Breakfast buffets in Hilton brands are--while still dire--much better in the UK than in the US. I wrote to Hilton to point this out, and recall a reply in which they said they follow local standards. In other words, Americans are happy to eat simulated food in abundance, knowing no better (a theme of 1920s writer Louis Bronstein, Ohio farmboy turned expat in France, who also became an organic foods pioneer). Or perhaps the national tendency to be "positive" makes people reluctant to push for better. I bring homemade granola on my travels, and add it to the hotel's yogurt.
Kerrygold did such great service in showing America how butter should taste, and I wondered if the University of Wisconsin agriculture people were encouraging Wisconsin farmers to grow grass for their dairy cows, and produce better butter. The first reply I got referred me to the Butter Professor (or whatever), who never replied. Now, with tariffs, the price of Kerrygold is through the roof, and I can only hope the Butter People at UW are paying attention.
I LOVE a buffet! There is a place in Narbonne, southern France called "Les Grands Buffets" and it is the most insane thing you've ever seen. A huge, incredible quality French buffet where you can get everything from all you can eat oysters to cheese, lobster, steak and truffles. I think it's been discovered by social media people now so I don't know what it's like anymore, but I still really want to go back, for the cheese alone
oh man oh man! Take me, please! I hear ya on the cheese thing. I like buffets because there are often things I would never try on my own. And i don't like it, the meal is not ruined!
Yes! Amazing. One of the great perks of working in a rapidly growing hotel chain was that I was sent to help onboard new hotels in over 50 countries! Turkish and Middle Eastern breakfasts were among the best. Scandinavian and many European breakfasts were also often great.
Of course, the problem with being an international brand was that we often turned exceptional local cuisine into international bland.
Breakfast buffets in Portugal (included in room) are amazing and fresh. The most amazing breakfast I ever experienced (seemed like a buffet) was in Turkey; also included with the room. It must have taken the staff an hour just to set the table with so many tiny dishes and condiments. I loved it and it couldn’t compare to US breakfast buffets with the bad pastries and dry jimmy John’s sausages. I agree about a good Indian buffet. Those simmering dishes are a winner. The rest can be skipped entirely.
haha. Straightforward is good! Somethings really have been improved upon, like a good vinaigrette. There are many things I don't need in my salad dressing!
I love a good buffet, and it doesn't even need to be all you can eat. At my office, we often go for lunch to a market that has both a hot bar and cold bar, where you select a bite of this and a bite of that to put together your meal. They have Asian food on Monday, Arab food on Tuesday, Mexican on Wednesday, a mix on Thursday, and I've never been there on a Friday.
I find myself going there rather than getting a sandwich anywhere else because I deeply enjoy tasting menus. And the fact that you pay by weight keeps me honest about quantities and gluttony, although sometimes I can't help myself...
I have mixed feelings about paying by the weight. Then, naturally, I'm trying to play the angles, and I'm not sure that's in anyone's best interest. LOL
Yes, yes, and yes! Stockholm holds our absolute favorite healthy veggie buffets. We live for them! It's hard to convince others how beautiful and healthy our favorites are there. So glad you shared. 🙏🏼
So it seems, although I had an eccentric friend that would eat there almost exclusively, he got to know the cook and could get them to prepare the meat very rare for him, actually just kina heat it up. At which point he would consume unbelievable quantities. He was into body building and he did get larger after a few years of this. He developed severe digestive problems and had to basically be dewormed, turns out some of the meat was pork, which as we all know needs to be cooked. Some Finish people are nuts really. Very interesting but just not quite right maybe.
One of my guilty pleasures of Asian travel is the breakfast buffet at large, higher end hotels. The international selection is unbelievable and of great quality. You can try dim sum, then a made to order omlette, all the way to Scandinavian fruit muesli and Lox.
100% agree on buffets outside the US. The only two exceptions for us in the US is/was the Wynn buffet in Las Vegas (great food, but very expensive) and the now defunct Souplantation. Anywhere else I feel like you’re gambling with your life!
I especially appreciate a buffet if I can't decide what I'm hungry for. I like to be able to design my own plate. Just wash your hands after touching all those serving utensils...
I’m with you. It obviously depends on the quality of the buffet, but when it’s good, I love it for the variety. My favorite was in Japan where they had some type of pickle buffet where you could taste 101 different kind of vegetable dishes (not all pickles). Amazing.
I was going to chime in about Scandinavian hotel chains’ good breakfast buffets but then I saw what you had to say about Cambodia…. Yes to noodle-stations!!!!
The only buffet I will eat in the States is Indian buffet. There are some (or were when I grew up there) really good ones in Philadelphia. So good and so cheap. I'm going to have to revisit them when I'm back in the area later this year. Definitely open to buffets in Asian countries though! Someday!
Breakfast buffets in Hilton brands are--while still dire--much better in the UK than in the US. I wrote to Hilton to point this out, and recall a reply in which they said they follow local standards. In other words, Americans are happy to eat simulated food in abundance, knowing no better (a theme of 1920s writer Louis Bronstein, Ohio farmboy turned expat in France, who also became an organic foods pioneer). Or perhaps the national tendency to be "positive" makes people reluctant to push for better. I bring homemade granola on my travels, and add it to the hotel's yogurt.
How sad and true! And now Americans know no better. 🫤🫤🫤
Kerrygold did such great service in showing America how butter should taste, and I wondered if the University of Wisconsin agriculture people were encouraging Wisconsin farmers to grow grass for their dairy cows, and produce better butter. The first reply I got referred me to the Butter Professor (or whatever), who never replied. Now, with tariffs, the price of Kerrygold is through the roof, and I can only hope the Butter People at UW are paying attention.
I LOVE a buffet! There is a place in Narbonne, southern France called "Les Grands Buffets" and it is the most insane thing you've ever seen. A huge, incredible quality French buffet where you can get everything from all you can eat oysters to cheese, lobster, steak and truffles. I think it's been discovered by social media people now so I don't know what it's like anymore, but I still really want to go back, for the cheese alone
oh man oh man! Take me, please! I hear ya on the cheese thing. I like buffets because there are often things I would never try on my own. And i don't like it, the meal is not ruined!
In Norwegian hotels, breakfast buffets can be great. Hotels compete annually for the Best Breakfast Buffet.
https://www.visitnorway.com/hotels-more/hotels/norways-best-breakfast/
Love it! Must visit! ❤️
Let me know when you go. I know managers at a couple of the recent winning hotels. Happy buffeting!
🙂🙂🙂
Have you had Turkish breakfast?
Yes! Amazing. One of the great perks of working in a rapidly growing hotel chain was that I was sent to help onboard new hotels in over 50 countries! Turkish and Middle Eastern breakfasts were among the best. Scandinavian and many European breakfasts were also often great.
Of course, the problem with being an international brand was that we often turned exceptional local cuisine into international bland.
Some of that is always happening, I guess. 🫤
Great article
thank you!
You’re welcome
I’m in your fan club
that is ALWAYS nice to hear.
❤️❤️❤️🐶🐶🐶🐶❤️❤️❤️
Breakfast buffets in Portugal (included in room) are amazing and fresh. The most amazing breakfast I ever experienced (seemed like a buffet) was in Turkey; also included with the room. It must have taken the staff an hour just to set the table with so many tiny dishes and condiments. I loved it and it couldn’t compare to US breakfast buffets with the bad pastries and dry jimmy John’s sausages. I agree about a good Indian buffet. Those simmering dishes are a winner. The rest can be skipped entirely.
oh! not sure I've ever had in my room. that sounds fairly glorious! Do look a Turkish buffet, however.
Buffets taught me I love clams and don't love oysters. I love the ordinary buffets, like the soup & salad bar at Eat 'n Park. My tastes are so common.
haha. Straightforward is good! Somethings really have been improved upon, like a good vinaigrette. There are many things I don't need in my salad dressing!
I love a good buffet, and it doesn't even need to be all you can eat. At my office, we often go for lunch to a market that has both a hot bar and cold bar, where you select a bite of this and a bite of that to put together your meal. They have Asian food on Monday, Arab food on Tuesday, Mexican on Wednesday, a mix on Thursday, and I've never been there on a Friday.
I find myself going there rather than getting a sandwich anywhere else because I deeply enjoy tasting menus. And the fact that you pay by weight keeps me honest about quantities and gluttony, although sometimes I can't help myself...
I have mixed feelings about paying by the weight. Then, naturally, I'm trying to play the angles, and I'm not sure that's in anyone's best interest. LOL
Hahaaa yes I see what you mean. I am famously indecisive when it comes to food, so being able to see what I’m getting and just sample is ideal for me.
Yes, yes, and yes! Stockholm holds our absolute favorite healthy veggie buffets. We live for them! It's hard to convince others how beautiful and healthy our favorites are there. So glad you shared. 🙏🏼
I must visit soon!!!
Golden Corral pretty much ruined buffets for me.
America has a way of destroying things, doesn't it?
So it seems, although I had an eccentric friend that would eat there almost exclusively, he got to know the cook and could get them to prepare the meat very rare for him, actually just kina heat it up. At which point he would consume unbelievable quantities. He was into body building and he did get larger after a few years of this. He developed severe digestive problems and had to basically be dewormed, turns out some of the meat was pork, which as we all know needs to be cooked. Some Finish people are nuts really. Very interesting but just not quite right maybe.
One of my guilty pleasures of Asian travel is the breakfast buffet at large, higher end hotels. The international selection is unbelievable and of great quality. You can try dim sum, then a made to order omlette, all the way to Scandinavian fruit muesli and Lox.
100% agree on buffets outside the US. The only two exceptions for us in the US is/was the Wynn buffet in Las Vegas (great food, but very expensive) and the now defunct Souplantation. Anywhere else I feel like you’re gambling with your life!
I especially appreciate a buffet if I can't decide what I'm hungry for. I like to be able to design my own plate. Just wash your hands after touching all those serving utensils...
I’m with you. It obviously depends on the quality of the buffet, but when it’s good, I love it for the variety. My favorite was in Japan where they had some type of pickle buffet where you could taste 101 different kind of vegetable dishes (not all pickles). Amazing.
I was going to chime in about Scandinavian hotel chains’ good breakfast buffets but then I saw what you had to say about Cambodia…. Yes to noodle-stations!!!!
The only buffet I will eat in the States is Indian buffet. There are some (or were when I grew up there) really good ones in Philadelphia. So good and so cheap. I'm going to have to revisit them when I'm back in the area later this year. Definitely open to buffets in Asian countries though! Someday!