11 iconic food films that will have you hungering for a feast

I'm no great cook, but I love a great food film. I'm not talking about a simple cooking scene or a memorable depiction of a meal. I'm talking about movies where delicious food is the main ingredient — everything else (to me) is just gravy. The type of movie that makes you hungry just thinking about it, and will make you wish you were eating the very thing you're seeing on-screen. 

If you, too, have an appetite for movies about food, this is a list worth devouring.

The Lunchbox (2013) – Mubi

Will make you crave: Moong dal, green beans, rice and roti

Office worker Saajan Fernandes (Irrfan Khan) is set in his routine, until he mistakenly receives the wrong tiffin at lunch. Instead of his typical purchased meal, the stacked containers he opens include homemade dishes and a note intended for the husband of a housewife named Ila (Nimrat Kaur). Over the course of several lunchboxes, a mutual love of food and personal notes, the two strike up a close friendship that adds unexpected spice to both of their lives. 

Julie & Julia (2009) — Netflix 

Will make you crave: Boeuf bourguignon  

Director Nora Ephron deeply loved great food; recipes and references to delicious meals were baked into her books and many of her films. In Julia & Julia, Ephron's last film, food is the star. With its many references to boeuf bourguignon and descriptions of butter, watching this movie, about the parallel lives of American chef and author Julia Child (Meryl Streep) and blogger Julie Powell (Amy Adams), is like eating your way through a sumptuous menu. Tums not included. 

The Princess and the Frog (2009) — Disney+ 

Will make you crave: Gumbo

OK, so I know if an animated movie was going to make to this list, most people would expect to see Ratatouille (2007), but I personally could never get past the idea of rats in the kitchen. That said, Disney's spin on the classic fairy tale The Frog Prince also revolves around a deep love of food. Before being magically turned into a frog, Tiana (Anika Noni Rose) dreamed of opening her very own restaurant in her hometown of New Orleans. As Tiana's father tells her, "You know the thing about good food? It brings folks together from all walks of life. It warms them right up and it puts little smiles on their faces."

Peace by Chocolate (2021) — Crave 

Will make you crave: Handcrafted chocolates from your local chocolatier

Chocolate is a Hadhad family tradition stretching back generations. But after the family's factory in Damascus, Syria, is bombed, the Hadhads become refugees, moving to Lebanon and then Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Peace by Chocolate tells the true story of this remarkable family and their determination to find sweetness in even the most challenging circumstances. And this is the only film on this list where you can shop for whatever you crave, directly from the source. 

Soul Food (1997) — Disney+

Will make you crave: Fried catfish, collard greens and sweet potato pie

Arguably a film that is more about family drama than it is about food, director George Tillman Jr.'s Soul Food centres on the Joseph family tradition of Sunday dinners, bringing everyone together around the same table — even when they aren't exactly getting along. These meals of fried catfish, mac and cheese, green beans, southern fried chicken and sweet potato pie are enjoyed by a star-studded cast that includes Mekhi Phifer, Vanessa Williams, Vivica A. Fox and Nia Long. And bonus, thanks to Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, the soundtrack is also delectable.

Tortilla Soup (2001) — Prime 

Will make you crave: Tortilla soup (obviously)

As a semi-retired chef, widower and father of three adult daughters, Martin Naranjo (Héctor Elizondo) has a habit of making elaborate meals in an attempt to bring his family together, whether they want to be together or not. This adaptation of the Chinese film Eat Drink Man Woman (1994) — another film that will most definitely make you hungry — feels like a family-sized serving of comfort. (The dishes in the film were prepared by chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, better known as the "Two Hot Tamales.") The intro scene alone will make you either want to whip up an elaborate Mexican meal or, if you're like me, make a reservation. 

Tampopo (1985) — available to rent 

Will make you crave: Pork ramen

Director Jûzô Itami's portrayal of a family-run ramen restaurant that undergoes a major makeover is filled with heart, comedy — and ramen. Lots of ramen. Plain ramen, ramen with extra menma, soba noodles, pork ramen, wonton ramen, garlic ramen with soft noodles, plain ramen with firm noodles … And all of it looks slurpably delicious. 

Chocolat (2000) — available to rent 

Will make you crave: Hot chocolate

A delicious Oscar-nominated story about a mother-daughter duo who move to a small town in France and, to the horror of the local mayor, set up a chocolate shop during Lent. Watching Juliette Binoche carefully make chocolate shells and rich hot chocolate with a pinch of chili pepper, and sell unrefined cacao nibs from Guatemala, is enough to make any viewer crave the finest chocolate treats. 

Big Night (1996) — available to rent 

Will make you crave: Timpano

Stanley Tucci's love of Italian food is no secret. But before the actor became the internet's favourite bartender and the host of Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, he invited audiences to a dinner party to remember. In an effort to drum up business for their struggling Italian restaurant, two brothers, Primo (Tony Shalhoub) and Secondo (Tucci), invite a cast of characters to enjoy one big night of food, festivities and, of course, a dash of drama. This film feels like one of those great evenings where the wine is flowing and each dish is better than the last. 

Chef (2014) — Netflix 

Will make you crave: A Cubano 

When I asked friends what films made them hungry, this was by far the most popular response. Jon Favreau wrote, directed and stars in this beloved movie about a chef who swaps a restaurant kitchen for a food truck, and along the way rediscovers his love for Cuban cuisine and family. Chef made audiences so ravenous that Favreau teamed up with co-producer and real-life chef Roy Choi to bring the famed food truck to life serving beloved favourites including grilled cheese, lava cake and a vegetarian version of the Cubano. 

Babette's Feast (1987) — available to rent 

Will make you crave: Blinis Demidoff with Veuve Clicquot (according to the movie, 1860 was a great year) 

This Oscar-winning Danish movie from director Gabriel Axel is a testament to the transformative power of a good dinner party. Set during the 19th century in a pious small town, the film centres on a housekeeper, Babette (Stéphane Audran), who prepares a French feast for villagers who view food as merely utilitarian. We're talking days upon days of a soup made primarily with bread and ale. To the dismay of the locals, Babette employs ingredients they eschew: grapes, pineapple, quail, sugar, herbs and more! Though the menu itself may no longer be in fashion (see turtle soup), this film will have you planning a dinner party tout de suite.