Variant: Revenge is a dish which taste best when served cold.
Source: The Godfather
“Revenge is a dish best eaten cold.”
Pierre Choderlos de Laclos (1741–1803) French novelist, official and army general
La vengeance est un plat qui se mange froid.
Commonly said to be from Les liaisons dangereuses, but not found there.
Misattributed
“Revenge is a dish best served unexpectedly and from a distance - like a thrown trifle.”
Frances Hardinge (1973) British children's writer
Source: Twilight Robbery
Stephen Fry (1957) English comedian, actor, writer, presenter, and activist
1990s, Moab is My Washpot (autobiography, 1997)
“Democracy is the best revenge.”
Benazir Bhutto (1953–2007) 11th Prime Minister of Pakistan
As quoted by her son, in "Democracy is the best revenge: Bilawal Bhutto Zardari," in Times of India (30 December 2007) http://web.archive.org/20080102174719/timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Democracy_is_best_revenge_Bilawal_Bhutto_Zardari/articleshow/2662912.cms?
“And these were the dishes wherein to me, hunger-starven for thee, they served up the sun and the moon.”
Et illa erant fercula, in quibus mihi esurienti te inferebatur sol et luna.
Aurelius Augustinus book Confessions
III, 6
Confessions (c. 397)
“Living well is the best revenge.”
Dorothy Parker (1893–1967) American poet, short story writer, critic and satirist
“The best time for planning a book is while you're doing the dishes.”
Agatha Christie (1890–1976) English mystery and detective writer
