Some last meals are more famous than others. We know this is a little macabre. We hope they won’t creep you out, but we’re sure these famous last meals will make you hungry.
Kurt Cobain
Cobain, whose death by suicide rocked the world back in 1994, apparently had a can of root beer before he died. He had some cigs along with it.
According to one Seattle restaurant owner, though, Cobain also stopped by his food establishment 48 hours before he died. The restaurant was called “Cactus.”
Supposedly, he wanted to order a “Bananas Dulce” sautéed in brown sugar and rum. His last meal is still served at Cactus to this day.
Cleopatra
In 30 BC in Alexandria, Egypt, Cleopatra found that Octavian (later known as Augustus) defeated Antony’s forces and was planning to bring her to Rome. She was thirty-nine.
Instead of following that plan, Cleopatra created her own. Historians say the ruler met her end by either ingesting poison or enduring an asp bite.
Cleopatra approached her demise with a sort of leisure. She actually bathed and had figs, an ancient delicacy, brought to her in a basket.
Ted Bundy
We’re not saying that Ted Bundy should be famous. He has gone down in history as one of the most gruesome serial murderers, though.
He confessed to killing nearly 30 women in the 1970s. His actions ruptured the lives of hundreds of people, and they landed him in prison for life.
Bundy had his last meal in 1989 at Florida State Prison. The notorious criminal downed medium-rare steak, eggs over easy, hash browns, toast, juice, milk, and coffee.
Adolf Hitler
Perhaps the most infamous person on this list, Adolf Hitler died on April 30, 1945, in Germany. It’s widely accepted that Hitler killed himself in an underground bunker.
Surprisingly, Hitler ate a last meal of spaghetti and red sauce. It doesn’t seem fair that he would have such a delicious dinner, but so it goes.
Purportedly, the dictator didn’t want to talk about the war while eating. He ands his wife seemingly discussed dog breeding methods before doing themselves in.
Elvis Presley
In 1977, Elvis Presley woke up with indigestion. He headed into the bathroom to relieve himself, but died of a fatal heart attack right on the toilet.
That night, though, Presley had a last meal — and it was pretty decadent. It included four scoops of ice cream as well as chocolate cookies.
This is a man who enjoyed bacon, peanut butter, and banana sandwiches, for goodness sakes! We can’t say he doesn’t have amazing taste in food.
John Lennon
In 1980, right before his death by fatal gunshot, everyone’s favorite Beatle ate a corned beef sandwich. It was about 10:30 PM when he got shot.
Apparently, Lennon wanted to go home and see his son, rather than go out for dinner. We can’t help but wonder what would have happened if he had.
Corned beef has roots in England and Ireland, according to The Kitchen Project. County Cork produced large quantities of corned beef from the 1600s until 1825.
Timothy McVeigh
The Oklahoma City Bomber died in a Federal Correctional Complex in 2001. He had a last meal of none other than mint chocolate chip ice cream.
We can’t fathom his illegal actions, but we begrudgingly understand his taste in ice cream. McVeigh picked one of the best flavors of all time.
Why couldn’t he have gone with something like rum raisin? We’re sorry if you now think of Timothy McVeigh every time you have mint chocolate chip.
Abraham Lincoln
Back in 1865, President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, was shot by John Wilkes Booth while at the theater. What was his last meal before he died?
He indulged in a big ol’ presidential lunch of mock turtle soup. It was served with roast Virginia fowl with chestnut stuffing, baked yams, and cauliflower with cheese.
Apparently, Abe wasn’t a big foodie. According to Food Timeline, “Abe grew up on the frontier, where he ate very plain food, [for economic reasons and frontier tradition]…”
Julia Child
What would a famous television chef eat before death? As it turns out, Julia Child ate a bowl of French onion soup as one of her last meals.
In fact, Child was credited with bringing French food to the American masses. It’s no surprise she ate French onion before she died in 2004.
What about the origins of her meal, though? Onion soups go back to ancient times, but this one has roots in France.
Aileen Wuornos
On a less French and much grimmer note, Aileen Wuornos, who died in Florida State Prison in 2002, didn’t have the last meal that most prisoners got.
According to Dead Man Eating, Wuornos declined the barbecued chicken, mashed potatoes, apple crisp, and tea that guards offered her. Instead, she had a burger and black coffee.
And we’re not sure about you, but to us, the BBQ chicken and mash sound better than a burger and crappy coffee.
Marilyn Monroe
Ah, Marilyn — an eternally beloved star. It was 1962 when she died after a controversy-raising overdose, (and then there are the government-murdered-her conspiracy theories).
When professionals found her body, they also allegedly found a bottle of Nembutal sleeping pills by her side. Monroe suffered from depression and isolation.
Before passing away, Monroe apparently feasted on stuffed mushrooms and meatballs. She topped off her meal with a nice glass Dom Perignon.
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway died on July 2, 1961, in Ketchum, Idaho. He suffered from extreme depression and died from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot.
Hemingway did eat his favorite meal first, however. It included a New York strip steak, Caesar salad, a baked potato, and a glass of wine at the Christiania restaurant.
Apparently, Hemingway also asked for the Caesar salad instead of ordinary greens. So, what kind of wine did Ernest Hemingway drink? Bordeaux.
Brittany Murphy
The iconic Clueless and Girl, Interrupted actress tragically passed away in 2009. To this day, people are questioning the cause. It was officially ruled as an accident.
According to the report, she died of pneumonia and intoxication at age 32. Before her death, Murphy had some leftover Thai food, with noodles and Gatorade.
That meal sounds like your typical Saturday night in, which makes it all the more tragic. We hope she’s resting in peace.
Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte is one of the most famous leaders of all time. It’s hard to imagine such a powerful military leader dying so young, at age 51.
After his notorious defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon was exiled to the island of St. Helena, where he eventually died, after a rapid decline in health.
Before he died, though, he ate liver, bacon chops, sautéed kidneys, baked eggs, garlic toast, and roasted tomatoes. Not bad at all.
Princess Diana
The world was shaken when Princess Diana died in a car crash in 1997, after being chased by the paparazzi in Paris.
Before her death, however, she dined at a restaurant inside of the Ritz Carlton. She had Dover sole (a fish), vegetable tempura, and an omelet.
Being a princess, she was probably used to fine dining. Apparently, she was a big fan of fish in general, and enjoyed eating trout.
Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix, the multitalented guitarist and singer, died in his late twenties in 1970. Some people suspect it was suicide, but reports say it was an overdose.
Before he died, his last meal was rather simple. His girlfriend at the time, Monika Dannemann, fixed him a tuna sandwich.
It’s incredibly unfortunate that he died so soon. He was a fantastic musician, and would have made even more of an impact, if given more time.
John F. Kennedy
The 35th President of the United States was famously assassinated in 1963 by Lee Harvey Oswald (or the government, if you’re one for conspiracies).
Before leaving for Dallas, he ate breakfast at his hotel. Luckily for us, the chef remembers exactly what he ordered that morning.
JFK ate two boiled eggs and toast with marmalade. To drink, he had some coffee and orange juice. Sounds like a solid breakfast.
Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston’s last meal is a rare occasion where we actually have photos. TMZ released a photo of her hotel’s room service table in 2012.
Reportedly, this room service table shows what Whitney Houston ate just before her death. Visible are a champagne glass and a Heineken can, plus several plates.
TMZ reported that Houston ordered a hamburger with fries. She also had a turkey sandwich with a side of jalapenos. Honestly, we can’t knock either choice.
Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra spent most of his time relaxing by the pool at his home in Palm Springs. And his last day was much the same.
Sinatra’s wife, Barbara Blakely Marx, shared that her husband had a simple grilled cheese sandwich for his last meal. He at it by the pool, seated in his wheelchair.
Sinatra’s last concert was on February 25, 1995, in Palm Desert, California. He dealt with many health conditions after that, up to his death at 82.
Jim Morrison
The Doors rockstar singer Jim Morrison died in 1971, just after dining at a Chinese restaurant in Paris. He was just 27 when he tragically passed away.
For his final meal, the recording artist reportedly had a classic sweet-and-sour Chinese meal. This, of course, came with “plenty of beers,” as reported by Classic Rock.
The Doors tried to find a replacement singer following Morrison’s death. But no one could fill the void, and the band came to an end in 1975.
Freddie Mercury
According to The Last Supper, rockstar of Queen fame Freddie Mercury had spare ribs for his last meal before his death. Unfortunately, this might not be true.
Mercury passed away on November 24, 1991, due to pneumonia, a complication of AIDS. Mercury may have been too weak to eat much in his final hours.
However, spare ribs were known to be one of Mercury’s favorite meals. So if he’d have the choice, this very well might have been his last meal.
George Armstrong Custer
Best known for his infamous “Last Stand,” we’re more interested in Custer’s last meal. And it was about what you’d expect from a late-1800s colonel.
Custer traveled with a personal cook, and he hunted daily, even during war. His last meal consisted of roasted buffalo, beans with molasses, wild corn, and prairie hen.
Custer made a fatal decision when he decided to advance against thousands of Native American fighters with just 700 men. He died on June 25 of 1876.
Rasputin
Rasputin rose to notoriety as a mystical guru and friend to the Romanov family in Russia. And his last meal was fitting for such a mysterious figure.
Rasputin’s final bites weren’t too unusual at first glance. He had honey cakes and a side of wine to wash them down. So what made this unique?
The wine, as well as possibly the cakes. were poisoned with cyanide. This was just the first stage in an assassination scheme that ultimately took Rasputin’s life.
Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi was a symbol of peace and nonviolence, and his last day was no different. Unfortunately, he also had his enemies and detractors.
Gandhi was assassinated at the age of 78. Although Gandhi was well known for fasting, he had actually had breakfast on the day of his death.
Gandhi’s last meal included cooked vegetables, goat’s milk, fresh tomatoes, and oranges. He also had carrot juice and a mixture of aloe, lime, and ginger.
James Dean
It doesn’t get more American than Oscar-winning actor James Dean’s last meal. He reportedly indulged in apple pie with a glass of milk at a roadside diner.
Dean and mechanic Rolf Wuetherich were on a road trip to Salinas in Dean’s new Porsche 550 Spyder. His new car was famously nicknamed “Little Bastard.”
The duo stopped to refuel in the town of Castaic Junction. They had a delicious lunch at Tip’s Coffee Shop prior to their tragic car accident later that day.
John Belushi
In addition to his work as a comedian on Saturday Night Live, John Belushi was known for his huge appetite for life. And that included food.
After Belushi died at the age of just 33, the Rolling Stone reported on his final night. Belushi apparently visited a rock club on the Sunset Strip.
After Belushi complained of a stomach ache from overindulging, the restaurant served him a bowl of lentil soup. We’re sure it was one amazing bowl of soup.
Liberace
Charismatic pianist Liberace passed away due to heart failure at the age of 67. Rumors say that this was an AIDS-related complication, but this isn’t confirmed.
With Liberace’s lavish and flamboyant lifestyle, we’re sure he had his share of amazing meals. But his final meal was somewhat more modest than you might expect.
Liberace’s “second mother,” Gladys Luckie, served the musician Cream of Wheat with sugar and butter. He gave Luckie a smile and wink before passing away.
Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson, pop music legend, passed away on June 25, 2009. The King of Pop died under somewhat mysterious circumstances. But his last meal was pretty straightforward.
Apparently making a health-minded choice prior to his death, Jackson dined on a spinach salad with chicken breast. This was a pretty typical meal for Jackson.
It also makes sense that Michael Jackson would have health in mind as he was about to launch a comeback tour. Unfortunately, he would pass before that happened.
Anthony Bourdain
Anthony Bourdain was a world-renowned foodie, chef, and television personality. So it makes sense that his last meal would be a point of interest.
Bourdain actually shared his ideal last meal in Melanie Dunea’s My Last Supper. He wanted bone marrow with parsley, caper salad, and a toasted baguette with salt.
His last known meal consisted of a giant cut of pork, a pile of sauerkraut, potatoes, and bratwurst. Bourdain posted an image of this meal on Instagram.
James Gandolfini
James Gandolfini was an American actor best known for his Golden Globe-winning performance in The Sopranos. He died of a heart attack in 2013 at 51.
Gandolfini was in Rome at the time on vacation. Prior to his sudden death, he had dinner at the Boscolo Exedra Roma Hotel, in the outdoor restaurant.
The actor reportedly had plenty of alcohol along with his last meal. This consisted of two plates of fried king prawns and an order of foie gras.
Rating Famous Last Meals
So, what’s your favorite famous last meal? We’re particularly partial to James Dean’s last slice of apple pie at a classic American diner. There’s just nothing better.
Knowing what a famous person ate for their last meal is like getting a little glimpse into their life. In most cases, these dishes are highly relatable.
Some famous last meals were more memorable, like Rasputin’s poisoned wine and Wournos’s cup of black coffee. But even the less remarkable meals are worth remembering.
