Budapest has claimed the crown as Europe’s most authentic food destination, according to new research.
The study examined 5,000 restaurants across 125 European cities, tracking how often diners praised venues as “authentic” in their reviews.
The findings, from Saga Holidays, come as nearly four in five Britons say authentic food is one of the most important parts of their travels. Yet three-quarters admit they struggle to find genuine local cuisine once they venture beyond the usual tourist spots.
The research used Google review data and sentiment analysis to create a definitive ranking of cities where travellers can find the real deal.
Budapest was named the best for authentic cuisine
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GETTYEurope’s top 10 most authentic food destinations
- Budapest, Hungary – 98/100
- Piraeus, Greece – 97/100
- Athens, Greece – 96/100
- Vienna, Austria – 94/100
- Krakow, Poland – 92/100
- Prague, Czech Republic – 90/100
- Valletta, Malta – 89/100
- Warsaw, Poland – 88/100
- Munich, Germany – 84/100
- Milan, Italy – 81/100
Hungary’s capital scored highest thanks to traditional dishes like goulash and lángos – a delicious deep-fried flatbread served with sour cream and cheese.
Greek cities dominated the rankings, with Piraeus taking second place. As Greece’s biggest harbour, it’s famous for fresh seafood. Athens secured third spot, where locals and visitors love tucking into gyros and souvlaki.
The study also highlighted less crowded cities that still deliver authentic food experiences. Heraklion in Crete topped this category with a score of 91/100, followed by Thessaloniki at 90/100 and Kalamata at 87/100.
Greek cities are winning when it comes to genuine local cuisine away from the tourist masses, the data showed. Portugal’s Vila Nova de Gaia scored 88/100, whilst Croatia’s Pula achieved 84/100.
These destinations attracted fewer tourists but earned high marks for authenticity in reviews.
Valletta in Malta came in 7th place with an impressive score of 89/100
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GETTYThey’re perfect for travellers who want to enjoy incredible local food without battling crowds at every restaurant.
MasterChef winner Irini Tzortzoglou, who hosts food tours for Saga Holidays, shared her tips for finding authentic Greek restaurants. She said: “I believe that there are certainly markers that the offering is not authentic; overloaded menu, tourist clichés (Greek salad, moussaka, souvlaki, etc), generic descriptors and stock photos.
“Seek out old restaurants full of character and authentic dishes such as Diporto near the main Athens market,” she suggested for Athens. In Heraklion, Tzortzoglou loves “bougatsa (cheese pie topped with sugar and cinnamon) in Kirkor by the Lions Square”.
For Piraeus, the expert added it “has to be great for seafood and fish (grilled octopus, kakavia fish soup, fried whitebait).” In Kalamata, she insists visitors shouldn’t miss “their hortopites (pies filled with wild greens) or their twisted fried pastry sticks called Lalagia”.
