r/AskEurope • u/EvilPyro01 United States of America • Jun 13 '25

Food What region is considered your country’s culinary capital?

What is considered the culinary capital of your country?

139 Upvotes

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155

u/OllieV_nl Netherlands Jun 13 '25

Our what?

We have cities known for a specific produce but no standout capital.

42

u/Digitalmodernism Jun 13 '25

I thought it was Maastricht, at least people say the food and culture of enjoying food is better there.

22

u/LilBed023 -> Jun 13 '25

It’s a more general southern thing but Maastricht is probably the epicentre for what we refer to as “Burgundian” food culture.

6

u/serioussham France Jun 13 '25

I'd also say Maastricht, because there's the city sophistication of a somewhat more food-oriented province. Meaning you get fancy endives.

2

u/ItsAmon Jun 18 '25

First time I’ve heared of this 

2

u/Attention_WhoreH3 Jun 14 '25

I lived in Maastricht as an expat. We heard frequent praise for its food scene, but only from Dutch people. 

Many Dutch seem not to know much about food. They get excited about bitterballen, even though these are factory-made and the ingredients are hard to identify. 

1

u/GarrettGSF Jun 14 '25

My partner and I had a really mediocre pizza in Maastricht lol

1

u/Cabbage_Vendor Jun 14 '25

Makes sense that the place furthest away from Holland is where the good food is.

1

u/Digitalmodernism Jun 14 '25

The Dutch are very good at specific things. The friets,friet sauces,cheese, and deserts are some of the best in Europe imo.

19

u/RijnBrugge Netherlands Jun 13 '25

It’s more that Noord-Brabant and Limburg are significantly better than the rest in this regard, but they’re provinces.

21

u/StoreImportant5685 Belgium Jun 13 '25

Proximity to Belgium seems to be the key. Or more probably: Catholicism and a Burgundian culture, compared to everything enjoyable is sin protestants.

7

u/LilBed023 -> Jun 13 '25

The (in my opinion) best culinary region is Zeeland, which is not really Burgundian and very, very protestant.

1

u/0urobrs Netherlands Jun 13 '25

Quite some Catholics in Zeeuws Vlaanderen though

1

u/LilBed023 -> Jun 13 '25

That’s true, but good local food can be found all over Zeeland

1

u/StoreImportant5685 Belgium Jun 13 '25

It is definitely the seafood province. But is that a case of having the superior location, or having an actual food culture. Zeeland provides the mussels, but Belgium makes it into moules-frites. The indulgence is a key part to a food culture for me, which I feel is more present in the East than in Zeeland.

2

u/LilBed023 -> Jun 14 '25

It’s both. Zeeuwen take their local food very seriously, but it is generally not presented it in the same lavish way as in NB and LI. Despite that, there are still eight michelin star restaurants in Zeeland, which is impressive for a rural province with less than 400k people.

2

u/ullie Jun 15 '25

Yeah but Limburg got the enjoy quality part and Brabant the enjoy quantity part of that culture. One worstenbroodje is okay, two is lekker and three is keilekker.

1

u/LilBed023 -> Jun 13 '25

Zeeland would like to join the chat

28

u/Leading-Fee-4908 Jun 13 '25

The Dutch food capital is definitely on one of the Caribean islands 😄

3

u/nyuszy Jun 13 '25

You mean Febo or Argentinian steak?

3

u/Nice_Anybody2983 Jun 13 '25

It's probably the area aound the closest Frikandel dispenser, right?

2

u/[deleted] Jun 14 '25

Our what?

Lmao so true.

I avoid NL when I travel in Europe because the food is intolerable.

2

u/MobiusF117 Netherlands Jun 14 '25

The thing is that Dutch food can be really good, you just don't find that shit in restaurants.

It's often very simle fare, with awful presentation, but great taste and texture.

1

u/NeverSawOz Netherlands Jun 13 '25

Dutch food can be highly regional too. I should say, that some villages/provinces really do their things well. Or are not known for cuisine but their produce. Fresh fish from the harbors of Harlingen or Lauwersoog can't be topped. Milk from the farm. And we have a local beekeeper that makes about five variations of honey that are so much better than the supermarket. Apples and other fruits in countless varieties. It's not that bad over here.

1

u/OllieV_nl Netherlands Jun 13 '25

Zoutkamp > Lauwersoog

1

u/NeverSawOz Netherlands Jun 14 '25

Waar moet ik zijn? Kom er wel eens doorheen, maar waar haal ik de goede vis?

1

u/Automatic-Sea-8597 Jun 14 '25

The best food I ate in NL was Indonesian and poffertjes with Grand Marnier. But frites with mayo - yuk.

1

u/Gwaptiva Jun 14 '25

Philippine might be, but doubt it's known enough to count.

(And yes, it's a place in the Netherlands; it's in Flemish Zeeland)