Few voices in food and travel were as raw, honest, and universally admired as Anthony Bourdain’s. With a passport in one hand and a fork in the other, he chased flavors that told stories—whether found in fine French kitchens or humble roadside stands. These weren’t just meals—they were moments, cultures, and connections. From sizzling Filipino sisig to a classic In-N-Out burger, Bourdain’s favorites spanned the globe and reflected his deep respect for authenticity. Here are 17 iconic foods that Anthony Bourdain loved more than anything—each bite offering a glimpse into the bold, beautiful world he explored so fearlessly.
1. Sisig
Anthony Bourdain couldn’t resist the crackling, sputtering plate of chopped pig’s face that defines this beloved Filipino dish. He called sisig the “perfect beer companion” – high praise from a man who knew his drinking foods.
The combination of crispy, chewy textures with vinegar, calamansi, and chili creates a flavor explosion that embodied Bourdain’s love for dishes that use every part of the animal.
Served on a sizzling hot plate that continues cooking the meat as you eat, sisig represents the resourceful ingenuity he admired in global cuisines.
2. Crab Bee Hoon
“Eat this before you die,” Bourdain declared about Singapore’s crab bee hoon. The messy, hands-on experience of cracking shells to extract sweet crab meat from this spicy noodle dish represented everything he valued in dining.
Rice vermicelli noodles soaked in a rich, complex broth infused with the essence of fresh crab created what he considered a transcendent experience. The dish demands participation – getting your hands dirty and working for your meal.
Bourdain particularly loved how this humble hawker center creation delivered luxury-level satisfaction without pretension or formality.
3. Popeyes Mac and Cheese
The globe-trotting chef harbored an unabashed love for Popeyes mac and cheese that revealed his unpretentious side. Despite access to the world’s finest restaurants, Bourdain would sheepishly admit his craving for this chain’s creamy, orange comfort food.
He appreciated its consistent, nostalgic appeal – the way the elbow macaroni held just the right amount of the velvety cheese sauce. For a man who celebrated authenticity above all, his Popeyes passion showed that even culinary icons have their guilty pleasures.
Bourdain often joked about strategically planning layovers in airports with Popeyes locations.
4. Cacio e Pepe
With just pasta, Pecorino Romano, and black pepper, this Roman classic embodied the minimalist perfection Bourdain respected. He marveled at how these humble ingredients transformed into something transcendent through proper technique.
The creamy emulsion created without cream, just pasta water and cheese, represented the culinary magic that happens when simplicity meets skill. Bourdain would seek this dish in Rome’s traditional trattorias, away from tourist traps.
For him, cacio e pepe demonstrated that the most profound culinary experiences often come from the most straightforward preparations – a philosophy that guided his approach to food and life.
5. Gray’s Papaya Hot Dogs
The snap of that first bite into a Gray’s Papaya hot dog represented pure New York to Bourdain. This 24-hour Manhattan institution served as his beacon after late shifts or nights of revelry.
He praised the perfect balance of the snappy natural casing, the steamed bun, and the simple toppings of sauerkraut, onions, and mustard. For just a few dollars, this unpretentious meal delivered more satisfaction than many fine dining experiences.
Bourdain appreciated how Gray’s Papaya democratized good food – serving taxi drivers alongside celebrities with equal care, embodying the New York spirit he cherished throughout his global wanderings.
6. Uni
Bourdain once described fresh sea urchin as one of the most unforgettable delicacies he ever tasted—a testament to his deep admiration for its raw, unfiltered beauty.
The creamy, golden-orange lobes of uni delivered an intense oceanic experience that connected him directly to the sea. He sought it in Japan’s fish markets and California’s coastlines, always preferring it simply presented to showcase its natural perfection.
The complex flavor—simultaneously sweet, briny, and slightly metallic—represented nature’s unimprovable design. For Bourdain, uni embodied the reward for culinary bravery—its strange appearance giving way to one of gastronomy’s most sublime textures and flavors.
7. Les Halles French Fries
From his days as executive chef at Brasserie Les Halles in New York, Bourdain maintained fierce pride in their triple-cooked fries. The meticulous process – parboiling, cooling, frying at low temperature, cooling again, then finishing at high heat – created what he considered frite perfection.
These golden batons achieved the impossible: shatteringly crisp exteriors protecting fluffy, potato-cloud interiors. He insisted they be served immediately, never held under heat lamps.
Even after global fame, Bourdain would reference these fries as a professional achievement, representing his commitment to elevating even the most common foods through proper technique and respect.
8. Bún Chả
Forever immortalized when Bourdain shared it with President Obama in Hanoi, bún chả captured his respect for Vietnam’s complex flavor harmony. The combination of grilled pork patties, smoky pork belly, herbs, rice noodles, and dipping sauce embodied the country’s culinary genius.
Bourdain loved how this dish balanced sweet, sour, salty, spicy, and umami in perfect proportion. The meal became symbolic of his belief that food could bridge cultural divides and facilitate understanding.
He especially appreciated bún chả’s unpretentious nature – served in modest establishments where plastic stools and folding tables never detracted from the profound flavors on plastic plates.
9. Roasted Suckling Pig
Across continents, from Bali to Puerto Rico, Bourdain sought out whole roasted suckling pig with religious devotion. The contrast between crackling, lacquered skin and tender, succulent meat represented pork’s highest calling.
He marveled at how different cultures approached the same basic concept – Spanish cochinillo, Balinese babi guling, Puerto Rican lechón – each with distinctive seasonings and techniques. The communal nature of these preparations particularly moved him, as entire communities often gathered around the cooking process.
Bourdain considered the first bite of perfectly crisp skin to be a transcendent moment worth traveling thousands of miles to experience.
10. Yakitori
Smoke rising from binchotan charcoal, the hiss of chicken fat dripping onto hot coals – yakitori represented the Japanese precision Bourdain deeply respected. He admired how these humble skewers elevated every part of the chicken through careful grilling and minimal seasoning.
From thigh and breast to hearts, gizzards, and even cartilage, nothing went to waste. Each skewer received exactly the attention it needed – some brushed with tare sauce, others simply salted.
Bourdain particularly loved eating yakitori in traditional smoke-filled Tokyo alleys, where decades of experience informed each chef’s technique and timing, creating what he called “chicken perfection on a stick.”
11. Salumi Sandwiches
Armandino Batali’s Seattle shop Salumi created what Bourdain called “meat magic” – particularly their porchetta sandwich that left him speechless with delight. The fatty, herb-stuffed pork roast sliced thin on crusty bread represented Italian-American craftsmanship at its finest.
He admired how this small, family-run operation honored old-world techniques while creating something distinctly American. The cured meats hanging from the ceiling, the line of customers out the door – this was food worth waiting for.
Bourdain appreciated that Salumi’s sandwiches weren’t about innovation but rather perfecting tradition through quality ingredients and patient expertise.
12. Eggs
“The way you make an omelet reveals your character,” Bourdain often said, elevating the humble egg to philosophical status. He judged chefs by their egg cookery, believing that mastering these fragile orbs formed the foundation of culinary expertise.
Whether soft-scrambled with butter in France, fried atop rice in Korea, or poached perfectly for breakfast, eggs represented honest cooking to him. Their versatility and universal presence across cultures fascinated him.
Bourdain particularly loved a simple soft-boiled egg with toast soldiers – comfort food that reminded him that sometimes the greatest pleasures come from the simplest preparations.
13. Ceviche
Fresh seafood “cooked” by citrus juice embodied what Bourdain loved about coastal cuisines – bold flavors that celebrate ingredients at their peak. From Peru to Mexico, he sought authentic ceviche prepared moments before serving.
The acid-transformed proteins, the punch of chili, the freshness of cilantro and onion – these combinations created what he called “vacation in your mouth.” Bourdain particularly enjoyed watching local fishermen prepare ceviche on beaches, using fish caught hours or even minutes earlier.
He appreciated how this dish represented human ingenuity – preserving seafood before refrigeration existed while simultaneously creating something more delicious than the sum of its parts.
14. Halo Halo
“A dessert that looks like a clown threw up” was Bourdain’s affectionate description of halo-halo, the Filipino treat whose name means “mix-mix.” The chaotic combination of shaved ice, evaporated milk, purple yam ice cream, sweet beans, jellies, fruits, and flan delighted his sense of culinary adventure.
He loved how this dessert defied Western notions of flavor compatibility, creating something uniquely delicious through seemingly random combinations. The textural contrasts – from creamy to crunchy to chewy – particularly impressed him.
Bourdain appreciated halo-halo as the perfect representation of Filipino culture’s ability to blend diverse influences into something distinctly its own.
15. Blood Sausage
Bourdain championed blood sausage when many squeamish eaters recoiled, celebrating this ancient preservation method across cultures. From Spanish morcilla to French boudin noir, he appreciated how different traditions seasoned and prepared this iron-rich delicacy.
The earthy, mineral flavor represented his belief in nose-to-tail eating long before it became trendy. He loved introducing hesitant eaters to blood sausage, often converting them with properly prepared versions.
For Bourdain, blood sausage symbolized culinary heritage and respect for animals – transforming what might be wasted into something delicious through skill and tradition handed down through generations.
16. In-N-Out Burger: His Fast Food Gold Standard
“My favorite restaurant in Los Angeles,” Bourdain declared about In-N-Out, praising their Double-Double as fast food perfection. Despite his fine dining background, he admired their limited menu focused on doing few things exceptionally well.
The freshness of ingredients, the balance of meat-cheese-bun proportions, and the secret menu options all earned his respect. He particularly appreciated that In-N-Out treated employees well while keeping prices reasonable.
For Bourdain, their success represented American food at its best – unpretentious, consistent, and focused on quality rather than gimmicks. He often made In-N-Out his first stop when landing in California.
17. Pastrami Sandwich: New York’s Deli Masterpiece
Bourdain regularly returned to Pastrami Queen in NYC for what he called “a religious experience between bread.” The hand-carved, pepper-crusted brisket piled high on rye with nothing but mustard represented his home city’s greatest contribution to sandwich artistry.
He praised the perfect balance of smoke, spice, and fat in properly prepared pastrami. The tradition behind this Jewish deli staple – the brining, smoking, and steaming process that transforms tough brisket into tender magnificence – earned his deep respect.
For Bourdain, a great pastrami sandwich wasn’t just lunch; it was New York history and immigrant ingenuity captured in edible form.
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