Breakfast Round the World

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, keeping us healthy and sharp. But breakfast foods vary wildly from place to place.

In European countries like Spain, France, and Italy, the first meal of the day is a quick piece of bread or pastry and strong coffee. Meanwhile in Korea, breakfast is a sweeping event that crowds the table just as much as dinner.

Try our some of our Sacramento breakfast spots and you'll find many of these traditions observed.



When it comes to breakfast foods across the globe, there are as many ways to enjoy the first meal of the day as there are to say "good morning."

From creamy cornbread cake in Brazil to savory Tunisian chickpea soup, from fluffy Ukrainian pancakes to sweet coconut jam toasts in Singapore, these 21 international specialties offer a breakfast option for every palate. And even if the flavors in some of these dishes might be unexpected based on what your first meal of the day typically consists of, the presentations are likely familiar. Read through our list -- in no particular order -- and learn about the delicious diversity of our world's breakfast cultures, and maybe even find food inspiration for your next trip.

Argentina

There's one word that defines the Argentinean breakfast spread: facturas. The overarching term for pastries encompasses a sweet and doughy world of shapes, sizes, and flavors. Some of the more popular offerings include medialunes, a croissant-shaped brioche pastry; bombas and bolas de fraille, or fried doughnuts; and churros, which are often dipped in chocolate. Many are filled with dulce de leche or crema pastelera, a vanilla custard. Pair a platter of facturas with highly caffeinated yerba mate or coffee.

Australia

For those who love grain bowls, avocado and other savory toasts, and other staples of all-day café culture, Australia's "brekkie" will be a match made in heaven. With a focus on fresh produce, whole grains, and nourishing combinations, Australian breakfasts can range from the classic avocado toast on seeded bread to a farro bowl topped with a poached egg and pickled vegetables or rice pudding with yogurt, seeds and berries. Don't forget the flat white -- an espresso with a high ratio of steamed milk that even Starbucks can't get enough of.

Brazil

If you can't stop eating pao de queijo, the puffy baked cheese rolls that are a staple of Brazilian culture, you'll be happy to know you can eat them for breakfast too. But for a variation on Brazilian breakfast breads, try bolo de fuba. It's a cornbread-style cake with a moist and creamy texture that comes from the addition of grated Parmesan cheese and/or shredded coconut. Sliced and served like a pound cake, it's frequently an afternoon pick-me-up too.

Ethiopia

When you're having qurs (that's "breakfast" in Amharic, Ethiopia's official language), chances are you'll be eating porridge. While there are many varieties and names for hot grain cereals served throughout the country, savory genfo is one of the most popular. Genfo is made by mixing barley flour with boiling water until a thick, sticky dough forms, then shaped into a mound with a well in the center. The well is then filled with clarified butter blended with berbere, the complex spice blend, and dollops of yogurt are often spooned around the edges of the genfo.

Germany

Wursts, local cheeses, and freshly baked bread, all washed back with a strong coffee.

Guam

This small island -- technically an American territory -- In the Pacific Ocean is a melting pot of culinary culture, with foods that show the influence of the various countries that colonized the land over the centuries. Like many Asian Pacific nations, Spam is a favorite add-in for breakfasts of fried rice and eggs. But just as popular is the local chamorro pork sausage, a fresh chorizo-style sausage named after the indigenous population of the island. Grilled in links or patties, it's breakfast sausage like no other.

Iceland

Start your day in Iceland with a jolt of life-giving lysi: cod liver oil, a plentiful source of omega-3 fatty acids and one of the byproducts of the country's fish industry. Though it's been said to combat seasonal affective disorder, among other health benefits, it's not the only breakfast option. For a more palatable morning meal, have a bowl of hafragrautur, a thick oatmeal. Top it with nuts, raisins, and sugar, or add a helping of skyr, the thick yogurt-like cultured dairy product that's actually a fresh cheese.

Italy

Italians are almost too busy for breakfast -- or so you'd think from the number of coffee bars where guests take their espresso standing up for a quick jolt at the beginning of the day. But whether standing or relaxing for a moment at a café table, there's always time for a coffee and Italian pastry to go with it. For the morning, espresso or cappuccino is frequently paired with a simple sweet like a cornetto, or croissant, filled with custard or Nutella.

Jamaica

For breakfast in Jamaica, it couldn't get more patriotic than eating the national dish: ackee and saltfish. Ackee, a delicately sweet pear-shaped fruit, is sautéed with salt cod, tomatoes, garlic, chilies and onion in a breakfast scramble that brings together sweet, salty, and spicy for a one-of-a-kind island taste. Though it looks similar to scrambled eggs, that's just the creamy yellow ackee, Jamaica's national fruit, in the dish.

Japan

Japanese breakfasts fall squarely on the savory side of the food spectrum: In fact, much of what you can eat for breakfast in Japan wouldn't be out of place at any other meal of the day. Many morning repasts consist of a selection of small plates, each with a few bites of a traditional Japanese dish. Fish like salmon or mackerel, miso soup, pickled vegetables and rice are all represented. There's also tamagoyaki, a slightly sweet rolled omelet made from thin layers of egg in a rectangular pan that gives it its signature shape.

Morocco

Along with mint tea, semolina breads are mainstays on the Moroccan breakfast table. Baghrir are thin, yeasted rounds studded with tiny holes that give them the name "thousand-hole pancakes" or "thousand-hole crepes." Instead of maple syrup, these light semolina breads are topped with butter and honey. Harcha are thicker, griddled biscuit-style rounds that have a crispy crust from a dusting of coarse semolina. They can be split like English muffins and served with cheese or butter, jam, and honey.

Pakistan

Pakistan’s most popular breakfast is an intriguing sweet & savory combination that includes chickpea stew, fried bread, and even a sugary treat -- it's like dessert for breakfast! With a lot of stew!

Phillipines

Local fruits like mangos, rice, and little sausages (known as longganisa). When fried with salt and garlic cloves it’s known as sinangag. The sinangag is then combined with eggs, meats and beans.

Portugal

with lots of milk are the first order of business when getting breakfast in Portugal. Uma mei de leite, a half-and-half blend of coffee and milk, or um galao, which is mostly milk with a shot of coffee, are an easy way to ease into the day. Though many Portuguese have a simple piece of toast or bread alongside their drink, the perfect pairing for these milky coffees are pasteis de nata, or egg custard tarts. With a flaky puff pastry shell and a creamy custard filling, they're equally popular as a snack for the 11 a.m. cafe break, another Portuguese morning ritual.

Russia

Though it sounds indulgent, caviar is actually a Russian breakfast food. Whether red or black caviar, it remains a favorite topping for large, folded crepe-like blini or small, thick oladyi pancakes at weekend brunches. On weekdays, however, breakfasts are simpler. On these mornings, caviar is spread across dark, sweet rye bread, known simply as black bread, sometimes with a smear of butter as well. Most importantly, a pot of black tea is a fixture on every breakfast table.

Scotland

Slab of haggis served alongside a fat-fried egg and square sausages known as Lorne.

Singapore

If "Crazy Rich Asians" didn't already whet your appetite for Singapore, let the multitude of dishes served in the hawker centers entice you further. These open-air food courts are always open for business, and it's not uncommon to see hungry people scooping up bowls of savory curry noodles first thing in the morning. For a traditional hawker-style breakfast, kaya toast is a must-have. This unassuming-looking toasted sandwich is spread with flavorful kaya, a sweet jam made with coconut milk, eggs, and sometimes pandan leaf for vibrant green color and flavor. It's great with coffee or tea, and each stall or shop makes kaya toast its own way -- so why not try a few?

Switzerland

On weekdays, the Swiss frequently stick to quick but filling breakfasts like the traditional birchermüesli, the granola-style blend of oats with fruit and nuts that's usually served over thick yogurt. But on weekends, it's time for Swiss brunch. Along with roesti (potato pancakes), cheeses, and cold cuts, the centerpiece of the brunch table is zopf. This braided egg bread is similar to challah or brioche, and served with honey, butter, and jam.

Taiwan

While a glass of milk is often advertised in the US as "part of a balanced breakfast," dòu jiāng takes the tradition to new levels. This fresh soy milk is a specialty of Taiwan, typically made fresh by street vendors and restaurants every morning for their customers. Served hot in the winter and cold in the summer, it's a refreshing contrast to the chewy scallion pancakes, dumplings and dough fritters that are also part of the usual Taiwanese breakfast. Dip your fritters in the soy milk for an extra treat.

Ukraine

Tender and fluffy on the inside and crispy golden brown on the outside, Ukrainian syrniki pancakes wouldn't be out of place on a five-star brunch buffet. Yet they're made with a simple ingredient: fresh farmer's cheese, known as tvorog, with a consistency similar to ricotta or cottage cheese. The crisp exterior comes from a quick dredge in flour, like a breakfast fritter. Like American pancakes or French toast, they can be topped with fresh fruit, preserves, or powdered sugar, but like potato pancakes or blintzes, they can go savory with a side of sour cream.

United States of America

When it comes to classic American brunch, you can't go wrong with fluffy buttermilk pancakes stacked high alongside a pile of crispy bacon. The contrasting textures and salty-sweet flavor pairing make this breakfast a favorite of kids and adults alike. And while pancakes can be dressed up by adding in everything from fresh blueberries to chocolate chips to pecans, the classic toppings of butter and maple syrup remain the gold standard.