As many of you may already know, lately we’ve been adding a bunch of handpicked tours and activities to our site so you can enjoy awesome local experiences wherever you go! Among them you’ll find a selection of delightful home dinners offered by food-loving locals. Besides feasting on all manner of delectable dishes, these dinners give guests a rare opportunity to discover local culture and cuisine in a truly authentic setting. Here are five of our favourites:
1. Tallinn: Savour a delicious four-course dinner at HÄPI Home Studio
Photo credit: Rain Uusen
Eating out is a big part of travelling, but eating at a home restaurant, well, it’s definitely not something you get to do very often! It’s a pretty crazy concept perfectly suited to courageous foodies, curious culture diggers and open-minded souls.
Located in Tallinn’s trendy Kalamaja district, HÄPI Home Studio is a small concept-based, gay-friendly apartment where you can enjoy a mouth-watering meal and as-local-as-it-gets culture. Not only will Chef de Cuisine Rain Uusen treat your taste buds to a four-course dinner full of fabulous flavours, he’ll also take you on a brief tour of the local neighbourhood.
2. Budapest: Enjoy a three-course vegetarian feast at Maria’s place
Photo credit: Maria
Maria loves cooking, but what she loves even more is sharing her best dishes with interesting people. Every Friday she heads to the market to buy fresh, high-quality ingredients for a delicious three-course dinner. Apart from filling your belly with tasty vegetarian fare, she’ll give you an insider’s perspective on life in Budapest and treat you to Hungarian wine, lemonade and a traditional aperitif called palinka.
3. Amsterdam: Dine at an artist’s waterfront home studio
Photo credit: Petra Hart
Petra Hart is an Amsterdam-based artist who hosts atmospheric dinners in her home studio. The meal includes an amuse-bouche and a glass of Prosecco, followed by three courses paired with specially selected wines. Her studio is located on the ground floor by the water, so you can dine outdoors by the beautiful quay when the weather is nice. In between courses, Petra will introduce you to her “Heart-World” and tell you about her art. You’ll also get the chance to take a peek behind the scenes for a first-hand look at her creative process. Special tip: Petra hosts another dinner with an alternate menu.
4. Budapest: Take a hands-on Hungarian cooking class with Agnes
Photo credit: Agnes Barath
Agnes’ private home cooking classes will give you an in-depth introduction to Hungarian cuisine and an insight into local life in Budapest. Over four hours, you’ll learn how to make three traditional Hungarian dishes from start to finish, with step-by-step recipes, nice drinks and good stories. After cooking, you’ll enjoy the dishes together and chat about Hungarian culture, folklore, customs and traditions.
5. Istanbul: Experience a traditional home-cooked meal with a local family
Photo credit: Istanbul Urban Adventures
Nothing beats home cooking, especially Turkish home cooking! Enjoy the great privilege of sharing a meal with a local family, get a feel for Typical Turkish life and mingle with locals at some of their favourite haunts on this atmospheric dinner tour.
Your friendly English-speaking guide will lead you through the streets of the historic Sultanahmet district en route to a local family’s home for a traditional Turkish feast. You’ll get the chance to chat with all members of the family and hear what it’s like to live in Turkey today. After the meal, your guide will take you on a tour of the backstreets so you can get a better sense of Istanbul’s communal lifestyle and various socio-economic groups.
Opening photo credit: Petra Hart