October 17, 2020 – Food guide TasteAtlas published the list of the best traditional dishes in the world and Croatian fis paprikas is the only Croatian dish that made it to the top 100.

As TasteAtlas announces, the day of the local food celebration has come! The list of the top 100 traditional dishes in the world for 2020 has been published, and this year, Croatia can boast one specialty that made it to the list – fiš paprikaš (fish stew), which took 90th place among the great competition of world-famous specialties, such as Japanese sushi, Israeli falafel, and Spanish paella.

This traditional specialty comes from the eastern part of Croatia, from the regions of Baranja and Slavonia, and is influenced by neighboring Hungary. Their popular dish called paprikás csirke (chicken stew) also made the list, taking only two places ahead of Croatian fiš paprikaš.

 "Fiš paprikaš (or hal paprikas in Hungary) is a traditional stew cooked in a big cauldron over an open fire. This spicy fish stew is traditionally made with a variety of freshwater fish such as catfish, starlet, pike, and carp. The stew is heavily flavored with large amounts of the region's staple – ground red paprika, which can range from mild to very hot. Fiš paprikaš is often served with homemade noodles, and it is so popular in the region that there are numerous fiš cooking competitions organized throughout the year. The dish is traditionally accompanied by hot ground paprika on the side so each person can increase the spiciness according to personal preferences," reads the description of fiš paprikaš on TasteAtlas.

The map of the best traditional dishes in the world / Source: TasteAtlas

However, this is not the first time TasteAtlast recognized the quality of fiš paprikaš. It took the 3rd place on the list of most popular freshwater fish dishes in the world. It is also included on the list of most popular fish dishes in the world where it stands in 30th place. On the list of most popular seafood in the world, it comes in 82nd place, and it is 96th place on the list of most popular stews in the world.

Considering the most popular Croatian fish dishes and seafood, it takes 2nd place, along with other fish specialties from Baranja and Slavonia, namely, pijani šaran (drunken carp) and perklet od soma, likewise influenced by Hungary.

TasteAtlas traditional food awards 2020 listed the top 100 world-famous dishes according to 63,402 valid ratings on TasteAtlas, along with the restaurants where you can taste the best version of each dish. And is there a better place to taste this traditional Croatian dish than the heart of Baranja? The title of the best restaurant for tasting fiš paprikaš went to the restaurant "Citadela" in Vardarac near the town of Bilje and the Nature Park Kopački Rit, although other traditional food restaurants in the area are not far behind.

Interestingly, Bosnian traditional dish ćevapi took the 30th place on this list, ahead of Thai pad thai, Italian spaghetti aglio e olio, and American fajitas.

Italian traditional pizza Margherita took first place, and the other specialties of Italian cuisine such as risotto alla Milanese, lasagne alla Bolognese, pasta Carbonara, and tortellini in brodo, unsurprisingly dominated the list.

You can also check how many of the 100 best traditional dishes you have tried by signing up and marking the food tried.

Taste Atlas is a global-local food interactive map that serves as a food guide for those who want to know more about the local food from all over the world, as well as the places where you can try the best of it. It was founded two years ago by Croatian Matija Babić, who is also a founder of one of the most popular Croatian news portals, Index.hr.