The Surprising Favorite Meals Of Famous Historical Figures Are Making Us Lose Our Appetites

Which president loved nothing better than a plate of squirrel stew? Which English monarch dined on roast swan at Christmas time? And which Hollywood star earnestly yearned for a plate of beef tripe? Read on to find out the answers to these puzzling questions and to learn about the bizarre favorite dishes of a host of other historical figures.

Winston Churchill: Turtle soup

British wartime leader Sir Winston Churchill was well-known for his enjoyment of alcoholic beverages and large cigars. Nothing particularly peculiar about that. But his favorite food is quite a surprise: it was soup. But not just any old broth — it had to be turtle soup. Of course, in our conservation-conscious era, killing a turtle to make soup is entirely taboo. But apparently nobody had told Churchill that. 

Helen Keller: Hot dogs

Helen Keller’s lack of sight and hearing — caused by an illness in infancy — didn’t stop her from becoming a distinguished writer and advocate for disabled people’s rights. But given her undoubtedly sharp intellect, you might have thought she’d have a sophisticated palate. But not so. Her favorite snack was the reassuringly informal hot dog. 

Frank Sinatra: Stuffed artichokes

Ol’ Blue Eyes — or Frank Sinatra as he’s sometimes known — was one of smoothest crooners of his generation. Actually, of all time. But when he wasn’t making us swoon with his polished tones, he loved nothing more than to eat Italian food. Many say his favorite restaurant was Patsy’s Italian in New York City. And when he visited, he was sure to order their artichokes with a stuffing that included Parmesan, olives, capers, and herbs.

Mary Shelley: Kale

English author Mary Shelley is of course principally feted for just one of her books. That’s her 1818 work Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus, to give it its lesser-known full title. Obviously, she had an exceptionally vivid imagination. But when it came to food, she was a bit of a plain Jane. Her heart’s desire was simple kale. 

George Washington: Mushroom ketchup

When George Washington sat down at the meal table, there was one thing that just had to be on hand: mushroom ketchup. Nowadays, when we think of ketchup, tomatoes spring to mind. But back in Washington’s day, ketchup was tomato-free. It was made with horseradish, anchovies, and, of course, mushrooms.

Jane Austen: Toasted cheese sandwich

We love English author Jane Austen for her timelessly insightful novels such as Pride and Prejudice. But sophisticated as she was in her writing, Austen was remarkably down-to-earth when it came to food; she enjoyed nothing more than a toasted cheese sandwich. Her friend Martha Lloyd gave a recipe in her household book, published in a modern edition in 2021. The tasty snack included grated cheese mixed with an egg, butter, and mustard. Sounds scrumptious.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Liver dumplings and sauerkraut

The 18th-century Austrian composer Wolfgang Mozart produced an astonishing amount of truly sublime music. But when he wasn’t hard at work creating heavenly tunes, his appetite was more earth-bound. His favorite dinner was liver dumplings accompanied by sauerkraut. Hmm. Liver dumplings anyone? None for us, thanks.

Julius Caesar: Asparagus

When he found time between bouts of conquering large parts of the known world and running the Roman Empire, there was one dish Julius Caesar hankered after: asparagus. But it had to be served just right. The National Geographic website recounts a tale of disappointment. Apparently the Roman emperor was once served asparagus prepared in myrrh. No, no, and thrice no! The only way to serve it was with olive oil. 

Mark Twain: Oysters

Literary giant and accomplished humorist Mark Twain was in little doubt about what his favorite food was. At one point, he sat down and made a list of all the victuals he missed during his foreign travels, and oysters prepared in various ways appeared no fewer than five times. He was partial to them fried, roasted, stewed, in soup, or simply on the half shell. So the message was clear: Twain loved oysters.

Ludwig Van Beethoven: Macaroni and cheese

Famous composer though he was, Ludwig Van Beethoven seldom had much money to spare. So it’s not so surprising that his favorite food would be the economical mac ‘n’ cheese. Yet it wasn’t all that inexpensive, as Beethoven had certain standards that he insisted on. The dish just had to be made with Parmesan, not the cheapest of cheeses. Nothing else would do. 

Thomas Jefferson: French fries

Thomas Jefferson is best remembered for his two presidential terms at the beginning of the 19th century, but he also spent five years as the U.S. Minister to France. And when he returned to America, he brought with him some of his favorite foods. Notable among those was French fries. So, as well as his formidable political achievements, Jefferson can take credit for a dish that has become a central staple of the American diet. 

Andy Warhol: Cake

Given some of Warhol’s most famous artworks, you might assume that his favorite meal would be a can of Campbell’s tomato soup. And the artist did indeed claim that he had it for lunch every day for 20 years. Yet it wasn’t his number-one food. That accolade fell to cake, just about any kind. One anecdote has it that he had his own unique recipe: a chocolate bar stuffed between two slices of bread. That’s just plain weird. 

Henry VIII: Fruit preserves

In popular belief, Henry VIII ate whole roast chickens with his bare hands, throwing the remains over his shoulder to be tidied up by servants. That’s probably a myth. But according to actual history, his favorite food was fruit preserves. Yes, jam. And not spread on bread, either. He took it neat, eating it with a fork. Well, he was king after all, so he could eat whatever he damn well liked. 

Alfred Hitchcock: Ham pie

Not to put too fine a point on it, but master film director Alfred Hitchcock seemed like the kind of man who enjoyed his food. And his favorite meal? Ham pie. It actually sounds pretty tasty with ingredients including nutmeg, cayenne pepper, and eggs. Strangely, he’d eat eggs cooked in a dish but individual ones completely horrified him. He claimed to be terrified by the spectacle of the yellow yolk leaking out. 

Ernest Hemingway: Hamburgers

American literary he-man Ernest Hemingway spent a fair bit of time in Europe, especially in Paris. So you might think he would be partial to some of that fancy French cuisine. Nope. When it came to food, Hemmingway was as American as apple pie. Or, in his case, hamburgers, as it was those tasty beef patties in a bun that he loved above all other foods. 

Albert Einstein: Pasta

A 2014 article in Time magazine reported that frequent fish-eaters had increased brain power. If that’s true, then Albert Einstein, one of the cleverest men who ever lived, probably ate fish for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But he didn’t. In fact, his favorite dish was distinctly unfishy — it was pasta. If he came round to your house for dinner, you could make him happy with a heaping plate of spaghetti. 

Oscar Wilde: Roasted duck

Flamboyant British literary figure and legendary wit Oscar Wilde is said to have been a man who enjoyed his meals, and one of his favorite dishes was roast duck. But for Wilde, the duck had to be an actual wild bird, not a farmyard-bred fowl. That probably meant he ate mallard ducks, the most popular wild breed eaten in the U.K. to this day. 

Sammy Davis Jr.: Spaghetti and meatballs

Speaking to the Evening Independent in 1966, Sammy Davis Jr. made no bones about his favorite food. “I love spaghetti and meatballs,” the talented singer and actor declared. He added that “It dates to when I was a kid.” Davis explained that even when international touring took him to Rome, Italy, “I always end up ordering spaghetti and meatballs.”

Queen Victoria: Potatoes

Presumably, Queen Victoria could have snapped her fingers and ordered any dish available in the sprawling British Empire of the 19th century, so her favorite food comes as a genuine surprise: the humble potato. Evidence comes from an anonymously authored 1901 publication, The Private Life of the Queen by a Member of the Royal Household. The writer made the startling claim that, “Her Majesty confesses to a great weakness for potatoes, which are cooked for her in every conceivable way.”

Abraham Lincoln: Baked beans

Despite being president, it seems that Abraham Lincoln was a man of straightforward tastes. And one dish in particular which piqued his appetite was a simple plate of baked beans. During the Civil War, it’s said that Lincoln would often join his personal guard detachment, the Bucktails, to share their humble meal of beans. 

Benito Mussolini: Raw garlic

To say that Italy’s fascist dictator Benito Mussolini had little to recommend him as a human being is putting it mildly. And unsurprisingly, his dining habits also left a lot to be desired. Apparently, his favorite snack was a salad garnished with raw garlic. It must have been possible to smell him approaching before he even entered a room.

Charles Darwin: Armadillo

British naturalist Charles Darwin shot to fame with the publication of his revolutionary tome The Origin of Species. But Darwin didn’t just study the natural world: he also ate it. While he was a student at Cambridge University in England he was a member of a body called the Glutton’s Club. It was dedicated to eating creatures not normally on human menus. So later in life, it was only natural that he would dine on an armadillo. Apparently, it tasted like duck.

Vladimir Lenin: Milk soup with dumplings

When he wasn’t leading and consolidating Russia’s communist revolution, ruthless Bolshevik Vladimir Lenin liked to relax with a bowl of his favorite broth. And that was milk soup with dumplings, a dish that many of us may be unfamiliar with. In fact, it sounds more like a drink than a soup since its ingredients were simply milk, salt, and sugar. Although it was fortified with the addition of hearty dumplings. 

Charlie Chaplin: Beef tripe

Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin, perhaps the most famous movie actor of his era and still highly popular today, loved to eat something seldom seen on menus today: beef tripe. In fact, it’s so rarely served nowadays you might not even be sure what it is. Well, we’re here to tell you, like it or not. It’s the stomach lining of an animal, usually pig, sheep, or, as in Chaplin’s case, cow.

Grover Cleveland: Pickled herring

President Grover Cleveland, in office for two separate terms in the 19th century, was apparently no fan of some of the fancier cuisine served up in the White House. He actually had the misfortune of inheriting a French chef from his predecessor Chester A. Arthur, but it seems that what Cleveland really craved was a simple plate of pickled herring. 

Harry Houdini: Spätzle

When he wasn’t freeing himself from chains, straitjackets, and even coffins, Harry Houdini kept up his strength with platefuls of spätzle. If you’re not sure exactly what spätzles are, you’re in good company — we certainly had to look the dish up. They are actually a type of egg dumpling originating in central Europe. Since Houdini was born in Hungary, Spätzle may well have been a favorite from childhood. 

James Monroe: Spoon bread

Founding Father James Monroe, who was also U.S. president from 1817 to 1825, was a native Virginian. And it was apparently in Virginia that his favorite dish originated. Although it’s said that Monroe was no stranger to more elaborate French cuisine, he turned to spoon bread — akin to bread pudding — for comfort. It’s commonly held that this dish tasted best when eaten right from the pan it was cooked in. 

Margaret Thatcher: Mystery starter

British prime minister from 1979 to 1990, Margaret Thatcher was unusual among world leaders due to her pre-politics career. A chemistry graduate, she actually worked as a food scientist for a time, and some even claim she developed soft scoop ice cream. But that wasn’t her favorite food: it was a strange concoction called "mystery starter." This was an unlikely mixture of Philadelphia cheese, tinned beef consommé, and curry powder. You probably shouldn’t try this at home.

Elvis Presley: Peanut butter and banana sandwich

Elvis famously struggled with his weight in later years, and when you take a look at his favorite food, that comes as no surprise. The King's number-one snack was a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich. Basically, you make this calorie-heavy dish by spreading mashed banana and peanut butter between two slices of white bread. But the killer blow (almost literally) is that you then fry it in two tablespoons of butter.

Anne Boleyn: Venison

Anne Boleyn was one of the six women unlucky enough to marry Henry VIII. It didn’t end well for her since Henry had her beheaded for alleged infidelity. But in life, her favorite meal was apparently venison. When Henry was courting her in happier days, it’s said that one way he tried to win her favor was to gift her with deer meat. 

Alexandre Dumas: Salad dressing

Best remembered as the author of The Three Musketeers, French author Alexandre Dumas was something of a gourmet who frequented the fanciest Paris restaurants. In fact, one of his works was an encyclopedia of cookery, the Grand Dictionnaire de Cuisine. His favorite food was actually an elaborate salad dressing, which included herbs, boiled eggs, anchovies, and gherkins. Sounds tasty. 

Queen Elizabeth I: Roast swan

Elizabeth I — on the English throne for 70 years until her death in 1603 — is said to have dined on roast cygnet for Christmas dinner. Eating swan was a sign of high status during the Middle Ages, so it was a dish truly fit for a queen. But swans are best eaten as juveniles, when they’re called cygnets. According to chef and author Hank Shaw, mature swans taste like “fishy mutton.” Not very appetizing. 

Zachary Taylor: Calas

Zachary Taylor occupied the White House for only 16 months before his premature death in 1850. Although he was a native of Virginia it seems that Taylor was a big fan of Creole cuisine, which explains the fact that his favorite snack was calas. If calas is an unfamiliar term, think of beignets, which they closely resemble. Taylor apparently couldn’t get enough of those sugary fried-dough treats. 

Napoleon Bonaparte: Chicken Marengo

Napoleon Bonaparte could presumably have had any dish he fancied from across his extensive empire. But appropriately enough for this military mastermind, the recipe he loved best was actually created on the battlefield. He beat the Austrians at the Battle of Marengo in 1800; as well as victory, the battle yielded Chicken Marengo, Napoleon’s favorite fare. It’s a stew with eggs, crawfish, tomatoes, and herbs added to a chicken. Sounds pretty good. 

Pablo Picasso: Catalan sausage and beans

Spanish artist Pablo Picasso — perhaps the 20th century’s most famous painter — was tremendously successful during his lifetime, so he could have eaten the fanciest food available in his adopted country of France. But when it came down to it, nothing pleased Picasso more than a plate of Catalan sausages from his native Spain, accompanied by beans. 

Leonardo da Vinci: Minestrone soup

Renaissance genius Leonardo da Vinci lived for many years in Tuscany, and it was this Italian region that birthed his preferred dish: minestrone soup. Some historians believe that the great master was actually a vegetarian in his later years. In any case, he seems to have thrived on his favorite minestrone soup since he lived to be 67, a grand old age in medieval times. 

William Henry Harrison: Squirrel stew

William Henry Harrison served as President of the United States for a mere 32 days in 1841 before he was struck down by a severe case of pneumonia. That made him the shortest White House incumbent in history. Whether he was the only president who chowed down on squirrel, we don’t know, but the bushy tailed rodent cooked in a stew was indeed his favorite dish. 

Franklin D. Roosevelt: Grilled cheese

When he wasn’t steering America out of the Great Depression or leading his country to WWII victory, it seems that President Franklin D. Roosevelt enjoyed simple pleasures. One of those was his favorite snack: grilled cheese. And when he wasn’t eating that, he enjoyed nothing better than a plate of scrambled eggs or a homely hot dog.

John F. Kennedy: Clam chowder

The fact that President John F. Kennedy was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, means that his favorite food should hardly come as a surprise. It was clam chowder, a dish much loved in that part of the world and throughout New England. Of course, for a Massachusetts man, the chowder had to be made with plenty of cream in the traditional style of the region. 

Kim Jong Il: Dog-meat soup

Kim Jong Il was the second of the hereditary communist dictators from the Kim dynasty who ruled North Korea until his death in 2011. It’s reported that his favorite food was dog-meat stew — and no, we don’t mean a dish made from meat usually served to dogs. We mean a stew made with dog. Apparently, he liked to wash it down with a disgracefully decadent Western product: Hennessy brandy.