A World Food Adventure
Ruby & Dad's
Food World
Rating the national dishes of every country on Earth — one meal at a time
68
Countries Rated
199
Countries Total
34%
Complete
17.9
Highest Score
Rating the national dishes of every country on Earth — one meal at a time
Dad scores higher on average (6.95 vs 6.49) and is significantly more consistent — his standard deviation of 1.21 vs Ruby's 2.21 means Dad tends to land in the 6–8 range most of the time. Ruby swings wider: she's now handed out two perfect 10s — Denmark and, most recently, Armenia's Harissa — and a 0.1 to Vanuatu. She's the one who decides if something is truly extraordinary — or truly not.
Numbers in brackets show each country's projected finishing position once all 199 countries have been rated, based on its current rank.
← Swipe to see all columns →
| #▼ | Country & Dish▼ | Region▼ | Ruby▼ | Dad▼ | Total▼ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (3) | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates Khuzi with Saffron Rice | Asia | 8.8 | 9.1 | 17.9 |
| 2 (6) | 🇩🇰 Denmark Stegt Flæsk | Europe | 10.0 | 7.7 | 17.7 |
| 3 (9) | 🇳🇿 New Zealand Lamb Hangi Kono | Oceania | 9.8 | 7.8 | 17.6 |
| 4TIE (12) | 🇪🇨 Ecuador Prawn Ceviche with Plantains & Corn Chips | Americas | 8.6 | 8.8 | 17.4 |
| 4TIE (12) | 🇹🇼 Taiwan Beef Noodle Soup | Asia | 9.5 | 7.9 | 17.4 |
| 4TIE (12) | 🇦🇲 Armenia Harissa | Asia | 10.0 | 7.4 | 17.4 |
| 7TIE (20) | 🇹🇻 Tuvalu Tuvalu Coconut Fish Curry | Oceania | 9.4 | 7.6 | 17.0 |
| 7TIE (20) | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic La Bandera | Americas | 9.1 | 7.9 | 17.0 |
| 9 (26) | 🇮🇹 Italy Ragù alla Bolognese with Tagliatelle | Europe | 8.9 | 8.0 | 16.9 |
| 10 (29) | 🇧🇿 Belize Stewed Chicken with Rice & Beans | Americas | 9.2 | 7.6 | 16.8 |
| 11TIE (32) | 🇶🇦 Qatar Machboos | Asia | 9.5 | 7.2 | 16.7 |
| 11TIE (32) | 🇨🇱 Chile Cazuela de Ava | Americas | 8.7 | 8.0 | 16.7 |
| 13 (38) | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka Chicken Curry & Rice with Roti | Asia | 8.8 | 7.8 | 16.6 |
| 14 (41) | 🇨🇬 Republic of the Congo Moambe Chicken & Rice | Africa | 9.2 | 7.0 | 16.2 |
| 15 (44) | 🇺🇦 Ukraine Borshch | Europe | 8.5 | 7.5 | 16.0 |
| 16 (47) | 🇨🇺 Cuba Ropa Vieja | Americas | 8.0 | 7.9 | 15.9 |
| 17TIE (50) | 🇭🇷 Croatia Istrian Yota | Europe | 7.8 | 7.7 | 15.5 |
| 17TIE (50) | 🇵🇸 Palestinian Authority Musakhan | Asia | 8.1 | 7.4 | 15.5 |
| 19 (56) | 🇹🇳 Tunisia Couscous with Lamb & Vegetables | Africa | 7.7 | 7.6 | 15.3 |
| 20 (59) | 🇹🇭 Thailand Pad Thai | Asia | 7.2 | 7.9 | 15.1 |
| 21 (61) | 🇻🇳 Vietnam Pho Beef | Asia | 6.7 | 8.2 | 14.9 |
| 22TIE (64) | 🇵🇱 Poland Bigos | Europe | 7.1 | 7.7 | 14.8 |
| 22TIE (64) | 🇸🇿 Eswatini Karoo Ostrich (Emu) | Africa | 6.9 | 7.9 | 14.8 |
| 24TIE (70) | 🇮🇷 Iran Chelow Kebab Khair with Masl | Asia | 7.1 | 7.6 | 14.7 |
| 24TIE (70) | 🇸🇸 South Sudan Mullah Kombo with Kisra | Africa | 9.0 | 5.7 | 14.7 |
| 26TIE (76) | 🇻🇦 Vatican City Fettuccine alla Papalina | Europe | 6.0 | 8.2 | 14.2 |
| 26TIE (76) | 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan Laghman | Asia | 7.2 | 7.0 | 14.2 |
| 26TIE (76) | 🇲🇺 Mauritius Dholl Puri & Mauritian Curry | Africa | 7.1 | 7.1 | 14.2 |
| 29 (85) | 🇨🇾 Cyprus Meze, Lamb Souvla, Halloumi | Europe | 6.2 | 7.9 | 14.1 |
| 30TIE (88) | 🇨🇳 China Peking Duck Pancakes | Asia | 7.0 | 7.0 | 14.0 |
| 30TIE (88) | 🇬🇦 Gabon Poulet Nyembwe | Africa | 7.2 | 6.8 | 14.0 |
| 32 (94) | 🇫🇷 France Pot-au-Feu | Europe | 5.9 | 8.0 | 13.9 |
| 33 (97) | 🇲🇱 Mali Tigadegena | Africa | 6.9 | 6.9 | 13.8 |
| 34 (100) | 🇬🇳 Guinea Poulet Yassa | Africa | 6.7 | 7.0 | 13.7 |
| 35 (102) | 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan Plov | Asia | 5.9 | 7.7 | 13.6 |
| 36TIE (105) | 🇲🇩 Moldova Mamaliga, Guvech, Chiftele | Europe | 7.8 | 5.7 | 13.5 |
| 36TIE (105) | 🇮🇶 Iraq Masgouf & Rice | Asia | 6.1 | 7.4 | 13.5 |
| 38TIE (111) | 🇨🇭 Switzerland Fondue | Europe | 6.7 | 6.7 | 13.4 |
| 38TIE (111) | 🇬🇩 Grenada Oil Down | Americas | 6.8 | 6.6 | 13.4 |
| 40TIE (117) | 🇸🇹 Sao Tome & Principe Calulu | Africa | 6.8 | 6.4 | 13.2 |
| 40TIE (117) | 🇹🇩 Chad Boule & Lamb Bangaou | Africa | 6.6 | 6.6 | 13.2 |
| 40TIE (117) | 🇦🇬 Antigua & Barbuda Fungee & Pepperpot | Americas | 6.5 | 6.7 | 13.2 |
| 43TIE (126) | 🇷🇴 Romania Sarmale | Europe | 6.1 | 7.0 | 13.1 |
| 43TIE (126) | 🇩🇪 Germany Sauerbraten with Rotkohl & Klöße | Europe | 5.6 | 7.5 | 13.1 |
| 45TIE (132) | 🇸🇻 El Salvador Pupusas | Americas | 6.7 | 6.3 | 13.0 |
| 45TIE (132) | 🇹🇴 Tonga Ota 'Ika | Oceania | 5.1 | 7.9 | 13.0 |
| 47 (138) | 🇷🇸 Serbia Cevapi, Sarma with Ajvar | Europe | 5.5 | 7.2 | 12.7 |
| 48 (140) | 🇳🇦 Namibia Kapana & Pap | Africa | 5.7 | 6.9 | 12.6 |
| 49TIE (143) | 🇧🇼 Botswana Seswaa with Greens & Pap | Africa | 6.2 | 6.2 | 12.4 |
| 49TIE (143) | 🇹🇹 Trinidad & Tobago Callaloo | Americas | 5.6 | 6.8 | 12.4 |
| 51 (149) | 🇼🇸 Samoa Palusami with Corned Beef & Rice | Oceania | 6.7 | 5.5 | 12.2 |
| 52 (152) | 🇲🇳 Mongolia Tsuivan & Buuz with Curd | Asia | 6.0 | 5.9 | 11.9 |
| 53 (155) | 🇨🇴 Colombia Bandeja Paisa | Americas | 4.6 | 7.0 | 11.6 |
| 54 (158) | 🇹🇯 Tajikistan Qurotob | Asia | 4.4 | 7.1 | 11.5 |
| 55 (161) | 🇨🇮 Ivory Coast Atticke with Fish & Chilli Sauce | Africa | 5.9 | 5.5 | 11.4 |
| 56 (164) | 🇪🇸 Spain Paella | Europe | 3.1 | 7.8 | 10.9 |
| 57 (167) | 🇲🇼 Malawi Nsima & Chambo | Africa | 4.6 | 6.1 | 10.7 |
| 58 (170) | 🇱🇹 Lithuania Cepelinai | Europe | 4.8 | 5.6 | 10.4 |
| 59 (173) | 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein Käsknöpfle | Europe | 3.4 | 6.9 | 10.3 |
| 60 (176) | 🇹🇿 Tanzania Nyama Choma, Sukuma Wiki, Ugali | Africa | 3.3 | 6.7 | 10.0 |
| 61 (179) | 🇱🇨 Saint Lucia Greenfig & Saltfish | Americas | 5.4 | 4.0 | 9.4 |
| 62 (181) | 🇰🇪 Kenya Fish Stew with Sukuma & Ugali | Africa | 3.1 | 6.2 | 9.3 |
| 63 (184) | 🇰🇮 Kiribati Palusami with Fish & Rice | Oceania | 2.3 | 6.8 | 9.1 |
| 64TIE (187) | 🇸🇮 Slovenia Kransky Ajdovi Zganci & Sauerkraut | Europe | 2.0 | 6.9 | 8.9 |
| 64TIE (187) | 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone Cassava Leaf Stew & Jollof Rice | Africa | 4.2 | 4.7 | 8.9 |
| 66 (193) | 🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina Bosnian Cevapi & Stuffed Peppers | Europe | 1.5 | 6.0 | 7.5 |
| 67 (196) | 🇲🇿 Mozambique Xima & Matapa | Africa | 2.1 | 5.1 | 7.2 |
| 68 (199) | 🇻🇺 Vanuatu Laplap | Oceania | 0.1 | 0.7 | 0.8 |
Each dot is one country. Dots above the diagonal line mean Ruby scored higher; below means Dad scored higher. Hover/tap a dot for details.
How Ruby and Dad's individual scores are spread across the 0–10 range.
★ Americas only continent where Ruby scores higher than Dad — and Asia is now almost level (7.49 vs 7.51) after her perfect 10 for Armenia
There's no single official list of the world's countries — it depends on who you ask. The UN recognises some, other nations recognise more, and a few places govern themselves without full international recognition. For this journey, we count a place as a country if it governs itself and conducts its own international relations. That gives us 199:
A national dish is the meal a country is best known for — the one its people would proudly put on the table to say "this is us." Sometimes it's official, but usually it's just what everyone agrees on: Italy's ragù, Thailand's pad thai, Denmark's stegt flæsk.
For each country we research the most iconic, widely recognised dish, cook it as authentically as we can (tracking down the right cheeses, spices, and techniques — with sensible substitutes when an ingredient can't be found in Australia), and then Ruby and Dad each score it out of 10. One country, one dish, two honest opinions.
One caveat: some neighbouring countries share the same national dish. We never cook the same thing twice — if a dish has already been rated for another country, we revert to the closest next option that's distinctly that country's own.