As I buried my face into the piping hot crêpe, I couldn’t help but realize how much I eat when I visit Europe. After gorging on Nutella, cheese, sausage, beer, pasta, goulash, or whatever else is put in front of me as I traverse the continent every summer, my bikini body needs some work. Europe has just too many world-class places to eat, drink, and be merry!
But, as I took that second bite, I thought, “Screw it. Bring me a second crêpe. You only live once!”
And so I continue eating my way across the continent.
A few years ago, I listed my favorite restaurants in Europe, but since that time, I’ve eaten a lot of food at a lot of new restaurants. I’ve been to new cities, countries, and locales that deserve some culinary attention, so today, it’s time to share a second list of eateries in Europe that — while they may ruin your bikini body — will bring you a lifetime of bliss and memories:
Note: I included a few favorites from my old list (which you can visit here) because I eat at them over and over and over again!
Le Dit Vin (68 Rue Blanche, Paris)
I stumbled across this restaurant while looking for a place to eat near my Airbnb. I spied lots of wine bottles on the wall and someone eating cheese and thought “PERFECT!” It was an incredible find. The prices are reasonable (under 15 euros [$16 USD] for a meal), there is a large wine selection (it’s Paris, of course!), and the food is rich, savory, and delicious. The menu changes daily depending on what’s fresh, so all I can really recommend as a constant is the cheese plate.
Moeders (Rozengracht 251, Amsterdam)
Meaning “mothers” in Dutch, this restaurant is famous for serving traditional Dutch cuisine. It’s a small place (you’ll want to make reservations) filled with portraits of people’s mothers (feel free to add to their collection!) with outdoor seating in the summer. The best value is the Dutch sampler for two, where you can sample a heaping of traditional Dutch food, including lots of potatoes, cabbage, and meat. The fish of the day is always a winner, as is their carpaccio, spare ribs, and hotchpotch (a thick stew with vegetables and meat). A main will set you back 15-20 euros ($16-22 USD) but it’s worth the price!
U Medvídku (Na Perštýn 7, Prague)
This restaurant is one of the oldest in the city and somewhere I take my tour groups every year. Czech food is heavy on the meat and potatoes, and this spot is no exception. Here you can find a mouthwatering selection of home-brewed beer, heavy goulash, thick potato dumplings, duck, and perfectly cooked pork. Portions are huge (the pork knee is really for two). Prices are 120-200 CZK for a meal. (Another excellent place that serves traditional food is Kravin (Námstí Míru 109/18, Prague), which is a popular after work drinks destinations).
The Naschmarkt Vienna
Centrally located near the main ring road of Vienna, this outdoor market is lined with restaurants, cafés, and wine bars and is popular with locals and — thanks to lots of mentions in guides and blogs — tourists alike (yes, I’m doing my part!). You’ll be able to choose from a selection of kebab vendors, snack shops, and vegetarian restaurants. (You’ll also find food stalls selling vegetables and deli goods, but prices are higher than other markets in town so I wouldn’t recommend getting those things here.) On a warm day, I love coming here and eating outside and having a glass of wine.
Der Wiener Deewan (Liechtensteinstraße 10, Vienna)
This all-you-can-eat, pay-what-you-want Pakistani restaurant is popular with students (and cheapos like me; most people pay 5-10 euros for their meal). It’s also insanely tasty, serving up daal, naan, salads, chicken, chutney, and at least a few other dishes (usually around six total) each night. Because it is so cheap and tasty, it is always crowded, so if you’re a big group or going during peak eating hours, you’ll most likely need to wait for a seat. I visit every time I’m in Vienna.
Aneka Rasa (Warmoesstraat 25-29, Amsterdam)
There’s a lot of Indonesian food in Amsterdam, given their past colonization of the country. While there are many options in the city, I like this one the best because you get a lot of food for your money and it’s a great place for groups. You can order the sampler platter (about 10 dishes) for 20 euros ($21 USD) per person. You’ll leave full and with leftovers for later. I’m especially addicted to the rice cakes they bring out as an appetizer.
Leo Burdock (4 Crown Alley, Temple Bar, Dublin)
This well-established restaurant (over 100 years old!) serves fantastic fish and chips. It’s simple, easy, and delicious. Unlike a lot of other fish-and-chips shops, I didn’t find the food here too oily; it was perfectly fried and crisp. They don’t have an extensive menu, instead focusing on making a few dishes incredibly well. At 10 euros ($11 USD) for fish and chips, it’s a delicious place for an affordable and filling lunch. There are four Leo Burdock locations in and around Dublin.
The Laundromat Café (Austurstræti 9, Reykjavík)
This cute café right on the main drag is famous and serves what I can only call American fare: burgers, pasta, sandwiches, and salads. While expensive (it’s Iceland, yo!), it’s also damn tasty. They offer excellent coffee and pastries, and you’ll find lots of people reading and writing in their comfy chairs and at tables.
Sægreifinn – The Sea Baron (Geirsgata 8, Reykjavík)
Turns out one of my readers in Iceland happens to be a government official, and when she took me here, I knew it had to be good. This tiny, hole-in-the-wall seafood place serves thick lobster soup with huge chunks of lobster and nice creamy broth. I’ve since heard it’s pretty famous, but when we went, there were no crowds and only Icelanders there. Regardless of who frequents it now, it’s delicious and shouldn’t be skipped.
Berlin’s Thai Market
I’ve been a Thai food snob ever since living in Thailand. Even the best places in the world make me go “meh,” but this weekend food market (though there are some weekday vendors) sees Thais setting up mini stalls and selling street stall–style food just like they do back home, unencumbered by German regulation. It’s the most authentic Thai food I’ve found outside Thailand (and it’s super cheap at only a few euros per dish). Here you can gorge on pork noodle soup, som tam, Thai ice tea, and real street-style pad gra pow! Heaven!
Vinograf Míšenská (Míšenská 8, Prague)
More of a wine bar (featuring hundreds of Czech vintners), they make the list because they do serve a yummy cheese and meat plate, too! The small, intimate setting with walls covered in wine bottles offers a quite respite from the noise of the streets.
Txalaka (Carrer Bonastruc de Porta, Girona, Spain)
Oddly located near a big car park and away from the town’s downtown, this restaurant serves buffet-style tapas: you just go and pick what you want. Most dishes are only a few euros and the selection is extraordinary — it’s pretty much every tapa you can imagine (I especially liked the shrimp). Grab some food, sit out side with your friends, drink a glass of wine, and eat at one of the best spots in the city.
Hermans (Katarina, Sofia Fjällgatan 23B, Stockholm)
This is an all-you-can-eat vegetarian buffet overlooking the harbor. Even though meat isn’t on the menu, the food is worth coming for. You have a wide selection of ever-changing options: healthy salads, home-cooked warm breads, hot dishes, a smorgasbord of fruits, and lots of desserts. Their 100 SEK ($11.50 USD) lunch buffet is extremely popular and fills up fast. Get there early. If you have a large group, you’ll need to make reservations. During the summer months, there’s outdoor seating.
La Crêperie des Arts (27 Rue Saint-André des Arts, Paris)
Located on the Left Bank near the Saint-Michel–Notre-Dame train station, this tiny to-go crêperie is the best one in all of Paris (in my opinion). The banana Nutella crêpe is my favorite. Cheap, savory, and with large portions — you can’t go wrong here.
Pancakes! (Berenstraat 38, Amsterdam)
This spot serves traditional Dutch pancakes: large thin, crêpelike pancakes with tons of tasty toppings (I’m a big fan of the strawberries and whipped cream!). It’s small, so try to avoid peak eating times as the wait can get quite long. Large portions make this place worth your time and money. Most pancakes are around 8 euros ($8.50 USD).
Café de Jaren (Nieuwe Doelenstraat 20-22, Amsterdam)
Serving typical café food (soups, salads, sandwiches), this place is located on the main Amstel canal, with an incredible view of the city. It has an awesome outdoor area, serves beer, and has Wi-Fi in case you want to work! I love coming here to sit, relax, and enjoy the view!
Jeanne A (42 Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud, Paris)
This eat-in épicerie and wine shop offers country-style food (especially meats and cheeses) and is my favorite spot in Paris. The prix-fixe menu offers the best value at 30 euros ($32 USD) for dinner with an appetizer and main dish. Be sure to try their lamb and duck — they are famous for it!
Café Père & Fils (86 Rue Montmartre, Paris)
Located in the heart of Paris, this is a Parisian brasserie and coffee shop with outdoor seating for lunch and drinks. It gets busy on warm, sunny days when all the nearby office workers take over the patio for lunch. There are daily happy hours and brunch on Sunday.
I’m no food writer, so my descriptions may not conjure up images worth salivating over, but trust me when I say these places are worth a visit. When I travel, I eat at a lot of random, suggested, and guidebook-listed restaurants. Not every one is a winner and, even if it’s good, it may not knock my socks off. These, though, knock both my socks off, put them back on, and knock them off again.
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Veronika
Nice list, even though I just know the Prague ones 🙂 In fact, I live very near Kravin on Námstí Míru. So once you’re in town, let me know!
Ola
I know Czech is difficult but please try to spell the names and adresses correctly.
Chris
addresses.
Laura
The Laundromat cafe has a lot of locations – also in Copenhagen!
Mark
Great list!
The Laundromat was my favorite in Reykjavík too. If Stanley Kubrick designed a laundromat I imagine it’d looked like the basement of this place.
A few others you might like to try on your next visit to Paris:
Polidor (41 Rue Monsieur le Prince) – all the old world charm of 1920s Paris (Hemingway’s first scene in Midnight in Paris was shot here) with one of its best priced meals (second only to Chartier). The Suprême de Poulet is amazing.
Chez Dumonet (117 Rue du Cherche-Midi) – my favorite in Paris. Not cheap but very reasonable for what may be the best bœuf bourguignon in the City. A quintessential Parisian brasserie experience with classic food and without pretentiousness – worth treating yourself to.
My current favorite restaurant in Europe:
Taverna Al Remer (Sestiere Cannaregio, 5701, 30121 Venezia, Italy) – one of the best deals I’ve found in all Europe. A free(!) all you can eat Happy Hour buffet (think polenta, penne alla vodka, seafood risotto, bruschetta) and 5€ spritzes in a hidden alley on the Grand Canal. I still have dreams about this place.
Maggie
Heading to Lisbon in a few months. Any recommendations?
Cyra | The Road Less Forked
If you go to Lisbon you must try a great little place called Maria Mil Reis (Rua São José 71) for a simple local restaurant, Cervejaria Ramiro (Av. Almirante Reis 1) for an amazing fresh seafood experience – a little more expensive but worth it, and Bomjardim (Tv. de Santo Antão 11) if you really want the best no-frills Portuguese chicken (they have other dishes but the chicken is the best/stand out and it’s huge, so make sure you share!)
Petr
I was in Prague many times but never been to these restaurants, I have to visit them!
Thanks for the tips!!!
Vit Lastovka
Wow good list! Our Czech cuisine is not the famous (even its delicous) so its nice to see several restaurants from my hometown on your list.
Megan @ Caffeine & a Carry On
TOTALLY could not agree more on La Crêperie des Arts. Was just there this summer – their savory crêpes are pure Breton magic.
I also can’t resist a stop by L’As du fallafel in the Marais while I’m in Paris – best falafel around, I think! It’s on Rue des Rosiers.
Pamela
As usual it all looks wonderful. You always know the best places to eat! 🙂
NomadicMatt
My expanding waistline agrees! 🙂
Zascha
I had hoped to see a Danish restaurant on the list. But sadly there wasn’t one. But I can tell you one thing: the food there is soooo yummy! Also, this post made me hungry 🙂
Leetri
108 CPH in Christianshavn from the Noma team is really excellent, with coffee from Oslo’s famous barista Tim Wendelboe in the adjacent Corner cafe. Also really liked Spisehuset in Vesterbro!
Lindsey | Ask a Working Writer
Going to Reykjavik soon, so I’ll add your picks to my list.
In Paris, I love the Breton crepe cafe Breizh Cafe, on Rue Vielle du Temple in the Marais. They have great Breton ciders, sweet crepes, and savory crepes.
Jeremy
Nothing beats Tapas in Spain.
Great Post. You have my mouth watering. However, No love for the German food? Come visit Germany and I’ll show you some good Bavarian food and wine.
Happy Travels bud,
Jeremy
NomadicMatt
There’s a couple suggestions in the old food post! 🙂
Yvonne
I love the Zwolf Apostelkeller in Vienna’s first district. Delicious Austrian fare, in a cellar. Sometimes with live music. What more could you want?
michaela
Hi Matt,
Thanks for posting this – this is great! I have been lucky to go to the two restaurants in Iceland that you mentioned – big love for Sea Baron and the lobster soup!
I have mentioned you in my post on my website about Icelandic Food .
NomadicMatt
Thanks for sharing it! 🙂
MF
Do come to Lisbon! I guarantee your list will change…for good!
Brea
Agreed! The food in Portugal was a happy surprise when I visited! We didn’t have one bad meal.
Pat
Can’t wait to check out Le Dit Vin in Paris – looks like a great place to get a mid-range meal and get a taste of the real Paris. Decor makes a difference, so it I guess those wine bottles were your calling
NomadicMatt
Wine is always my calling! Or maybe it’s just calling me? Is there a difference? hmmm
Curtis
Excellent list of options.
I haven’t tried any of the places on this list.. However, I really enjoyed the food in Prague. You summed it up quite well in your description of Kravin. Lots of meat and potatoes — always a good dish.
Thanks for the share!
NomadicMatt
It’s a delicious place. Glad you like it too!
J. Adams
Excellent list. The pictures are great and the food makes my mouth water. Part of it is, perhaps, because I have yet to eat today. Better get on that…
AGV
Italy was rated world’s best country to eat in for three years in a row, and there’s not even one Italian restaurant, but three from Amsterdam? And you’re well travelled? Ha!
Jorel
Not sure when I’ll finally venture into the Czech Republic, but food based around meat and potatoes sounds perfect. Plus, I’m a sucker for any place that can serve a quality goulash.
Next time you’re in Berlin there is a fantastic Croatian restaurant just south of the Zoologischer Garten train station (“just south” being a couple kilometers). This train station is on the west side of Berlin.
The place is called Restaurant Dalmacija Grill and is run by real Croatians, which was a pleasant surprise. They have amazing Hungarian goulash, an incredible pork dish called Satarasch that is quite spicy, but in a way that still has lots of flavor, and delicious cinnamon ice cream with cherry sauce for dessert. The ice cream might be a seasonal thing since Germans seem to put cinnamon in a lot of stuff around Christmas (I was there in December), but the most important stuff is definitely always on the menu.
Also, if you’re a coffee / espresso fan they have a good Turkish mocha espresso(?). Just be aware that Turkish-style espresso doesn’t filter the coffee grounds (perhaps most don’t and I just don’t drink enough coffee) so if you tip your cup too far to get that last sip you might also get a mouthful of mush.
Scorpion Cruises
I love France ….. of course I also love the dishes of France. Look at them very beautiful and quite delicious.
Zara
I am off to Paris for a little solo trip next week so will look out for some of your suggestions! Thanks.
David Morgan
Ouch! I am just fallen in love this type of European food. But in our country this type of food is very costly. So most of time I take normal food… 🙁
Brooke
When in Dubrovnik, Visit LAJK. Fresh, simple ideas but done tremendously well. It’s in the Old Town area. And owner Alan will treat you like royalty. (The old-school ’80’s VH1 in the background certainly helps! Ha!)
Another that I loved was in Zagreb — Saft on Tkalciceva St. I had a great simply grilled sirloin on arugula salad.
(At that point, we’d spent a month in the Balkans, and I was tired of heavy food!)
If you make it to Belgrade — and I HIGHLY recommend you make it to this wonderful city — there is a cafe called ? (yes, “question mark”) not far from the tourist area. Great local food and beer — plus, cheap! Great story behind the name, too!
Maria
So embarrassed to admit that I haven’t been to Girona yet, and I’ve lived in Barcelona for more than 8 years. That needs to change! I’ll check out Txalaka for sure!
Mauricio Campos
The only one I can vouch for is Pancakes! But this is an awesome list. Can’t wait to try some of these places out next summer.
Natalie @ In Natalie's Shoes
LOVE that you included some Czech eats! Have you been to Pivovarky Klub (or Pivovarsky Dum)? Two of my favorite Prague restaurants with tasty food and house-brewed beer!
Robin
Hi Matt, thanks for your awesome writing, I am going to Paris next March so some of your suggestions! will certainly help me. Thanks Again.
E
I would not call Leo Burdock a restaurant. Its a chipper!
Westly Smith
Great list! My first trip to Europe (unfortunately) was so packed full of things to do, I forgot to really experience the food. So, this next trip I’m taking, I’m determined to not make that mistake again. I’ll definitely be using your list to make sure I hit all the right restaurants.
Lavina
Great List!
Back home, there used to be a pocketbook that listed all the best and upcoming places you could visit in the coming year. But Europe being vast, well wouldn’t make sense to buy 1 for every country, every year(even there is something on similar lines out there).
Wish I’d come across this sooner, before I visited Girona!
Bookmarked as a ready reckoner!
Cheers! 🙂
Kait
Wow, all the restaurants and dishes you listed sound amazing! It is a dream of mine to one day visit Europe and try all the different kinds of food and culture. I have made several foreign dishes before but I actually want to experience and taste them where they originated from. Where is your favorite place to go in Europe? If you had to eat one type of food for the rest of your life, what would it be? I haven’t been able to explore the world yet but I would have to say that mine is real Mexican food. Thanks for the tips!
John Mayar
Awesome List! Looks like they are mouth watering but unfortunately, none of them are found in my country 🙁 But in future if i will travel any Europian country i definitely try to taste some of the dishes.
Barcelona Transfers
Thanks for the tip about Txalaka in Girona, Spain. That’s one on my list to try. Love the idea of buffet style tapas.
Herman K
La creperie des Arts!! Something to visit while in Paris. Even if many have been opened (mostly around Montmarte, Eiffel Tower and MontParnasse), I do think this is where you need to go for the best ones! Not so expensive.
Jack
Hi Matt, I am going to France in August. Some of your suggestions are really very helpful for me. Thank you very much!
rose
Hi Matt, thank you so much for all the tips and information that you share with us. I love to eat and eat is my thing. I wish in future there is more information regarding halal food. Thank you.
Dawn Carrington
As a food lover, I know your list is very smart. Just waiting to go there & take their food. Thanks for the nice list, Matt.