ExploFood around the world
Traditional snacks from around the world
69 dishes from 60 countries, grouped by continent.
Africa
- WagasiBeninSoft cow's-milk cheese made by Fulani herders, rind dyed red with sorghum
- Kuli-kuliBeninCrunchy fried sticks of pressed peanut paste
- DéguéBurkina FasoMillet balls stirred into sweetened yoghurt
- MandaziBurundiLightly sweet fried dough, similar to a doughnut
- MkatraComorosLightly sweet fried dough, often flavoured with coconut and cardamom
- Fried plantainEquatorial GuineaRipe plantain slices fried until golden
- EmasiEswatiniThick, tangy fermented milk
- UmncwebaEswatiniAir-dried strips of spiced beef
- Fried plantainGabonRipe plantain slices fried until caramelised
- AtangaGabonPurple bush-pear fruit, softened in hot water and eaten with cassava
- MandaziKenyaLightly sweet fried dough, sometimes flavoured with coconut and cardamom
- LasaryMadagascarSpicy pickled relish of vegetables or green mango
- Gateau pimentMauritiusSmall fried balls of split peas, chilli and herbs
- BiltongNamibiaAir-dried strips of spiced beef or game such as kudu and springbok
- KilishiNigerThin sheets of sun-dried beef coated in a spicy peanut paste
- Puff-puffNigeriaSoft, slightly sweet balls of fried yeast dough
- MandaziRwandaLightly sweet fried dough, puffy and slightly dense
- Fried bananaSão Tomé and PríncipeSlices of ripe or green plantain fried in oil
- SambuusSomaliaFried triangular pastries stuffed with spiced minced meat
- BiltongSouth AfricaAir-dried strips of spiced cured beef or game
- MandaziSouth SudanLightly sweet fried dough buns
- MandaziTanzaniaLightly sweet fried dough, often flavoured with coconut and cardamom
- ChikandaZambiaFirm 'African polony' made from wild orchid tubers, peanuts and chilli
- MadoraZimbabweMopane worms, dried caterpillars fried crisp or cooked in tomato sauce
- BiltongZimbabweDried strips of spiced cured beef or game
Asia
- KelupisBruneiGlutinous rice steamed in a long leaf wrapper
- PkhaliGeorgiaMinced spinach, beet or other vegetables blended with walnut paste
- KazyKazakhstanHorse-meat sausage made with rib meat and fat, smoked or dried
- GulhaMaldivesFried dough balls stuffed with smoked tuna, coconut and chilli
- RihaakuruMaldivesThick, salty tuna paste made by boiling down fish broth
- Tea leaf saladMyanmarFermented tea leaves tossed with crunchy beans, peanuts, tomato, garlic and chilli
- Shan tofuMyanmarYellow chickpea-flour tofu, served fried, in salad or as a warm porridge
- KimchiNorth KoreaFermented napa cabbage with chilli, garlic and ginger
- LumpiaPhilippinesThin spring rolls, fried with meat filling or fresh with vegetables
- MuhammaraSyriaDip of roasted red peppers, walnuts and pomegranate molasses
- Fresh spring rollsVietnamRice paper rolls of shrimp, pork, vermicelli and herbs, served cold
Europe
- QifqiAlbaniaRice balls with egg, mint and spices, fried in a special pan
- LyutenitsaBulgariaRelish of roasted red peppers, tomatoes and aubergine
- HalloumiCyprusFirm brined cheese grilled or fried until golden
- Karelian pastyFinlandThin rye crust filled with rice porridge, topped with egg butter
- Greek saladGreeceTomato, cucumber, onion, olives and a slab of feta with olive oil
- HákarlIcelandFermented and dried Greenland shark, with a strong ammonia smell
- HarðfiskurIcelandWind-dried cod or haddock, torn into strips and eaten like jerky
- PīrāgiLatviaCrescent-shaped yeast buns filled with chopped bacon and onion
- KachkéisLuxembourgSoft, runny cooked cheese spread, sometimes flavoured with mustard
- PlăcintăMoldovaThin pan-fried or baked pastry filled with cheese, potato, cabbage or pumpkin
- BarbagiuanMonacoFried pastry parcels filled with Swiss chard, ricotta and herbs
- Njeguški pršutMontenegroDry-cured ham smoked over beech wood in the mountain village of Njeguši
- BitterballenNetherlandsCrisp deep-fried balls of thick beef ragout
- StroopwafelNetherlandsTwo thin waffles stuck together with caramel syrup
- AjvarNorth MacedoniaSmoky spread of roasted red peppers, sometimes with aubergine
- BrunostNorwaySweet, caramel-coloured brown cheese made from whey
- Tortilla españolaSpainThick omelette of potatoes and eggs, often with onion
- Jamón ibéricoSpainCured ham from Iberian pigs, sliced thin by hand
- SaloUkraineCured pork fat, sliced thin and eaten cold
- Cream teaUnited KingdomScones with clotted cream and jam, served with a pot of tea
- SupplìVatican CityFried rice ball with tomato sauce and a molten mozzarella centre
North America
- Antigua black pineappleAntigua and BarbudaSmall, very sweet pineapple grown on the island's south coast
- Bannann pezeHaitiGreen plantain slices fried, pressed flat and fried again until crisp
- Jamaican pattyJamaicaFlaky turmeric-yellow pastry filled with spiced beef, chicken or vegetables
- PataconesPanamaGreen plantain slices fried, flattened and fried again
- Buffalo wingsUnited StatesFried chicken wings tossed in hot sauce and butter, served with blue cheese dip
Oceania
- BreadfruitMicronesiaStarchy fruit eaten roasted, boiled, pounded or fermented
- Meat pieNew ZealandIndividual pastry pie, classically mince and cheese or steak and gravy
- UlkoyPalauCrisp fried fritters of fish or shrimp with vegetables
- Cassava puddingSolomon IslandsBaked pudding of grated cassava and coconut cream
South America
More food lists
Questions
Which countries have the most snacks on this list?
Spain (2), Netherlands (2) and Iceland (2). Each country has up to five dishes in the Explo app, so this counts the ones that made its shortlist, not everything it cooks.
What snack should I try first?
Tortilla española in Spain, Greek salad in Greece, Cream tea in the United Kingdom and Bitterballen in the Netherlands are good places to start: thick omelette of potatoes and eggs, often with onion.
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app. Recipes and names vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
Keep exploring
Practical · 3 min readEat your way through a country: how to find the national dishesFood is the fastest way into a place. How to find a country's signature dishes, order them well, eat safely and keep a record of what you have tried.
Planning · 4 min readHow to build a travel bucket list you'll actually useTurn a long wish list into a short plan: sort places by ease, season and effort, pick your next three, and keep the list alive after every trip.
Planning · 4 min readHow to choose the best time to visit anywhereWeather is only one part of it. Learn how to weigh seasons, crowds, prices and events, with real examples of the best months for popular destinations.- Country guidesCountry guidesBest months, weather, holidays and plugs for every country.
- Free toolWhere can I go?Every country your passport opens, sorted by how easy it is.
Keep every dish you try on one map
Explo is a free app: light up the countries you have visited, keep the dishes you have tried, and check visa rules, weather and holidays before you go.
Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app. Recipes and names vary by region.