9 UNESCO-Listed Foods You Won't Want To Miss (and Where To Try Them)

Washoku, which translates to Japanese food, isn’t a single food item; it’s a social practice in Japan. The term doesn’t just describe traditional Japanese dishes made with seasonal ingredients but the way they’re prepared, served, and consumed.

Staples of washoku include the use of side dishes, such as pickles, and the inclusion of certain traditions. Before eating a washoku meal, diners traditionally say itadakimasu (I humbly receive), and finish by saying gochisousama, which is an offering of thanks not only to the people who prepared the meal but to those that grew the ingredients. Thankfully, you can easily experience washoku for yourself on any number of food tours in Japan.

Related: Around Japan in 15 Dishes

Many love to debate rumors about the origins of the French baguette. Said rumors range from Napoleon demanding that soldiers be given bread that could be tucked under their arms, to arguments among knife-wielding bakers that prompted the French government to ask bakers to create bread that didn’t need to be cut.

You can sample fresh, warm baguettes all throughout France, or head to Paris, home of the annual Grand Prix de la Baguette de Traditional Francaise. Every baguette entered in this prestigious competition must measure between 21.5 and 27.5 inches (55 and 70 centimeters) and weigh between 0.55 and 0.66 pounds (250 and 300 grams), and the winner is awarded €4,000. There, on a Parisian bakery tour, you'll be able to satisfy your carb cravings.

A spicy chili paste with its roots in North Africa (countries like Tunisia and Morocco), harissa earned its UNESCO designation specifically for the knowledge, skills, and culinary and social practices associated with the dish, which can be tried on many food tours—including market visits—in the region.

For example, cultivation periods are dictated by an agricultural calendar (sowing during certain periods is said to be unlucky), and the chilis are washed, ground, and mixed with salt, garlic, and coriander using a pestle and mortar. In most North African countries, the finished product is often prepared at home and stored in glass or earthenware jars.

The traditional processing techniques and social practices are what helped Chinese tea earn its UNESCO status. In China, where producers have developed six distinct varieties (green, yellow, dark, white, oolong, and black), tea is a serious business. Knowledge, skills, and traditions are passed down through apprenticeships or from one tea-producing generation to the next.

The result? A drink that’s become a staple of various events, whether its sacrificial ceremonies carried out centuries ago or at Chinese weddings today. For outsiders, however, tea tours are the way to sample this Chinese stalwart.

Related: Around China in 15 Dishes

Editor's note: Travel to Ukraine is not recommended due to serious safety risks in this area. Please follow your government's guidance and travel advisories.

This hearty soup (or, more specifically, the culture of Ukrainian borscht cooking) earned its UNESCO status in 2022. It’s known as the national dish of Ukraine, often served with sour cream and bread.

The beetroot-based soup, which includes staples like sweet peppers, mushrooms, and fish, is regarded by many as part of the fabric of Ukrainian society, and is commonly served at weddings and prepared at home by families.

Hawker centers—vast indoor or outdoor spaces where Singaporeans gather to feast on street food served up by dozens of vendors—are a microcosm of Singapore's multicultural society.

Many of the dishes, which span Chinese, Malay, Indian, and other cuisines, owe their existence to the immigrants who’ve settled in Singapore. Today, Singapore’s UNESCO-listed hawker centers (there are hundreds of them) double as community dining rooms where locals bond over their love of delicious, affordable food. Two hawker center stalls have even earned Michelin stars in the past.

Related: Know Before You Go: Dining at a Hawker Center in Singapore

There’s a strict set of rules when it comes to what constitutes a Neapolitan pizza, which hails from Naples, Italy. According to the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (yes, there really is an association founded to preserve the pizza’s authenticity), Neapolitan pizzas must have a raised edge, a round shape, and a diameter no larger than roughly 13 inches, or 35 centimeters.

The permitted toppings (which must come from nearby regions) are olive oil, peeled tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, grated cheese, and fresh basil. And you can try them all on basically any Naples food tour.

Related: Pizza in Naples: A Historical and Practical Guide to Finding the Best Slice

No, not the watery stuff your local chain store coffee shop brews up in big batches, but the fire-roasted coffee served in Arabic countries as a symbol of friendship, which has close ties to desert-roaming Bedouins.

The UNESCO designation relates to coffee made the traditional way. The process works like this: The beans are pounded in a pestle and mortar and roasted over an open fire. Then, the coffee is poured into small cups before being served to the oldest or most important person present first. Almost all Bedouin excursions will include a cup of this classic beverage.

In 2013 kimjang, the making of kimchi in South Korea was added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Kimchi is made of preserved vegetables seasoned with spices and fermented seafood, and its preparation has immense cultural significance for South Koreans, acting as a reminder of their close relationship with nature.

In spring, seafood is harvested for fermentation before salt is added to the brine. In late summer, chilies are dried and ground into powder, and in autumn, entire communities come together to prepare large quantities of kimchi that sustain households through long, dark winters. The good news? You can learn how to prepare it for yourself in South Korea.