I am not a foodie. I don’t travel just to sample a type of food. And being the semi-vegetarian / picky eater that I am…let’s say that sometimes it’s hard to find something to suit my mood. I always joked that the best diet for me is traveling: I eat breakfast, walk like crazy, grab a salad for lunch and sleep until morning.

But, from time to time, there’s something I really like. Here’s a list (and photos, of course):

1. Tzatziki and cheese-related dishes in Greece

I loooooove cheese and yogurt. In pretty much any form. But the grilled haloumi I had in Athens and the tzatziki served as meze were amazing. Pictured above is also the Horiatiki Salad (what we all know as “Greek salad”) , which of course was amazing.

We ordered a cheese dish (for 3, but granted it would have been enough for 6 persons) which comprises dishes made with…of course, cheese. Loved the stuffed grilled peppers, too.

2. Pizza in Italy

I like simple pizza even at home (with mushrooms, usually). In Vieste, we got the simplest pizza on the menu and it was delicious! Plus it was 4.50 euros/pizza (and it can easily satisfy two bellies).

And, of course, the birthplace of pizza, Napoli is the place where you can get amazing pizzas for a bargain (5.50 euros I paid for a huge pizza with arugula and local cheeses). You simply cannot go wrong choosing to eat pizza in Italy.

3. Cajun Chicken Salad at Hard Rock Cafe, Budapest, Hungary

The guys swore by their burgers but I don’t eat red meat (and didn’t exactly plan on getting a chicken burger either), so I had a cajun chicken salad, complete with some kind of a citrus vinaigrette and blue cheese. Yum.

4. Fish and chips, London, UK

Alex went for the burger, I chose the fish and chips. I know it’s not healthy but..hello, it’s pub food and a staple in London. Loved it. Oh yeah, it comes with peas, too. So I got my veggies in!

5. Gyros in Athens, Greece

I eat chicken maybe once every 2-3 months. And in Athens, I had a good reason to eat it: gyros. It’s sort of like shwarma but without the wrap. It’s served in pita bread. And for 2 euros a pop it kept me full for hours.

6. Cornetto and Cappuccino , Italy

It is the staple breakfast in Italy. At first, I wasn’t happy with it, at all, but then I got used to it. Now, sometimes, I need the sugar rush. Too bad the cornetto in Romania is horrible compared to the one in Italy and the cappuccino…let’s say that once you drink it in Italy, you’ll never drink it somewhere else.

7. Tuna salad in Rome, Italy

There has to be a photo of it somewhere on my external drive, but I have yet to find it. The girl working at Fondi Bar made me a tuna salad to die for comprising various lettuce, rucolla (arugula), tuna canned in water, mozzarella, olives, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. It was served with an incredible bread.

8. Paninis in Rome, Italy

The staple sandwich comes in many forms and I typically choose one with mozzarella and some rucolla (arugula). To be eaten in a bar, around lunch, and then sip an espresso.

9. Grilled cheese in Eger, Hungary

For our wedding anniversary in 2015, we went to Eger. I’ve come to discover that grilled cheese is amazing in Hungary! I’ve had it before in Athens (Greece) but never expected it to be so good in Hungary.

10. Fresh bread with olive oil in Italy

In 2016, for our wedding anniversary, we ended up in a tavernola in Puglia, Italy. One of the starters was bread with rosemary infused olive oil and olives. Locally grown olives, right on the ground we were standing. It was an attack on our senses and boy, did we love it!

(c) photos by Cristina P. and may not be used without permission.

Note: the article was first published in November 2012; edited in April 2014, November 2014 and September 2016