60 famous foods to try in your lifetime

The Market of San Miguel is one of the most famous food spots in Madrid, Spain, and welcomes more than 7 million visitors every year, according to the market's official website.

Paella is believed to have originated in Valencia, Spain, the Boston Globe reported. Now, the traditional rice and seafood dish has become synonymous with Spanish culture.

La Boquería is a food market in Barcelona home to whimsically shaped sweets all made out of marzipan.

Chocolatería San Ginés is a famous spot for churros in Madrid, but most cafés offer the famous combination of crispy churros with the iconic hot chocolate sauce, and it's hard to go wrong. 

Locals douse their crispy fish and chips with malt vinegar.

The full English breakfast has a little sampling of everything from potato hash, baked beans, cooked tomatoes and mushrooms, sausage, and eggs. Terry's Café in London serves up a famous take on the classic meal.

The meringue cookies originated in Italy, but food scholars believe they made their way to France in the 16th century, The Atlantic reported. The first French macaron shop was Laudrée, which opened in 1862, as reported by Food & Wine, and now has locations around the world.

You can taste the gourmet dish at L'Escargot Montorgueil in Paris.

Dig into spanakopita and other Greek favorites at Varoulko Seaside, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Athens, Greece.

Naples, Italy, is home to L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele, one of the world's most renowned pizzerias. The Naples pizza shop was featured in "Eat Pray Love," and it has also opened locations in Los Angeles and New York City.

Osteria Francescana was named the best restaurant in the world in 2018 by the World's 50 Best Restaurants list, which is determined by more than 1,000 chefs, food writers, and restaurant experts. Though the list isn't the be-all-end-all of the restaurant world, Osteria Francescana is a once-in-a-lifetime culinary experience.

Caseificio La Fattoria, a restaurant in Italy's Campania region, makes fresh mozzarella in giant spheres that can weigh up to 88 pounds.

Have your pasta and cheese and eat them, too, at restaurants including Sapore Di Mare in Miami and Cacio e Pepe in New York City.

The historic bakeshop, which has been serving sweets in Boston since the 1940s, is known for its picture-perfect cannolis.

Shatila Bakery in Dearborn, Michigan, is renowned for its authentic baklava.

The perfectly golden-brown, sticky pastries, which have chocolate or fruit fillings, will not disappoint. Beyond its Jerusalem location, fans can find Marzipan Bakery goods at shops in the US.

The BBC reported that the exact origins of hummus are contested, but communities across the Middle East, from Israel to Lebanon, offer their own take on the chickpea dip.

Shakshuka is a stew of eggs poached in a spicy sauce of tomatoes, chili peppers, and onions flavored with cumin that likely originated in North Africa. However, from Israel to Morocco, people from many countries across the Middle East also enjoy shakshuka. 

Dr Shakshuka in Tel Aviv is famous for its version of the dish.

Chicken shawarma can be served with hummus and Greek salad, or included in a wrap or gyro. Patatos and Bambi Cafe were named by TripAdvisor as two of the best places to get shawarma in Istanbul, Turkey, the region where the dish originated. 

Think of these Aussie favorites like the larger, heartier, and more sophisticated version of pigs-in-a-blanket. Sydney's Bourke Street Bakery is famous for them, The Sydney Morning Herald reported in July.

"Only a fool would turn down a Bourke Street Bakery sausage roll," celebrity chef Nigella Lawson once said in an Instagram post.

The translation of "dim sum" means "with a touch of heart." Condé Nast Traveler calls Koi Palace in San Francisco's Chinatown some of the best dim sum in California's Bay Area.

Ichiran is known for being a ramen destination and has some of the best ramen in the world, Forbes reported in 2016. The restaurant's specialty is ramen with pork-based broth, called tonkatsu ramen, with homemade noodles. 

Japan is known as the sushi capital of the world, but the dish itself may originate from a Chinese dish called narezushi. Regardless, visiting a city like Tokyo wouldn't be complete without sampling some local sushi.

Michelin-star restaurant Omakase is famous for its sushi, while conveyor-belt sushi restaurants like Uobei Sushi are known as "kaiten-zushi," or "rotating sushi," and offer rolls for as little as $1.

Maine's Oyster Trail is home to some of the region's most iconic oyster destinations, including restaurants and farms.

From outdoor dining to activities for the whole family, Fisherman's Wharf has something for foodies of all ages.

Ceviche is a cold salsa with raw seafood and citrus flavors, and Peru is one country famous for its take on the dish. Other countries in South America and Latin America offer a take on ceviche, Food Network reported. For example, Chilean ceviche often includes salmon, and in Mexico, ceviche may be made with tuna.

From Massachusetts to Maine, lobster rolls are a favorite in the Northeast region.

One of Washington, DC's oldest and most historic restaurants is Old Ebbitt Grill, and its seafood is its claim to fame.

A popular New Orleans establishment known for its Creole cuisine is Brennan's Restaurant in the French Quarter.

Cafe Du Monde is a famous spot for beignets in New Orleans.

South City Kitchen in Atlanta is Foursquare's top-rated Georgia spot for fried green tomatoes. 

These balls of cornmeal are deep-fried and delicious. Southern Living reported that although the exact origins of the classic dish are unclear, hush puppies are a staple in the South.

Eater Chicago calls Lou Malnati's Pizzeria "one of the original inventors of the Chicago deep dish."

In-N-Out is known for its "animal-style" burger, which is grilled in mustard and topped with an extra dose of the restaurant's special Thousand Island sauce, pickles, and grilled onions.

The "animal-style" fries are topped with melted American cheese and grilled onions, then smothered in the world-renowned In-N-Out sauce.

Condé Nast Traveler calls Montreal, Canada, the "undisputed poutine capital of the world" and lists Greenspot in Montreal's St.-Henri neighborhood as a top recommendation.

People in the Midwest swear by this cheese-topped chili.

Miami is a popular city for the Cuban sandwich, and Eater Miami recommends Enriqueta's Sandwich Shop and Havana 1957 Cuban Cuisine Espanola Way, among numerous other local spots.

Eater reported that Katz's Deli was one of renowned food connoisseur Anthony Bourdain's many iconic restaurant recommendations and is also home to New York's most famous sandwich: pastrami on rye bread. 

"The sandwich came with a slathering of deli mustard on each piece of bread," Business Insider's Erin McDowell wrote after a visit in 2022. "The pastrami was juicy, unbelievably tender, and fell apart with each bite."

Top New York City bagel contenders include Russ & Daughters, Ess-a-bagel, Tompkins Square Bagels, and Absolute Bagels.

Foodies looking to try a candy-clad Black Tap milkshake should prepare to wait in a long line, according to Yelp reviews.

In Belgium, waffles are served as street food and are typically eaten two ways: without layers of toppings, or with strawberries and whipped cream.

According to Trip Advisor, Pasteis de Belem in Lisbon is one of the most well-known spots in Portugal to try these famous tarts.

Teuscher is a famous Swiss chocolatier known for its decadent truffles.

Another fan-favorite dessert establishment is Levain Bakery in New York City, which boasts its version of the "world's greatest chocolate chip cookie."

The pierogi is a traditional Polish dish believed to have originated in the 17th century, the BBC reported.

In Mexican cuisine, chorizo is made of fresh, uncooked pork, and in Spanish cooking, chorizo is made with ground pork sausage.

Taste Atlas named San Telmo in Melbourne, Australia, as one of the best places outside Mexico or Spain to try a chorizo dish, while Sensi in Barcelona also specializes in the dish.

Birria tacos are traditionally made with goat meat, but can also use chicken or beef. The tacos are then dipped in consomé, a type of stew made with beef stock, onions, garlic, and more.

While the dish originates in Mexico, it has also become popular in cities like Los Angeles and New York City, where the Birria-Landia taco truck often has lines down the street, the New York Times reported.

Chilaquiles — which translates to "in a sauce of chiles" from Nahuatl — is a dish consisting of heaps of crisp tortilla triangles tossed in a pan with salsa, and then piled with crumbled cheese and crema. Even better, chilaquiles are often enjoyed for breakfast.

At Tomas Moro, a bakery in Chile's Las Condes suburb, people line up for hours to buy empanadas by the dozens, BBC Travel reported.

Mofongo, a ball-shaped dish of pickled, fried, and then smashed plantains that are flavored with garlic, salt, and oil in a wooden pilón, is a Puerto Rican staple usually served alongside a hearty stew or broth.

Eater named El Campeón in Old San Juan as one of the best places in Puerto Rico to try mofongo.

Try bibimbap at Jungsik, a restaurant with two Michelin stars. There are locations in Seoul and New York City.

At Mokbar in New York City, chefs make 200 pounds of kimchi every two weeks, Business Insider reported in 2018.

Pho can be made vegetarian or with a variety of meats including pork, brisket, or chicken. 

The inexpensive staple is usually made with pate, bright, crunchy vegetable slaw, fish sauce, and sliced jalapeño pepper or fresh cilantro. Banh Mi Huynh Hoa is recognized as one of the most famous spots to try the sandwich in Ho Chi Minh City.

For meat-eaters, the Peking Duck is a must-try. The BBC reported that a restaurant in Beijing, Liqun Roast Duck Restaurant, is so popular that people have to call in advance to order one of the crispy ducks.

Kare-kare is a nutty and sweet Philippine stew. Its signature flavor derives from a thick and savory peanut sauce.

Similar to the British-Indian dish chicken tikka masala, butter chicken, or murgh makhani, is a type of curry made with chicken in a creamy tomato and butter sauce.

The Indian Express reported that butter chicken originated in New Delhi and Have More is rated as one of the best spots in the city to try it.

Biryani can be made with a variety of meats, from lamb to chicken and beef, and is accompanied by rice and spices.

Kolkata, India, is one city famous for its biryani dishes and Aminia is consistently ranked as one of the best restaurants in the world to try this famous dish.

Try one of the most popular noodle dishes in Thai cuisine from an authentic floating market or one of Bangkok's vibrant street food stalls.

Texas Monthly reported that peri-peri chicken was originally brought over to South Africa by Portuguese settlers and has since become synonymous with one of the most famous chains from the region.

Nando's has locations all over the world, but you'll need to head to Calisto's in Johannesburg to try a traditional version of the dish.