10 Tasty Comfort Foods Around the World

Biscuits and Gravy, United States

For Southern comfort food, few dishes are as stick-to-your-ribs satisfying as biscuits and gravy. Every greasy spoon south of the Mason-Dixon line worth its salt offers some version of made-from-scratch buttermilk biscuits sliced in half, served open-faced, and smothered in steamy gravy. Gravy recipes vary, from a creamy white rendition loaded with sausage to red-eye-style made from the drippings of panfried country ham. Both versions awaken the breakfast-table nostalgia that reminds Southerners of their roots and their mama.

Where to Find It: Drop in any given morning and find friends and families, business parties, and Bible-study groups digging into the breakfast staple at the mix-and-match tables at Nashville's iconic Puckett's Grocery & Restaurant. Try the restaurant's eggs benny: split biscuits topped with bacon or sausage, fried eggs, and gravy. Red-eye gravy is king at The Loveless Cafe, where both George Jones and Martha Stewart have pulled up a chair.

Poutine, Canada

Earning its rightful place at the top of the Quebecois comfort-food hierarchy, poutine is a trifecta of fries, cheese curds, and gravy. There's no fence-sitting with regard to this rich, addictive indulgence. You either love it or hate it, and, if you're Canadian, you're vocal about that preference. Locals say the key ingredients for a good poutine are the fresh (never refrigerated) squeaky, chewy cheese curds that are abundant in this dairy region. Try the standard-issue poutine; a spiced-up version with sausage, mushrooms, and sauteed onion; or in high style with foie gras.

Where to Find It: Order authentic poutine nearly anywhere in Quebec. Iconic spots include the casual Chez Ashton and the upscale Versa Restaurant, which serves a duck-confit variation. You can even try the fast-food versions at McDonald's and Wendy's throughout Canada. In August, visit Drummondville, Quebec, for the Festival de la Poutine. And in February, join Canadians when they celebrate National Poutine Week in Montreal and other major cities.

Rice And Beans, Puerto Rico

When it comes to rice-and-beans bragging rights, Puerto Ricans are quick to make a case for their own grandmas, who never follow a recipe yet manage to nail it every time. This reliable, no-frills side dish on the daily household menu is much more flavorful than it sounds. Kidney beans simmer with pork and spices to create a Spanish-style sauce that's served on white long-grain rice alongside stewed beef, roasted chicken, or even pig's feet. Add more weight to your plate with the usual accompaniments of fried plantains and breadfruit.

Where to Find It: If you're traveling on a budget, you can get rice and beans in the hot-food section of the grocery store. For a traditional meal of rice and beans, try El Jibarito in San Juan or one of the country's Caribbean-cuisine restaurants. Locals say the farther you venture from tourist centers, the more flavor you'll find.

Carbonara, Italy

Forget comfort food that takes all day to stew. One of Italy's go-to gratifiers is a pasta dish that takes about 10 minutes to cook and is almost impossible to mess up. Five-ingredient carbonara tastes practically the same every time, a welcome assurance when the rest of life teeters unpredictably. Originally a poor workingman's dish, carbonara incorporates cheap ingredients. Rome stakes a claim to the original recipe, which calls for pasta (spaghetti, bucatini, or rigatoni), eggs, Pecorino Romano cheese, pancetta or guanciale, and pepper. Locals don't stray too far from the core ingredients.

Where to Find It: The best carbonara in Rome? It's the subject of ongoing pride-fueled arguments, but TheRomanGuy.com says favorite spots among stubborn locals include Pipero al Rex on Via Torino and Roscioli on Via dei Giubbonari.

Meat Pie, Australia

In Australia, meat pies aren't just a favorite snack, they're part of the national identity. To Aussies, these flaky mini pastries stuffed with meat and gravy and topped with tomato sauce are a source of pride and affection on par with the beloved kangaroo. They're the on-the-go rendition of a home-cooked meal, every bite a reminder of the days when mum would make a meat pie for the whole family. Throughout the country, you can try variations with lamb shank, chicken and mushrooms, and mushy peas. Gourmet fillings range from Thai chicken to seafood marinara.

Where to Find It: One of the country's most iconic places to eat meat pies is at a football game with your mates. You can also get them at restaurants, pubs, and bakeries. In last year's Official Great Aussie Pie Competition, Bremen Patisserie in Umina, New South Wales, was named the overall gourmet winner. Bread Provisions in Wangara, Western Australia, took the award for best overall plain meat pie.

Xiao Long Bao, China

Literally translated, these "little basket buns" are a popular dim sum snack in and around Shanghai. They embody the comfort of dim sum: They're easy to pop in your mouth, one after another after another. Steamed and served in small bamboo baskets, the tiny soup buns stuffed with spicy minced pork nearly dissolve on your tongue with a burst of flavor. The buns are traditionally part of the region's morning tea ritual, but some restaurants offer them as a main dish. Eating one is a delicate art. You hold the bun between your chopsticks, carefully take a small bite near the top, then sip the hot soup inside before downing the whole thing.

Where to Find It: Some of the most delicious xiao long bao in Shanghai are found at street vendors and hole-in-the-wall restaurants, particularly in the Jing'an District near Yuyuan Garden, says Greg Michaels of The Best Quest adventure-travel company.

Sopa de Lima, Mexico

Americans aren't the only ones who remember being fed chicken soup when home sick from school. Mexicans also have their own popular version of the soup that's good for the soul on sniffly days and cold nights. Sopa de lima, a specialty of the Mayan-influenced Yucatan peninsula, is made from chicken stock and limas agrias (Yucatan limes that are similar to key limes) and filled with chunks of chicken. Concerned mamas and grandmas throughout the region serve it with avocado, cilantro, crispy tortilla strips, and love.

Where to Find It: Sopa de lima is a favorite in Cancun. A legendary place at which to try it is Restaurant Labna in the Cancun Hotel Zone, just off the beaten path. In the town of Izamal, Restaurante Los Mestizos is known for its refreshing version. Several restaurants in the Mayan city of Merida also serve the authentic soup.

Stew, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales

On a cold, dreary winter day, nothing warms the bones like a pot of stew that's been simmering on the stove since yesterday. The one-pot dish has been around for hundreds of years, and its simple ingredients—beef, celery, carrots, onion, potatoes, and parsnips—make it affordable and available even in hard times. In Ireland, chefs often add a cup of Guinness and serve it with "champ" potatoes that are creamed and combined with spring onions. In Scotland, one-pot "stovies" are made with what is left over from the usual Sunday roast. The Wales version, called "cawl," comes with its own ritual: First, you drink the broth, then you eat the meat, potato, and leeks.

Where to Find It: Dig into Guinness stew in Dublin at the Guinness Storehouse in St. James's Gate Brewery. Two on-site restaurants at this popular attraction feature it on the menu year-round.

Bolos de Bacalhau, Portugal

Bag-of-chips indulgers who take comfort in salt and crunch will find bliss in Portugal's salt-cod fritters. Eaten as a snack or a meal, hot or cold, these crispy fritters strike the right mix of salt cod and potato, defining the feeling of home for residents of this fish-loving nation. For centuries, salt cod has been a staple food and a symbol of the country. Locals have fond memories of hanging around the kitchen when they were kids, waiting impatiently for the battered fritters to cool after sizzling in a heavy skillet's hot oil. So beloved is this treat that wherever the Portuguese went—Macau, Brazil, and even Africa—so did the fritters, and they remain there today.

Where to Find It: This is soul food, so the best salt-cod fritters are home-cooked. But you can also get them in cafes, bars, and gas stations. They're a popular menu item at Leao d'Ouro in Lisbon and A Nova Democratica Restaurante in Coimbra.

Sauerbraten, Germany

You don't have to go to great lengths to find comfort food in Deutschland. Hearty meals are the epitome of German cuisine, and sauerbraten is considered the national dish. Each region has its own take on this "sour roast," a cut of beef soaked for several days in a marinade of vinegar and red wine, then browned and slow cooked to tender goodness. The tangy-sweet aroma with hints of cinnamon and clove wafting from kitchens is the smell of home. And no sauerbraten meal is complete without generous helpings of its traditional sides: red cabbage, potato dumplings, spaetzle, and boiled potatoes.

Where to Find It: Head to the Rhineland region in southwest Germany, renowned for its Rheinischer-style sauerbraten, which is generally sweeter and includes raisins and gingerbread. In nearby Swabia, sauerbraten has no sweetening or raisins.

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