Customs of food and drink

The customs around eating and drinking: feasts, fasts, hosting and ceremony. Not recipes.

EveryParampara follows the customs around food, not the dishes: the blessing before a meal, the order in which guests are served, the feast that marks a day, the fast and how it is broken, the ceremony of pouring tea. A named food appears here only where it has a role in the custom, such as the sweet offered at a shrine or the bread broken at a Sabbath table. For dishes, recipes and cuisines, see Thali, our food guide.

Meals as rituals

Many meals are ritual in themselves: the Passover seder follows a script, the iftar ends a day of fasting with a prayer, a wedding feast has toasts in a set order. EveryParampara lists these by country and by meal, with the dates where the day moves each year.

Manners at the table

Table customs vary widely: eating with the right hand, sharing a single dish, waiting for the eldest to begin, leaving a little on the plate or clearing it entirely. A guest learns the rules by watching, and a host will forgive mistakes. Behind the rules is a simple idea: the meal is a way of showing respect.

About this page

Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background on Customs of food and drink (kind of tradition). Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.

🇫🇷 France and 4 morePicnic A meal taken outdoors in a park or scenic spot, often shared with friends and family.Festival · Lunch

🇲🇾 Malaysia and 4 moreKopitiam A neighbourhood coffee shop where Southeast Asians share meals, drinks and newsTable custom · Breakfast

🇹🇼 Taipei, TaiwanNight markets in Taiwan夜市 Street markets that open at sunset across Taiwan, selling snacks, drinks and goodsTable custom · Tea-time and snacking customs

🇮🇹 Venice, ItalyCicchettiCicheti A Venetian custom of small counter snacks enjoyed with a glass of local white wineTable custom · Tea-time and snacking customs

🇯🇵 Kyoto, Japan and 4 moreHanami花見 A Japanese spring custom of gathering under blooming cherry trees to eat, drink, and celebrate the fleeting beauty of thFestival · Lunch

🇷🇺 Russia and 2 moreMaslenitsaМасленица A seven-day Eastern Slavic festival of pancakes and bonfires marking the end of winter before Lent.Festival · Breakfast

🇩🇪 Nuremberg, Germany and 5 moreChristmas marketWeihnachtsmarkt A seasonal street market held during Advent in German-speaking regions and beyond, featuring stalls, food, and crafts.Festival · Tea, coffee and drinking ceremonies

🇪🇸 Spain and 1 moreTapasTapa Small Spanish snacks or appetizers served hot or cold, often shared among friends.Table custom · Tea-time and snacking customs

🇨🇳 Shanghai, China and 1 moreJiaozi餃子 Crescent Chinese dumplings filled with meat or vegetables, eaten for fortune and feastsTable custom · Breakfast

🇮🇪 Ireland and 2 moreMichaelmas A Christian festival honouring the archangels, marked by autumn harvest foods and legal terms in the British Isles.Festival · Dinner

🇨🇳 China and 5 moreTea culture How tea is prepared, shared and served, from Chinese tea houses to Tibetan butter teaTable custom · Tea, coffee and drinking ceremonies

🇯🇵 Osaka, JapanTsukimi月見 (Tsukimi) / お月見 (Otsukimi) A Japanese autumn festival honoring the harvest moon with seasonal foods and pampas grass decorations.Festival · Dinner

🇦🇿 AzerbaijanNovruzNovruz Bayramı The Azerbaijani spring equinox festival of bonfires, sweets and sprouted wheatSeasonal · Feasts and festival meals

🇺🇸 New York, United States and 1 moreFeast of San GennaroFesta di San Gennaro A patronal festival of parades, street food and prayer honouring Saint JanuariusFestival · Tea-time and snacking customs

🇮🇩 Indonesia and 4 moreLebaranHari Raya Lebaran Indonesia's festive season of homecoming, seeking forgiveness and shared feastsFestival · Breakfast

🇻🇳 Hanoi, Vietnam and 5 morePhophở A Vietnamese noodle soup of broth and rice noodles, served hot with beef or chicken.Table custom · Breakfast

🇮🇱 IsraelKiddushקידוש A blessing over wine or grape juice that marks Shabbat and festivals as holySpiritual · Tea, coffee and drinking ceremonies

🇪🇸 Madrid, Spain and 5 moreTwelve GrapesLas doce uvas de la suerte A grape for every chime at midnight on 31 December, welcoming the new yearFestival · Tea-time and snacking customs

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 4 moreSaffron bun A golden, spiced yeast roll flavoured with saffron, baked for festive and holy daysTable custom · Tea-time and snacking customs

🇹🇷 Istanbul, Turkey and 5 moreSimit A sesame-encrusted ring bread sold by street vendors across Turkey and the former Ottoman lands.Table custom · Breakfast

🇲🇽 Tijuana, Mexico and 1 moreBirria A rich, seasoned meat stew from western Mexico, cooked for gatherings and holidaysTable custom · Feasts and festival meals

🇷🇴 Romania and 2 morePlăcintă A traditional thin, filled pastry baked across Romania, Moldova, and parts of Ukraine.Table custom · Sweets given and shared

🇪🇸 Seville, SpainSeville FairFeria de Abril de Sevilla A week-long spring festival in Seville of carriage parades, marquee tents and dancingFestival · Dinner

🇻🇳 Saigon, Vietnam and 5 moreBánh mì A Vietnamese baguette sandwich filled with meats, pickles, herbs, and condiments.Table custom · Breakfast

🇱🇧 Beirut, Lebanon and 7 moreEid il-Burbaraعيد البربارة A winter feast of costumes, sweet boiled wheat, and sprouting seeds across the LevantFestival · Feasts and festival meals

🇦🇫 Mazar-i-Sharif, AfghanistanNowruzنوروز The Afghan spring new year, celebrated with picnics, wheat pudding and dried fruit.Seasonal · Feasts and festival meals

🇸🇪 Sweden and 2 moreGlögg A spiced, warm winter wine served across Nordic countries around ChristmasTable custom · Tea, coffee and drinking ceremonies

🇪🇸 Jijona, Spain and 5 moreTurrón A festive Mediterranean nut-and-honey confection shared at Christmas and local feastsTable custom · Sweets given and shared

🇲🇹 Valletta, MaltaMaltese Carnivalil-Karnival ta' Malta A lively week of costumed parades, dancing, satirical floats and sweets across Malta.Festival · Sweets given and shared

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreElevenses A short mid-morning pause for a drink and a small bite, kept in many countriesTable custom · Tea-time and snacking customs

🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreSuper Bowl Sunday The day the NFL championship is played, kept with gatherings and buffet foodFestival · Feasts and festival meals

🇬🇷 Greece and 1 moreKoulourakiaΚουλουράκια Sweet butter pastries baked for Greek Easter and shaped into rings and braidsTable custom · Sweets given and shared

🇨🇳 Guangzhou, China and 1 moreDim sum點心 (traditional Chinese), 点心 (simplified Chinese) Small dishes shared with tea, eaten as brunch in Cantonese teahouses and restaurantsTable custom · Breakfast

🇷🇺 Russia and 1 moreZakuskiзакуски A laid-out table of cold small dishes that opens a Russian festive mealTable custom · Tea-time and snacking customs

🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreTailgate party Grilling, sharing and drinking beside a car before the game, mostly in North AmericaTable custom · Feasts and festival meals

🇹🇷 Istanbul, TurkeyTurkish tea culture Two stacked pots, tulip glasses, and a choice of strong or weak tea in TurkeyTable custom · Tea, coffee and drinking ceremonies

🇦🇹 Vienna, AustriaViennese coffee house cultureWiener Kaffeehauskultur A Viennese social ritual where patrons linger for hours with a single coffee and newspapers.Etiquette · Tea-time and snacking customs

🇬🇧 London, United Kingdom and 4 moreAfternoon tea A late-afternoon spread of tea, small sandwiches and cakes, kept across BritainTable custom · Tea-time and snacking customs

🇮🇪 Dublin, IrelandBarmbrackbairín breac A sweet Irish fruit loaf with charms baked in, eaten at Halloween and on New Year's EveTable custom · Tea-time and snacking customs

🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreCoffee culture The habits and etiquette of drinking coffee, and the cafés built around itTable custom · Tea, coffee and drinking ceremonies 🇹🇷 TurkeyKandilقنديل Five holy nights marked by illuminated minarets and prayers in Turkey and the BalkansSpiritual · Tea-time and snacking customs

🇹🇳 Tunisia and 1 moreBsisaبسيسة A North African grain and oil ritual to unlock blessings for the yearTable custom · Tea, coffee and drinking ceremonies 🇧🇧 Oistins, BarbadosOistins Fish Festival An annual Easter celebration in Oistins, Barbados, honoring the local fishing community with food and folk games.Festival · Dinner

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

Tea culture: Georges Seguin ( Okki ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Picnic: Thomas Cole, Public domain, source
Hanami: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Michaelmas: Julian P Guffogg, CC BY 2.0, source
Maslenitsa: Лобачев Владимир, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Jiaozi: Bioniclepluslotr, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Novruz: Abutalub, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Lebaran: Nurudin Jauhari, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Feast of San Gennaro: MusikAnimal, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Saffron bun: Nenniu, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Simit: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Night markets in Taiwan: Henry M. Trotter, Public domain, source
Birria: Equipo 9mkt, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Tsukimi: katorisi, CC BY 3.0, source
Plăcintă: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Seville Fair: Sevilla Congress & Convention Bureau, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Bánh mì: Andrea Nguyen, CC BY 2.0, source
Eid il-Burbara: Durziil89, CC0, source
Nowruz: Peretz Partensky, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Glögg: Mr.choppers, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Turrón: Tamorlan, CC BY 3.0, source
Maltese Carnival: Ronny Siegel, CC BY 3.0, source
Cicchetti: Benreis, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Elevenses: Sam Hood, Public domain, source
Tapas: Elemaki, CC BY 3.0, source
Super Bowl Sunday: Tech. Sgt. Steve Horton, U.S. Air Force, Public domain, source
Kopitiam: Chongkian, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Christmas market: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Koulourakia: foodistablog, CC BY 2.0, source
Pho: Phương Huy, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Kiddush: Dimitri, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Twelve Grapes: Ralf Roletschek, GFDL 1.2, source
Afternoon tea: joyosity, CC BY 2.0, source
Dim sum: Kolumbusjogger, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Zakuski: Timothy Post, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Tailgate party: Ben Vardi, Public domain, source
Turkish tea culture: henribergius, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Viennese coffee house culture: Photo: Andreas Praefcke, CC BY 3.0, source
Barmbrack: Solo Beckett, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Coffee culture: The original uploader was Hajor at English Wikipedia ., CC BY 3.0 br, source
Bsisa: Kamelgazzah, CC BY-SA 4.0, source