Food news
WorldOktoberfest celebrates German food, culture in ErieIndiaThe New York Times. . Surprise raids of Mumbai kitchens called for by Maharashtra’s new top food and drug official have made him an unlikely celebrity and set off a conversation about food standards in India. https://trib.al/29fuVVuHeritageThe National Museum of the Philippines Iloilo capped off its 2026 ‘Magbasá Kita: A Reading Program for Young Learners’ with an immersive storytelling session at the museum’s Book Nook on September 23, 2026. The activity introduced the localStreet foodNew Northern Kentucky café brings Thai street food and specialty shoppingHeritage21st Sunchang Jangryu Festival to Welcome the World With K-Food and Cultural ExperiencesHeritage21st Sunchang Jangryu Festival to Welcome the World With K-Food and Cultural ExperiencesStreet foodMan dead, 3 in custody after shooting outside Piada Italian Street Food in Mayfield HeightsStreet foodBrick-and-Mortar Restaurants Need to Stop Blaming Street VendorsStreet food1 dead, 3 detained in Mayfield Heights shootingFarm and marketYour guide to Harvest Fair 2026 at Wisconsin State Fair ParkWorldOktoberfest celebrates German food, culture in ErieIndiaThe New York Times. . Surprise raids of Mumbai kitchens called for by Maharashtra’s new top food and drug official have made him an unlikely celebrity and set off a conversation about food standards in India. https://trib.al/29fuVVuHeritageThe National Museum of the Philippines Iloilo capped off its 2026 ‘Magbasá Kita: A Reading Program for Young Learners’ with an immersive storytelling session at the museum’s Book Nook on September 23, 2026. The activity introduced the localStreet foodNew Northern Kentucky café brings Thai street food and specialty shoppingHeritage21st Sunchang Jangryu Festival to Welcome the World With K-Food and Cultural ExperiencesHeritage21st Sunchang Jangryu Festival to Welcome the World With K-Food and Cultural ExperiencesStreet foodMan dead, 3 in custody after shooting outside Piada Italian Street Food in Mayfield HeightsStreet foodBrick-and-Mortar Restaurants Need to Stop Blaming Street VendorsStreet food1 dead, 3 detained in Mayfield Heights shootingFarm and marketYour guide to Harvest Fair 2026 at Wisconsin State Fair Park
Thali

Breakfast around the world

The first meal of the day, from congee and idli to a full fry-up.

KindMain dishStreet foodSoupStew or curryRice dishNoodle or pasta dishDumplingBreadGrill or roastSandwich or wrapPie or savoury pastrySalad or sideCheese or dairy foodSausage or cured foodSauce, pickle or fermentSweet or dessertDrink
DietVegetarianVeganFish and seafoodMeat
CoffeeVegan 🇾🇪 Yemen and 5 moreA dark, bitter drink made by brewing roasted coffee beans Drink, Breakfast, Snacks HummusVegan 🇸🇾 Syria and 5 moreMashed chickpeas blended with tahini, lemon, and garlic, served as a dip or spread Sauce, pickle or ferment, Breakfast, Lunch BaguetteVegan 🇫🇷 France and 5 moreLong, thin French bread with a crisp crust and soft interior Bread, Breakfast, Lunch ChapatiVeganचपाती 🇮🇳 India and 4 moreUnleavened flatbread cooked on a griddle and served hot with meals Bread, Breakfast, Lunch Soy milkVegan豆奶 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreA plant-based drink made by soaking, grinding, and boiling soybeans Drink, Breakfast, Snacks KhabeesVeganالخبيص 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates and 5 moreA sweet breakfast dish of flour, oil, cardamom and saffron from the Gulf region Sweet or dessert, Breakfast ThobwaVegan 🇲🇼 Malawi and 1 moreA fermented, milky cereal drink from Malawi and Zambia Drink, Breakfast, Snacks LaverbreadVegan 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreA soft, dark green seaweed paste from Wales, often served at breakfast Main dish, Breakfast Ta'ameyaVeganطعمية 🇪🇬 EgyptEgyptian fritters of fava beans and herbs, deep-fried and eaten in pita sandwiches Street food, Breakfast, Lunch PuriVegan 🇮🇳 India and 2 moreUnleavened wheat flatbread, deep-fried until puffed and golden Bread, Breakfast, Snacks AppamVeganஅப்பம் 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreFermented rice and coconut milk pancake from South India and Sri Lanka Bread, Breakfast, Dinner NattoVegan納豆 🇯🇵 JapanSticky, fermented soybeans often eaten with rice at breakfast in Japan Main dish, Breakfast, Lunch Ful medamesVeganفول مدمس 🇪🇬 Egypt and 5 moreStew of slow-cooked fava beans with olive oil and spices, a staple across Egypt Main dish, Breakfast SimitVegan 🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreRing-shaped bread with a sesame seed crust, sold by street vendors Bread, Breakfast, Snacks UgaliVegan 🇰🇪 Kenya and 5 moreA dense maize porridge served as a staple across much of Africa Main dish, Lunch, Dinner UmeboshiVegan梅干し 🇯🇵 JapanSour, salty pickled ume fruit from Japan, often served with rice Sauce, pickle or ferment, Breakfast, Lunch AkaraVeganàkàrà 🇳🇬 Nigeria and 5 moreWest African bean fritters, deep-fried and eaten hot as street food or breakfast Street food, Breakfast, Snacks CrispbreadVegan 🇸🇪 Sweden and 4 moreA dry, flat rye bread that keeps for months and is eaten across the Nordic countries Bread, Breakfast, Lunch TsukemonoVegan漬物 🇯🇵 JapanJapanese vegetables preserved in salt, brine, or rice bran Sauce, pickle or ferment, Breakfast, Lunch MantouVegan馒头 🇨🇳 ChinaSoft, steamed wheat buns eaten across northern China Bread, Breakfast, Lunch PuttuVeganപുട്ട് 🇮🇳 India and 2 moreSteamed cylinders of rice flour and coconut, served hot for breakfast Main dish, Breakfast Pa amb tomàquetVegan 🇪🇸 Spain and 1 moreBread rubbed with tomato, olive oil and salt, central to Catalan food culture Main dish, Breakfast, Lunch YoutiaoVegan油條 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreLong, golden-brown strips of deep-fried dough eaten across East and Southeast Asia Street food, Breakfast, Snacks Hash brownsVegan 🇺🇸 United StatesShredded or chopped potatoes fried crisp and golden for breakfast Main dish, Breakfast Flattened riceVegan 🇮🇳 India and 5 moreRice grains flattened into flakes, used in sweet and savoury dishes across Asia Rice dish, Breakfast, Snacks Home friesVegan 🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreChunked or sliced potatoes pan-fried until crisp, often served at breakfast Main dish, Breakfast LontongVegan 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 2 moreCylindrical rice cake wrapped in banana leaf, served with sauces or soups Main dish, Breakfast, Lunch Gallo PintoVegan 🇨🇷 Costa Rica and 1 moreRice and beans cooked together, a staple in Costa Rica and Nicaragua Main dish, Breakfast, Lunch BissaraVeganبصارة 🇪🇬 Egypt and 1 moreCreamy fava bean purée with herbs, served as a dip or soup Soup, Breakfast, Lunch Ginger teaVegan 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 5 moreA hot drink made by steeping ginger root, often with tea, sweetener or milk Drink, Breakfast, Snacks DouhuaVegan豆花 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreSoft tofu served as a sweet or savoury snack across East and Southeast Asia Sweet or dessert, Breakfast, Snacks Tandoor breadVegan 🇮🇶 Iraq and 5 moreFlatbread baked on the walls of a clay tandoor oven Bread, Breakfast, Lunch GritsVegan 🇺🇸 United StatesA warm porridge made from ground corn, central to Southern U.S. cooking Main dish, Breakfast, Lunch MakdousVeganالمكدوس 🇸🇾 Syria and 3 moreSmall eggplants packed with walnuts, red pepper, garlic and cured in olive oil Sauce, pickle or ferment, Breakfast, Dinner PutoVegan 🇵🇭 PhilippinesSteamed Filipino rice cake, often eaten plain or with savoury dishes Sweet or dessert, Breakfast, Snacks KiribathVeganකිරිබත් 🇱🇰 Sri LankaSticky rice cooked in coconut milk, served for celebrations in Sri Lanka Main dish, Breakfast, Lunch ZacuscăVegan 🇷🇴 Romania and 3 moreRoasted eggplant and pepper spread from Romania, eaten on bread Sauce, pickle or ferment, Breakfast, Snacks MatokeVegan 🇺🇬 Uganda and 4 moreSteamed and mashed green bananas, a staple meal in East Africa Main dish, Breakfast, Lunch Panta bhatVegan 🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 1 moreCooked rice soaked overnight in water and eaten cold, often with salt and onion Main dish, Breakfast Bubur cha chaVegan 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 4 moreA coconut milk dessert with sweet potato, yam, banana and sago, served hot or cold Sweet or dessert, Breakfast, Snacks KhakhraVegan 🇮🇳 IndiaCrisp, thin flatbread from western India, often eaten as a snack or breakfast Bread, Breakfast, Snacks Hot dry noodlesVegan热干面 🇨🇳 ChinaWheat noodles tossed with sesame paste, soy sauce and pickles, served hot and without broth Noodle or pasta dish, Breakfast Café ToubaVegan 🇸🇳 Senegal and 1 moreSpiced coffee with grains of Selim, named for the city of Touba in Senegal Drink, Breakfast, Snacks TahoVegan 🇵🇭 PhilippinesSilken tofu with sweet syrup and chewy sago pearls, sold as a street snack Sweet or dessert, Breakfast, Snacks Sesame seed candyVegan 🇬🇷 Greece and 5 moreA sweet made from sesame seeds and honey or sugar, pressed into bars or balls Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Breakfast BsisaVeganبسيسة 🇹🇳 Tunisia and 2 moreRoasted grain powder from North Africa, mixed as a paste or drink Main dish, Breakfast, Snacks PesarattuVeganపెసరట్టు 🇮🇳 IndiaGreen gram crepe from Andhra Pradesh, often eaten for breakfast or as a snack Bread, Breakfast, Snacks MsabbahaVeganمسبحة 🇸🇾 Syria and 1 moreWhole chickpeas in tahini sauce, a runnier cousin of hummus from the Levant Main dish, Breakfast
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The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

The weekly plate

Every Monday: seven dishes you may not know, what the world is cooking this week, and one way of eating.