12 Foods You'll Regret Not Trying

Some foods are so good, they make you stop and say, "Wow." These are the dishes that people should taste at least once in their lifetime. From the smoky flavors of brisket to the melt-in-your-mouth sensation of Wagyu Steak, this list of 12 must-try foods is a bucket list for your taste buds. Ready to eat your way through this list? AUTHOR: Sam Mire

Table of Contents

1. Down-South Brisket
2. Ham Croquetas
3. Mom's Cooking
5. Morel Mushrooms
5. Authentic Indian Cuisine
6. Ripe Mango
7. Katz's Deli's Pastrami Sandwich
8. Wagyu Steak
9. Biscuits and Sausage Gravy
10. Pierogi
11. French Quiche
12. Gumbo
10 Childhood Foods We Need Back in Our Lives
10 Dishes That Make America The Culinary Capital Of The World
Which Fast Food Chain Serve the Best French Fries?
10 Grocery Items We Keep Buying But Don't Really Need
10 Best Tasting Fish In The World

1. Down-South Brisket

barbecue beef brisket, texas style — Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Specifically, meat-smoking aficionados advocate for the Texas style of brisket. This breast meat from beef or veal should generally be cooked slow and low for best results. Everything is bigger in Texas, including the brisket, and that's a very good thing.

2. Ham Croquetas

plate full of home-made croquettes of ham, typical Spanish dish — Image Credit: Shutterstock.

One enthusiast of Latin cuisine says that a Cuban-style ham croqueta is a fried delicacy you must try before ascending into Heaven. Throw arepas on the menu, too—we don't discriminate when it comes to mouth-watering Latin dishes.

One bite of the right croqueta will have you questioning, "Am I in Heaven already?"

3. Mom's Cooking

Mom's Cooking is about more than just flavors; it's a heartfelt experience. The unique taste of home-cooked meals, prepared with love and family traditions, creates a connection that goes beyond the plate. It's a comforting reminder of home that delights the taste buds and warms the soul, making it an unforgettable culinary journey.

5. Morel Mushrooms

Wicker basket full of fresh picked spring mushrooms in the forest. Verpa bohemica (early morel) and Sarcoscypha coccinea (scarlet cup). — Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Morel mushrooms were a popular response among foodies nominating foods you must try before dying. But how could a mushroom possibly make a list dominated by various meat- and cheese-centric dishes?

Morel mushrooms aren't like other mushrooms. Morels aren't slimy, taking on a meat-like texture. They taste nutty, and you can only find morel mushrooms in the wild. Because they aren't farmed, morels are rare. This rarity gives these beloved mushrooms royal status in chef's circles.

5. Authentic Indian Cuisine

If you ever try the Indian flatbread known as naan, you won't soon forget its impossibly airy texture and unrivaled ability to sop up the sauce from the other delicious Indian dishes that come along with the naan.

Shrimp vindaloo, chicken tikka masala, butter chicken, Rogan josh. Once you've tried these Indian delights, bland food will be a naan-starter.

6. Ripe Mango

Ripe Mangoes — Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Anyone who thinks all mango tastes the same hasn't eaten nearly enough mango in their life. The difference between a hard, unripe, bright yellow mango and a ripened, orange, just-harder-than-mushy mango is the difference between Golden Corral and Nobu. Man, go get one of these (ripe) delicious fruits as soon as possible.

7. Katz's Deli's Pastrami Sandwich

The history of Katz's Delicatessen dates back more than a century, and the restaurant movies more than 15,000 pounds of pastrami per week, most of it departing on rye bread into the stomachs of salivating patrons.

You don't move 15,000 pounds of pastrami a week if it's not bucket-list-level pastrami.

8. Wagyu Steak

Hand cooking Wagyu beef, famous meat of Japanese — Image Credit: Shutterstock.

The Lord did something special when he placed the Japanese beef cattle breed known as Wagyu on his green earth. Technically, the cattle started in China but arrived in Japan to help in rice cultivation. Japan's century-plus of isolation allowed the Wagyu stock to remain pure, and today Wagyu is a cut above the rest.

Did you know "Wa" means Japanese and "gyu" means cow, together translating as "Japanese cow"? In the United States, "Wagyu" also translates to "put that fatty, tender slice of heaven on my plate, stat."

9. Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

Traditional American biscuits and gravy for breakfast on wooden table — Image Credit: Shutterstock.

For all the grease-drenched, artery-clogging cuisine you'll find in the Southern United States, biscuits and gravy may just be the best. Check out one of the many YouTube videos of foreigners trying biscuits and sausage gravy for the first time, and you'll realize why everymen say it's a try-before-you-die type of dish.

10. Pierogi

Pierogis are dumplings filled with cheese (and sometimes other accouterments). It's so simple yet so effective. Few things are more satisfying on a cold day than a warm pierogi.

11. French Quiche

One world traveler notes that if you're fortunate enough to try world-renowned Parisian cuisine, it's not the croissants or the crème brulee you must be sure to try. Rather, they say that few foods hold a candle to a fresh French quiche. Who are oui oui to say otherwise?

12. Gumbo

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo soup in black bowl on dark slate backdrop. Gumbo is louisiana cajun cuisine soup with roux. American USA Food. Traditional ethnic meal — Image Credit: Shutterstock.

You could fill this entire list with dishes you'd find in the finest New Orleanian restaurants (crawfish etouffee, charbroiled oysters, muffuletta, shrimp, and grits). No dish, however, encapsulates New Orleans cuisine quite like gumbo. Hold the tomatoes.

This thread inspired this post.