Read on and enjoy. If these recommendations prompt you to broaden your horizons, well, that was the intent of the traveling World Cup games all along.<\/p>\n
ALGERIA<\/p>\n
The game: Algeria vs. Jordan, 8 p.m. Monday, June 22, at Levi\u2019s Stadium, 4900 Marie P. DeBartolo Way, Santa Clara.<\/p>\n
Gusto, Berkeley<\/p>\n
Couscous is the specialty at this quick-casual restaurant near UC Berkeley that opened in January, but there\u2019s so much more: grilled koobideh and chicken kebabs over saffron rice, one of the tastiest iterations of baba ghanoush in the East Bay.<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1780833022_439_SJM-L-WORLDCUPFOOD-0607-03.jpg\")
The mixed couscous with chicken, lamb, carrots, zucchini, kale and chickpeas is served with lentil soup and baba ghanoush at Gusto restaurant in Berkeley. (John Metcalfe\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOur passion for cooking comes from Algerian and Mediterranean traditions, with recipes and flavors inspired by family, culture and years of experience in hospitality,\u201d says Aghiles Didi, Gusto\u2019s chef and partner and a self-described Algerian Berber.<\/p>\n
A map of the world beckons diners to stick a pin on where they\u2019re from; in return, Didi offers them a trip to his home country with lamb-tongue sandwiches and homemade noodles that a server described as Algerian spaghetti. For the World Cup, Gusto will have a big-screen TV playing the game, and might offer themed menu items and specials inspired by the participating countries.<\/p>\n
The dish: The Couscous Mixt arrives in a tagine that gusts steam when opened, revealing a bounty of tender lamb, bone-in chicken, carrots, zucchini, green beans and chickpeas ($21). It all sits on a shoal of sand-sized couscous grains, which soak up a cinnamon-scented broth diners can accent with yogurt sauce and a dynamite, brick-red harissa. There are also couscous dishes with vegetables, merguez or salmon; pair them with the intensely smoky, creamy baba ghanoush ($9), and you\u2019ll be as happy as Ronaldinho.<\/p>\n
Details: Open noon-9 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays and Sundays and noon-10 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays at 1986 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley; (510) 977-2477, yelp.com\/biz\/gusto-berkeley.<\/p>\n
Mozza Mocha, Oakland
\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1780833022_770_SJM-L-WORLDCUPFOOD-0607-01_7c46a6.jpg\")
The merguez sandwich is pictured in May 2026 at Mozza Mocha in Oakland. (John Metcalfe\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0<\/p>\n
The shelves of this new cafe near the Temescal District are stocked with Algerian groceries \u2013 fresh Sophine dates, the roasted green wheat called frik, Hamoud La Blanche sodas that predate Coca-Cola \u2013 and scratch-made pastries like bradj and kalb el louz. The owner, Omar Khemici, is an engineer from Algiers who decided he needed a retirement project; thus, you might find him managing affairs at a table while drinking rayeb, a frothy, fermented milk he makes himself.<\/p>\n
The rayeb is off the menu, but if you ask, he might offer it; the same goes for traditional foods like couscous. The on-menu items are a couple of sandwiches (merguez, chicken), coffee and espresso and pizza, including an Algerian version hard to find around here. Come World Cup time, the cafe\u2019s chairs will be arranged around a TV by the wall, so diners can enjoy all the footie action.<\/p>\n
![\"Algerian](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1780833023_877_SJM-L-WORLDCUPFOOD-0607-15.jpg\")
Algerian pastries and sodas are stocked in a refrigerated case at Mozza Mocha in Oakland. (John Metcalfe\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0<\/p>\n
The dish: The beef merguez sandwich is an admirable version with a mildly spicy harissa kick, fresh tomatoes and red onions and warm bread. The merguez feels light and airy, despite being a sausage ($13). Aside from cheese and pepperoni pizza, there\u2019s also a Pizza Carree offered by the slice ($3.50). It\u2019s a snack you\u2019ll find in Algeria that\u2019s made with semolina-enhanced dough, parsley and olive oil. \u201cI remember in middle- and high school, carts would sell them out on the street,\u201d Khemici says. \u201cWhether you got some depended on how much money you had in your wallet that day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Details: Open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays at 4501 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland; 510-666-7950, yelp.com\/biz\/mozza-mocha-oakland.<\/p>\n
AUSTRALIA<\/p>\n
The game: Paraguay vs. Australia, 7 p.m. Thursday, June 25, at Levi\u2019s Stadium, 4900 Marie P. DeBartolo Way, Santa Clara.<\/p>\n
Bluestone Lane, Los Altos, San Francisco<\/p>\n
When Team Australia (a.k.a. The Socceroos) comes to the Bay, they\u2019ll be getting the special Bluestone Lane treatment: The coffee chain specializing in Australian-style coffee and brekkie will be the official coffee of Team Australia, according to Jonathan Penny, the brand\u2019s Northern California area leader.<\/p>\n
![\"An](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1780833023_704_SJM-L-WORLDCUPFOOD-0607-02.jpeg\")
An Aussie iced latte at Bluestone Lane in Los Altos answers the question: What happens if you replace the ice in an iced latte with ice cream? In short, decadence and deliciousness ensue. (Kate Bradshaw\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0<\/p>\n
The brand, which has over 55 locations around the U.S., is planning to have someone stay at the team\u2019s training camp throughout the World Cup to make sure the team stays supplied with Bluestone Lane coffee, he says. They also intend to wrap some San Francisco store windows with Team Australia decor. Watch party plans are still being solidified.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a big deal for us,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
The dish: Aussie iced latte ($8). Instead of using ice in an iced latte, why not use ice cream? That\u2019s the winning premise behind this decadent coffee drink popular in Australia and on the menu at Bluestone Lane. The beverage is sweet and rich, blending coffee with vanilla notes, and while the texture is thick, it\u2019s far more drinkable and latte-like than a milkshake. Or order an avocado toast, also believed to be an Australian invention.<\/p>\n
Details: Open 7 a.m.-5 p.m. daily at 288 First St., Los Altos, with five San Francisco locations; bluestonelane.com.<\/p>\n
AUSTRIA<\/p>\n
The game: Austria vs. Jordan, 9 p.m. Tuesday, June 16, at Levi\u2019s Stadium, 4900 Marie P. DeBartolo Way, Santa Clara.<\/p>\n
Naschmarkt, Campbell, Pleasanton, Palo Alto
\n![\"Wiener](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1780833023_378_germanarchives2.jpg\")
Wiener Schnitzel is served with lingonberries and Austrian potato salad at Naschmarkt Restaurant in Campbell. (Josie Lepe\/Bay Area News Group archives)\u00a0<\/p>\n
Named after Vienna\u2019s largest open-air produce market, Naschmarkt has been serving classic Austrian dishes \u2014 Wiener Schnitzel, Spaetzle, Smoked Pork Bratwurst \u2014 to appreciative diners in downtown Campbell for 15 years. Expansion restaurants in Palo Alto and Pleasanton have opened in recent years.<\/p>\n
The inaugural chef, born in Austria, supplemented the New Austrian menu with seasonal California dishes, and that array continues on today\u2019s menu.<\/p>\n
But the desserts skew Austrian, and diners would be wise to take advantage; these specialties are hard to find elsewhere. Besides Apfel Strudel with hazelnuts, there\u2019s a Sacher Torte that showcases the traditional chocolate with apricot preserves and an ethereal Salzburg Nockerl vanilla souffle with blueberry compote.<\/p>\n
Naturally, there\u2019s a nice wine list of Austrian and other European varietals.<\/p>\n
The dish: We recommend what\u2019s considered the country\u2019s most famous dish. Crisp and hearty (but not heavy), the Wiener Schnitzel comes in pork or veal versions ($26\/$32 at lunch, $36\/$45 at dinner) and is served with lingonberry sauce, lemon and Austrian potato salad. At lunchtime, a Schnitzel Sandwich on a pretzel bun comes in pork or chicken versions ($19).<\/p>\n
Details: 384 E. Campbell Ave., Campbell; naschmarktrestaurants.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n JORDAN<\/p>\n The games: Austria vs. Jordan, 9 p.m. Tuesday, June 16, and Algeria vs. Jordan, 8 p.m. Monday, June 22, at Levi\u2019s Stadium, 4900 Marie P. DeBartolo Way, Santa Clara.<\/p>\n Mazra, San Bruno, Redwood City Brothers Saif and Jordan Makableh, whose family is from Jordan, won\u2019t be hosting any World Cup watch parties at their Peninsula restaurants. That\u2019s because they\u2019re planning to go see the June 16 and 22 games in Santa Clara themselves \u2013 a historic moment, as it\u2019s the country\u2019s first time competing in the FIFA World Cup.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s an experience we couldn\u2019t miss,\u201d according to Saif Makableh.<\/p>\n The two brothers built their first restaurant in the home of their dad\u2019s former San Bruno grocery store, and while Mazra\u2019s menu isn\u2019t strictly Jordanian, it represents their take on flavors often found across the Levant region, including Syria, Lebanon and Palestine.<\/p>\n The dish: Barbecue lamb kebab and lamb chops. The restaurant\u2019s barbecue lamb kebab and lamb chops tend to resonate most deeply with people from Jordan, he says. The a la carte lamb kebab ($9) is tender and bursting with rich flavors. \u201cWe often hear from guests that the smell brings back memories of home, which is always meaningful to us,\u201d Makableh says.<\/p>\n Details: Open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays at 2021 Broadway, Redwood City, and 504 San Bruno Ave. W., San Bruno; eatmazra.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Shawarmaji, Santa Clara, Oakland \u201cWe\u2019re super excited,\u201d says Mohammad Abutaha, the chef and owner behind Shawarmaji, about Jordan playing two World Cup games nearby at Levi\u2019s Stadium. Abutaha says he moved to the U.S. from Jordan in 2011 at age 20, and currently, he is still planning his restaurant\u2019s events and promotions related to the international soccer competition.<\/p>\n While mansaf, a dish made with lamb cooked in fermented dried yogurt sauce and served over rice, is Jordan\u2019s national dish, Abutaha grew up eating shawarma most often and has made that dish a core part of his restaurants\u2019 menus.<\/p>\n \u201cTechnically, mansaf is our national dish, but I feel like shawarma is what brings the whole country together,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n The dish: Jordan-style shawarma ($9-$18). \u201cLiterally everybody in the country eats shawarma at least two to three times a week,\u201d Abutaha says.<\/p>\n Wrapping the chicken or lamb and beef filling with flatbread instead of a pita is the more Jordanian-style way of serving the dish, he says. The fillings are simple and flavorful, like pairing chicken with toum (garlic sauce), cucumber and pickles, or lamb with tahini, onions and tomatoes.<\/p>\n Details: Open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays and 11 a.m.-midnight Fridays-Saturdays at 2100 Franklin St., Suite 2190, Oakland, and 2281 The Alameda, Santa Clara; theshawarmaji.com<\/a><\/p>\n PARAGUAY<\/p>\n The games: Paraguay vs. Turkey, 9 p.m. Friday, June 19, and Paraguay vs. Australia, 7 p.m. Thursday, June 25, at Levi\u2019s Stadium, 4900 Marie P. DeBartolo Way, Santa Clara.<\/p>\n Cafe Guaran\u00ed, Pacific Grove Cafe Guaran\u00ed is believed to be the only Paraguayan restaurant on the West Coast and only one of three in the U.S., according to Sebastian Araujo, son of owner Liliana Araujo, who works at the cafe just blocks from the Monterey Bay Aquarium.<\/p>\n The restaurant is Liliana\u2019s \u201cretirement\u201d passion project \u2013 we use quotes because she says she\u2019s still working there most days from 4 a.m. to 8 or 9 p.m. \u2013 after a career working as a hospital lab technician and phlebotomist in Monterey. The mother of five, who immigrated to the U.S. from Asuncion in 2002, opened the cafe with her family just days before the COVID-19 shutdowns began in 2020. The restaurant also has a bit of Argentinian flair \u2013 Araujo\u2019s mother-in-law was an Argentinian baker in Paraguay, and Liliana attended her culinary school.<\/p>\n \u201cI make everything from scratch,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n The restaurant survived the pandemic \u2013 thanks in large part to their coffee menu, she says \u2013 and they\u2019ve been sharing their pocket of Paraguayan culinary culture with locals and travelers alike ever since. They\u2019re still figuring out all of their World Cup plans but plan to host a TV reporter from Paraguay on June 17 ahead of their teams\u2019 game against Turkey on June 19 and are making arrangements to serve their food to the Paraguayan national team, according to Araujo.<\/p>\n The dish: Cheese sopa and sopa Guaran\u00ed. Paraguayan cheese sopa ($9) is a kind of dense, moist cornbread containing cheese and onions. Araujo has found a way of re-creating the taste of Paraguay\u2019s cheese sopas, despite struggling to find the same cornmeal and cheese ingredients as in her home country, she says. Meanwhile, her sopa Guaran\u00ed ($13) is a soup that builds on Paraguay\u2019s vori-vori soup with chicken and some of her own ingredients. To drink, sip like the Paraguayans and order a cocido ($3), a form of sweetened, smoked and strained yerba mate.<\/p>\n Details: Open 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekends at 111 Central Ave., Pacific Grove; cafeguarani.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n SWITZERLAND<\/p>\n The game: Qatar vs. Switzerland, noon Saturday, June 13, at Levi\u2019s Stadium, 4900 Marie P. DeBartolo Way, Santa Clara.<\/p>\n La Fondue, Saratoga<\/p>\n Cheese and chocolate. What more do you need to fete the Swiss team\u2019s trip to compete in the Bay Area?<\/p>\n For 30 years, La Fondue on Big Basin Way has been popular for decadent date nights, anniversaries and group celebrations. What started as a limited menu has exploded with options to please Bay Area palates.<\/p>\n These days diners often order Wagyu steak or lobster tail to cook tableside in court bouillon (vegetable or chicken), and opt for one of the many spicy or garlicky cheese fondues. The top three most-ordered cheese fondues are Classic Cheddar, Stinking Rose and Wild Mushroom, the restaurant says, but guests will also find offerings like a Cajun beer-cheddar blend with shrimp and cayenne and a Mediterranean fondue with sundried tomatoes, Parmesan and Fontina.<\/p>\n The dish: The Classic Swiss, with Emmentaler and Gruyere cheeses and white wine, may be the way to go for soccer fans. For dessert, the Flaming Tortoise, a tableside flambe number with milk chocolate, caramel and pecans, is the customer favorite. Pricing varies depending on which tasting menu and which entrees are ordered. Tip: There\u2019s a late-night $28-per-person chocolate fondue option offered during the last hour of service every night.<\/p>\n Details: Reservations recommended. Open daily for dinner (two hours allotted per party), with lunch service added on Sundays. 14550 Big Basin Way; lafondue.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n TURKEY<\/p>\n The game: Paraguay vs. Turkey, 9 p.m. Friday, June 19, at Levi\u2019s Stadium, 4900 Marie P. DeBartolo Way, Santa Clara.<\/p>\n Bodrum Mezze & Cocktails, Dublin Walking into Bodrum reminds you that Turkey shares three borders with the sea. Strung-up nets drip with ersatz fish and nautical paraphernalia, and the sunny interior with colorful highlights echoes coastal Mediterranean architecture. The menu leans on seafood, too, with dishes like whole grilled sea bream with charred lemon and linguine with lobster and bisque sauce.<\/p>\n Owner Fatih Ulas runs several other restaurants in the East Bay, including the Sultan\u2019s Kebab and Elia eateries. Bodrum is a tribute to the eponymous town on the Aegean coast, where Ulas once lived. Aside from fish and crustaceans, diners can dig into hot and cold mezze like kayseri manti (beef dumplings with yogurt and mint) and muhammara (roasted red peppers with walnuts and pomegranate molasses). The restaurant has not yet announced any plans for the World Cup.<\/p>\n The dish: A meal might begin with a snack-sized lahmacun, a flatbread sprinkled with minced lamb and beef, parsley and lemon ($7). Kebabs are popular in Turkey, and here there are many varieties including the ali nazik or \u201cTenderloin Royale\u201d ($36). Chunks of marinated sirloin sit atop a bed of smashed eggplant you scoop up with pillowy house bread; a drizzle of burnt paprika butter ties it together. And everything goes better with a glass of salgam, the sour cherry-tasting turnip drink that a server says she drinks like a nutritional shot.<\/p>\n Details: Open for lunch 11 a.m.-2 p.m. daily, brunch 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays and dinner 5-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays and 4-11 p.m. Fridays-Sundays at 4640 Tassajara Road, Suite B, Dublin; bodrumdublin.com<\/a><\/p>\n Meyhouse, Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, San Ramon This family of stylish restaurants offers an upscale take on the meyhane, a traditional drinking-and-mezze restaurant found in Turkey and surrounding countries. The dishes of chef Omer Artun<\/a> are rooted in tradition but bursting with creativity. Where else will you find a former physics expert serving house yogurt, whose mother culture he acquired more than a decade ago from a famous restaurant in his homeland?<\/p>\n The wine and raki are well-sourced and meant to pair with dishes like fire-grilled Galician octopus with creamy fava, butter-poached lamb liver and whipped Ezine cheese with roasted pistachios. The restaurant has not set any firm plans for the World Cup. But at two of its locations, Meyhouse has accompanying jazz clubs<\/a>, so there will undoubtedly be some kind of lively entertainment.<\/p>\n The dish: Ballers might go with a chef\u2019s tasting menu, \u201cLittle Little in the Middle,\u201d a $99-per-person journey across Turkey\u2019s regional flavors. For individual dishes, there is kopoglu, a classic mezze of eggplant roasted until it\u2019s like custard and served with tomato sauce and garlicky yogurt ($19). The chef is also proud of the lakerda, a thousand-year-old recipe of preserved bonito, red onion, fresh dill and good olive oil ($28).<\/p>\n \u201cIn places that still care about tradition,\u201d Artun says, \u201cthe quality of the lakerda tells you everything you need to know about the rest of the meal.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1780833024_505_SJM-L-WORLDCUPFOOD-0607-03_cea89a.jpg\")
While the restaurant was founded by Jordanian American brothers, Mazra\u2019s menu isn\u2019t strictly Jordanian. It includes flavors from Syria, Lebanon and Palestine. (Photo courtesy of Nabeeh Shamieh)\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"Lamb](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1780833024_710_SJM-L-WORLDCUPFOOD-0607-01.jpeg\")
Lamb kebab at Mazra in Redwood City ($9) is tender, decadent and expertly seasoned. (Kate Bradshaw\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n![\"Chef](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1780833026_924_SJM-L-WORLDCUPFOOD-0607-01_d25047.jpg\")
Chef Mohammad Abutaha creates shawarma wraps in his Oakland cafe. He also has a location in Santa Clara, where Jordan’s team will compete in the World Cup. (Aric Crabb\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1780833027_658_SJM-L-WORLDCUPFOOD-0607-02_7ce23b.jpg\")
At Shawarmaji in Oakland, a shawarma wrap features spice-marinated chicken, toum, cucumber pickles, cheddar and shatta sauce wrapped in flatbread. (Aric Crabb\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n![\"Liliana](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1780833028_284_SJM-L-WORLDCUPFOOD-0607-4.jpg\")
Liliana Rodas de Araujo, chef and owner of Cafe Guaran\u00ed in Pacific Grove, says the Paraguayan restaurant is her post-retirement passion project. (Doug Duran\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"Sopa](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1780833028_34_SJM-L-WORLDCUPFOOD-0607-6.jpg\")
Sopa Guaran\u00ed \u2014 or Paraguayan chicken stew \u2014 is served at Cafe Guaran\u00ed in Pacific Grove. The cafe is the only Paraguayan restaurant on the West Coast. (Doug Duran\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"Triple](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1780833029_74_20080203__BITE031.jpg\")
One of the flaming chocolate fondues is served at La Fondue in Saratoga. (Thu Hoang Ly\/Bay Area News Group archives)\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1780833029_599_SJM-L-WORLDCUPFOOD-0607-02.jpg\")
The Tenderloin Royale or Ali Nazik with marinated petite tenderloin, smoked eggplant, garlicky yogurt and paprika-infused burnt butter is pictured at Bodrum Mezze and Cocktails in Dublin. (John Metcalfe\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1780833030_669_SJM-L-WORLDCUPFOOD-0607-01.jpg\")
The mini lahmacun, a crispy flatbread with minced lamb and beef, fresh herbs and spices, is served at Bodrum Mezze and Cocktails in Dublin. (John Metcalfe\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n![\"Lakerda,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1780833032_193_SJM-L-WORLDCUPFOOD-0607-02_91390c.jpg\")
Lakerda, a dish of preserved bonito, red onion, dill, lemon and olive oil, is served at Turkish restaurant Meyhouse, which has multiple locations in the Bay Area. (Photo courtesy of Emre Cakir)\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"Kopoglu,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1780833032_66_SJM-L-WORLDCUPFOOD-0607-01_980a18.jpg\")
Kopoglu, a dish of fried eggplant, garlicky tomato sauce and yogurt, is served at the Turkish restaurant Meyhouse, which has multiple locations in the Bay Area. (Photo courtesy of Emre Cakir)\u00a0<\/p>\n