The blaa is a white bread roll protected under the European Commission. Ireland's Content Pool

An online travel guide has ranked Waterford's Blaa bread as the worst food in Ireland, with the popular bread also ranking as one of the worst foods in Europe. 

TasteAtlas has compiled a list of the 13 worst-rated foods in Ireland, with Waterford's blaa emerging as the worst food in the country. 

"This traditional Irish bread roll is either round or square in shape and comes in two versions—soft and chewy—both with a flour-dusted top and made exclusively with flour, water, yeast, and salt. The tradition of preparing blaa dates back to the 17th century when the Huguenots came to the city of Waterford," TasteAtlas said in the recent ranking.

"Nowadays, there are only four bakeries left that still produce this bread roll which was awarded a Protected Geographical Indication status by the European Commission in 2013. Blaa is a standard breakfast staple, usually enjoyed plain or buttered, but it also makes for an excellent midday snack, when it is traditionally accompanied by various fillings and served in a sandwich form." 

TasteAtlas ranked blaa as the 95th worst-rated food in Europe, but the Irish bread avoided being named on the guide's ranking of the worst foods in the world. 

Despite its low ranking, blaa is an incredibly popular bread in Waterford and holds an important cultural status. 

In 2013, blaa bread was awarded Protected Geographical Indication status by the European Commission, meaning that only a blaa actually made in Waterford can be called a blaa. 

Meanwhile, the incredibly popular breakfast roll was named the second-worst-rated food in Ireland in the controversial ranking. 

Served in delis and gas stations across the country, breakfast rolls are universally popular and generally feature sausages, bacon, pudding, and fried eggs. 

Elsewhere, the spice bag, a staple of Chinese takeaways across the country, was named as the fourth-worst food in Ireland. 

Featuring salt and chili chicken and chips along with a healthy portion of onions and peppers, the spice bag is one of the most popular dishes in modern-day Ireland. 

Barmbrack, a raisin-filled bread associated with Halloween, was in third place on the list, with soda bread, bacon and cabbage, and white pudding also making an appearance. 

Coddle, a divisive dish commonly served in Dublin, was ranked as the sixth-worst food in Ireland. 

*Originally published in January 2024. Updated in June 2024.