Culinary multiculture: new food mainstreams in Luxembourg

Luxembourg - a crossroads of cultures and flavours

Back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Luxembourg was itself a country of emigrants: many locals went across the ocean in search of a better life. But then the situation changed - especially after the economic take-off associated with metallurgy and, later, the growth of the financial sector. The country became an attractive place to work and live, attracting workers from neighbouring countries and beyond;

Already by the middle of the 20th century, Luxembourg began to receive massive labour migration: first Italians (from as early as the early 1900s) and then Portuguese. In the 1960s, thousands of Portuguese arrived in Luxembourg, fleeing the Salazar dictatorship and economic hardship in their homeland. They were followed by a new wave in the 1970s, and over time the Portuguese community grew to become the largest in the country. Later, in the late 20th century, the rapid growth of the banking and European sector in the Grand Duchy brought an influx of professionals from France, Belgium, Germany, as well as significant numbers from the British Isles, Scandinavia and elsewhere. In addition, since the 1990s, Luxembourg, as a cosmopolitan centre, has begun to attract more distant diasporas, from the Balkans to Asia. Today, some 47% of the country's permanent residents do not have Luxembourg citizenship.

This diversity could not but have an impact on the everyday food culture. Luxembourg essentially knows no shortage of international flavours - virtually all the major cuisines of the world are represented here. Of course, French cuisine still reigns in many restaurants (especially haute cuisine), and Luxembourg's traditional dishes - thick soups, roasts, sausages, cheese kachkéis and others - remain part of the gastronomic heritage. But Italian pasta and pizza, Portuguese grills and pastries, Spanish tapas, Greek meze, Turkish kebabs, Chinese noodles, Indian curries - to name but a few - have long been firmly established alongside them. Today, the average Luxembourger is used to the fact that on the next street there may be an American burger bar, a Japanese sushi restaurant or a cosy African café. All this reflects an open, cosmopolitan society where dozens of cultures live side by side and generously share their culinary traditions with each other.

It is noteworthy that many foreign communities have integrated to such an extent that their cuisine has become part of "their" cuisine for the locals. For example, on the streets of Luxembourg you will often hear Portuguese speech - Portuguese is second only to Luxembourgish in the number of speakers. Accordingly, Portuguese places and dishes are not exotic either. Similarly, Italian pizza or a French croissant are no longer a surprise to anyone - they are everyday favourites;

Portuguese influence: from cod to pastel de nata

If any foreign cuisine deserves the title of Luxembourg's second national cuisine, it is certainly Portuguese. The Portuguese are the largest immigrant group - around 14-15% of the population - and their influence is palpable not only in language and music, but also in gastronomy. Since the 1970s, when the first Portuguese restaurants opened, this cuisine has been steadily winning the hearts of the locals. Today, Portuguese cafés, grill bars, pastry shops and even supermarkets with Portuguese products can be found in towns all over Luxembourg. Many traditional Portuguese dishes have also become popular among Luxembourgers and other expats.

What is it that the Portuguese have brought to the local menu? First of all, it is the love of fish and seafood, especially cod (bacalhau). In Portugal itself, there are dozens of ways to prepare dried cod, and some of these recipes are now familiar to food lovers in Luxembourg. For example, you can try bacalhau à brás, a roast of soaked salt cod with potatoes and scrambled eggs, or bolinhos de bacalhau, fried balls of cod and potatoes. Restaurants with Portuguese cuisine often offer a variety of grilled fish dishes, octopus, sardines, clams. For landlocked Luxembourg, this is a valuable contribution that enriches the diet of the locals.

Portuguese meat cuisine is no less significant. Many Portuguese on arrival worked in construction, industry and other energy-intensive industries that required hearty meals. This is how simple and hearty dishes such as frango assado, a marinated grilled chicken on a spit that can now be found in many Portuguese-run grill cafes, took root in Luxembourg soil. Alentejo pork (pork stew with shellfish) and a variety of sausages like linguiça and chouriço, which taste like Spanish chorizo, are popular. These sausages are grilled over charcoal or served flambéed.

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Portuguese pastries and desserts deserve a special mention, as they have made their way into everyday life in Luxembourg. The famous pastel de nata - mini custard tarts - are now sold not only in specialised Portuguese pastry shops, but even in ordinary bakeries and supermarkets. For example, visitors say that the delicious pâtel de nata can be bought in the local supermarket chain Cactus and a number of bakeries in the city. In addition to nata, the Portuguese introduced the people of Luxembourg to bolo de arroz (rice cakes), Jesuíta (layered almond cake), bolacha Maria biscuits and other sweets. Even the traditional Luxembourg plum cake quetschentaart has found a rival in the form of the Portuguese custard cake bolo de bolacha. Now these desserts are peacefully neighbouring in the windows of cafeterias.

As a result of several decades of presence, Portuguese cuisine has become part of Luxembourg's culinary mainstream. Many Luxembourgers without Portuguese roots now regularly dine in Portuguese restaurants, appreciating them for their generous portions and hearty atmosphere. The days when Portuguese places were only frequented by Portuguese nationals are long gone - now you can find locals and expats of all nationalities. Some dishes are even modified by local preferences, creating interesting gastro-symbioses. For example, you can find fusion menus where classic Luxembourg grillage or sausages are served with Portuguese sauces or side dishes. The Portuguese influence is also felt in the bar culture: it is easy to find Portuguese wines (e.g. green wine Vinho Verde) and beers (Super Bock, Sagres), which are favoured by the general public.

Italy on the menu: pizza, pasta and more

Italian cuisine is another pillar of Luxembourg's gastronomic life, which has long ceased to be considered "foreign". Italians have been coming here since the early 20th century, and they were especially numerous between the World Wars and after the Second World War, working in the mines and steelworks. Not surprisingly, the first restaurants opened by foreigners in Luxembourg were Italian. By the 1960s, Italian food had already become extremely popular: pizzerias and trattorias multiplied, offering locals a then-new treat - authentic Neapolitan pizza from a wood-fired oven, pasta al dente with a flavourful sauce and other Mediterranean delights.

Today, pizza and pasta are virtually everyday food for Luxembourgers, both at home and away from home. Across the country, hundreds of pizzerias - from chain restaurants to small family-run ones - feed guests with their favourite Italian dishes. Many are kept alive by descendants or new waves of Italian migrants, preserving recipes from regional cuisine. You can try thin Roman pizza or plump Sicilian pizza, penne alla carbonara or spaghetti alla vongole - the choice is huge and the quality is usually top notch thanks to competition and a demanding clientele. Luxembourgers have come to appreciate the Italian approach to food: fresh ingredients, olive oil, herbs, parmesan cheese have all become familiar and favourite. Even in home meals, many families prepare pasta the Italian way, using mozzarella, basil, balsamic vinegar.

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It is worth noting that Italian cookery in Luxembourg is not limited to the standard pizza-pasta set. Here you can find restaurants offering more specific regional specialities: for example, Tuscan steaks bistecca alla Fiorentina, Sicilian caponata, Venetian seafood risotto, Sardinian gnocchi malloreddus and much more. Italians have also brought coffee culture: coffee houses, where you will brew a strong espresso or cappuccino according to Italian standards, appeared in the 20th century. With them came the tradition of morning coffee with a croissant or cornetto, which complemented the local habit of baking their own scones. Italian gelato (ice cream) is another gift for gourmets: the capital has gelaterias offering natural ice cream in dozens of flavours, which many consider the best summer dessert.

Italian communities have also already entered the multicultural landscape. Italian language is heard on the streets, Italian festivals (e.g. gastronomic festivals like Settimana della cucina italiana) are celebrated in cultural centres. But most importantly, Italian cuisine is no longer perceived as the "foreign" cuisine of immigrants: it has become so common and beloved that it is often spoken of as one of the mainstays of local catering. According to statistics, pizza is one of the most popular home delivery dishes in Luxembourg, along with burgers and sushi. And many middle-aged Luxembourgers still remember the days when going to an Italian restaurant on weekends with the whole family was a special tradition - perhaps the first mass habit of eating out, instilled by Italian gastronomy.

French, German and Belgian influences

Luxembourg's closest neighbours - France and Belgium, as well as Germany - should not be forgotten. Strictly speaking, their cuisines are not perceived as "immigrant" in the classical sense, because they are culturally and historically closely intertwined with Luxembourg's. Nevertheless, the contribution of neighbouring countries to the local food mainstream is very great and worth mentioning.

French cuisine has traditionally set a high standard in Luxembourgian gastronomy. Since the 19th century, the nobility and bourgeoisie of Luxembourg have been close to French culinary tastes, and in the 20th century French dishes finally took root on local tables. Luxembourg is full of restaurants serving classic French cuisine: onion soup, foie gras, Burgundy snails, duck confit and countless variations of steak and gravy. Even the typical bistro lunch formula of menu du jour (set lunch) is often French-inspired. Many chefs, including Luxembourgers, have studied in France or with French mentors, which is reflected in the level of local establishments - Luxembourg is consistently one of the leaders in Europe in terms of Michelin stars per capita. The French influence is also evident in the consumption of cheese and pastries: baguettes, croissants, quiche, tarts - all are baked everywhere and eaten with no less pleasure than in Paris or Lyon. The patisserie concept has also taken hold: the exquisite pastries, eclairs and mousse cakes in the windows of Luxembourg's patisseries are a sight to rival those on the Champs Elysees.

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Belgian cuisine has also made its mark, especially since historically part of the present-day Luxembourg territory belonged to the Netherlands and contact with the Belgians was close. First of all, of course, it is chocolate and pralines - Belgian chocolate boutique shops are present in the capital, and Belgian chocolate is a firm favourite with sweet tooths. Then there's beer: Belgian beer, with its monastic traditions, abbey ales, cherry lambics, etc., is very much appreciated in Luxembourg, despite having its own breweries. In bars you can find Belgian varieties such as Leffe, Chimay, Kriek, etc. alongside the local Bofferding or Diekirch. In the field of food, the Belgians have given love to mussels with fries (moules-frites), Walloon-style swallow (stewed meat in beer) and, of course, to the fries themselves with a variety of sauces. Interestingly, in Luxembourg, Chips are called fritten and are eaten very often - a common favourite with Belgium. At city festivals and amusement parks, hot fries cones are sold everywhere, as is common in Brussels.

The German influence is felt closer to traditional cuisine: many of Luxembourg's rustic dishes come from a common culinary heritage with Germany. These include cured meats (eisleker ham is similar to Black Forest ham), sauerkraut with sausages, and much more. Bavarian wheat beer, pretzels, schnitzels - all of these are also normal to find in Luxembourg, especially at festivals and fairs. Especially since a large part of the population is from Germany or German-speaking Luxembourgers, and the cultural commonality with Germany is strong.

Luxembourg has long learnt to combine, say, German heartiness and French sophistication. On the same restaurant menu, sauerkraut with sausages and French pâté, Luxembourg bean soup Bouneschlupp and crêpe soufflé often coexist. Such eclecticism is a reflection of the country's multilingualism and multiculturalism. Therefore, although French, Belgians and Germans can formally be called immigrants (they are among the top 5 foreign communities), their gastronomic traditions are so intertwined with the local ones that they seem to be one and the same.

New communities from Asia to Africa

In addition to the large European diasporas already mentioned, Luxembourg has numerous smaller but colourful communities, which have also added their own notes to the country's flavour palette. Over the last 20-30 years, many people from the Balkans, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, South Asia and Africa have arrived in the country. Although numerically these groups are not so large, in total they form a significant share (the category of "other" foreigners in the statistics is about 14% of the population).

Spain and Latin America

The Spanish community has historically been prominent (3rd-4th place among foreigners in the 20th century), although Spaniards are now about 1.3% of the population. Nevertheless, in Luxembourg you can find tapas bars serving olives, jamon, potato tortilla and other snacks with Spanish wine or sangria. There are several paella and seafood restaurants, which are favoured not only by Spanish expats but also by locals. There are also occasional flamenco nights with Spanish dinner, which increases cultural exchange. And thanks to the influx of Latin Americans (albeit small), Mexican food establishments have sprung up, such as food trucks with tacos and burritos (one famous one is Las Maracas, offering "authentic Mexican flavour" from a mobile kitchen) and Peruvian, Brazilian restaurants. They are not so numerous yet, but they clearly add spice: it is quite realistic to try, say, Chilean empanadas or Mexican guacamole in the centre of Europe.

Eastern Europe and the Balkans

After EU enlargement and migration from former socialist countries, Romanian, Polish, Hungarian and Balkan communities have formed in Luxembourg. They opened a number of specialised shops and cafes. There are Russian-Eastern European food shops selling pickles, buckwheat, kefir, "Alenka" chocolate, etc. - Not only natives of those countries go there, but also curious locals. Polish cuisine is represented by the food truck Eastruck, which can be found at festivals: its menu includes homemade pies with various fillings, bigos (stewed cabbage with meat), etc. The Polish cuisine is represented by the food truck Eastruck. Georgians and Armenians bring their own kebabs, lavash and khachapuri - even if there is no permanent Georgian restaurant, such dishes appear as part of the menu at general festivals. For example, at a recent food festival in Luxembourg, a Georgian-Greek tent offered khachapuri and souvlaki, attracting a massive crowd. Balkan (Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian) cuisine is also present - you can find cafes serving cevapcici (Balkan sausages), pleskavica (grilled meatballs) and Balkan beer. Although these cuisines do not dominate, they enrich the gastronomic landscape with even more options to choose from.

China and South-East Asia

Chinese cuisine is probably one of the first non-European cuisines to appear in Luxembourg. As early as the 1980s, Chinese restaurants opened here, often with "Europeanised" menus (classic Cantonese dishes adapted to local tastes). Now Chinese restaurants and take-aways are plentiful around the country, loved for their generous portions and exotic flavours. Many offer a buffet of Asian dishes where you can try noodles, rice, chicken in sweet and sour sauce, spring rolls, etc. Interestingly, with the growing Chinese diaspora (especially students and businessmen), more authentic places have started to appear: Sichuan restaurants with spicy hotpots, bubble tea cafes, street food like baozi (steamed buns) and dim sum.

India and Pakistan

Indian and Pakistani cuisines have also made a strong statement. There are several well-known Indian restaurants serving curries, tandoori, samosas, naan - everything associated with an Indian feast. The Indian community is not too large in number (about 0.7% of the population), so the restaurants are not only aimed at them, but also at the general public. As a result, Indian curries have become fashionable: Luxembourgers appreciate soft, creamy sauces like tikka masala, as well as spicy dishes for those who like it hotter. Vegetarian Indian dishes are worth a special mention - with the trend towards healthy eating, interest in lentil dal soup, vegetable sabji and paneer cheese dishes has also increased among the indigenous population. Pakistani cuisine is similar to Indian cuisine and is also present - sometimes in the form of the same restaurants (South Asian cuisine under one roof). In general, a curry restaurant has already become a common element of the urban environment, along with a pizzeria or a sushi bar.

Japan and pan-Asian trends

Following the rest of the world, Luxembourg got into sushi in the early 2000s. Sushi restaurants, roll delivery services and later ramen restaurants sprang up. Although the Japanese diaspora is small, Japanese food permeated through fashion - people travelled and learned new flavours. Today in the capital you can find restaurants with sushi conveyor belt, several ramen bars, establishments offering udon, tempura, teriyaki. There is even high Japanese cuisine: the restaurant Ryōdō received a Michelin star for its exquisite sushi menus, which shows that authentic Japanese gastronomy is in demand at the highest level. In addition to Japanese restaurants, Thai restaurants (spicy tom yum and pad thai soups are familiar names for Luxembourgers) and Vietnamese eateries (especially pho soup and neem rolls) are also popular. Curiously, pan-Asian cuisine has also found its niche: there are restaurants that combine elements of Chinese, Thai and Japanese cuisine in one menu - they attract the public with their diversity. A recent trend is Korean cuisine: there are several places where you can try Korean barbecue or kimchi.

Middle East

In recent years, there has been a noticeable presence of Middle Eastern food, due both to immigrants from the Arab East and simply to the general popularity of these dishes. Lebanese cuisine is the most common in this category: there are several Lebanese restaurants in the capital famous for meze (a set of snacks: hummus, tabbouleh, babaganoush, falafel, etc.) and flavoursome kebabs. Syrian and Iranian cuisine is also available - for example, cultural festivals may have tents offering Syrian pilaf, Iranian kebab with saffron rice, etc.

Turkey

Turkish food deserves a special mention: although the Turkish community is relatively small, doner kebab has become a pan-European phenomenon, and Luxembourg is no exception. Kebab shops are common throughout the country. It is a kind of immigrant fast food, which has caught on perfectly among young people and office workers. You could say that kebabs are now as common as a hamburger or a pizza: they are eaten during lunch or after a night out in a bar. There are also Turkish pastry shops with baklava and rahat loukoum, as well as coffee shops where you can have a cup of strong Turkish tea or oriental coffee.

Africa

African cuisines are more modestly represented in Luxembourg, but still prominent. Historically, close ties have been with Cape Verde (Cape Verde Islands): many Caboverdians immigrated with the Portuguese in the 1970s and the community is still active. Caboverdian cuisine is similar to Portuguese cuisine with African elements (corn porridge, tuna dishes, goat de coco desserts), which can be savoured during the community's national holidays. From Sub-Saharan Africa, Luxembourg is home to people from Mali, Senegal, Cameroon, Nigeria and others, mostly in small groups. African restaurants are rare, but Afro-fusion establishments have started to appear. For example, the city's first African fusion restaurant Odum Fusion opened in 2023, offering authentic West African dishes (for example, Senegalese Poulet Yassa - chicken in marinade with onions) in a modern presentation. This demonstrates the public's growing interest in African flavours. African associations also often present national food at festivals of the culture of migration: Ethiopian stew with injera, Moroccan couscous, Tanzanian pilaf and much more.

Festivals of national cuisines: the whole world at one table

One of the best ways to experience Luxembourg's culinary diversity is to visit the local festivals and fairs, where the cuisines of dozens of countries are represented. These events have become an annual tradition and attract thousands of visitors, offering everything from Asian noodles and sushi to African grills and Latin American sweets. The food at these festivals is not just a treat, but a symbol of unity in diversity, with representatives of different nationalities cooking side by side and treating guests to dishes from their native cultures.

The most famous and large-scale event of this kind is Bazar International. It is a charity fair that has been organised for more than half a century (since the early 1960s) under the patronage of the Grand Duchess. The Bazar features stands from dozens of countries around the world - in 2024, for example, 62 stands from 55 countries participated! Each stand is decorated by volunteers from the respective diaspora and offers guests culinary delicacies, beverages, and crafts. In fact, the pavilion of the fair turns into a miniature global town for a few days, where you can walk from France to Mexico, from Japan to Finland, from India to Ukraine, tasting pancakes, tacos, sushi and borscht. The number of visitors is impressive: over 43,000 people attended the three days of Bazaar 2024 - an incredible figure considering the country's population. This festival has long been a favourite event for both the foreign communities themselves (they are proud to present their culture) and the entire city. The Royal Family of Luxembourg traditionally attends the opening ceremony, emphasising the importance of multiculturalism and charity.

Another major event is the Festival des migrations, des cultures et de la citoyenneté (Festival des migrations, des cultures et de la citoyenneté) organised by CLAE. It focuses more on cultural exchange and integration, but food plays a major role. The festival attracts hundreds of stands from various immigrant associations every year - in 2025, around 400 stands were announced. Historically, since the festival's inception in 1981, the Italian, Portuguese, Caboverdian and Spanish communities have dominated, as they were the backbone of immigration in the pre-war and post-war period. But over time, the list of participants has expanded considerably: now Chinese, Pakistani, Indian, and African communities also participate. They prepare their best dishes for the guests - often several stands from one country, where different teams offer various culinary specialities. In fact, the whole world is gathered under the roof of the LuxExpo exhibition centre for a couple of days. The spirit of the festival is complemented by concerts, dances, art exhibitions - but it is the food that brings people together most of all, allowing them to literally taste a foreign culture. According to the organisers, the festival has become "a miniature model of multicultural Luxembourg", where all groups represent themselves equally through their traditions. A curious fact: some countries at this festival are represented by several stands at once, because there are so many different culinary features that one point is simply not enough. For example, certain regions of India or China may have their own pavilions. The Migration Festival is a social event rather than a commercial one, but it nevertheless makes a huge contribution to the popularisation of national cuisines. Many people first learn about certain dishes there, and then start looking for them on sale or cooking them at home.

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In addition to these major events, Luxembourg also hosts other festivals where food is the centre of attention. For example, the annual summer Street Food Festival called "Eat it!", organised by the Rotondes Cultural Centre. This event is dedicated to street food and food trucks: about 15 of the country's best food trucks gather at the venue, offering a gastronomic tour around the world - from Asian dishes to South American recipes, from juicy burgers to crispy Italian pizza, from Lebanese meze to author's desserts. The format of the festival is very popular among young people and families: free atmosphere, music, opportunity to taste small portions of different cuisines. Street food as a phenomenon became the new mainstream in the 2010-2020s - and Luxembourg has actively picked up on this wave. Now, in addition to the Eat it! festival, food trucks also travel to other city events (e.g. Music Day, city festivals), and some communes even organise their own street food days;

Another highlight is the gastronomic villages at Christmas fairs. In the run-up to Christmas, Luxembourg traditionally organises festive markets with huts and stalls. In the past they sold mainly local treats: mulled wine, Gromperekichelcher (potato fritters), sausages. Now the Christmas market has also become multinational: in addition to the usual wine house, you can see a Spanish stall with churros, an Italian one with pizza, an Asian one with dim sum, a Hungarian one with langos, an American one with doughnuts. Sometimes they even set up a "village" of different cuisines: in 2022, for example, they arranged themed chalets representing different European countries, where their national dishes and souvenirs were sold. This not only enhances the festival, but also emphasises the multiculturalism of society.

The experience of Luxembourg shows that culinary multiculturalism is not an abstract concept, but a tangible reality that can be tasted and smelt. Immigrants of different waves brought their tastes, products, culinary customs to this small country, and over time they ceased to be something external, alien. Through food, people of different nationalities found a common language: inviting neighbours to try their speciality, holding gastronomic festivals, opening the doors of restaurants where everyone is welcome regardless of nationality. This is how Luxembourg's new "food mainstreams" - food trends shared by the general public - are formed, be it the popularity of pastel de nata with morning coffee or the fashion for food courts with ethnic food.