These Bay Area restaurants serve the food of World Cup visitors
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The World Cup is coming. Photo: Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu via Getty Images
The World Cup is coming to the Bay Area next summer — and what better way to explore the countries coming to play here than through their cuisine?
The big picture: We found out on Saturday which teams are expected to play at five of the six matches being held at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara.
- Here are some local restaurants serving food from the countries that are visiting:
Qatar vs. Switzerland
This June 13 match kicks off the Bay Area games.
🇨🇭 Switzerland: Matterhorn Restaurant & Bakery in San Francisco serves traditional dishes like fondue, rösti and veal.
Austria vs. Jordan
The match on June 16 features Jordan's first-ever World Cup appearance.
🇦🇹 Austria: Leopold's offers all the Austrian classics, from bratwurst and goulash to schnitzel and käsespätzle. Don't forget to order an apple strudel for dessert.
🇯🇴 Jordan: Jordanian chef Mohammad Abutaha brings his country's flavors to Shawarmaji, which has outposts in Santa Clara and Oakland. Other home-style Arab comfort food options include Abu Salim, Reem's and Beit Rima in the city.
Playoff winner vs. Paraguay
Numerous countries have a chance at making it to the playoffs for the June 19 match, including Kosovo, Romania, Slovakia and Turkey.
🇽🇰 Kosovo, 🇷🇴 Romania: For Balkan cuisine, try Euro Grill in Santa Clara.
🇸🇰 Slovakia: This landlocked country's dishes share similarities with Eastern European flavors, which can be found at places like DACHA Kitchen & Bar and Cafe Europa in the city.
🇹🇷 Turkey: Lokma, Kitchen Istanbul and Turkuaz are musts for classics like acili ezme, a spiced tomato salad, and sigara boregi, cheese rolls.
🇵🇾 Paraguay: Though technically not in the Bay Area, those seeking a true Paraguayan gem can visit Cafe Guaraní in Pacific Grove near Monterey.
- It's one of the few places nearby where you'll find traditional fare like chipa, a cheese bread made from cassava starch and mbejú, a cassava–cheese pancake.
Jordan vs. Algeria
Expect to see a lot of red, green and white on June 22.
🇩🇿 Algeria: KAYMA Algerian Eatery is where you'll find humble dishes featuring couscous — the national dish.
- A neighbor to Morocco, this country has other North African influences that are also found at places like Aziza and El Monsour.
Paraguay v Australia
This June 25 game marks the final day of the tournament's group stage.
🇦🇺 Australia: With several locations across the Bay Area, Bluestone Lane is perhaps one of the few places where you can indulge in authentic Antipodean café culture — think avocado toast, flat whites and brunch dishes like jaffles, pressed sandwiches filled with hearty ingredients.