardi Gras).