My Top 7 Most Memorable Food Experiences Abroad

Why do you enjoy traveling the world? Is it because of the music, the dances, the language, the history, or the foods? Or all of these things put together? People who love traveling enjoy various things, but the most famous reason why they travel is often the food.

To travel the world is fun, but now, to travel to multiple countries and get to eat their local and traditional cuisine is priceless. We all hear so much about some countries’ most famous dishes, and that makes us want to visit them so bad.

It does not matter where we live, we always have that one or those few international restaurants in town. And even if they are run by people from other countries, we know that eating their food in our home country is not the same as getting to eat in the country where that dish is originally from. One thing is to eat sushi in Jersey. Another thing is to eat sushi in Japan. It’s a whole another level.

So, even though I got to eat some of these international dishes while growing up in my home country, I can say that they did taste so much more different and so much more authentic when I ate them in the countries where they were actually created.

So allow me to share some of my favorite food experiences I got to live while traveling abroad.

7- Pizza in the countryside of Italy

Pizza has crossed the borders of Italy a long time ago and nowadays it is consumed all over the world making it one of the most popular foods in the world.

I grew up eating so much pizza. I just love it so much. So, when I was a kid, I would always dream of the day I would eat pizza in Italy. We all know that every country has its own version of each international dish. Pizza in Brazil will be different from pizza in New York, and it will certainly be different from the pizza in Italy.

When I went to this small little town outside of Rome, I told this friend of mine that I wanted to eat the original pizza. A pizza that the Italians will eat very often and that is not very international. So, she took me to this small little restaurant, and she ordered me a big pizza. When I ate it I was so happy. It was so good. Definitely a unique experience.

6- Tacos in Mexico

Brazil is not big on international food. We have our own cuisine, and we’re very proud of it. So, finding international food such as Japanese, Mexican, or Chinese is very hard. They’re most common in big cities, and when you find them, they are a little too overpriced.

When I moved to the U.S. for the first time, I had the chance to try so many international dishes. And Mexican food was one of them. But when I talked to my Mexican friends that I loved their food, they’d tell me that the type of food I’m used to eating isn’t actually real and authentic Mexican food. America really made it the way they like it while taking away pretty much most of the originality that you can find when you eat real food in Mexico.

So, when I went to Mexico for the first time, I got to try their Tacos and it was indeed different. It wasn’t the hard shell to start with, and it did taste so much more delicious. Everything was fresh and I’m very happy I have now a more authentic and original food experience to remember every time I think of Mexican food.

5- Crêpes in France

I love Paris! I really do. I know you may say that Parisians are rude, or that their streets are dirty, but honestly, I don’t care. They are very nice, and their country is definitely fun to visit. And their foods are just amazing.

Eating the foods in Paris like a local was a very fun and unforgettable experience. Getting to try their baguettes, croissants, and cheese was one of the best food experiences I have ever lived.

But growing up in Brazil, I got exposed to the Brazilian version of Crepes. Brazilians love Crepes, and of course, they are nothing like the Crepes from France. So, when I went to France, I really wanted to try their Crepes to get a taste of what it is like. And they are really good. I don’t know if I still prefer the Brazilian version of it because Brazil is really big on toppings, but I can say that Crepes from France are very good and that everyone should try them.

4- Gelato in Rome

Who loves Italian Gelato clap my story and follow me on Medium. If you don’t, I don’t know what’s wrong with you.

Joking. There’s nothing wrong with not liking Italian gelatos. But one thing is sure. If you don’t like it, you probably have not tried Italian gelato in Italy because when you do, you will understand my obsession with it.

Gelatos are a huge part of Italy’s culture. In fact, I was actually a little surprised by how seriously they take it. It’s a big deal for them. I’d see it everywhere. When you walk into a gelateria in Italy, you will notice that people dress incredibly cool and that they make the best taste humanity has ever had the chance to try. Gelatos are so yummy.

I love comparing foods every time I travel. And one of them is gelatos. I’ve tried many different gelatos everywhere. In Brazil, France, Spain, Portugal, London, United States, but none of them are just as good as the ones in Italy. So, trying a gelato in Italy was definitely one of the best food experiences I’ve ever had.

3-Philly cheesesteak in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I did not know what a Philly cheesesteak was until I went to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and heard so much about it.

When I travel to a new place, I always like to ask the locals what are their traditional cuisine. And one of the most famous foods I heard about when I was in Philly was the Philly cheesesteak. People talked about it everywhere.

When I tried it for the first time, I was actually blown. I mean, I don’t want to sound rude, but I don’t think the United States has that considerably authentic cuisine. So, among the hundreds of things I tried from the U.S., the Philly Cheestake was the best food I had in the United States.

2- Sangria in Spain

Who would like to go to Spain in the summer?

In my opinion, there’s nothing like the summer in Spain. It is just the best destination in the world during the summer. It is fun and wild and I love it so much.

When I went to Barcelona for the first time, people would always talk about two things with me. They’d always say: “Don’t forget to try their tapas (which is a traditional Spanish dish) and their Sangria. I knew what tapas were, though I’d never tried them before, however, I had no idea what Sangria was. So, I was very excited about trying their Sangria.

It was a beautiful sunny summer day in Spain, so as I love the beach so much, I decided to go to Barcelonita, which is the name of their beach in Barcelona.

I went in the water, relaxed at the beach, and decided to eat at one of their restaurants by the beach. I ordered a burger because I was starving, but then I told them I was very curious about trying Sangria for the first time. I asked the server what was Sangria, and their answer was remarkable. The guy asked me where I’m from. So, I said I’m Brazilian. Then, he told me: “Sangria is like your Caipirinha. It’s our tradition drink here in Barcelona”. As soon as he said that, I got super extra excited about trying their sangria. If I loved Caipirinha, I would love Sangria even more.

And this is what happened. I never thought any other drink would top Caipirinha. But sangria did. It was so refreshing and it tasted so good, that I drank that entire jar of Sangria in one second. Of course, I got so drunk, but it was totally worth it. I will never forget how good it tasted. After that day, I declared myself addicted to Sangria, and ever since I’ve been buying it everywhere I go. I know it’s not the same, but at least it reminds me of that beautiful summer day in Barcelona.

1- Mofongo in Puerto Rico

My trip to Puerto Rico was one of the best trips of my life. I tried Piña Colada in the first bar that it was invented, I took a Salsa dance lesson in the land of Salsa, I visited their beautiful paradisiacal beaches, and of course, I tried their traditional foods.

When I first got there, I asked some of the local people what I should never miss out on when in Puerto Rico. And the response was the same. As if people were singing together in a choir, they said: Do not forget to try Mofongo.

For those of you who don’t know what Mofongo is, Mofongo is a Puerto Rican dish with fried plantains as its main ingredient. Plantains are picked green and fried, then mashed with salt, garlic, broth, and olive oil in a wooden pilón. They produce a tight ball of mashed plantains that absorbs the attending condiments and have either chicharron or bacon bits. It is often served with fried meat, and as I normally like to say, it has the taste of heaven. It is by far the best food I’ve ever tried abroad. It has a unique taste, flavor, authenticity, and culture. It really is a remarkable dish.

My goal while I was in Puerto Rico was to try different types of Mofongos from many different restaurants and each time I tried a new one, I’d fall more in love with the dish. It is so far the best food experience I’ve ever had in my life. So, thank you, Puerto Rico.

Well, I hope this article gave you a million more reasons to visit these countries.

Don’t forget to clap this story and to follow me on Medium.

Thank you for reading my article today!