Welcome to the Have Fruit, Will Travel food guides! The goal of our food guides is to provide some background info on the food culture of a country/city we visit. We try to provide some advice and insight into the country by including the “must try” dishes and reviews of the restaurants we tried while visiting. We start by contacting local food bloggers before we visit a city or country for their recommendations and a bit about the food culture. Then we sample the local cuisine and provide a breakdown of what we ate at restaurants, bakeries and street-side food stands to include in our guides. These are not meant to be all-inclusive, expert guides but rather a starting point to get to know the food culture and what to expect. While we do not claim to be experts, we are two foodies who love exploring cultures through food!
Amed, Bali, Indonesia
Time Spent in City: 4 weeks
Favorite Dishes: Gado-Gado, Cap Cay, Seitan, Nasi Campur, Grilled Mackerel with Balinese Sauce
Bali is far more diverse than one would expect. The village of Amed is a coastal fishing village whose specialties include seafood and salt made from their salt pans. The food is incredible- everything from the fish to the fruit is fresh, there are plenty of veggie heavy options, food is flavorful and highly spiced without being too hot and everything is seasonal. There are a few western options, like pizza, pasta and club sandwiches, but they are not nearly as satisfying as the local foods. There are plenty of really great options throughout the village and you will definitely not be disappointed.
Budapest, Hungary
Time Spent in City: 11 days
Favorite Dishes: Kurtos Kulacs, Goulash, Turos Csusza
Budapest is a very international city, a fact that is reflected in their food. However, they have their own food identity as well and it’s delicious! A variety of meats from pork to beef to mutton are all used, but poultry like chicken and goose are also popular. Meats take center stage and are usually accompanied with noodles, potatoes or dumplings. the food uses plenty of spices and has tons of flavor without being too hot. The city and the food both have an undeniable charm!
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Time Spent in City: 4 weeks
Favorite Dishes- Chorizo Beef, Alfajores, Blue Cheese and Pineapple Empanadas
Argentina is a melting pot of cultures and no where is that more evident than in their food. In Buenos Aires you can find foods from all over the world as well as the incredible beef that Argentina is known for. Parillas, the traditional grills, are located throughout the city and are a great place to try the many different cuts of Argentinian beef and pick out a few side items as well. If you are visiting don’t forget to try some yerba mate, or their wonderful malbec wines!
Bulgaria
Cities Visited: Sofia & Bansko
Time Spent in Country: 5 weeks
Favorite Dishes: Shopska Salad, Banitsa, Stuffed Peppers
Bulgarian food is fresh, loaded with amazing vegetables and tons of flavor. Pulling influences from its Baltic neighbors, Bulgarian food uses lots of fresh veggies, sausages, slow cooked meats and one-pot dishes. Potatoes and roasted peppers find their way into many dishes and the yogurt is in a league of its own. Learn what you need to know, what to try and a few recipes thrown in for good measure!
The Czech Republic
Cities Visited: Brno, České Budějovice, Český Krumlov, Plzeň & Prague
Time Spent in Country: 11 days
Favorite Dishes: Goulash (Gulas), Roast Pork with Dumplings
Throughout the Czech Republic, meat plays a large role in the dishes. While we did see plenty of chicken and beef dishes, it was pork that we saw the most. In fact, pork is so popular that it is featured in what is widely considered the national dish: Roast pork, dumplings and cabbage. Of course, in a country that has seen its share of hardships, the whole pig is used. Tripe soup and pork cracklings are part of the traditional fare, and sausage plays a large role as well.
Krakow, Poland
Time Spent in City: 4 days
Favorite Dishes: Pierogi, Zurek and Bigos (Hunter’s Stew)
Krakow pulls influences from its many neighbors, Communism and Jewish traditions, making for delicious, although somewhat heavy, traditional foods. Hearty, warming dishes with lots of meat, especially pork, are commonplace, though root vegetables and apples have a place at the table as well! We have heard it said that in Poland if it is not pickled, then it’s smoked! We found that to be quite true and dined on a variety of smoked sausages (like kielbasa!) and pickled herring, cabbage and gherkins, all of it fantastic. From breads to pierogi to pickled herring come learn a little bit about Polish food!
Lisbon, Portugal
Time Spent in City: 8 days
Favorite Dishes: Grilled Sardines, Pastéis de Belém, Port (technically a drink but its so good it deserves a shout out!)
The original fusion food, Portuguese food pulls influences from all over the world. Of course, they have influenced the food of the world as well, introducing many spices and cooking techniques to the global community. Their food is fresh, often grilled and always full of flavor. Not surprisingly, the port city of Lisbon has tons of seafood available but there are also plenty of other options including pork and chicken. And no trip to Lisbon would be complete without trying the creamy, crunchy, oh-so-addictive Pastéis de Belém or the knockoff, Pastéis de Nata.
Lyon, France
Time Spent in City: 10 days
Favorite Dishes: Duck Confit, Stuffed Eggplants, Brioche
The food capital of France, Lyon stays true to its delicious, traditional heritage. Lyon pulls influences from the north of France and the southern, Mediterranean parts of France but puts them together in a way that is uniquely Lyon. Visit a tiny bouchon for a unique and delicious traditional dinner or visit Les Halles de Lyon for culinary delight overload. One thing is for sure, you will not be disappointed by the charm and the amazing food the city has to offer.
Southern Thailand
Places Visited: Krabi Town, Ao Nang, Koh Lanta
Time Spent in Country: 2 weeks
The people are friendly, the beaches are beautiful and the food is amazing! The foods of southern Thailand are fragrant, fresh and slightly spicy. Peppers, ginger, lime juice and peanuts are all common in dishes as are fish sauce, oyster sauce, chicken, shrimp and other seafoods. Foods are grilled, fried or wok cooked and absolutely every meal we had was incredible.