What do Europeans eat for afternoon tea? 10 must-try snacks from around Europe you shouldn’t miss while traveling

By Rita

When you’re in Europe, you’ll notice that many people take a short break in the afternoon with a cup of coffee and a small snack in hand. The “afternoon tea” food culture is definitely an experience travelers shouldn’t miss—each sweet treat offers something unique. What are the must-eats, and when is the right time to enjoy them? Check out the“Eating Afternoon Tea Like a European”article.

▲Afternoon tea in Venice (Photo / Wikimedia Commons)

1. Venice Cicchetti
These small snacks are usually found at the counters of traditional Venetian bacari (wine bars), such as arancini (stuffed rice balls) and baccalà mantecato (creamy salt cod spread). They’re displayed in glass cases, served on toothpicks, or sometimes cut into small slices.

▲Afternoon tea in Spain (Photo / Wikimedia Commons)

2. Spanish Tapas
Afternoon tapas are typically paired with drinks. They’re convenient and easy to order at bars. Classic options include Spanish omelets, garlic shrimp, and spicy fried potatoes.

▲English afternoon tea (Photo / Wikimedia Commons)

3. British Tea
This tradition began in the 1830s but has evolved into two main styles today. At home, it’s usually a cup of tea paired with sweets like scones. In cafes or tea shops, you’ll find a wide selection of cakes, sandwiches, scones, and other desserts alongside tea.

▲German afternoon tea (Photo / Wikimedia Commons)

4. German Kaffee und Kuchen
“Kaffee und Kuchen” means “coffee and cake” in German. It’s typically enjoyed between 3–5 p.m. Germany offers a wide variety of cakes, such as Black Forest cake or honey cake.

▲Portuguese afternoon tea (Photo /http://www.ingressocarnaval.com.br/2014/05/melhores-petiscos-rio-rj/)

5. Portuguese Petiscos
Petiscos are small bites traditionally enjoyed with beer or wine. While they were originally eaten in the afternoon, some restaurants now serve them at other times too—they’re similar in spirit to Spanish tapas.

▲Dutch afternoon tea (Photo / Wikimedia Commons)

6. Dutch Bitterballen
Bitterballen are also beer-paired snacks—a type of deep-fried meatball often filled with mustard.

▲Belgian afternoon tea (Photo / Wikimedia Commons)

7. Belgian Gaufres
In Belgium, you’ll feel like you’re surrounded by waffles. The most famous varieties are Brussels waffles and Liège waffles.

▲Swedish afternoon tea (Photo /http://www.kungsornen.se/recept/bullar/kanelbullar/kanelbullar-grundrecept/)

8. Swedish Fika
Fika means afternoon tea, but if many people have it several times a day, travelers can try cinnamon buns (Kanelbullar).

▲Greek afternoon tea (Photo / Wikipedia)

9. Greek Meze
Eating snacks is usually a group activity in Europe, but no country does it quite like Greece, where there are whole separate dishes served like a party—offering a wide variety of flavors, including cold, hot, creamy, spicy, and more.

▲Croatian afternoon tea (Photo /http://www.huchen-angler.com/ribarski_savezi)

10. Croatian Gablec
Snack time is typically between 10:30 AM and noon, helping people recharge—almost like a light lunch. You can try pickled cabbage and beef with potatoes.