Ways to use this list
- Around-the-world supper club: each month the host spins a cuisine and every guest brings one dish from it.
- Geography class: spin a cuisine, find the country on a map, then talk about which crops and spices grow there.
- Night out with friends: spin, then book the nearest restaurant serving the winner, even if nobody has tried it before.
- Library challenge: borrow a cookbook for the cuisine you land on and cook one recipe from it before the due date.
- Language learners: spin a cuisine from a country where your new language is spoken and learn the menu words.
Press Spin the wheel, tap the game or press the Space bar. Change the list in the box as you
like: add your own, delete what doesn't suit you, or write *2 after an entry to give it double the
chance. The game buttons switch the same list to a duck race, hat, claw machine and more.
The full list (43 entries)
- Italian – risotto, lasagne
- Mexican – tacos al pastor, mole
- Chinese – dumplings, kung pao chicken
- Japanese – ramen, tempura
- Korean – bibimbap, kimchi stew
- Thai – green curry, pad thai
- Vietnamese – pho, banh mi
- Indian – butter chicken, masala dosa
- Indonesian – nasi goreng, satay
- Malaysian – nasi lemak, laksa
- Filipino – chicken adobo, pancit
- Sri Lankan – hoppers, kottu roti
- Nepalese – momos, dal bhat
- Pakistani – nihari, chicken karahi
- Taiwanese – beef noodle soup, gua bao
- Singaporean – Hainanese chicken rice, chilli crab
- Persian – chelo kebab, ghormeh sabzi
- Lebanese – tabbouleh, kibbeh
- Turkish – pide, köfte
- Greek – moussaka, souvlaki
- Moroccan – tagine, couscous
- Egyptian – koshari, ful medames
- Ethiopian – injera with doro wat, shiro
- Nigerian – jollof rice, suya
- South African – bobotie, bunny chow
- French – ratatouille, croque monsieur
- Spanish – paella, tortilla española
- Portuguese – bacalhau, pastéis de nata
- German – bratwurst, spätzle
- Hungarian – goulash, chicken paprikash
- Polish – pierogi, bigos
- British – Sunday roast, fish and chips
- Irish – Irish stew, soda bread
- Scandinavian – Swedish meatballs, smørrebrød
- American – barbecue ribs, mac and cheese
- Cajun and Creole – gumbo, jambalaya
- Jamaican – jerk chicken, ackee and saltfish
- Cuban – ropa vieja, Cuban sandwich
- Brazilian – feijoada, pão de queijo
- Peruvian – ceviche, lomo saltado
- Argentinian – asado, empanadas
- Colombian – arepas, bandeja paisa
- Hawaiian – poke, loco moco
Questions people ask
How do I use a random cuisine generator to pick a restaurant?
Spin for a cuisine, then choose the nearest place that serves it. If your town only has a few options, clear the list and type the cuisines you can actually get, so every spin lands somewhere real.
What should I order from a cuisine I have never tried?
Start with the two dishes listed beside each cuisine below: they are well known, widely served and a fair first taste. Ask the staff too; many restaurants have a house speciality they are proud of.
How many cuisines are there in the world?
There is no fixed number. Almost every country has its own, and big countries have several regional ones, such as Sichuan and Cantonese in China or Punjabi and Keralan in India. This list keeps to ones that are easy to find or cook.
How do we run a cuisine night at home?
Spin on Monday, look up one main dish and one side from that cuisine, and cook them at the weekend. Put music from the same country on, lay a map on the table, and hand the spin to someone new each week.