Top 10 Best National Dishes

National dishes are a part of a nation's identity and self-image. A national dish is strongly associated with a particular country for several reasons:
1. It is a staple food.
2. It is made from a selection of locally available ingredients, sometimes considered exotic.
3. It is served as a festive culinary tradition that is part of a cultural heritage.
4. It is a part of a religious practice.
5. It has been promoted as a national dish by the country itself.

It wasn't easy to make this list because:

On one hand, a country may have more than one national dish, especially large countries with diverse traditions and cultures (e.g., the USA and India).

On the other hand, two or more countries may claim the same national dish. For instance, both Peru and Ecuador claim ceviche as their national dish.

I ranked the dishes according to my personal taste, and as you know, taste is highly subjective. I did not rank the countries, so nobody should feel offended.
The Top Ten
Poutine - Canada Poutine is a Canadian dish, originating in the province of Quebec in the late 1950s, made with French fries and cheese curds topped with light brown gravy. Poutine is the most popular dish in Quebec. It's also found across Canada and in some places in the northern United States. Poutine has many variations... read more

Call me biased, but I really like it.

But a British guy wrote something in an article about dishes that can't be called biased because he isn't Canadian:

"I tried this one very recently after my Canadian roommate very patriotically wouldn't stop raving on about it, so I thought I'd give it a whirl. This is food for addicts, pure and simple. You have greasy chips (or fries, as you people over the pond call them) that are then loaded with cheese curds and topped off with a generous slathering of rich gravy. When I tried this dish, the world faded away around me, I dived in and totally forgot my friends, my manners, my name..."

Yup, don't forget to write your name on a sheet of paper before you try poutine.

Hamburger - United States

Cheeseburgers are so good. I prefer them homemade, as they are healthier that way.

Gyro - Greece

Gyro (or gyros) is meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie. Often, several types of meat are placed on the spit (lamb, chicken, turkey, beef, veal), and they may be grilled for as long as a day. The resulting taste is incredible. It can be served on a plate or as a wrap. Gyro is like shawarma or döner kebab.

I like this type of meat preparation.

Contenders: Moussaka, Souvlaki

Yorkshire Pudding - England
Wiener Schnitzel - Austria

I tried it and I loved it.

It is a very thin, breaded, and pan-fried cutlet made from veal.

Dumplings - China

In Montreal, Canada (where I live), many varieties of dumplings can be found in grocery stores, and I like most of them.

Sushi - Japan

I like most of the sushi varieties.

Belgian Waffle - Belgium

Almost irresistible.

Pasta - Italy

Contenders: Polenta, Pizza, Risotto.

Pizza is probably the most popular Italian dish worldwide, but in most sources, pasta is considered their national dish more often than pizza.

Roast Lamb - New Zealand

New Zealand lamb, particularly the leg, is prized for its flavor and tenderness.

Contenders: Bacon and egg pie, Pavlova

The Newcomers

? Macadamia Nut Pie - Marshall Islands

I think I would like this. In our grocery store, there are Macadamia Nut Cookies, which I like.

? Mofongo - Puerto Rico

A dish with fried plantains as its main ingredient. Plantains are fried, then mashed with salt, garlic, and oil (plantains are picked green).

The Contenders
Pizza - Italy

I didn't do research, but I have a feeling that this might be the most popular food internationally.

Apple Pie - United States

I definitely like it!

Fish and Chips - United Kingdom

According to Wikipedia, Fish and Chips are traditionally wrapped in white paper and newspaper.

Tacos - Mexico A taco is a traditional Mexican dish composed of a corn or wheat tortilla folded or rolled around a filling.

Very popular in North America (US, Canada), not only in Mexico.

Whenever I hear Mexico, this is the first thing that comes to mind for me.

Stegt Flæsk - Denmark

A fried pork and potato-based dish.

Köttbullar - Sweden

Yay, they are the best. I love these.

Swedish meatballs.

Roast Beef - England
Crêpe - France

A crêpe (or crepe) is a very thin pancake.

Pirog - Russia

It's a baked case of dough with a sweet or savory filling.

There are many different fillings as well as complex combinations (chicken, eggs, onions, fish, and many more).

Döner Kebab - Turkey

(aka Doner kebab).

Doner kebab inspired similar dishes such as the Arab shawarma, Greek gyros, and Mexican al pastor. The vertical rotisserie was invented in the 19th-century Ottoman Empire.

Chicken Tikka Masala - United Kingdom

A dish of chunks of roasted marinated chicken (chicken tikka) in a spiced curry sauce.

Dolma - Azerbaijan, Iraq, Armenia

Dolma is stuffed veggies - usually tomato, pepper, eggplant, onion, zucchini, garlic.

Paella - Spain

Traditional dish of the Valencian Community of Spain.

Souvlaki - Greece

That is pretty good - small pieces of meat and sometimes vegetables grilled on a skewer.

Pljeskavica - Serbia

It's a meat patty.

8Load More
PSearch List