12 To Try: The Best Places To Eat Your Way Around Europe (and What To Book Early)

On holidays, time should feel more like a suggestion and a gentle swing between meals. The best days are the ones built around what you’ll eat next – and the less time spent figuring out where to eat, the better.

I’m eternally torn between following my nose and having a watertight plan, but the real sweet spot lies in leaving room for discovery between a handful of pre-booked standouts. Here’s how I walk the line between planning ahead and letting appetite and mood call the shots.

No plan? No problem

Some days call for winging it, and when you’ve got a lot of ground to cover, a grab-and-go sandwich is the right call. They’re everywhere in Europe, you can eat them somewhere beautiful, and they’re one of the quickest ways to understand a city’s palate and produce.

Qatar Airways connects seamlessly to Europe’s great food cities – including London, Florence and Madrid – where you’ll find some legendary carby sandwiches.

Madrid is all about bocadillo de calamares (fried calamari in a crusty bread roll). The seafood-stuffed sandwich became popular at bars and taverns in Plaza Mayor, bringing students and workers to the area in the ’60s. Today, you’ll find it everywhere, but La Campana and Ba La Ideal are classic spots around the plaza.

In Florence, the schiacciata sandwiches – made with Tuscan flatbread that’s like a thinner, crispier focaccia – turned All’Antico Vinaio into a global sandwich star (and franchise). While the Italian deli has now expanded to other parts of the world like the US and Europe, a hulking mortadella, stracciatella and pistachio cream schiaccata is still best enjoyed from the original Florence outpost and eaten by the Arno River. But if the line is excessive, which it often is, dodge the fuss somewhere like locally-loved Lo Schiacciavino or I Fratellini, a tiny wine-and-sandwich shop founded in 1875 in the historic city centre.

While exploring the neighbourhood, look out for Florence’s remaining buchette del vino –small Renaissance-era wine windows – which are still in use today. You can order a glass through the window at Babae on the west side of the Arno; at Cantina dei Pucci, a short distance from the Duomo; or at Ristorante Pietrabianca, within walking distance of the Florence Cathedral.

All’Antico Vinaio also recently opened in London, but for a more classic option in the English capital, Paul Rothe & Son has been making sandwiches in Marylebone for over a century. While the pastrami and coronation chicken (with curry, mayonnaise and sultanas) are the reigning stars, you can also request a properly British bacon butty – simple, salty, perfect.

Walk-ins to plan around

Many of the best sit-down food experiences in Europe are walk-in only – great news if you’re allergic to making bookings – but that means it’s worth anticipating a queue.

A recent visit to Paris via Spain took me through San Sebastian, home to one of the world’s highest concentrations of Michelin-starred restaurants. Here, I fixated on Spain’s famous tortilla de patatas (a Spanish omelette filled with potatoes, often served as tapas), which I hunted for on every menu. At Bar Nestor, only two tortillas are made each day – one at 12pm, one at 7pm – and they’re claimed within minutes. The bar is often dubbed “the holy trinity” for its perfected trio of tomatoes, padron peppers and steak, and the potato tortilla has become just as mythical.

In Paris, some of the city’s best eating still happens inside its markets. Marché des Enfants Rouges, the oldest food market in Paris, is one of those spots. It’s a maze of counters and tiny kitchens turning out everything from Moroccan tagines to Roquefort mussels. Expect queues at almost every stall.

Book far in advance

Fine dining, cult favourites and anything with a long waitlist all fall into the “jump early” category. The same goes for travel itself. Getting in early with Qatar Airways means you can take advantage of the best fares.

Copenhagen’s renowned Noma is still one of the most-travelled-for food experiences in the world – and rightly so. It’s famously hard to book, but early access drops through its newsletter (there’s even a Reddit thread where users offer up reservations they’re no longer able to attend).

A highlight from my recent travels was a booking at Sala de Despiece in Madrid. The theatrical restaurant has a high-tech meat-market aesthetic alongside a menu focused on seasonal produce and modern wines.

In Paris, it isn’t easy but it’s worth the effort to make a reservation at L’Ami Louis, which is only bookable over the phone. It’s one of the city’s most atmospheric spots – a romantic, dramatic and David Beckham-approved bistro with classic French dishes (including a beloved roast chicken).

Because we’re spoilt with access to Asian cuisines in Australia, I find myself craving them when away from home – which is why Mo Suke and Le Cheval D’or are worth booking in Paris, too. The former blends Japanese technique with West African flavours; the latter is a long-standing Chinese restaurant, taken over by a new team in 2023, bringing French ingredients to Chinese-inspired dishes.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Qatar Airways. Discover all of Europe’s best culinary experiences with daily flights to Paris, Rome, London, and more via Doha with Qatar Airways, named the World’s Best Airline by Skytrax World Airline Awards 2025.