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20 street foods everyone should eat in Europe

Europe has plenty of delicious food to offer, but there's something about getting it from a street vendor that makes it taste better, and feel more local, than eating it at a sit-down restaurant.

We rounded up some of the continent's best street food from a variety of countries.

From a raw herring sandwich in Holland to a bagel-like bread in Turkey, here are the snacks you need to be eating on your next trip to Europe.

Czech Republic: trdelnik

TripAdvisor / ManonRobinNL

Thanks to their shape, these pastries are often referred to as "chimney cakes." The dough is grilled over an open fire, dusted with cinnamon, sugar, or nuts, and can then be filled with either whipped cream or Nutella.

Greece: souvlaki

roxx0r / iStock

Souvlaki refers to a skewer of meat (usually pork, lamb, or chicken) that's grilled. The meat is then served either on a plate with French fries or wrapped in a pita with onions and tomatoes.

Belgium: Belgian waffle

alexsalcedo / iStock

Slighty crunchy on the outside, but warm and doughy on the inside, these oblong-shaped waffles usually come with some sort of sweet topping like Nutella, whipped cream, or strawberries.

Switzerland: pretzel

bigbirdz / Flickr

Known as Brezel in Switzerland, Germany, and Austria, these large prezels are soft on the inside and crispy on the outside, and sprinkled with salt. They are also often made into a sandwich and filled with salami, cheese, or just butter.

Romania: gogoasa

Todd Kopriva / Flickr

Gogoserii — small doughnut shops — line the streets of Bucharest, selling puffs of dough that come plain or stuffed with jam.

Denmark: smorrebrod

Heather Cowper / Flickr

Copenhagen is home to the smorrebrod, an open-faced sandwich topped with cold cuts, produce, and some kind of spread. Some of the best are served at Aamanns or Handmade, which sits on Papirøen or Paper Island, a foodie paradise that hosts 33 food stalls.

England: fish and chips

Mats Hagwall / Flickr

While England isn't generally known for its food, the country is known as the birthplace of fish and chips, a dish consisting of battered white fish that's fried and served with a side of fries (chips).

Italy: gelato

Anthony Crider / Flickr

The ideal end to a meal of pizza or pasta, gelato is the Italian version of ice cream, but it's denser and healthier, so you don't have to feel horrible about having a scoop every day you're on vaction. 

Poland: oscypek

tomasz przechlewski / Flickr

This sheep's cheese comes from Poland's highlands, a region south of Kraków. Oscypek is served in a unique way: It's grilled and comes with a side of cranberry jam.

Finland: korvapuusti

Simon Götz / Flickr

Meaning "slapped ears" in English, korvapuusti are essentially cinnamon buns. Finns like to enjoy the pastries with coffee.

Turkey: simit

Patxi Izkue / Flickr

In Istanbul, it's not uncommon to see vendors carrying trays on their heads that are piled high with simits. The dough is dipped in molasses and topped with sesame seeds.

France: crêpe

Serge Melki / Flickr

Crêperies, stands that serve these paper-thin pancakes, are ubiquitous across France. Fillings vary from butter and sugar to ham and cheese.

Holland: broodje haring

Paul Downey / Flickr

This simple sandwich includes pickles, onions, and raw herring, a Dutch specialty. Vishandel Molenaar, a stand in street market Albert Cuypmarkt, is a local favorite.

Germany: currywurst

Flickr/Jessica Spengler

Germans love their wurst, and one of the country's most beloved iterations of the meat staple is currywurst. Bathed in curry ketchup and curry powder, this sausage is best enjoyed with a side of French fries.

Spain: churros

millerv / iStock

Churros — fried dough that's often sprinkled with sugar — are common in multiple countries throughout Europe, but they're thought to have originated in Spain, where it's common to dip the doughnut-like sticks in chocolate.

Bosnia and Herzegovina / Serbia: ćevapi

Brenda Annerl / Flickr

A small, thin sausage made from beef, lamb, pork, or a mix of the three, ćevapi can be found throughout the Balkans. One order usually includes at least five sausages, which are served in a flatbread with onions, sour cream, feta cheese, and red pepper.

Ukraine: perepichka

ut_jd / TripAdvisor

Tourists and locals alike in Kiev will tell you that a visit to the city is not complete without a trip to Kyivska Perepichka, a small stand that sells hot dogs wrapped inside a slightly sweet-tasting fried dough.

Austria: käsekrainer

pfatter / iStock

Käsekrainer, a crispy sausage filled with melted cheese and served with mustard, is a favorite among Austrians. The sausage is also known as  a"eitrige," a colloquial nickname that you won't want to know the translation for if you intend on keeping your appetite.

Bulgaria: banitsa

Kang-min Liu / Flickr

There's no breakfast more Bulgarian than a banitsa with a bottle of boza (a thick, fermented drink popular in the country). Banitsa are a flaky pastry that can be stuffed with a range of sweet or savory fillings such as cheese, cabbage, spinach, or apples and walnuts.

Sweden: tunnbrödsrulle

Andrew Crookston / Flickr

Possibly one of the messiest yet tastiest sandwiches out there, tunnbrödsrulle has a bit of everything: a hot dog, mashed potatoes, mayonnaise, raw and fried onions, and shrimp salad, all wrapped in a tunnbröd, a kind of Swedish flatbread.

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Aldo Pusey

Update: 2024-10-09