A guide to world cuisines: 12 cuisines and what to try first

Italian

Few ingredients, all excellent. Real Italian food is regional — what people eat in Naples differs from Bologna or Sicily.

Try: Neapolitan pizza, cacio e pepe, risotto, tiramisu.

French

The foundation of classic European cooking: sauces, technique and attention to detail. A bistro is simpler than a fine-dining restaurant, but often just as good.

Try: boeuf bourguignon, coq au vin, French onion soup, crème brûlée.

Spanish

Food for sharing. Tapas and pintxos are ordered in rounds with drinks, often hopping from bar to bar.

Try: tortilla española, patatas bravas, jamón ibérico, paella (originally from Valencia).

Greek

Olive oil, fresh vegetables, fish and lamb. Many dishes are meant for the whole table.

Try: moussaka, Greek salad (horiatiki), souvlaki, spanakopita.

Turkish

Much more than kebab: meze, stone-oven breads, vegetables cooked in olive oil and sweets.

Try: lahmacun, pide, iskender kebab, baklava.

Japanese

Seasonal ingredients, precision and clean flavours. Sushi is only part of the story — Japan has whole restaurants devoted to a single dish.

Try: ramen, sushi and sashimi, tempura, okonomiyaki.

Chinese

Really many cuisines in one: Cantonese is mild, Sichuan is spicy and numbing thanks to Sichuan pepper, and northern cooking leans on dough and dumplings.

Try: dim sum, Peking duck, mapo tofu, jiaozi dumplings.

Thai

A balance of spicy, sour, sweet and salty in one dish. If you don't like heat, say so when ordering.

Try: pad thai, tom yum, green curry, mango sticky rice.

Vietnamese

Fresh herbs, broths and light dishes. Much of it is assembled at the table to your own taste.

Try: phở, bánh mì, fresh spring rolls (gỏi cuốn), bún chả.

Indian

A wealth of spices, but not necessarily hot. The north is known for tandoori dishes and breads, the south for rice, lentils and coconut.

Try: butter chicken, dal, biryani, masala dosa.

Mexican

Corn, beans and chilies are the base, and tortillas are everywhere. Real Mexican food is far more varied than the Tex-Mex version.

Try: tacos al pastor, mole, guacamole, elote.

Balkan and Serbian

Grilled meat, slow-cooked dishes and plenty of vegetables in summer. Food is generous and made for company. We cover how to eat in a traditional tavern in a separate guide: what to order in a Serbian kafana.

Try: ćevapi, sarma, gibanica, pljeskavica, ajvar.

How to find these cuisines nearby

In Klopio, open the All cuisines filter and pick the one you want — you'll get a list sorted by rating and distance, plus a map of every place in your radius.

Frequently asked questions