At the tip of Cape Cod, on a narrow strip of land 60 miles out to sea, lies Provincetown, Massachusetts—the end of the world (or, at least, New England), and the place I’ve called home for close to two years. Locals might call me a “washashore,” but I feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.

That’s because Ptown is (per capita) the queerest town in the country and one of the most sought-out vacation spots for anyone on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. It’s a place of extraordinary natural beauty (the dunes! the beaches! the gardens! the architecture!) as well as a playground for freedom and pride. The main drag, Commercial Street, runs the length of the town along the bay side and is home to the majority of the restaurants, clubs, shops, and galleries. During the summer, it overflows with people of all flavors of gender expression, kink, and sexuality.  

I landed in Ptown after 20 years in professional kitchens ended in epic burnout. In 2021, mid-pandemic, I sold Willa Jean, my restaurant in New Orleans, and headed north. Love was waiting, as was eventual heartbreak and, ultimately, recovery and healing in Ptown. 

I’m not sure if it was the sunset G&Ts with friends on the beach, the impromptu clambakes, or the slices of pizza I devoured in the street after raucous nights out, but eating my way through the city has taught me that to be a queer person in Ptown is to be part of a community. Every restaurant and bar contributes to this spirit, and these are some of my favorite places.

Nor’East Beer Garden

206 Commercial Street

The Nor’East Beer Garden is an unassuming outdoor space on Commercial Street that serves some of the best food and cocktails in Ptown. That’s because you never get bored: The culinary “theme” changes each season; this summer, it’s “light Italian,” which means you can savor dishes like mushroom pâté, burrata with fried dough, and minty brown-butter mussels. 

Sal’s Place

99 Commercial Street

Sal’s is by the water in the West End, which makes for spectacular views. Cash-only and often difficult to reach by phone, Sal’s is worth the trouble of getting a reservation, whether you’re booking dinner with friends or a date. Don’t skip the cauliflower Caesar with baby romaine, which I love to order alongside the charred octopus with garbanzo beans and smoked chile oil.  

Relish

93 Commercial Street

This inviting little bakery in the West End makes a variety of breakfast and lunch sandwiches—great for a handheld meal while strolling about, or as beach picnic fare—but I always go for the pastries. Spring for a wedge of key lime tart, or grab a cookie or a slice of coffee cake.  

Tea Dance at the Boatslip Resort

161 Commercial Street

Shirtless muscle gays, margarita-sipping drag queens, straight vacationers who love to party—Ptowners of all stripes congregate every afternoon at the ultimate pregame called Tea Dance (or just “Tea”), held at the Boatslip Resort from 4 to 7 p.m. The legendary bartender Maria reigns over the right side of the bar, the end closest to the water, and will happily start you off with the Planter’s Punch, their official cocktail. 

Strangers & Saints

404 Commercial Street

After Tea, many revelers flock to Strangers & Saints, housed in an incredible 1850’s Greek Revival homestead. The Ken Fulk-designed interior, and well-made cocktails make for a dependably enjoyable second stop. The food goes well beyond basic bar snacks with dishes like meatballs with salsa verde and cucumber kimchi (my go-to dish), which pair nicely with the charred shishito peppers or spicy Moroccan carrots. Eating at Strangers & Saints feels like being welcomed into the home of someone with impeccable taste who loves throwing dinner parties.

The Mayflower

300 Commercial Street

Long before Provincetown was an LGBT+ mecca, it was a Portuguese fishing village. Remnants of that past can be found at the Mayflower, where traditional Portuguese flavors endure in dishes like the Portuguese kale soup, made with spicy linguica sausage and red beans. Its obligatory sidekick is an order of garlic bread, and if you’re still feeling peckish, a dozen steamers, a Cape classic of brothy soft-shell clams that you dunk one by one in melted butter. Family-run with a no-reservations policy, the Mayflower has an old-school diner feel with a down-home friendliness to match. They also happen to make the best Manhattans in town.  

Irie Eats

70 Shank Painter Road

Provincetown has a large, vibrant Jamaican population—many first arrived as seasonal workers and wound up making Ptown a year-round home. A little off the beaten path is Irie Eats, which offers spicy Jamaican food that fuels my summer season. My favorite dishes in the regular rotation are the curry goat, jerk chicken or pork, salt fish, and oxtails—all of which come with rice and red beans, and slaw. It’s a grab-and-go vibe, but they do have a small outdoor seating area to soak in the sun (and the flavor). 

Pop + Dutch

147 Commercial Street

My personal “best sandwich shop” award goes to Pop + Dutch. Their slogan is “Sandwiches. Salads. Lube,” and their tiny market selling vintage, often slightly titillating textiles and art only adds to the appeal. The shop carries everything you need for a day at the beach or pool, including sunscreen and, yes, lube. The fridges are stocked with fresh potato salad, pimento cheese, chicken salad, dolmas, and a variety of drinks including a great Arnold Palmer. But the sandwiches are the main event (lately, I’ve been loving specials like turkey topped with Cool Ranch Doritos and ranch-flavored mayo). In the morning, they make a mean scrambled egg sandwich on brioche, but slugabeds be warned: It’s only available from 9 to 10:30 a.m.

Crown & Anchor

247 Commercial Street 

The grande dame of Ptown is Crown & Anchor, an entertainment venue that sits in the center of town. Housing six bars and entertainment venues, a restaurant, a pool club, and a hotel, it caters to visitors and locals of all types. In 2021, it got new owners who were determined to turn the complex into a safe (and profitable!) space for queer artists, musicians, and chefs, among others. The restaurant concept changes daily, while the oyster bar is open seven days a week. Brunch (Thursday through Sunday) is hosted by yours truly and features a New Orleans-meets-New England menu. Expect my famous biscuits and gravy, plus live drag performances fueled by talent and fantasy. 

Lobster Pot

321 Commercial Street

The bright neon lobster sign, one of the Cape’s most recognizable images since 1979, welcomes stampedes of seafood lovers to the Lobster Pot. Tanks of fresh lobsters? Check. Ocean views? check. Consistently friendly service? Check. The plan of action here is to venture upstairs to the “top of the pot,” snag a seat at the bar, and kick things off with a perfect bloody mary. Then, it’s lobster rolls all around—or, for the lobster-averse, a wide-reaching menu of all sorts of fish and shellfish that you can order pan-roasted, grilled, stuffed, baked, blackened, fried, and more. There are also to-go dishes around the corner at Lobster Pot Express (5 Ryder Street). 

The Red Inn

15 Commercial Street 

Happy hour at the Red Inn is peak Ptown. From 2 to 4 p.m. daily, you can enjoy a raw bar menu, cocktails, and wine specials—all on a deck overlooking the beach that’s blessed with the best natural light in town. If oysters won’t cut it, chase them with heartier dishes like panko-crusted shrimp with sweet chili sauce, bacon-wrapped oysters, or shrimp remoulade salad. 

Helltown Kitchen

338 Commercial Street, Unit 3

Legend has it that Provincetown, because of its remote location, used to be a hideaway for smugglers and pirates. That’s why Puritans began calling it Helltown, a nickname that inspired the name of this restaurant that blends international flavors with New England ingredients. There’s truffle-scented, South American-spiced lobster risotto studded with peas and mushrooms. And if lobster isn’t it for you, Helltown does an incredible pork vindaloo that comes with mango chutney, basmati rice, and naan to sop it all up. 

Provincetown Brewing Company

141 Bradford Street 

Provincetown Brewing Company is fueled by community activism, and its business model reflects that. Not only does the brewery donate 15 percent of proceeds to LGBTQIA+ and Outer Cape causes; it also buys from queer-owned businesses and farmers. I’m big on their artichoke-cheese dip and jerk chicken sandwich, which I wash down with a flight of whatever PBC beers happen to be on tap. Keep an eye out for themed parties, trivia nights, “fag-out Fridays,” women’s night, and even a “yappy hour” for dogs. 

Atlantic House

6 Masonic Place

If Tea is where the party starts in Ptown, the Atlantic House (aka “A-House”) is where it ends (or at least where last call happens). Most patrons have no idea that the establishment is a contender for the oldest gay bar in America, having been in continuous operation for over two centuries. It draws the biggest crowd of any bar in Ptown and has three spaces: little bar, macho bar, and the dance floor, where the lights are low, the music is loud, and little by little the clothes seem to disappear. 

Spiritus Pizza

190 Commercial Street

Spiritus pizza is an old faithful and has become the staple stop between the party and the after party—so much so that the hour from 1 to 2 a.m. is called “pizza dance.” Spiritus is the only late food option in town, and after last call at the bars, the pizzeria fills up with hungry crowds, who overflow onto Commercial Street to revel in what’s essentially a nightly pizza party. There are three New York-style slices: cheese, pepperoni, or Greek (cash only!).  

Chalice at the Land’s End Inn

22 Commercial Street

Chalice is a new favorite wine and beer bar on the manicured lawn of the Land’s End Inn, which sits atop the tallest point at the end of the Cape. Complete with a fire pit and stunning views of Provincetown and beyond, it makes an ideal pitstop on your way to Tea or pre-dinner cocktails.  Look out for the pink martini flag: If you see it flying, then Chalice is open and well worth the uphill walk.

The post Where to Eat and Drink in Provincetown, Massachusetts appeared first on Saveur.

Fresh heads of romaine lettuce are split down the middle, grilled until charred and smoky, and then topped with blue cheese and bacon for this satisfying salad.

Featured in “California Eternal” by Georgia Freedman.

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Joyce Kutty likes wicked sharp knives and catch-of-the-day dinners. 

As a child, the 33-year-old metalsmith learned to fish the waters off Point Judith, Rhode Island, and helped her mother prepare Tamil- and Malayali-style curries in their kitchen in East Providence. Now, after a stint crafting Harmony engagement rings for Tiffany & Co., Kutty has moved on to more utilitarian objects inspired by the ancestral housewares her father carried home after visits to family in Kerala, India: Hand-forged spice spoons, hammered thali bowls, nadan kathi knives, and koduval coconut cleavers.

Her own boning and filleting knives reference the same graceful curves of these more traditional South Asian blades. “Both my parents are from coastal states,” she says. “So we eat a mostly fish diet. Making knives that can carve into fish and the things we grow stems from the root of my culture and upbringing.” Providence chefs Scott LaChapelle of Pickerel and Robert Andreozzi of Pizza Marvin are fans of her designs (Andreozzi is her occasional fishing buddy). “Part of my practice is to get out on the ocean and harvest seaweed from secret fishing spots [to create] a saltwater patina on bowls.”

On days away from her studio, she rises before dawn to cast for bluefish, stripers, and bonito. Oily mackerel is a particular favorite for those family curry recipes, which mingle deeply oceanic flavors with the sting of chiles. With every fish she brings home, Kutty also slices off a little piece for crudo to taste its essence. And the ones that get away? “Some for us, some for others, some for next season.”

Recipes

Keralan Fish Curry

Get the recipe >

Sri Lankan Fish Curry

Get the recipe >

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LGBTQ bars have had a tough run lately. Shuttering in concerning numbers, many have been struggling with soaring rents and an increasingly challenging business model (not to mention dating apps, which make it easy to flirt from the couch). But happily, and against all odds, many of our go-to LGBTQ spaces are still standing—thriving, even. What’s more, they need your business more than ever in light of discriminatory anti-transgender legislation and distressing Don’t Say Gay laws. To that end, here’s a pared-down list of our favorite queer bars, restaurants, and clubs in major cities across America. Drop in for a drag show, catch a late-night DJ set, or simply pull up a stool at the bar. No matter your gender or orientation, you’re in for a good time.  

The Stonewall Inn, New York City

“We really are like the gay Church,” said co-owner Kurt Kelly. Mecca for America’s gay liberation movement, Stonewall is the site where a dayslong protest for LGBTQ rights ensued in 1969 after police violently raided the establishment. In 2019, an estimated 5 million people made the pilgrimage to Greenwich Village to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the pivotal event. Today, Stonewall is more than its brick-and-mortar location; behind the scenes, the Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative is taking the “Stonewall Inn legacy to the most marginalized in our community and in the toughest places to still be LGBTQ+,” said Stacy Lentz, Stonewall’s co-owner and CEO of the nonprofit.    

Round-Up Saloon, Dallas

Next time you’re in Dallas, lasso up your friends and take them to this kitsch Oak Lawn dance hall where queer culture meets line dancing and twangy country music. Thursdays are the best nights to go for the uninitiated; that’s when instructors give free lessons on, say, how to do-si-do your partner and dance the “Hoedown Throwdown.” Nobody goes for the gastronomy (the menu is basically burgers, fries, and wings)—though it helps to have something to nibble on to mitigate the dangerously generous pours.

Cheer Up Charlies, Austin

Austin’s LGBTQ residents are up in arms: It may be too late to protect three emblematic Fourth Street queer bars from the wrecking ball as they’re slated to be replaced with luxury highrises. That makes Cheer Up Charlies—which is safe, for now—all the more important to support. With a well-furnished outdoor patio, bubbly staff, and a vegan food truck always parked outside (sweet potato fries! blood orange hard cider!), this bar is our favorite spot for partying in Texas’ blissfully “weird” capital. 

Atlantic House, Provincetown, Massachusetts

The “A-House,” as locals call it, is so old that its original owner was a mounted postman who died of cholera. Opened in 1798 as a stagecoach inn, it became a hub of Bohemian life at the turn of the 20th century as artists and writers fled gritty, industrial Boston for a freer and more solitary life. As early as the 1950s, the A-House was an openly gay establishment, a badge it wears proudly to the present day.   

Big Chicks, Chicago

The first thing you notice when you walk into Big Chicks in Chicago’s Far North Side is the diverse clientele: a wonderfully motley mix representing virtually all ages, races, physiques, and gender identities. Translation? Everybody feels seen at Big Chicks. Consider starting your evening with updated diner fare at Tweet (the sister restaurant) next door, before unbuttoning your shirt and heading over to the dancefloor. 

Akbar, Los Angeles

Akbar is all “good vibes and pretty guys,” according to Los Angeles-based music and travel writer Taylor Henderson. But it nearly shuttered due to the pandemic, when it was running up debt to the tune of $10,000 per month. In a do-or-die plea for aid, the owners created a GoFundMe page that, to their surprise, met its goal within 24 hours. Such is the commitment of this cozy watering hole’s clientele, which doubles as a community space and open mic venue.

Slammers, Columbus, Ohio

Here’s a not-so-fun fact: There are only 33 lesbian bars left in the entire country. And Slammers, fortunately, is one of them. A downtown Columbus standby since 1993, this indoor-outdoor establishment serves pizza and jalapeño poppers and strong drinks against the backdrop of live performances. There’s also karaoke, darts, and pool for those who like some friendly competition. 

Jolene’s, San Francisco

A relative newcomer on the Mission District scene (est. 2018), Jolene’s is a casual queer bar whose Insta-famous neon sign says it all: “You are safe here.” At a time when lesbian bars are closing at an alarming pace, Jolene’s is bucking the trend as a non-male-centric space that doesn’t feel exclusive. The bar food punches well above its weight with dishes like craggy fried chicken served with mashed potatoes and succotash, and cheese-cloaked sliders served alongside thick-cut fries. 

Pony, Seattle

Whenever Mark Stoner wears his Pony hat in another city, he can’t believe how many people stop him to say, “I love that bar!” The owner of this Seattle institution housed in a defunct 1930s gas station loves the compliments, but to Stoner, what “feels even better” is “when marginalized people in our own LGBTQIA+ community tell me that it’s one of the only spaces where they truly feel safe and relaxed,” he said.

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Pull into a parking lot in San Gabriel Valley, then take a whiff: Is that five spice tickling your nostrils? Hoisin wafting out that window? The smell of dumplings sizzling in a skillet? As anyone who’s traveled to this corner of Southern California knows, hiding among the drab, sand-colored strip-mall storefronts are some of the nation’s most outstanding Asian restaurants.  

Situated 15 minutes from downtown Los Angeles, these eateries often catch diners’ eyes with bright neon signs and “Best Of” stickers pasted on the doors. Step inside, and you might find soups brimming with braised meats and handmade noodles, baskets of steamed baos, or dim sum carts overflowing with dainty mouthwatering morsels.  

In the mid-1800s, citrus farming brought the first wave of Chinese immigrants to San Gabriel Valley (aka SGV). They were mostly from Guangdong (formerly Canton), which led many Americans at the time to believe Cantonese food was representative of all Chinese food. That false impression was cemented by the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which barred immigration from China altogether. It would be nearly a century before SGV got its next major influx of Asian immigrants—primarily from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Vietnam—who joined the Mexican, Filipino, Japanese, and South Asian Americans who had already made the area their home.

In the 1970s, new restaurants began cropping up celebrating the cuisines of Hunan, Sichuan, Shanghai, Taishan, Taiwan, and beyond. And recently, wealthy Chinese investors have further changed the face of SGV’s food scene by opening a smattering of high-end dining spots. 

An Angeleno of 27 years, I began my exploration of the area’s food scene in college with late-night rides to boba tea shops and to Hong Kong-style cafes to study for midterms. These days, you’re more likely to find me devouring Emperor’s jar soup, Uyghur big plate chicken, or Asian American mashups like Bopomofu’s honey-walnut shrimp burger. Whatever you’re in the mood to eat, you can probably find it in SGV. Here are the Asian restaurants I’m head-over-heels for. 

Dai Ho

9148 Las Tunas Dr., Temple City
(626) 291-2295

This popular and efficient Taiwanese noodle house opens just three hours for lunch because its handmade threads are sold out by the afternoon. After starting with refrigerator-case appetizers such as shredded tofu with celery and carrots and smashed spicy cucumbers, move on to the beef noodle soup (the national dish of Taiwan, natch), whose springy noodles rest in a complex broth and come topped with flank steak and bright green spinach. If you’ve got room for more, order more noodles—preferably the ones topped with minced pork and fermented bean sauce. (Be sure to bring cash, or be ready to pay via Venmo or Zelle.)

Hui Tou Xiang

704 W. Las Tunas Dr. #5, San Gabriel
(626) 281-9888 

Hui Tou Xiang serves tender dry noodles and rich noodle soups, but pan-fried pork dumplings are their strongest suit. They stand out for their rectangular shape, which makes for more crispy surface area. The pork filling is equally delightful with its touch of unexpected sweetness. Then there are the soup dumplings, with their impressive number of pleats, delicate yet sturdy wrapper, and gloriously splurty center. Basic ambiance and decor—pleather booths, hardback chairs, fluorescent lighting—let the food do the talking. 

Golden Deli

815 W Las Tunas Dr., San Gabriel
(626) 308-0803

Many pho spots look alike in this corner of SoCal, but it’s a mixed bag when it comes to how good the broth is. At Golden Deli, it’s just right—the clear soup sweetly beefy and aromatic with ginger, onions, star anise, cloves and cinnamon. Top your bowl with tender slices of rib eye and brisket, and if you like, tendon and/or tripe. A must-order pho precursor is chả giò, fried spring rolls, which are spectacularly crispy. The best way to eat these is by wrapping them in a lettuce leaf and herbs, which make a crisp, cool counterpoint to the juicy filling of pork, carrots, mushrooms, and glass noodles. Since its first location opened in 1981, Golden Deli has become an SGV institution, with long lines that are worth the wait.

Newport Seafood

518 W Las Tunas Dr., San Gabriel
(626) 289-5998

Newport Seafood is known for its quality seafood, often seen swimming in its tank before you order it. The signature dish is wok-fried, sauce-coated lobster with green onions, garlic, jalapeños, black pepper, and butter, a recipe developed by co-owner Ly Hua reminiscent of his childhood in Phnom Penh. A close second is the baked shrimp and crab, served crisp and eaten shell-on. Speaking of shells, one of my go-to orders is clams with “spicy hot sauce” whose name is as misleading as it is redundant, since there’s little heat to report but plenty of aromatics like basil, garlic, and ginger. Hua and wife Wendy Lam have roots in Guangdong but were born in Cambodia; both sojourned through different countries to eventually land in Southern California, where they met. Through their journeys you can taste your way through the restaurant’s menu filled with Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, and Cambodian influences.

NBC Seafood Restaurant

404 S Atlantic Blvd., Monterey Park
(626) 282-2323

Dim sum in SGV has come a long way, starting from roving dim sum carts and moving into made-to-order dishes brought hot from the kitchen. NBC Seafood Restaurant is one of the few remaining push-cart holdouts. You know the type: white tablecloths, lazy Susans, satiny gold chair covers that drape over the carpeted floor. I love the bustle and hum of the place—the servers hawking their wares, the whine of turning cart wheels, the din of diners’ conversations. The classics are all you want at NBC, and the classics are what you’ll get: crystal shrimp dumplings; open-faced pork, shrimp and mushroom dumplings; steamed pork ribs; steamed and baked buns filled with chicken or pork and pan fried radish cakes. Just be ready to wave and point when a dish catches your eye—this is no time to be shy.

Yang’s Kitchen

112 W Main St., Alhambra
(626) 281-1035

This second-generation restaurant by Chris Yang and Maggie Ho is a brunch hotspot five days a week and a dinner destination for four, but you can always count on products from local purveyors: This time of year, it’s all about kabocha squash from Yao Cheng Farm and dry-aged barramundi from The Point. Traditional dishes like congee and cold sesame noodles are my go-tos, as is the strawberry amazake smoothie made with Chavez Farms strawberries and oolong “Fresca.” At dinner, Hainan fish rice is a creative spin on what’s usually a boiled chicken dish, with added crunch thanks to crispy fish skin. Dan dan campanelle delivers perfect QQ, and the smoked char siu pork jowl is perfectly tender and sweet, capped off with an outer char. Yang’s wine list is singular and exciting, featuring  unexpected bottles such as Domaine Bükk’s “Litro Libre” made with zenit grapes from Hungary. A great reason to make a reservation for the weekend is wine nights: Flights are $34 and consist of three generous pours.

Bopomofo Cafe

841 W Las Tunas Dr., San Gabriel

Bopomofo is the quintessential SGV Cafe: It’s a casual cafe by and for second-generation Asian Americans and a side project of YouTube sensation Philip Wang of Wong Fu Productions and Eric Wang. They serve inventive beverages like mint matcha lattes and lychee berry bliss, the latter made with calamansi juice, strawberry purée, and coconut milk. If you’re peckish, consider my favorite menu item, the honey-walnut shrimp burger slathered with wasabi-yuzu sauce and topped with candied walnuts, pickled jalapenos, and red onion. There’s also your standard variety of popcorn chicken, crispy niblets dusted in house seasoning, available in white or dark meat and furnished with Thai basil aïoli. 

SinBala

651 W Duarte Rd. Ste. F, Arcadia
(626) 446-0886

SinBala has long been the local standby for Taiwanese comfort food and desserts. The classic order (from the enormous menu) is the pork chop over rice, a battered-and-fried behemoth with a crunchy layer that gives way to tender, juicy meat. There’s also the glutinous meatball, a staple of southern Taiwan, topped with a sweet, orange-tinged garlic soy sauce. Every bite is a delectable combination of pork, wood-ear mushroom, and lip-smacking sauce. After all that richness, a refreshing dessert is in order: Shaved ice topped with condensed milk and your choice of mochi balls, grass jelly cubes, red beans, and boba.

Bistro Na’s

9055 Las Tunas Dr. #105, Temple City
(626) 286-1999

Bistro Na’s introduced SGV to the Imperial cuisine of the Qing Dynasty, representing a new era of deeper-pocketed Chinese immigration to the area. Inside its red- and gold-walled dining room, guests can feast on dishes that were literally made for royalty. Dishes by Bejing-born chef Tian Yong include extraordinarily crispy shrimp in its rendition of walnut shrimp and Emperor’s jar soup, a blend of beef tendon, mushroom, fish maw, quail egg, and sea cucumber suspended in concentrated chicken stock. The restaurant serves only eight Peking ducks per night, and to claim one, you’ll want to call ahead. The bird’s skin has a uniform thickness that almost shatters when you bite into it. Chef Yong carves it delicately and serves the dish himself in two stages—first with only sugar, then in hand-rolled wraps filled with cucumber, green onion, and homemade plum sauce

Dolan’s Uyghur Cuisine

742 W Valley Blvd., Alhambra
(626) 782-7555

Before this Alhambra restaurant opened in 2019, there were hardly any Halal restaurants serving SGV’s Uyghur community. Here you’ll find dishes seasoned with star anise, cumin, black pepper and cardamom—signature flavors of China’s Turkic Muslim minority. Big-plate chicken, the standout main, features flat noodles, potatoes, bell peppers, leeks, and chiles in a spicy, hearty sauce. Equally hard to pass up are the hand-crimped beef and onion manti and the hand-pulled laghman noodles with stir-fried beef and vegetables. Televisions show landscape shots of the vast and diverse landscape of Xinjiang province, and make you reflect on this deep-seated culture fighting eradication. 

Colette

975 N Michillinda Ave., Pasadena
(626) 510-6286

This Pasadena gem that opened in 2022 brings SGV Cantonese cuisine full circle. Though you’ll spot classic preparations—such as dim sum staples like juicy pork dumplings and egg yolk buns or salt and pepper tossed calamari—there’s a new emphasis on seasonality and quality of ingredients. A case in point is chef Peter Lai’s chicken stuffed with shrimp paste distinguished by phenomenally crispy skin. Don’t miss the stir-fried vegetables, including savory luffa tossed with salted egg yolk, and wokked chayote with minced pork and pickled olives. If you’re feeling adventurous, ask your server what the specials are, but don’t veer too far off: While the menu is vast and includes modern takes, experience has shown me that the classics are where it’s at. 

Hsi Lai Temple

3456 Glenmark Dr., Hacienda Heights

In the Easter SGV enclave of Hacienda Heights lies one of the largest Buddhist temples in North America. Hsi Lai, which means “coming west,” is a breathtaking, 15-acre complex with gardens and temples built in Ming and Qing dynasty architectural styles. Every day, they put out a humble $10 vegetarian buffet as a service to the community. You’ll find fairly standard dishes such as tempura vegetables; sesame tofu salad; vegetable broth; stir-fried noodles and cut fruit. The food is nothing to write home about (and may be bland to some, since it’s allium-free due to religious restrictions), but the compound is worth visiting for its meditative serenity alone. The temple encourages visitors to take only what they can eat, so be mindful of waste.

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Charleston isn’t just a locale full of history, cobblestones, and hot-out-of-the-fryer hush puppies. It’s a living, breathing city that’s gone through many busts and booms—and right now, it is booming.

The upswing is clear from one look at the skyline. Historically dominated by steeples, it has a new constant: soaring hotels, from the waterfront to the city center and out to the sea islands. 

The new lodgings have shooed out the dusty “moonlight and magnolias” hotels of yesteryear (soft carpeting, classical music, house merlot) and upped the ante for on-site restaurants, many of which have become destinations in their own right. The construction boom has also lit a fire under decades-old properties, which have added amenities and renovated facilities to keep up with the times.

The secret to choosing a hotel in Charleston is simple: Follow the locals. While we Charlestonians might not stay in the rooms ourselves, we know where we’d like to put Grandma up for the wedding, meet a friend for drinks, or dream of a staycation. A good hotel is about more than towel warmers in the bathroom and bubbly at check-in; it’s about uniqueness in a sea of sameness. 

So next time you’re in town (for the Charleston Wine + Food Festival or otherwise), seek out culture over cookie-cutter experiences by booking a room at one of these exceptional hotels. 

The Dewberry Charleston 

334 Meeting St.
843-558-8000

This crown-jewel hotel occupying a mid-century office building has understated elegance, attentive service, and one-of-a-kind furnishings. The sleek furniture that anchors the “living room” is original to the period, as are many desks and dressers in the rooms. The lobby bar, presided over by staff in black dresses and dinner coats, positively gleams. And the rooms and hallways are restfully quiet and well-insulated. A spa treatment, such as an express facial with Natura Bisse products, is well worth the price. You can show off the glow at the rooftop Citrus Club, which I frequent for Dewberry daiquiris (Plantation pineapple rum, sherry, lime), warm crab dip with butter crackers, and (naturally) the sweeping city views. —S.B.

The Spectator Hotel

67 State St.
866-476-4212

In this era of price-gouging for run-of-the-mill amenities, The Spectator stands apart. From the welcome cocktail to the mini-fridge restocked daily and bicycles available for exploring Charleston’s narrow side streets, “complimentary” is the operative word here. Steps from the trinket- and tourist-filled Market Street, this enclave of dark wood and Art Deco details is all about personalized service. Case in point: If you walk through one of Charleston’s frequent rainstorms, upon return, consider leaving your shoes out for shining with the butler service, then use that (or any other) excuse to have a nightcap of the Spectator’s private-label bourbon while seated on one of the Malachite green leather bar stools in the large lobby bar. —S.B.

Zero George

0 George St.
843-817-7900 

This cluster of restored 1804 buildings surrounding a private courtyard has the charm of an old-timey inn and all the creature comforts of a 21st-century hotel. It’s worth staying in for a night to experience the outstanding tasting menu at The Restaurant at Zero George, or at the very least sipping a glass of grower champagne at The Caviar Bar. Cooking classes with executive chef Vinson Petrillo are available, but if you prefer to be cooked for on vacation, the wagyu burger is a must. Whatever you choose to eat, you’re only a couryard’s crossing to accommodations defined by old pine floors and Italian Frette linens. —S.B. 

Post House

101 Pitt St. Mt Pleasant
843-203-7678

The devil is in the details, and at the Post House, the details are just right. From the moment I was handed my betasseled antique gold room key—so much easier to find in a purse than a key card!—I couldn’t stop noticing the thoughtful touches throughout this seven-room inn built in 1896. From the botanical-print William Morris wallpaper and handsome vintage light fixtures to the daily-changing fruit-infused water dispenser by the staircase and the mini bar brimming with local treats, there’s so much to delight. Each stay also includes a perfectly apportioned continental breakfast—cheese, charcuterie, fruit, a croissant, and a hard-boiled egg alongside freshly brewed coffee—which you can linger over in the light-flooded dining room or get delivered in a picnic hamper to your room. Lunch and dinner are no slouch, either—there’s plenty of fresh local seafood on the menu (don’t miss the crudo of the day or the blue crab toast), not to mention one of the best cheeseburgers in town. —Frances Kim, Digital Director

Mills House Charleston, Curio Collection by Hilton 

115 Meeting St.
843-577-2400

The elegant pink hotel at the corner of Meeting and Queen has had a recent glow-up. Under new ownership and management since 2017, The Mills House has since undergone a total interior redesign. While the 19th-century beauty’s facade and fountain courtyard have lost none of their stately charm, improvements to modernize the guest rooms and common areas make this hotel a particularly hip home base from which to reach some of our favorite restaurants in the Crescent City. Or you could stay put: When last in town for the Charleston Wine + Food Festival, I re-energized with a morning yoga class and a green juice smoothie by the pool, then switched to iced lattes and fresh, buttery breakfast pastries in the buzzy Black Door Café. Come happy hour, you don’t want to miss the small-bite menu at Iron Rose, which is peppered with polished takes on beloved Southern flavors like pimento cheese, butterbean hummus, pickled local shrimp, and blue crab fritters.  —Kat Craddock, CEO/Editor-in-Chief

The Charleston Place

205 Meeting St.
855-666-8103

Come for The Charleston Place’s plush princess beds, saltwater pool, and spa—but stay for the food. Once a part of Belmond’s international luxury hotel group, the opulent accommodation was recently acquired by the locally based Beemok Hospitality Collection, and it’s still just as grand. Click over the polished marble lobby floors, beyond the glittering chandelier and curved double staircase, for a cocktail or afternoon tea in the Thoroughbred Club. Clarified strawberry milk punch and a barrel-aged black Manhattan with Amaro Averna are high points on the wood-paneled bar’s drink menu, but the bartenders make a mean classic Bloody, too. Down the hall at the Charleston Grill, celebrated chef Michelle Weaver last year granted the chef de cuisine role to her longtime mentee Suzy Castelloe. Breakfast in the posh and pretty Palmetto café is also a special treat—though folks looking to avoid the fuss in favor of a quieter, more exclusive experience can spring for a room on the hotel’s club floors. Guests staying in this super-premium section have access to an all-day bar and a buffet of treats from breakfast to happy hour to desserts and digestifs. —K.C.

Fulton Lane Inn

202 King St.
843-720-2600

King Street is the main drag in Charleston for dining and shopping, whether you’re interested in summer frocks, antique silver, or a plate of fresh oysters—and Fulton Lane Inn is smack in the middle of the action (though it feels like a secret). Duck down an adorable little lane off King Street and you’ll find yourself at this hotel where rooms feel like a bed and breakfast gone right—all the charm of four-poster beds, fireplaces, and upholstered wingbacks but with the amenities and standards of a discerning hotel. For anyone enamored with Charleston’s specific Southern charm (or eager to experience it), this inn is the perfect place to rest after a day of frivolity and fun. —Ellen Fort, Contributing Editor

Hotel Bennett

404 King St.
833-313-1798

Hotel Bennett’s signature restaurant, Gabrielle, got an upgrade last year with Edgar Kano coming on as executive chef. Born in Mexico City and of Japanese heritage, Kano showcases coastal Carolina’s freshest seasonal bounty through Latin and Japanese lenses. After dinner, sashay across the lobby to Camellias, the hotel’s opulent champagne bar (decked out in pink marble and crystal), for a glass of bubbles and the famed Camellias cake from French pastry chef Rémy Fünfrock. A pink chocolate-glazed dome of lemon-almond sponge, topped with the daintiest macaron, makes the rosy environment that much more Instagrammable (on my last visit, there may or may not have been an impromptu photoshoot underway of two identical black yorkies, Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn). —Toni-Ann Gardiner, Brand Partnerships Lead

The post Charleston’s Top Hotels for Food-Focused Travelers appeared first on Saveur.

If shrimp and grits are what come to mind when you think about food in Charleston, my hunch is that you haven’t been down to my neck of the woods lately. Since the late aughts, the city has undergone a culinary renaissance propelled by a cohort of chefs, notably Sean Brock, who brought the farm-to-table movement to new heights. In part because of this burgeoning scene, Charleston’s tourism sector has grown exponentially in recent years, and the city of just over 150,000 residents now receives close to 1 million tourists annually. (Some 35,000—including a handful of SAVEUR staffers—descend on the Charleston Wine + Food Festival each year alone.) 

But Charleson’s culinary evolution continues apace to the present. These days, a new class of chef-driven restaurants has cemented the city as an evergreen food destination, drawing from the traditional Lowcountry palate as well as international flavors and cooking techniques. 

Charleston is a thriving centuries-old port, and its food is grounded in the influences of enslaved people from West Africa and beyond who largely built the city from the ground up, grew its crops, and worked and cooked here. On this peninsula hugged by the Ashley and Cooper Rivers, they creatively combined spices and other foodstuffs that came off the ships with the bounty of this place—corn, game, shrimp, fish, crab, oysters—and established a singular cuisine at the intersection of many cultures. 

The peninsula is still Charleston’s gastronomic epicenter, which means a lot of the best restaurants are within walking distance from one another. However, as the city has grown, so has its culinary footprint, and now diners can be served—and served well—by spending some time west of the Ashley River, in the Park Circle neighborhood of North Charleston, and out on the Sea Islands. 

Charleston’s restaurants are marvelously diverse, and nowadays, you’re almost as likely to find flounder cooked in miso-infused broth as you are to enjoy it dredged in cornmeal and deep-fried. That’s why this primer runs the gamut.

I hope the list sparks your imagination: This city by the sea is where I dove headfirst into food writing, and almost two decades later, I am just as enamored with Charleston’s restaurant scene as I was that first soft-shell crab season. My biggest piece of advice? Come hungry—enjoying all that Charleston has to offer takes time, reservations, and a voracious appetite. 

The Glass Onion

1219 Savannah Highway
(843) 225-1717

Sixteen years and counting, The Glass Onion continues to churn out pitch-perfect po’boys with flash-fried plump local shrimp served on a soft yet crusty roll. Beyond the sandwiches, there are in-season vegetable sides like local field peas stewed with onions and fresh herbs, which are great to share alongside entrees including pan-roasted Carolina trout and succulent pork chops. The diner-style dining room is simple yet comfortable enough to linger for dessert, which may be a tart meringue pie one day and buttermilk panna cotta the next.

Costa

320 Broad St., Suite 160
(843) 969-2555

At this Mediterranean restaurant next to Colonial Lake, Chef Vinson Petrillo (of Restaurant at Zero George fame) reminds everybody why burrata became so trendy in the first place: This is the good stuff, ultra-creamy with a mild tang (and it doesn’t hurt that there’s an option to have it arrive gilded with caviar). Eggplant parmesan, bubbling from the oven, feels like a coat on a cool night, but regardless of the weather, I find myself returning to the cool beef carpaccio with velvety slices of meat encasing an Asian-inspired herby salad.

Da Toscano Porchetta Shop

109 President St.
No Phone

After moving to Charleston to open Le Farfalle, chef Michael Toscano connected with local pig farmer Tank Jackson and soon perfected his already exceptional porchetta. At this Charleston take on an Italian American butcher shop, try the flavorful, thinly sliced pork on a focaccia sandwich topped with salsa verde, or skip the swine and opt for the eggplant scapece sandwich with arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, and ricotta. When you’ve gone hard the night before, Da Toscano’s breakfast sandwiches—such as porcini-rubbed prime rib topped with a sunny-side-up egg—always save the day. 

Rodney Scott’s BBQ

1011 King St.
(843) 990-9535

There’s often a line out the door to this restaurant on Upper King, and when Rodney’s in the house, a line to see him, too. Rodney Scott is one of the great pitmasters of smoky whole-hog barbecue, which requires the strength to lift butterflied pigs over glowing coals, the stamina to tend it for multiple hours, and the patience to know when it’s crisp enough to serve with zippy vinegar sauce. The sound system is always playing some classic pop or blues in the sun-filled dining room, and the music is even piped out to the parking lot for customers at the drive-through. Rodney’s is a rare taste of country-style barbecue in the city—red cafeteria tray, pork skins, beans, collards, and all. 

Vern’s 

41 Bogard St. A
No phone

It feels like a cozy dinner party at this Cannonborough neighborhood haunt, where seasonal bistro dishes are the draw. A few recent standouts include escargot with tarragon and gruyère, gnocchetti with walnut arugula pesto, and bavette steak with sweet onions from Wadmalaw Island. Bethany, the co-owner, is a marvelous host, serving wine, hugging customers, and deftly maneuvering the crush of diners. Settle in for aperitivi at the bar, then peruse the wine list favoring low-intervention small producers. 

Kultura 

73 Spring St.
(843) 974-1674

There’s no cornbread in sight at this Filipino restaurant with a pleasant side yard patio—yet as any local will tell you, Kultura has quickly become a Charleston favorite since opening last year. Ingredients sourced nearby, like Peculiar Pig pork and a variety of vegetables, shine through in dishes like arroz caldo topped with smoked trout roe and tocino (twice-cooked pork ribs with banana ketchup and furikake rice krispies). It’s astonishing that the cooks can achieve such depth of flavor and beautiful plating using little more than an induction burner and a small oven. On Sundays, guests belt out karaoke hits at brunch while sipping mimosas and halo-halo cocktails made with coconut, sake, and ube foam. 

Chez Nous

6 Payne Court
(843) 579-3060

We’ve already professed our love for this spot swimming in fairytale European charm, but the lasting appeal of Chez Nous is how it connects the diner with the seasons—six menu items at a time. On a recent visit, there was crispy fish with peas and sofrito, shaved carrot and golden beet salad spooned over creamy mozzarella, and berries in vanilla cream for dessert—all served in an unhurried, well-choreographed procession. At Chez Nous, the candlelight glows, the Old World wine list flows, and there’s always a new season to celebrate.

Malika

1333 Theater Drive, Mount Pleasant
(843) 388-5178

This Pakistani street food mecca next to a movie theater is the Mount Pleasant sister restaurant of Ma’am Saab. Its walls pop with Pakistani street posters, and Bollywood music blasts from the speakers. Masala fries, sprinkled with the house chile-spice blend, come topped with onions, cilantro, and spicy ketchup; they’re a solid starter to munch on while deciding between mains like beef kabab with green chutney and tamarind or the paneer tikka masala combo with vegetable korma. For dessert, don’t miss the traditional kulfi (pistachio, rose, and cinnamon) ice cream. 

FIG

232 Meeting St.
(843) 805-5900 

Though FIG recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, reservations are as hard to come by as ever (so book ahead!). Favorites like the gnocchi and tomato tartine are always in seasonal rotation, but there’s always something new to try in dishes like broiled Steamboat oysters with green garlic (which go great with Cruse Wine’s sparkling rosé), beets with house-made cottage cheese, and sautéed snowy grouper served in a pool of artichoke dashi with peas and asparagus. After-dinner cocktails such as the “café de Carmen”—espresso, Hoodoo chicory, Giffard Banane du Brésil, and Cynar—make a wonderful pairing for desserts like rich Carolina Gold rice pudding topped with local blueberries. 

Bintü Atelier

8D Line St.
(347) 249-6594

Bintü Atelier is one of Charleston’s first African restaurants. Tucked in a house in Eastside with an old-fashioned kitchen store attached, the establishment cranks out stunning mains such as goat with melon seed and pumpkin; mafe, a groundnut stew with chicken; and fried soft-shell crab served over shito spicy crab rice. To wash it all down, there are fresh house-made juices from pineapple to ginger to soursop. This is a family-run operation (you can often spot chef Bintou N’Daw Young at the stove through the screen door), which adds to the warm, homey feel.

The Obstinate Daughter

2063 Middle St., Sullivan’s Island
(843) 416-5020

From wood-roasted clams to seasonal vegetables, the OD (as it’s affectionately called) is all about shareable French, Italian and Spanish plates. Start with oysters from the raw bar, a flatbread with butterbean puree, or Frogmore chowder with shrimp and sausage, then move on to a veal cutlet over creamy grits or the Capanelle made with seasonal fish, green olives, calabrian chili, and breadcrumbs. Make sure to save room for a gelato sampler from Beardcat’s downstairs, which uses local and seasonal ingredients ranging from strawberries to Counter Culture espresso. The OD is the rare restaurant that’s great for romantic dates, family celebrations, and everything in between. 

Bertha’s Kitchen

2332 Meeting Street Rd.
(843) 554-6519

Braving the long line here is part of the pilgrimage, and everybody’s in it together: construction workers, churchgoers, the lawyer from those TV ads, and now you. Bertha’s is about more than the silky okra soup, creamy mac and cheese, green beans like my granny’s, and fried pork chops (my go-to order ever since one of the owners gave me the up-down and said, “You look like it might be a pork chop day”). With its mural of Bertha herself and tables of impatient children waiting for their parents in line, Bertha’s is community across the steam table. 

Chubby Fish 

252 Coming St.
(854) 222-3949

Cooks here work hand in hand daily with local fishermen to bring patrons the best Lowcountry seafood imaginable. You might luck out with a snapper ceviche with avocado and cucumber on one visit, while the next, it might be fried soft-shell crab nachos. The dining room bathed in varying blues, the wine list with plenty of lights and white, and the ever-helpful staff make this Cannonborough neighborhood standby feel like a party—without getting in the middle of yours. Insider tip: The caviar sandwiches on potato rolls are one of the best Charleston restaurant experiences on the peninsula.

Lowland Tavern

36 George St.
(854) 895-4137

Lowland Tavern is the kind of place local chefs flock to when they’re not on the line: It’s cozy yet decadent, thanks to the art-saturated walls and ornate 19th-century fireplaces, and the menu is deceptively simple yet full of subtle culinary flexes. Take the Tavern burger and fries, for instance, inspired by James Beard Award-winning chef Jason Stanhope’s favorite burgers at Peter Luger Steak House and Minetta Tavern in New York: It’s bathed in creamy cognac sauce and comes on a pillowy, sesame-flecked bun that absorbs just enough of the juices so they don’t dribble down your chin. When I’m in the mood for something lighter, I spring for the celery salad with dates, walnuts, and mint. 

Jackrabbit Filly

4628 Spruill Ave., North Charleston
(854) 895-4137

The patio here on a summer night is Park Circle (North Charleston’s hip neighborhood) at its finest. The cocktails—perhaps a carafe of the sake-based If You’re a Bird, I’m a Bird—and easy-to-drink Lambrusco, chenin blanc, and rosé make for many gregarious rounds, and the dim sum brunch of dumplings, congee, and a big ol’ piece of chocolate chip banana bread is so popular it’s often standing-room only. No matter the occasion, at least one order of Sichuan hot karaage, drizzled with house “filly sauce” and served with sweet pickles, is a must.

The post Where to Dine in Charleston, According to a Local appeared first on Saveur.

Nashville, “Music City,” has long been a haven for musicians and songwriters, but these days my hometown is also experiencing a surge of culinary talent. A decade or two ago, finding handrolls made with fish from Tokyo or natural wine by the glass was a challenge. Now, we’re in business, with more options coming down the pike at a rapid pace.

Born and raised in Nashville, I spent my childhood digging into plates of fried chicken with sides of squash casserole and turnip greens at Elliston Place Soda Shop, and meandering out to Highway 100 for a plate of biscuits at Loveless Cafe—establishments that have fed this city for generations. We’ve always eaten well here, but as the city has changed—becoming more international, and influenced by the East and West Coasts—so have its tastes, expanding beyond the down-home cooking visitors might expect. 

That’s a good thing. Ours is a vibrant dining scene that caters to all tastes and budgets, from experimental fine dining to tried-and-true lunch counters. There are way more than 13 excellent places to visit in Nashville, so use this as your primer to getting a taste of Music City. Whether you’re craving a plate of hot chicken from Prince’s or artfully arranged Appalachian food from chef Sean Brock, Nashville has it.

Elliston Place Soda Shop

2105 Elliston Place, Nashville, TN 37203
(615)-219-2704

Aside from hot chicken, Nashville’s other hometown food is the “meat ‘n’ three,” a plate lunch consisting of a protein and three sides. The Southern classic is a specialty of The Elliston Place Soda Shop. Opened in 1935, it is one of the few remaining (and best examples) of the genre. Generations of Nashvillians have graced the red leather booths and black-and-white-tiled floors over the years, tended to by staff that feels like it turns over about once a century. (Ms. Linda, “the pie lady,” still makes her beloved coconut meringue pies every morning.) Though Elliston Place moved to a newer space next door a few years ago, it still features the soda counter and pressed tin ceiling, which makes the milkshakes, sundaes, and off-menu Elmer—all made with ice cream from Nashville’s Purity Dairy—taste like the good old days.

International Market

2013 Belmont Blvd., Nashville, TN 37212
(615)-297-4453

International Market introduced Nashvillians to Thai food in the 1970s, when it opened on Belmont Boulevard serving an exceptionally affordable steam table lunch of Thai and Chinese dishes. Now, with a new location (across the street) and new ownership (Anna and Arnold Myint, children of the original owners), the restaurant incorporates high-quality local meats and produce in an updated setting—though thankfully the original mustard-and-orange bench seating came along for the ride. The kitchen is now a proving ground for chef Arnold Myint, a recent James Beard Semifinalist. Menu items venture beyond the typical selections of curries with five-spice duck lo mein, shrimp and pineapple curry, and red curry rice ball wraps. At lunch, diners can choose from the classic steam table option or order from the menu; nighttime brings table service with Singhas and craft cocktails.

Locust

2305 12th Ave. S., Nashville, TN 37204
(No phone)

At Locust, chef Trevor Moran created his own culinary genre blending influences from Japan to his native Ireland. I’ve eaten briny Belon oysters that tasted—pleasantly—like licking a battery; a roast sole served with morels and uni; and a bowl of tiny sea snails served with toothpicks and spicy salt. The DIY beef tartare handrolls—freshly ground bottom round, fluffy rice, and smoky pickled egg cream, plus freeze-dried capers and nori for rolling—are a must, as is the tuna crisp, featuring house-cured slices of tuna loin and belly atop a fried wonton crisp slathered with horseradish. The chefs deliver these dishes to the tables themselves to an eclectic soundtrack featuring everything from Meat Loaf to old-school hip-hop. The drink list is heavy on natural wines, though my go-to is the Toki Highball cocktail or a can of sake. In homage to Moran’s birthplace, there’s also Guinness by the pint, and Irish gin and tonics compete with Orion beer and sake cups.

Kisser

747 Douglas Ave., Suite 105B, Nashville, TN 37207
(No phone)

The diminutive Kisser, modeled after a Japanese kissaten, a neighborhood spot serving comfort food where locals can eat, drink, and hang out, has been a smash hit since opening in 2023. After spending years in some of the best kitchens in L.A. and Nashville, co-owner couple Brian Lea and Leina Horii decided to focus on their own vision. Inspired in part by Horii’s family sushi restaurant in California, the menu blends traditional Japanese cuisine and their fine-dining techniques with dishes like onigiri stuffed with snow crab and avocado, a perfectly crispy chicken katsu sandwich on fluffy housemade milk bread, and bowls of udon in delicate broth. It’s one of the best places in town to enjoy fresh fish, particularly the chirashi bowl brimming with pristine sashimi and glistening salmon roe. Make sure to end your meal with a green melon-cream soda or a crackly miso crème brûlée. 

Folk

823 Meridian St., Nashville, TN 37207
(615)-610-2595

Folk is a neighborhood gem that Nashville needs now more than ever as hotels and chains threaten to take hold of the dining scene. The restaurant is perched on a quiet corner in East Nashville’s McFerrin Park and welcomes diners with wood-fired sourdough-crust pizzas—my favorite is adorned with Little Neck clams, parsley, bonito, and lemon—and rustic Italian-leaning dishes like Marcella beans with spicy pepper relish, bouncy focaccia with whipped ricotta, and more. From the high-ceilinged dining room, adorned with paper lanterns and exposed brick walls, you can glimpse the bustling kitchen and blazing pizza oven. Natural wines and classic cocktails are the move at the bar, where the afternoon light streams in during the daily apéro hour. The crowd of shockingly healthy houseplants are as well-nourished as the patrons. 

Redheaded Stranger

305 Arrington St., Nashville, TN 37207
(615)-544-8226

Not far from Folk stands a Tex-Mex taco shop with a sense of humor where you can gobble down one chef’s highly agreeable take on Taco Bell’s Crunchwrap. To make it, chef Bryan Lee Weaver (also of Butcher & Bee) fills his fluffy handmade tortillas with Texas red chili, pork green chili, or both when you order it “Xmas-style.” If tacos are more your speed, you’ll find toppings like brisket, tater tots, and freshly roasted Hatch chiles. To me, the sleeper hit is the vegetarian taco with charred poblano, whipped feta, and crispy rice, thanks to its variety of textures and smoky heat. The queso dip comes with more of those warm, velvety tortillas (never chips!), and the frozen margaritas are tart and free of sickly-sweet sour mix. The interior offers retro-diner vibes, with a formica bar and red leather booths, but there’s nothing like grabbing a patio seat in the summertime to let those margs work their Texas magic.

Audrey

809 Meridian St., Nashville, TN 37207
(615)-988-3263

Chef Sean Brock has dedicated his career to studying Appalachian foodways and cuisine, from his time at Charleston’s award-winning restaurants McCrady’s and Husk to present-day passion projects like Audrey. Within this minimalist monolith of a building is a warm restaurant serving food that borrows from the chef’s upbringing in rural Kentucky. On the menu, chicken and dumplings with fines herbes and black truffles are based on a recipe from his grandmother, Audrey, who gave the restaurant its name. The dining room is centered around the kitchen and its woodfired grill; its walls display Brock’s collection of outsider art, from Butch Anthony to Moses Tolliver, selected to immerse diners in his dreamworld. 

Henrietta Red

1200 4th Ave. N., Nashville, TN 37208
(615)-490-8042

Lucky for Nashvillians, former Per Se chef and Nashville native Julia Sullivan came home to open her first solo restaurant in Henrietta Red. This airy, tiled Germantown spot boasts an oyster bar glistening with mollusks including Maine’s salty Mookie Blues and Alabama’s buttery Murder Points. Despite Nashville’s landlocked status (the Cumberland River doesn’t count), Henrietta Red deftly combines coastal ingredients with Southern flavors in dishes like oysters roasted with ‘nduja butter and whole trout with dandelion greens. Wood-fired seafood is the focus here, but the fresh pastas and vegetables—particularly the beet salad with pistachio and mint—stand out, too. Brunch brings its own reason to visit, with dishes like shrimp toast with beets and tahini and smoked fish cakes with lemon-fennel aioli.

Bad Idea

1021 Russell St., Nashville, TN 37206
(no phone)

So named because “opening a restaurant is a bad idea,” this natural wine bar is the brainchild of owner-sommelier Alex Burch and chef Colby Rasavong. You might kick things off, for instance, with a scallop-stuffed crêpe in a pool of nam prik blanquette topped by a lacy tuile, and follow that with a vegetarian laab made with sunflower milk, or pain perdu kaya toast topped with caviar. It’s all happening inside a repurposed church sanctuary with original windows and high ceilings. Worship at this altar of wine and food later in the night, and bar snacks are the vibe—think curry-caviar corndogs and fried bologna sandwiches (a late-night Nashville classic) with potato chip aioli. 

Prince’s Hot Chicken

5814 Nolensville Pike, Nashville, TN 37211
(615)-810-9388

Despite the ever-widening swath of restaurants serving Prince’s signature dish around the globe, you have to visit the original purveyor to get real-deal Nashville hot chicken. As the story goes, the ultra-spicy sandwich was created as punishment by a jilted lover of Thornton Prince; but, instead of catching on fire, Prince loved the spice so much that he’d go on to perfect the recipe that launched his business. Today, Prince’s remains the best in class, serving up fried chicken spiced with cayenne pepper oil atop a slice of white bread with a pickle (a foil to all that cayenne).

Wendell Smith’s

407 53rd Ave. N., Nashville, TN 37209
(615)-383-7114

Wood-paneled walls line the dining room of this classic meat ‘n’ three restaurant that’s been serving up Southern soul since 1952. Every day, the fourth-generation owners welcome a regular crowd hungry for roast beef, baked ham, and pit barbecue, plus daily specials like fried catfish, chicken and dumplings, and throwback fixins like candied yams, turnip greens, baked apples, fried corn, and creamed potatoes. Wendell Smith’s is a slice of Nashville that has hung on to its corner lot despite unchecked development all around it, still sharing space with the adjacent liquor store of the same name that’s been operating just as long. 

Loveless Cafe

8400 Hwy. 100, Nashville, TN 37221
(615)-646-9700 

What began 70 years ago as a humble motel and cafe at the start of the Natchez Trace Parkway has been thriving from the moment Lon and Annie Love began serving biscuits and fried chicken to travelers out of their home kitchen. After their continuing success, the couple turned their home into a restaurant and opened 14 rooms as a motel to accompany their new dining destination. The motel went out of operation years ago, and its rooms are now home to retail space with smoked hams, jams, and biscuit mix on offer. Though there is now expanded outdoor seating and an outdoor bar serving bloody Marys when the wait is long, there’s nothing better than grabbing a seat in the tiny dining room that still feels like home.  

Sperry’s Restaurant

5109 Harding Pike, Nashville, TN 37205
(615)-353-0809

An institution since 1974, this legendary West Nashville steakhouse is a windowless dining room featuring backlit stained glass, carpeting, a stone fireplace with a roaring fire (most nights), and sporty portraits of the hounds and horses that once lived on the grounds of the abutting Belle Meade Mansion. Martinis and Manhattans pair perfectly with Sperry’s steaks and seafood, from a filet Oskar smothered in crabmeat and Béarnaise to king crab legs served with drawn butter. Nashville’s very first salad bar remains gloriously intact here, where diners can pile their plate with neon green goddess and bacon crumbles (though the plated iceberg wedge salad topped with bacon and black olives is my choice). Bananas Foster, another highlight, is served tableside in a plume of booze-soaked flames and cinnamon-fueled sparks. The doors open at 4 for happy hour, when sausage-stuffed mushrooms and discounted cocktails draw a steady stream of locals each day. 

The post 13 Excellent Restaurants to Try in Nashville appeared first on Saveur.

For most of my adult life I’ve lived in Queens, the largest of New York City’s five boroughs. Nicknamed “The World’s Borough,” with half of its 2.4 million residents being foreign-born, it’s one of America’s most diverse urban areas—and one of the most exciting places on the planet to eat. 

In my neighborhood of Jackson Heights, more than 160 languages are spoken, from Bengali to Thakali to Mixtec. Here I might spot a saffron-robed monk eating a Burmese tea leaf salad by the subway stairs or stumble on a church bazaar selling Salvadoran pupusas. 

As I worked on my cookbooks and National Dish, about cuisines and identities, food has always been my entry point into the polyglot social mosaic around me. In the part of Jackson Heights dubbed Little India, the air practically throbs with the scents of masalas from every South Asian region. To the west, along a vibrant pan-Latin thoroughfare under the elevated 7 train rumbling above, Quechua-speakers munch on chochos (lupini beans) and Colombian teens clutch plastic cups of Technicolor raspados (crushed ice). East of here is the Little Manila of Woodside. South lies Elmhurst, an ever-expanding Asia-zone with some of the most vibrant Thai food in the country. 

A far larger Asia-town awaits in Flushing where I can try noodles from Guangzhou or Chengdu or Lanzhou. Beyond it: Murray Hill’s massive Koreatown. And did I mention the Egyptian seafood and Balkan bureks and Greek pastries cheek by jowl with hip cocktail spots in fast-gentrifying Astoria? Or the post-Soviet mosaic that is Rego Park, where golden khachapuri (Georgian cheese pies) preen next to Uzbek samsa next to Slavic pirozhki at bakeries? Or—whew, I’m getting winded now—the indie modern-American restaurants in Ridgewood and Long Island City? In Queens, you can have it all. 

This borough of hyphenated cuisines and identities also challenges notions of what is “authentic.” Here Colombian yuca-dough empanadas might be made by Mexican ladies at a Chinese-run café chain, while a Latin cocktail place might double as a Moroccan hookah lounge. To eat here, as I have done for over three decades, is to develop an ever-deepening appreciation of food as a cultural force behind the vitality of our immigrant neighborhoods, a force that brings together communities even at a time when identity politics fracture the globe. 

Nepali Bhanchha Ghar

74-15 Roosevelt Ave.
(917) 745-0533

The area around the Roosevelt Avenue-Jackson Heights subway station is dubbed Himalayan Heights for the Nepalis and Tibetans who continue to settle here, hooking the multicultural hood on their austere, pleasingly rugged cuisines. A Himalayan Heights eating adventure can quickly turn into a lesson in Nepal’s  many ethnicities (Sherpas, Thakkalis, and Mustangs, to name a few). And it will inevitably involve momos—the pleated dumplings that flourish hereabouts as something of an edible life force. For silky-skinned chicken or goat momos bobbing in jhol, a complex spicy broth pungent with Nepali masala, I love Bhancha Gar, winner multiple times of New York’s annual Momo Crawl competition. This homey spot also peddles crisp-golden sel roti (a skinny Nepali rice dough doughnut) served with spicy chutney for dipping. And yes, you’ll also want the sukuti, the chewy curried beef or goat jerky that Yamuna Shrestha, the petit, feisty co-owner, air-dries herself. 

Tortas Neza

104-58 Roosevelt Ave.
(347) 666-1517

The stretch of Roosevelt Avenue from Jackson Heights east to Corona is the borough’s pan-Latin food corridor. Churros and chuzos, tamales and tacos, Colombian arepas and Ecuadorian mote (hominy) are hawked on its thronged sidewalks as cumbia, salsa, and ranchera blast from loudspeakers. Around 104^th Street under the elevated 7 train tracks, you’ll find the blue Tortas Neza truck, where larger-than-life fútbol (soccer) fanatic Galdino Molinero constructs epic Mexican tortas (sandwiches) named after Mexico’s soccer teams. There’s always a wait, as Molinero crumbles chorizo, sizzles bacon, flips eggs on his griddle, and meticulously slices avocados for one of his 19 made-to-order creations. The result is worth the wait, especially when it’s a Torta Pumas (chorizo, ham, bacon, head cheese, veggies, breaded chicken, stringy quesillo, and pickled jalapeños), named for his soccer team. Customers receive this jaw-challenging tour-de-force with understandable awe. 

Zaab Zaab

76-04 Woodside Ave.
(631) 526-1664

The three-block stretch of Elmhurst’s Woodside Avenue, officially named Little Thailand in 2022, is the place to experience intense Thai flavors undiluted for farangs (foreigners). For herbaceous, funky cuisine from the country’s northeastern Isaan region, head to Zaab Zaab, the city’s only Thai restaurant awarded three stars by the New York Times dining critic, Pete Wells. Owned by seasoned restaurateurs Bryan Chunton (from Bangkok) and Pei Wei (from Taiwan), this hip, cheerful space with ceiling paintings of roosters is your source for the now-famous duck larb, featuring minced duck meat, liver, and cracklings all shot through with charred galangal, makrut lime, and chiles. There’s also hor mok, catfish and sticky-rice-flour “pudding” inside a banana-leaf parcel, and a whole steamed branzino in an irresistible lime-garlic broth (you‘ll want some sticky rice to sponge that up). A newer star on the menu is the majestic gai yang vichean buri, a whole grilled baby chicken marinated for 24 hours in coriander, black and white pepper, and lemongrass—served family style with two fiery papaya salads. 

Mapo Korean BBQ

149-24 41st Ave.
(718) 886-8292

Home to over 60,000 Koreans, Flushing’s Koreatown stretches for miles and can truly feel like a suburb of Seoul with spas, herbalists, neon-lit karaoke joints, fried chicken spots, and pochas (Korean bars) where English is seldom spoken. Craving the borough’s best classic tabletop BBQ? Emerge from the Murray Hill LIRR into a cluster of eating establishments dubbed Meokjagolmok (“Let’s Eat Alley”) and head to the resolutely old-school Mapo BBQ. Beautifully marbled Black Angus kalbi (short ribs) are the draw here, marinated in soy and Asian pear pulp and grilled over real hardwood coal, which the maternal waitresses pile into your tabletop pit–returning often to make sure everything is cooking to its succulent prime. The servers readily replenish the generous spread of banchan including (natch) exemplary kimchi. And I’m still daydreaming about the sizzling cast iron side of corn cheese that comes with the kalbi.

Rolo’s 

853 Onderdonk Ave.
(718) 417-6567

Ridgewood, the formerly working-class neighborhood bordering Brooklyn, began attracting attention a few years ago as young New Yorkers moved in looking for affordable housing. Sparking the neighborhood’s current restaurant boomlet was Rolo’s, a sprawling corner neighborhood place with a green awning, opened during the pandemic by four Gramercy Tavern alums. What started out as an all-day café and grocery has evolved into a quietly ambitious restaurant with warm cozy looks, a cool bar program (try the signature white negroni and tonic), a wine list rich in quirky affordable finds, and wood-fired cuisine pushing all the zeitgeisty buttons. Don’t miss the house-made mortadella and the giant flame-licked polenta flatbread with Calabrian chili butter. The kitchen, eclectic but leaning Italian, also does a marvelous two-sheet green lasagna blistered in that oven; zingy crudos (fluke with salsa macha, for instance) and succulent dry-aged house-butchered steaks. Desserts from pastry chef Kelly Mancin might include a dreamy passionfruit crème caramel.

New World Mall Food Court

136-20 Roosevelt Ave.
(718) 353-0551

Flushing, the last stop on the 7 train, is New York’s real Chinatown, so thick with regional eateries it’s hard to choose between Sichuan hotpot, Cantonese dim sum, or lamb chops from Donbei. Luckily the food court of the brash, glitzy New World Mall has 32 vendors specializing in different dishes and styles. The place can be a bit overwhelming, but definitely stop at stall #30 (Joon Hang Boon Sek) where unsmiling Korean-Chinese ladies from Shandong speed-pleat plump pork and chive dumplings. You’ll also want some lamb-filled samsa pastries from #5 (Tarim Uyghur Food), while # 28 (Xi’an Cuisine) is your source for flaky “Chinese burgers” and slippery cold liang pi (aka skin noodles) from China’s Northwest Shaanxi province. And don’t neglect the beef brisket soup at #15 (Lan Zhou Noodles) where nimble cooks flip and pull dough for the freshly made noodles. Still hungry? Consider a spicy Sichuan dry pot at #24 (Tian Fu Cuisine), and to finish, a Taiwanese sweet mung bean soup or intriguing herbal jelly concoction from #10 (3 Dessert).

Adda Indian Canteen

31-31 Thomson Ave.
(718) 433-3888

Each new restaurant from Unapologetic Foods, the group behind Dhamaka and Semma, is a sensation, including their latest hit, Filipino-flavored Naks. Amid all the hype one can forget that Adda Canteen, opened in 2018 on a cinematically forlorn stretch of Long Island City, was the place that propelled chef Chintan Pandya and restaurateur Roni Mazumdar to fame—and made goat brains the talk of New York. The unapologetically bold Desi regional cooking is still uncompromising at Adda, and the space decorated with collages of Indian newspapers still feels both edgy and cozy. The kitchen continues to send out playful Indian street snacks like the pakoda of kale served with sweet-tangy chutneys; smoky tandoori hits (grab the pompano crusted with mustard seeds); and multilayered curries so fiery you’ll be gulping mango lassis to extinguish the heat. The signature Lucknow-style dum biryani is quite a show, with servers breaking the dough lid to stir up the steamed basmati rice loaded with curried goat and fried onions. As for the plush house-made paneer used here in several dishes, it’s good enough to inspire whole cults. Ditto those goat brains. 

Hamido Seafood

3308 Ditmars Blvd.
(718) 545-2200

The section of Astoria dubbed “Little Egypt” is known for its “you pick it, they cook it” seafood establishments whose displays let diners pluck their dinner from a mound of crushed ice. Usually run by Egyptians from the coastal city of Alexandria (folks who know fish), these restaurants include old-school stalwarts like Sabry’s, as well as more recent newcomers like Hamido Seafood, my favorite. This busy spot, decked out with nautical paraphernalia, was opened in 2019 by Alexandria-born restaurateur Moghared (Rudy) Mansy, and his cousin Mohamed Abuker, who cooks like a dream. After choosing from the gleaming-fresh catch on the counter—red snapper, whiting, porgy, shrimp, clams, lobster—you decide if you want it fried or griddled in a coating of bran; roasted with garlic and olive oil; or oven-baked sengari-style, (butterflied and stuffed with tomatoes). While you wait at the table for your charred branzino or a daily special of tomatoey seafood tagine, select your side dishes–then listen to the server explain that Hamido is named after a ‘70s Egyptian comedy in which undercover cops pretended to be fishermen.  

Taste of Samarkand

62-16 Woodhaven Blvd.
(718) 672-2121

After the Soviet Union went bust, Rego Park became the hub of a Central Asian (Bukharan) Jewish diaspora from Uzbekistan, with Muslim Uzbeks arriving more recently. The neighborhood’s Bukharan restaurants all have similar Silk Road fare: tandir-baked flatbreads and samsa (filled pasties); lagman soup loaded with hand-pulled Uyghur-style noodles; and pilafs and kebabs, plus a few Slavic dishes. On the neighborhood’s southern edge, Taste of Samarkand, named for the famed Silk Road city, stands out with its precise cooking and traditional carved-wood decor. Make sure to order the fist-sized manti (dumplings) filled with hand-chopped lamb; the noni toki, a dramatically concave matzo-like bread; and the unusual nakhot garmack, nutty chickpeas braised forever with veal tails. The magnificent plov (pilaf) here comes spiced with Uzbek wild cumin, threaded with julienned carrots, and loaded with lamb chunks. 

M. Wells

43-15 Crescent St.
(718) 786-9060

Over a decade ago, before the glossy residential skyscrapers of Long Island City came looming up all around, Canadian chef Hugue Dufour and his wife, Sarah Obraitis (a Queens girl), opened their quirky, loveable steakhouse in a former auto-body repair shop. With its glowing bar, open kitchen, cool cocktails and wines, deep pink walls, and silvery-leafy wallpapered ceiling softening the industrial look, M. Wells feels like a Brigadoon that’s delightfully stayed put. But its “tiny but mighty menu” Obraitis says, is always evolving, now leaning more soulful Québécois bistro than chophouse. Dufour’s playful approach shines in his mortadella mille-feuille and the much-feted wedge salad scattered with bacon and jagged red ketchup chips. In winter, go for the city’s cassoulet nonpareil, or a rosy venison loin, or the Montreal ravioli packed with smoked meat and punctuated with diced pickled green tomatoes. Summer might bring a bright crab-stuffed tomato with a dressing of purslane. Stoking the community spirit, M. Wells entices its neighbors with themed dinners, block parties, and screenings. And isn’t it heartening to see the place packed with real New Yorkers of all ages and walks of life, happy and laughing? 

The post How to Eat Your Way Through Queens, New York appeared first on Saveur.

Ever since Cuban exilios began arriving in Miami in 1959, the city has been synonymous with the island’s cuisine. In fact, Cuban food is so ubiquitous here—there are more than 700 restaurants to choose from—that I often struggle to answer the simple question: “Where can I get the best Cuban food?”

Thirty years ago, when I began critiquing restaurants for Miami New Times, writing a list of the city’s essential Cuban restaurants would have required categories: cafeterías (diners), bakeries, takeout spots, by-the-pound steam tables, ventanitas (coffee “windows”), juice bars, white-tablecloth restaurants, and more. Cuban food was everywhere. Even my local hardware store was dishing out ropa vieja, the saucy stew of shredded beef and tomatoes flavored with a base of sofrito (sauteed pepper, onions, and garlic). 

But as rents rise along with the sea level, many of those mom-and-pop places have shuttered. I can’t recall, for instance, the last time I walked by an inexpensive food-by-the-pound place. Even so, every visitor to Miami should seek out the survivors. In Cuban neighborhoods like Westchester and the (more touristy) Little Havana, you can find a variety of reasonably priced, swear-by eateries including La Carreta, El Pub Restaurant, El Palacio de los Jugos, and, of course, the slightly more elevated Versailles, as famous for its conservative political leanings as for its daily specials (go on Sunday for the braised goat). Scattered around the city, other venerated businesses endure despite gentrification, such as Enriqueta’s Sandwich Shop in Edgewater and Puerto Sagua on South Beach.

Yet Miami’s Cuban food scene isn’t all decades-old hangers-on. Second- and third-generation chefs, raised in their predecessors’ kitchens, learned the classic recipes—and then went their own way. The result is a rarefied mix of traditional Cuban and fusion food that can only be discovered here. Cuban ice cream flavors such as caramel flan or plátano maduro (sweet plantain), scooped at Azucar Ice Cream, are but one example. What follows is a list of my favorite Cuban dining spots, whether you’re looking for conventional Cuban sandwiches, Japanese-Venezuelan-Cuban dishes, or anything in between.

Amelia’s 1931 

13601 SW 26 St.
(305)-554-4949

Amelia’s 1931 is a family affair: Chef-Owner Eileen Andrade named it after her grandmother. Located in the same shopping plaza as her grandfather’s famous Cuban restaurant, Islas Canarias (est. 1977), Amelia’s imbues homestyle Cuban dishes with Asian, South American, and French savoir-faire. I’m eager to return for the pork belly with homemade sweet chili sauce and fried queso and for another plate of escargot dressed with umami butter and served with Cuban toast points for dipping.

Café La Trova

971 SW 8th St.
(786)-615-4379

Chef Michelle Bernstein, who won a James Beard award in 2008, runs this Little Havana gem where reimagined classics reign. There are pumpkin-filled empanadas, Maine lobster croquetas, and skirt steak ropa vieja with avocado cream. Café La Trova often graces lists like “The World’s 50 Best Bars,” both for its cocktails, shaken by the city’s best cantineros (professional bartenders), and for its namesake “trova” music (a style that originated in the 19th century), which gets everybody up on the dance floor. Don’t be surprised when the cantineros whip out brass and percussion instruments from behind the bar and play along.

Caja Caliente

808 Ponce de Leon, Coral Gables
(786)-431-1947

Don’t let the Pepto Bismol-hued walls and run-of-the-mill high-top tables fool you: There is a great vibe at this inconspicuous neighborhood joint. It’s all thanks to Chef-Owner Monica “Mika” Leon and her Cuban-Mexican tacos, burritos, and nachos, which amp up those Mexican staples with Cuba’s most famous roasted, stewed, and pan-fried proteins. To me, there’s nothing better—or maybe bigger—than a platter of Caja Caliente’s nachos: plantain chips topped with black beans, tomatoes, pickled red onions, black olives, cheddar cheese, jalapeños, chipotle crema, and vaca frita (fried pulled skirt steak). In close second is the enormous tamal cubano, whose sweet corn body is blanketed with crisp fried pork nuggets, pico de gallo, avocado, and swirls of house aioli.

Chug’s Diner

3444 Main Hwy., Coconut Grove
(786)-353-2940

If Miami-style Spanglish–a distinctive mix of English and Cuban Spanish–were a diner, it would be Chug’s. Named for the childhood moniker of Chef-Owner Michael Beltran (of Ariete fame), this breezy indoor-outdoor eatery offers whimsical dishes like arroz con leche blintzes (yup, that’s rice pudding in there), mango milkshakes, and Pop’s Frita, a Cuban patty melt leveled up with blue cheese salsa, mojo ketchup, and papitas (shoestring potatoes). Insider tip: There are no reservations, so get there early to avoid the crowds. 

La Cumbancha

6743 Main St., Miami Lakes
(305)-456-5972

When I don’t feel like battling tourists at Café La Trova, I head to its suburban sibling. Here, you get the same live Cuban music and Julio Cabrera cocktails, but it all comes with an intriguingly different menu. Part of the reason for this is the pizza oven left by the former owners, which delivers crunchy, rustic bread that the restaurant serves with olive oil and three types of salt (white, black, and pink). Many regulars come for the pizza, but I’m all about the Cuban favorites such as seafood empanadas, arroz con pollo, and a pork chop that gets the vaca frita treatment (read: braised, shredded, and pan-fried). Whatever main you land on, save room for the roasted Manchego flan.

Doce Provisions

541 SW 12^th Ave.
(786)-452-0161

This Little Havana eatery adds local and seasonal twists to Cuban American dishes. The goat cheese croquettes, for instance, are garnished with sweet-tart marmalade made with guavas picked only 45 minutes away. I recommend following those up with birria de res “quesatacos,” made with short rib meat for fatty richness. The homey gastropub interior leads to a colorful outdoor patio featuring walls painted by artist Krave. Outside is ideal for sharing a mixed grill or another staple, the fried chicken, served with a sweet plantain waffle, pickled peppers, and Sriracha honey. A quaff of a hometown craft beer, such as the J Wakefield El Jefe Hefeweizen or the Wynwood La Rubia, rounds out the experience. Keep in mind that the space is small, so if you’re one in a crowd, check out the second location in Doral. 

Havana Harry’s

4612 S. Le Jeune Rd., Coral Gables
(305)-661-2622

You’d be forgiven for thinking this metropolitan neighborhood favorite is all about trendiness—what with the build-your-own lunch bowls, flamboyant cocktails, and 40-item dessert list—but make no mistake: Havana Harry’s also delivers on classics such as Imperial rice, braised oxtail, and shrimp in zesty Creole sauce. A community staple since 1995, the neon sign-lighted Harry’s serves local office workers and University of Miami students alike. 

Kuba Cabana

3450 NW 83rd Ave. Ste. 140, Doral
(305)-800-5822

Filled with decorative, jewel-toned flamboyance (including a classic car parked right outside the entrance!), Kuba Cabana transports guests to Cuba’s heyday. Live music and dance performances elevate dinner to a foot-stomping spectacle. Fusion dishes like “Yuca-lote”—fried yuca topped with mojo crema, cotija cheese, and chile-lime seasoning—and smoked half-chicken, swimming in spiced guava jus, exemplify its Old World-meets-New ethos. Despite opening during the pandemic, Kuba Cabana is thriving and recently debuted a second location in Bayside.

Little Havana

12727 Biscayne Blvd., North Miami
(305)-899-9069

Born and raised in Miami, my kids judge every Cuban restaurant by its black beans. Little Havana—which is neither little nor in Havana—makes their (and my) favorite rendition, spiced with cumin and bay leaves. We gobble down our frijoles while suited waiters dash around the dining room, swiping Cuban roll crumbs off the tablecloths between courses. Be prepared for extra-large portions of strictly old-school fare. We favor the pounded chicken breasts or steak, which you can enjoy simply grilled and garnished with onions or breaded and covered with ham and melted cheese. Either way, you’ll be presented with proteins that practically drape over the edges of the dinner plates. Enjoy them with separate side dishes of buttery white rice, sweet ripe plantains, soft boiled yuca, and—of course—those beans.

Old’s Havana Cuban Bar & Cocina

1442 SW 8th St.
(786)-518-2196

If it’s a classic mojito you’re after, Old’s is the place: The mint is abundant, fresh, and bruised just enough to let the flavor seep out into a tall glass filled with white rum, soda water, and lime juice. The red banquettes match the servers’ ties; outside on the terrace, the greenery looks like larger versions of what’s garnishing your drink. As you wait for your pork ribs glazed with sour orange sauce, groove to the live salsa music and peruse the vintage advertisements and antique car parts that comprise the decor. Later on, spring for a torreja, or Spanish ‘French’ toast, for dessert, or go all-out with a cigar when the cigar roller is on the clock.

Original Rio Cristal Restaurant

9872 SW 40th St.
(305)-223-2357

One word: retro. Or 15 words: “The Famous Original Steak and Black Beans from a Small Town in Cuba Called Güines.” This down-to-earth diner was established in 1974, and it looks it—in the best way—with Formica booths and a terra cotta tile floor that have been the same since I can remember. But in addition to stews like the shredded ropa vieja (so-named for its resemblance to “old clothes”), the dish to order here is the “Super Bistec,” fried steak smothered with onions and a pile of thin french fries served with an overflowing bowl of black beans. Don’t worry, the waiters have already marked you as a regular and will remember your order for next time.

Sanguich de Miami

2057 SW 8^th St.
(305)-539 0969

The age-old Miami questions: Who makes the best Cuban sandwich, and can the classic be improved upon? Sanguich, conceived and operated by husband-and-wife team Daniel Figueredo and Rosa Romero, answers both by making most of the sandwich fillings themselves. They sous vide the meats, pickle the cucumbers and onions, make their own mustard and aioli … you get the picture. Don’t sleep on the trademarked Sanguich de Miami, stacked with turkey, hand-cut bacon, and Swiss cheese. The green-walled, mosaic-tiled space is handsome but narrow, with a counter on one side where you can watch the staff press sandwiches and whir batidos, and tables for two on the other. If you have limited time or the line is long, try ordering at the ventanita (window).  

Tinta y Café

1315 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Coral Gables
(305)-285-0101

Sure, there’s “café” in the name, but this isn’t a spot for digital nomads: There’s a strict “no laptops” policy to discourage lingering. You can see why. The suburban space has just a few oval wooden tables. You can eke out a few more spots in front of the window and at a free-standing counter, which gives off thrift store-meets-bookstore cafe vibes. There’s almost always a snaking line of work-from-home professionals, yoga moms, and the post-pickleball crowd grabbing breakfast and lunch. But the pressed sandwiches and overflowing salads are worth the wait. Tinta’s take on the Cuban sandwich, called the Patria, adds mortadella to the usual ham, pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard. It’s divine, as is the Francesita if you like a salty-sweet combo (ham, cream cheese, and strawberry preserves on media noche bread). In total, there are 20 sandwiches, and it’s impossible to go wrong—unless you bring your laptop.

Recipe

Cuban Picadillo

Get the recipe >

The post Where to Find the Best Cuban Food in Miami appeared first on Saveur.

Rise & Dine is a SAVEUR column by Senior Editor Megan Zhang, an aspiring early riser who seeks to explore the culture of mornings and rituals of breakfast around the world.

Israel Rivera tasted his first New Mexico chile pepper when he was a high school freshman growing up in Albuquerque. He thought he knew chiles—his Mexican parents made all kinds of salsas at home—but the ones wrapped inside this five-dollar strip-mall breakfast burrito were different. Roasted, earthy, and a tad sweet, these green chiles had a depth of flavor unlike anything his 14-year-old self had ever experienced. “From then on, it was green chile on everything all the time,” he recalls. “To say it was life-changing sounds kind of dramatic, but it was.”

People in New Mexico have been rolling breakfast burritos for decades—at least since the 1970s, when it’s believed Santa Fe restaurant Tia Sophia’s first coined the term on its menu. Every eatery makes the dish a little differently, but certain ingredients, like a flour tortilla and fluffy scrambled eggs, are standard. Potatoes might be shredded or cubed. Cheese is often cheddar or a cheddar-Jack blend, but some cooks swap in cotija or queso fresco. Bacon is typical, though meats like sausage and carne adovada (pork stewed with chiles) are also popular. But the absolute non-negotiable—without which a burrito can’t be considered New Mexican, says Rivera, who now serves the item at his Albuquerque restaurant The Shop Breakfast & Lunch—is New Mexico chiles, roasted to charred perfection.

Skinny, long, and a little wrinkly, the state’s chiles are a prized cornerstone of the New Mexican kitchen. “Pueblo Native Americans are at the heart of the story of these chiles,” says Santa Fe-based chef and food columnist Marianne Sundquist, explaining that Indigenous communities have been cultivating peppers in the Southwest for centuries. The ingredient thrives in New Mexico, where the crop has adapted to the arid Southwest environment’s abundant sunshine and cool nights, explains Danise Coon, a senior research specialist at New Mexico State University’s Agricultural Experiment Station. In the early 1900s, university horticulturist Fabián Garciá pioneered a new hybrid cultivar with milder heat, improved resistance to disease and drought, and skins that were easier to peel when roasted. Dubbed the “New Mexico No. 9,” it was a commercial success, embedding the hybrid into the state’s culture—and into its burritos.

Compared to most spicy peppers, New Mexican chiles are bigger and fleshier, so they stand up well to roasting—which is the fate that awaits the majority of the crop. When harvest season rolls around, usually in late August or September, the air across the state is thick with the sweet, smoky smell of roasting chiles. “I always joke that if someone were to bottle that scent into a perfume, I would wear it every day,” Sundquist says with a laugh. The cooking process not only intensifies the acidity and heat of the peppers, but it also gives them a nutty quality and mildly bitter edge. “We find roasted green chiles necessary in most of our foods,” Rivera notes. New Mexicans purée them into soups, smother enchiladas with them, tuck them into burgers, and fry them into chiles rellenos. “It’s our way of adding umaminess to any dish,” he tells me. “We’re just so in love with that flavor.” 

This devotion to New Mexico chiles, coupled with their short harvest window, means locals are willing to go to great lengths to stock up. Just ask Eric See, the New Mexico native behind the Brooklyn breakfast-burrito joint Ursula. As farmers pluck the year’s first crop, See flies into Albuquerque, rents a minivan, and drives down to the family farm Homegrown Market in Deming with his dad to load up the car with chiles. Then, he leans on the accelerator the whole drive back to Brooklyn, blasting the AC to keep each bushel as cold and fresh as possible.

During harvest season, people selling peppers—whether on farms, in grocery stores, or from burlap bags on the side of the road—often roast them for buyers at the source. “My mom would go to the farms and bring back giant trash bags full of roasted chiles,” See recalls. But now that he’s rolling burritos all the way out in Brooklyn, he opts to do the job himself once a year, to immerse his customers in what he calls a “transportive culinary and cultural experience.” This means setting up metal barrel roasters and propane tanks that need to be supervised constantly and rotated by hand. The end result, he insists, is worth all the extra effort: “One bite, and it’s like I’m back home.” 

After all, it’s New Mexico that gives the famous chiles their unique flavor. There’s even a law, the New Mexico Chile Advertising Act, that forbids labeling or selling products as New Mexico chiles unless they were grown in the state—a move that Coon says “protects the identity and preserves the uniqueness” of the chiles. “Plant the seeds anywhere else, and they won’t have the same climate or environment, so they’re going to taste different,” adds Lois Ellen Frank, a New Mexico-based culinary anthropologist and author of the cookbook Seed to Plate, Soil to Sky. Even within the state, different regions have varying elevations and soil compositions, which lead to divergence in flavor. “It’s similar to the way we think about terroir for grapes,” adds See, noting that many would consider Hatch—a village in southern New Mexico that’s become synonymous with the peppers grown there—to be “the Napa of chiles.” 

Growing up in California, I devoured many breakfast burritos, not realizing that New Mexico’s were something else entirely. Several years ago, while passing through Albuquerque on a road trip, I ordered one at the restaurant Papa Frank’s and received the question, “Red or green?” Seeing my blank stare, the server explained that they could smother my burrito in either red or green chile sauce (the query is the official state question). The two types, I learned later, are in fact made from the same chile: “Green is the immature fruit, and it turns red when it’s left to ripen on the vine,” Frank explains. Green has more tart, citrusy notes, she adds, while red has earthy, even chocolatey, cherry-like undertones. There’s also a third answer to the state question: “Christmas style,” a best-of-both-worlds burrito half-drenched in green, half in red.

To Rivera, New Mexico’s iconic breakfast burrito embodies the unique culture of the state. Flour arrived with the Spanish, he points out, while tortillas and chiles have roots in Native American and Mexican cooking, both of which have deeply shaped the Land of Enchantment’s food traditions.

“Yeah, it’s just a burrito,” says Rivera. “But when you break it down into its parts, it’s this beautiful coming together of all the things that make us so special here.”

Recipe

New Mexico Breakfast Burrito

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