If Mexican cuisine ranks as one of the world’s great cuisines (it was the first cuisine to receive UNESCO culinary heritage status), it’s certainly aided in part by what goes on in the kitchens of Oaxaca.

Understanding Oaxacan Food

Oaxacan food: roasted, subtle, rich, layered. Moles, chocolate, tiny avocados that taste faintly like licorice, giant balls of quesillo cheese ribbons, grasshoppers, whopping Mexican pizzas, stunning grilled meats, corn fungus, mysterious herbs like epazote, and more types of chili peppers than you can shake a fire extinguisher at.

This is Oaxacan cuisine.

Oaxaca. Say it with me: Wa-ha-ka. We won’t lie: when we opted to spend a couple of months in Oaxaca, Mexico its cuisine was certainly a major factor in our decision. After spending several months exploring Central American food in countries further south, we were curious to find similarities and differences.

We used the gourmandish pretext of “We need to discover what Oaxacan food is all about” as an excuse to explore the city's street food, markets and restaurants to eat ourselves silly. We took a Oaxacan cooking class to give ourselves background. We cornered our Mexican landlord each time we saw him to ask about his favorite Oaxacan street food stands and dishes.

Some might say we were obsessed.

I say we were focused.

As friends and readers have made their way to Oaxaca, we’ve sent Oaxacan food information and recommendations in bits and bobs by email. Now it’s time to put it all together to share with you our massive Oaxaca Food Guide (also in Spanish) with 41 recommended dishes, street food, moles, desserts, drinks and more.

Note: Oaxaca, as we use it, will generally refer to the city of Oaxaca, the capital of the Mexican state of Oaxaca, which kindly stretches down to a beautiful coastline in southern Mexico. Oaxacan restaurant and Oaxacan cooking class recommendations are listed within.

Let's dig in! ¡Buen provecho!

Update: This post was originally published in September, 2013 and updated in December 2020 with updates on food-related activities and day trips in and around Oaxaca.

Oaxaca Street Food and Traditional Dishes

1. Tlayudas

The oft-nicknamed “Oaxacan pizza,” a tlayuda consists of a large semi-dried tortilla, sometimes glazed with a thin layer of unrefined pork lard called asiento, and topped with refried beans (frijol), tomatoes, avocadoes, and some variation of meat (chorizo, tasajo or cencilla, or shredded chicken tinga). It can either be served open, or when it’s cooked on a charcoal grill, folded in half. One tlayuda is often enough to feed two people.

Tlayuda in Oaxaca recommendations: the stand just to the right of the entrance to the Carne Asadas aisle at Mercado 20 de Noviembre. Also, a hole-in-the-wall stand at Mercado de la Merced serves up some mighty fine tlayudas as well.

2. Huitlacoche Corn Fungus Tacos

Huitlacoche is a corn fungus, but I prefer the term “corn smut.” Earthy, mushroomy, huitlacoche is also very much a texture play.  Make sure to get it fresh, although you can also find it in cans.  Canned corn smut, mmmm.  

This is a seasonal item, but you might be lucky enough to make fresh corn smut tacos like we did at the Seasons of My Heart cooking school in Oaxaca.

3. Enfrijoladas

Enfrijoladas are essentially fried tortillas served with beans and sauce. The key in Oaxaca is that the beans are stewed with the leaves of the local avocado plant (see more below in the ingredients section). As our Oaxacan landlord's wife would say, “It’s not real frijol if it doesn’t include avocado leaves.”  How about that!

4. Memelas (Memelitas)

A memela is corn round snack or antojito (“little craving”) a little thicker than a tortilla, toasted on a comal (large, flat hot pan) and topped with all manner of stuff: beans, quesillo (local stringy, brined cheese), bits of ground pork with spices or eggs, and various sauces of differing heat levels.

Memelas became our favorite morning go-to snack, probably because a local family had a stand set up just down the street.

Memela recommendations in Oaxaca: Street stand on Oaxaca (Huerto Los Ciruelos) in San José La Noria neighborhood.

5. Tetelas

A tetela is a thin stuffed corn tortilla folded into triangle.

Tetelas recommendation in Oaxaca: Check out the tetelas with refried beans (frijoles) at Itanoni on Belisario Domínguez 513, Colonia Reforma, a laid back little place that specializes in the finer and artisanal points of corn masa and all that’s made with it.

6. Tacos

I know, I know. Tacos are broadly Mexican food not specific to Oaxaca. But damn if we didn’t get some of the best tacos on the planet during our stay in town. A good taqueria focuses on the meat, but doesn't forget that the condiments make the difference.

Our favorite taco place for excellent meat flavor, tortillas and generous high-value condiments: Los Mero Mero Sombrerudos (Universidad 112, Fraccionamiento Trinidad de las Huertas).

You’ll have your choice of taco meat (they’ll even give you a sample taste of all of them if you ask nicely), including al pastor, carnitas and castillo. Our favorite: the castillo, but you can get a plate with any combination (9 pesos/taco). They prepare the meat on the grill right up front. And if Sombrerudos doesn’t float your boat, there are other decent taquerias Oaxaqueños nearby on Universidad Street.

For those of you who are adventurous eaters, consider cow head tacos in Oaxaca.

7. Tamales (traditional, corn husk)

Again, I know traditional tamales are very much a broadly Mexican dish, but get yourself to Oaxaca and check out the tamale recommendation from our landlord (who was also our dentist!).

Tamales Mina is a simple street stand that shows up around 7:30 PM on the corner of Avenida Hidalgo and 20 de Noviembre. The grandmother behind the operation has been cranking out tamales for over 20 years (and our landlord swears the quality hasn't changed). Fillings and sauce are tasty and generous.

Today, her children sell the tamales for her at night. Grandma offers seven tamale flavors and all are good, but the mole coloradito and mole verde tamales were our favorites. Come early as a line forms quickly and they sell out quickly.

8. Tamales Oaxaqueños (or Tamales Hoja)

Banana leaf-wrapped tamales. They look like South American humitas, but they are the Oaxacan alternative leaf-wrapped tamales. Tamales Oaxaqueños feature similar fillings to the traditional tamale, like frijol (beans) or mole negro.

To me, the leaf keeps the moisture in more reliably than the traditional corn husk. And anyhow, it doesn’t get any more beautiful than these.

9. Beer Snacks

The greatest budget travel tip in the world is right here, people.  Go to the right bar in Oaxaca, order a beer for around $2 and eat all night for free.

Yes, you read that right. They'll just keep bringing out more and more goodies, from fish soup to smoked meats to potato salads to endless bowls of nacho chips. But how, you ask?  

This is the beer snack antojitos culture in Oaxaca. The place you’re likely to hear about most often is La Red, but our favorite was the rooftop of Rey de Oros (Aldama No. 304 location near Mercado 20 de Noviembre). Our preferred Mexican beer for a night of snacking: Victoria.

10. Carnes Asada (cecina, tasajo or chorizo)

Meat-lovers rejoice. Be certain to check out the pasillo de carnes asadas (grilled meats hall) in Oaxaca’s 20 de Noviembre market. It’s a grilled meat saloon. Although busy every day of the week, it's packed with local families on weekends (especially Sundays).

Pick your meat: tasajo (thinly pounded beef, often air-dried to some extent), cecina (similarly thinly sliced pork), cecina enchilada (dusted with chili powder), and chorizo (Mexican sausage). Vegetarians don’t despair: the roasted vegetables are fabulous, as are the various vegetarian sauces and sides. The stand from which you choose your meat will grill everything for you.

Find a spot to sit (it can be tough!) and wait for your grilled goodies to be delivered to your table. The rest is easy. Kick back, enjoy your food and a take in traditional Oaxaca and an atmosphere of families gathered together to share a meal.

11. Goat’s Head Soup

A specialty of the Tlacolula Sunday Market, worth a visit for taste, life and color. Try the goat barbecue (barbacoa) and the goat soup consomme from the drippings. The entire scene is a fiesta.

12. Chile Relleno

Stuffed, roasted fresh poblano peppers. Not native to Oaxaca per se, good rellenos are to be had throughout the various markets in town. What’s even nicer still: some are not dipped and fried in egg batter, but are served naked so you can see the pepper skin and experience the pepper flavor right out front, without the blanket of fried batter.

13. Jicama

Mexican turnip or root, sometimes referred to as the Mexican yam. We’d find them served fresh, room temperature or chilled, and crispy as antojitos or snacks, dusted with salt or sugar and chili dust to go alongside a margarita or beer.  

Our favorite was a somewhat upscale variety we found at La Biznaga García Vigil No. 512.

14. Empanadas

Not the South American dough pocket empanadas you may be accustomed to, Oaxacan empanadas look a lot like a big memela (but with larger, thinner dough) and are stuffed and warm-roasted on a comal (a large, metal pan used throughout Mexico for cooking tortillas, memelitas, and tlayudas, as well as roasting peppers and other vegetables).

Our favorite empanada vendor hails at the local market in San José La Noria neighborhood on Jorge L. Tamayo Castellanos Avenida next to the fire station, but you'll also find a great selection of empanadas cooked up to order at the Tlacolula Sunday market and Mercado 20 de Noviembre.

15. Entomatadas

Tortillas stuffed with quesillo, covered with a tomato-based sauce and topped with fresh cheese. Simple, hearty, good. A common lunch menu item at stalls throughout the 20 de Noviembre market.

16. Enchiladas

Enchiladas, which you’ll find all over Mexico, are simply tortillas pan-fried with a chile sauce and served with some onion and cheese. Sometimes you’ll find them stuffed with meat or cheese, other times spicy tortillas alone.

In Oaxaca, you'll usually find enchiladas covered in a traditional Oaxacan mole sauce (see below for more on moles).

17. Chilaquiles

Chilaquiles is a dish composed of lightly fried tortilla strips or quarters topped with a wide-ranging regional and local variety of stuff not limited to salsas (green salsa verde seemed most common), meat (e.g., shredded chicken), refried beans, cheese like queso fresco or cotija, Mexican cream, and onions. Maybe even an egg.

Typically an early day breakfast, lunch, brunch or somewhere in between offering.

18. Hibiscus Horn Cones

Tortilla horns stuffed with seasoned hibiscus (or jamaica, the same reddish-purple stuff of jamaica agua fresca drink fame). Available at La Biznaga (García Vigil No. 512). A change-up from the traditional.

Oaxacan Moles

Oaxaca is also known as the land of the seven moles.

“We always say that our mothers make the best mole. But on the Day of the Dead, everyone shares their mole with everyone else so we all know who really makes the best mole in the village,” Yolanda, our cooking class instructor, explained how proper mole preparation is a highly respected skill.

She continued: “You have to burn the peppers and then soak them to remove the bitter. If you don’t take the bitter out of the chili peppers, people will talk badly of you.”

Talk about social pressure in the kitchen.

But what is a mole anyway?

It’s a style of sauce made from roasted ingredients that are then ground together and slow simmered to allow the varied flavors to blend and play off one another in a way that no single ingredient might be detected. The result: rich, complex, diverse, complementary flavors.

Oaxaca culinary fame is derived in great part from its seven varieties of moles. You'll find moles served on top of chicken, meat or enchiladas, as well as tucked inside empanadas and tamales. But not every mole is one that you'd eat every day. Like a party dress, some are reserved only for very special occasions.

19. Mole Negro (black sauce)

This is the most famous of all Oaxacan moles, perhaps because of its complexity and heavy reliance on chocolate.

“This is not a mole where you wake up in the morning and say on a whim, ‘I’m going to make mole negro today.’ It takes a lot of time to make and get it right,” Yolanda reminded us.

Mole negro ingredients include a selection of dried chiles (chilhuacles negros, guajillo chiles, pasilla chiles, ancho negro (mulatto) chiles, chipotle chiles) with seeds taken out and then soaked in water and blended with chocolate, bread, etc.

20. Mole Colorado (red sauce)

One of the members of Oaxaca’s seven great moles. Mole Colorado (or Mole Rojo) sauce is made with a variety of peppers (pasilla, ancho and others), almonds, chocolate and a host of sweet and savory spices.

21. Mole Coloradito (little red sauce)

Based on market menus in Oaxaca, mole coloradito is among the most popular. Similar to mole colorado, it features a few more green leaf spices along with chiles guajillo, pasilla and ancho, lending it a color slightly less deep than that of the mole colorado.

22. Mole verde (green sauce)

A mole made to show off local herbs and greens, mole verde can feature any number of the following items: epazote, hoja santa, pumpkin seeds, cilantro, poblano peppers, jalapeño peppers, parsley, spinach and nopales (cactus leaves).

23. Mole amarillo (yellow sauce)

Given that this sauce is more often red than yellow, the name always threw us off. Mole amarillo is a less complex mole made from guajillo an ancho chilies that almost looks like a sort of Mexican marinara. What makes it different from the red moles is that absence of nuts, chocolate and sweet bits like raisins.

Moles we haven't tried…yet

The remaining two moles are more difficult to find in the markets and in the every day. We confess that we did not try them, but wanted to highlight them among the “7 Moles of Oaxaca” and as something to seek out for the food curious among you.
1. Mole Chichilo
2. Mole Manchamantel (literally, tablecloth staining sauce)

Key Ingredients of Oaxacan Cuisine

24. Avocado leaves (hojas de aguacate)

Not any old avocado leaves, but avocado leaves from the Mexican avocado (Persea drymifolia) that impart a flavor of anise or licorice. This is an important flavor in the Oaxacan frijol (beans). Best toasted on a comal, a concave or flat Mexican griddle. Absolutely unique and delicious, and essential to local Oaxacan cuisine.

25. Avocado Criollo

An avocado where you can eat the skin! Criollo avocados are a local Oaxacan variety that are usually quite small and feature a soft skin that you can actually eat (a bit of an odd sensation, really). Much like its leaves which are used to flavor bean pots and other dishes, the avocado features a subtle anise flavor.

26. Epazote

Don’t eat epazote by itself, but be aware that it’s one of fine subtle herbs that makes Mexican food (and Oaxacan food) taste so good. From the Aztec words for skunk and sweat, epazote is that inimitable flavor of pepper, mint and something wild that you’ll typically find stewed into various dishes.

Rumor also has it that epazote decreases flatulence. Perhaps that’s why it's stewed into beans and onions to make frijoles de la olla. Epazote is also referred to as wormseed and Jesuit's tea, among others.

27. Chapulines (Grasshoppers)

Chapulines: you must try them. Think crunchy like popcorn shells and eaten voluminously like potato chips.

Chapulines are ideal on top of a tlayuda. Maybe that’s why when you buy a tlayuda at the Mercado 20 Noviembre, the chapulines vendors will gather 'round.

28. Quesillo (Oaxacan cheese)

We joke that quesillo is like string cheese or mozzarella, but with a bit more of a salt tang because it is brined.

At the market, quesillo is often stored in long white ribbons that are wound, unwound and cut like a ball of yarn or trim at a fabric shop. About two meters of quesillo equals one kilo. It’s best to eat or use quesillo fresh, since storing it for any length of time in the refrigerator will alter its consistency.

29. Peppers

Wow, Oaxacan peppers! Ancho, poblano, pasilla, chilaca, chile negro — you name it. Some of them go by multiple names.

The one best known to Oaxaca is the pasilla chile. But beware, if you come shopping for a particular pepper that you need for a recipe, you ought to come armed with a photo of the one(s) you need, as names are often applied interchangeably.

Some are easy-going, some are en fuego. Where to begin?

Take a walk through any market (Mercado de 20 Noviembre pepper section will overwhelm) and you will be blown away, almost to tears, by the vast selection of fresh and dried peppers on offer. Each one has its purpose, whether it’s a dried pepper for a specific style of mole a fresh one for stuffed pepper (chile relleno). Habanero peppers are not used as often in Oaxaca as they are in nearby Yucatan and Chiapas.

30. Chocolate

Chocolate has been a staple of this region since ancient times. It is not usually eaten, but instead is used in drinks and also as a crucial defining ingredient of Oaxacan cuisine, including in several of its famous moles.

The aroma of freshly ground chocolate literally takes over the streets around the 20 de Noviembre market; this is a hub for the region’s chocolate producers. Be sure to visit Chocolate Mayordomo where chocolates of varying intensity and sweetness are ground from fresh cocoa beans (cacao).

31. Chicharrón

Fried pork skin. You can certainly try it on its own as a snack, but you might also get it thrown in atop a tlayuda or other dish for crunch and flavor.

32. Hoja Santa

Hoja Santa (“sacred leaf”) is a popular Mexican herb used to flavor various chocolate drinks, soups, stews and Oaxacan mole verde. The fresh leaves, used to impart a faint pepper licorice flavor, are sometimes also used to wrap tamales (see tamales hojas). The dried leaves can be used as a seasoning, but they are more flavorful when fresh.

33. Squash Blossoms (Flor de Calabazas)

If you are hanging out in Oaxaca for a while and have access to a kitchen, try finding squash blossoms at one of the local Oaxaca markets. Take them home and make deep fried squash blossoms, cheese-filled squash blossoms, or even squash blossom soup. Or take the easy way out and find a market vendor who fries squash blossoms with onions and poblanos and tucks them with some quesillo into an empanada or quesadilla.

Oaxaca Drinks

34. Tejate

An indigenous drink (from the Mixtec and Zapotec people) made of corn, cacao, and other unusual bits like the seeds of the mamey (or zapote) and flor de cacao (or Rosita de cacao). As such, the drink is mildly chocolatey and earthy. It feels like it ought to do something transcendental to you.

We tried our hand at a couple versions, including at one of the stands in the main hall of Oaxaca’s Etla market.

35. Hot Chocolate

Yes, you have to try real hot chocolate. Even though you may be accustomed to taking it with milk (de leche), try it local style with water (de agua).

Wherever you buy it, be certain to ask for it nice and frothy, preferably using a hand-spun frother called a molinillo. A good place to try several types of chocolate is Chocolate Mayordomo.

36. Coffee

Though coffee culture suffers south of the Mexican border (it is getting better), it’s alive and well in Oaxaca. So alive and well, I might go so far as to say I’ve had some of the most consistently good coffee ever in my life in Oaxaca. Just check it out and let us know. Best coffee in Oaxaca? We say Cafe Nuevo Mundo.

37. Beer

If you drink beer, you must drink beer in Oaxaca, so you can be a world beer aficionado.

Corona? I’m sorry, but I try to avoid touching the stuff. Pacifico and Negra Modelo are OK, but our favorite refreshing go-to beer: Victoria.

38. Mezcal

Growing up, I always thought of mezcal as dirty, like an outlaw tequila. It was probably the agave worm, which by the way does not appear in all bottles of mezcal. So what is it?

I go to Oaxaca and I find the real story (or at least the story told by Oaxaquenos): a smoky, double-distilled roasted mash made from the heart of the maguey plant (of the agave family) called a piña (as in pineapple, which is not surprising as the maguey hearts look like enormous barrel-sized pineapples hearts).

Tequila, by the way, is a specific type of mezcal made from the blue agave.

Experience this yourself with a half day tour that includes mezcal tasting right from the source. Or, if you really want to go deep into the subtleties of mezcal, sign up for this organic mezcal tasting at a local mezcal cooperative.

39. Margaritas

By no means am I a margarita expert, but I certainly enjoyed a margarita (or two) on the rocks in Oaxaca. Blended margaritas are for the beach. The margaritas at La Biznaga were our favorite. But, be careful after a few of them…

Oaxaca Fruits and Sweets

40. Tuna Ice Cream

No, it’s not what you think. Tuna is the name of the colorful fruit tip of the prickly pear cactus. In and around Oaxaca, you can find ice cream, ice milk and bright slushy-type stuff made from tuna the fruit, not the fish from the sea!

41. Oaxaca Fruit and Juice

I know, I know. You are thinking super lame entry, right? But here’s the deal, the fruit in Oaxaca is excellent and is often quite inexpensive if you know where to look. Fruit is also a great way to balance out all those heavy foods and to rehydrate. Eat your fruit!

And if you are lazy, it’s often sliced up for you, ready to eat.

You'll find the traditional stuff like watermelon, pineapple and a little further afield like papaya or mango on the street or near markets. Check out the fruit stands at the southeast corner of 20 Noviembre market. To go further still, don’t forget to poke around, be curious and check out the following fruit in whole form or in juice: guanabana, zapote, chico, zapote, chamoy and maracuya (passion fruit).

I’m a fruit-by-itself kind of guy, but the Oaxacan locals love fruit cut in a bag and dashed with chili pepper, lime juice and salt. Surprisingly, it’s particularly refreshing on a hot day.

If you find yourself in Oaxaca, you gotta juice. Juice stands abound throughout Oaxaca's streets and in its markets. One of our favorite juice stands: Jugos Angelita stand at the Sanchez Pascuas market. Try one or two of the cleansing blends, especially after a night of — you guessed it — margaritas.

Oaxaca Day Tours and Other Things to Do

Although most of the two months we spent in Oaxaca was focused on work, we did have some fun along the way. In addition to taking this Elta market visit and cooking class, we got out a bit to explore nearby historic and natural sites.

We booked our day tours by just walking around and seeing who had a tour leaving that day or the next. However, if you have limited time or are bit more organized than us and want to book in advance we can recommend using our partners, Get Your Guide and Viator. They both offer Oaxaca day and food tours with no booking fees and free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

Here are a few tours and experiences we recommend. (Note: Some of the links below are affiliate links where the price stays the same to you, but we earn a small commission if you book something.)

Oaxaca City Tours

• Oaxaca Street Food Tour: Taste over 25 different types of Oaxacan street foods and specialties (included in price) as you visit three of the city's main fresh markets and street stalls areas. As markets are a main focus of this 4-hour tour you'll learn about the ingredients, spices and flavors that make Oaxacan cuisine so unique. If you want a shorter food tour and market option where you choose which foods you want to sample then check out this 1.5 hour Oaxacan street food tour.
• Private Oaxaca Food Tour: Sample over 20 different local Oaxacan specialties at locally-owned restaurants to understand and taste the full breadth of Oaxacan cuisine. This 4-hour food tour takes you through the historic center so you'll enjoy a mini walking tour at the same time. A portion of the tour fees goes to a local NGO. If you would like to expand your knowledge of mezcal at the same time then check out this private food and mezcal tour.
• Oaxacan Cooking Class: One of the best ways to really learn about and appreciate a cuisine is by taking a cooking class. We took this full day (9AM – 6PM) cooking class in Oaxaca that includes a visit to the Etla market followed by cooking several dishes (soup, appetizer, tacos, mole, etc.). If you are looking for a shorter experience, check out this half-day Oaxaca cooking class with a local chef that includes a market visit and a then cooking a changing menu of different types of tortillas, salsa, soup, appetizer, mole and dessert. Many cooking classes will adjust their menus to vegetarians, but you can also select a fully vegetarian cooking class.
• Half-Day Oaxaca City Tour: One of the ways we often orient ourselves when we arrive in a new city is by taking a walking tour. This provides us a background on the history and culture of the place, an overview of the main historical sights, and ideas on where we want to continue our exploration. We find that the walking tour guides often have great food and restaurant recommendations, too.
• Oaxaca Street Art Bike Tour: We find that street art tours are a great way to get to know a city and also to learn about local cultural, political and historical context through the imagery and messages in the street art. Oaxaca has some truly incredible street art and murals all throughout the city. So colorful, full of cultural expression, and unique. We wish we had been able to take this tour when we were there to have been able to really learn about the artists and understand better the messages and context behind the art. If you prefer to explore on foot than by bicycle, select this Oaxaca street art walking tour instead.

Day Trips Near Oaxaca City

• Full Day Tour Around Oaxaca: We did a full-day trip very similar to this and really enjoyed it, especially the visits to Hierve el Agua waterfalls and mineral baths, Mitla (1,000+ year old Zapotec archeological site) and the Mezcal distillery. It's a lot packed into one day, but if you were to organize all of this independently with public buses it would take several days to fit all of this in.
• Monte Alban and Villages: We visited Monte Alban on our own via public bus and while we enjoyed visiting this UNESCO Zapotec archeological site, I think we would have enjoyed and appreciated it even more if we had a guide to explain more to us about what we were seeing, background on Zapotec history and culture, and the significance of this site. This full-day tour also takes you to nearby historical towns and villages to learn even more about the Zapotec civilization and culture, and its impact on Oaxaca and Mexico today. If you have limited time, you can take a half-day tour that focuses only on Monte Alban.
• Microfinance and village tour: For a unique experience to get a better understanding of rural and village life outside of Oaxaca city, consider booking a microfinance tour with En Vía, a local social enterprise. You'll have a chance to learn about how microfinance programs work and meet some of the women participants to see how they have used their small loans to build their own businesses and enterprises. You'll also get a delicious home-cooked lunch as well. Money from the tours go to supporting the women involved and providing a source of funding to the NGO. One of our friends volunteered with En Vía years ago and shared these beautiful stories.

Where to Stay: Oaxaca Hotels and Apartments

During our two-month stay in Oaxaca we spent a few days in an Airbnb place until we found our own apartment to rent for the remainder of the time. If you're going for a shorter stay we'd recommend staying near the markets or historic center. A few ideas for hotels and apartments that would be centrally located and easy to get around on foot.

• Hotel Casona: Located in a 19th century palace with a beautiful courtyard, Hotel Casona is in a great location just a block away from the main square and Cathedral, as well as close to the 20 de Noviembre Market and other main sites. This hotel is on the pricier side, but you can often find deals for it and it's a nice splurge.
• Casa Tobalá: Good location just a couple blocks away from the Zocaló square and located right next to the main markets. This hotel also has a nice rooftop terrace with views over Oaxaca and a cute courtyard area to hang out. A good medium-priced hotel option.
• Casa Azecenas: Located in a colorful, traditional building in Oaxaca's old town with a rooftop terrace to enjoy breakfast. Casa Azecenas is located about 10 minutes away from the markets and main square, so it is good for those who want a quieter location in the old town.
• Juub Apartment: If you want a bit more space, including your own kitchen to either cook things you find from the market or bring back prepared food from the market, then consider choosing an apartment for your stay in Oaxaca. Conveniently located at around 5-10 minute walk to the main markets, Cathedral and squares.
• Find more hotels in Oaxaca via Booking.com. The list above of hotels and apartments in Oaxaca is just the beginning of what's available.

You can also book your secure Oaxaca airport transfer in advance to ensure that you have a driver waiting for you when you arrive.

Gluten Free Eating in Oaxaca

If you have celiac disease or a gluten intolerance there's good and bad news about gluten free eating in Oaxaca and Mexico in general. On the positive side, many traditional dishes are made from corn. On the negative side, sometimes flour and bread makes their way into moles and other traditional sauces when you least expect it. It's important to always be careful and ask questions.

To help you navigate Oaxacan food so that you can eat local, but also gluten free and with confidence, check out this Latin American Spanish gluten-free restaurant card and Gluten Free Guide to Mexico created by our friend, Jodi. The restaurant card explains in detail, using local food names and language, your needs as a strictly gluten free eater, including common problems regarding cross contamination, so that you get the meal you want and need. (Bonus: You can use it when you travel in any Spanish speaking Latin American country, from Mexico to Chile.)

Jodi has celiac disease herself so she understands first-hand the importance of being able to communicate gluten free needs in detail and educate waiters and restaurants on what this means in practice. She created her series of Gluten Free Restaurant Cards in different languages to help celiac and gluten-free travelers eat local with confidence, and without communication problems or getting sick.

Note: These gluten free restaurant cards are not part of an affiliate plan or a way for us to make money. We are extremely fortunate that we can eat everything, but we've seen the challenges of others who are celiac or have food intolerances where every meal can potentially make them sick or cause pain. These detailed gluten free cards were created to help prevent that from happening and make eating out fun and enjoyable when traveling.

So that's it, folks. Get yourself to Oaxaca and explore, eat heartily, and eat well! Anything we missed, leave us a comment!

¡Buen provecho!

Other Food Guides From Unusual Destinations That You Might Enjoy:

The post Oaxaca Food: 40+ Best Foods in Oaxaca, Mexico appeared first on Uncornered Market.

During our travels in Haiti we sampled food that ranged from street food to family meals to high end restaurants, and a bit of everything in-between. What you'll find below in this Haitian Food Guide is an overview of all that we ate and discovered culinarily while in Haiti. We hope that it may lead you to your own Haitian food adventures, whether in Haiti or at a Haitian restaurant near you.

Understanding Haitian Food

Before traveling to Haiti, I had little concept of Haitian food and cuisine. Sure, I had a sense of what it could be: island-informed, African-influenced, of Caribbean character, maybe even a hint of French.

As with the country's language, Haitian food has a sense of the Crèole, that is a blend of influences. Mixed roots and spices, basic yet zippy, simple and grounded by the reality of the tropics and the back-story of its African heritage, yet touched with a hint of French complexity.

Take pikliz (spicy pickled vegetables), breadfruit, bergamot, watercress and even rum-infused power shakes. Throw in Haitian hot chocolate, grilled lobster, plenty of beans, creamy cornmeal, avocados and a dash of hot pepper and you have an eclectic mix that took some sampling and digging to suss out not only the depth of Haitian food, but more importantly the underlying essence and nature of Haitian cuisine.

Now let’s dig in. Bon apeti!

Traditional Haitian Dishes

Poulet Aux Noix (Chicken and Cashew Nuts)

Also known as poul ak nwa, this is a rich northern Haiti specialty of chicken cooked in a tomato-based sauce with cashew nuts that you'll most likely find in and around the town of Cap-Haïtien.

Where to get Poulet Aux Noix:

Lakou Lakay Cultural Center in the town of Milot near Sans Souci Palace.

Mayi Moulen ak Sòs Pwa, Poul an Sòs (cornmeal with beans and stewed chicken)

Stews are common in Haiti. Served on top of either cornmeal or rice, they are hearty, too. What makes Haitian stews special is the hint of warm sweet spices like clove and star anise.

Where to get Mayi Moulen ak Sòs Pwa and Poul an Sòs:

An excellent example of Haitian stew can be had from the street food woman at the end of the alleyway at Atis Rezistans (Grande Rue in Port-au-Prince). A single portion ($2) will be enough to feed two hungry people.

Griyo (fried pork)

For meat-eaters, griyo is an absolute must-try traditional dish of Haiti. It is most often served with cabbage salad or better yet, spicy pikliz (onions and other vegetables marinated in a spicy vinegar sauce).

Where to get Griyo:

If you're going out for a nice dinner, try the griyo at Quartier Latin in Pétionville. For a more low-key meal, order a big plate of griyo at Cinq Coins Restaurant (they sell it by the pound) in Port-au-Prince and side it with a cold beer or two. Perfect to share and enjoy with friends.

Lanbi an Sòs Lanbi Kreyol (conch in creole sauce)

Of all the fruits of the sea you can find in Haiti, conch seems to be among the most distinct to appear on restaurant menus. You can usually find it grilled (see below) or in a tangy tomato-based creole sauce. Conch is a must-try if seafood is your thing.

Where to get Lanbi an Sòs Lanbi Kreyol:

Presse Café serves up a good version of conch in creole sauce, as does Quartier Latin.

Lanbi Boukannen, Woma Boukannen (grilled conch, grilled lobster)

As seafood lovers, we did a happy dance in Haiti for the availability and freshness of grilled lobster and conch. These are readily available in most coastal areas, but especially along the southern coast in and around Jacmel, Jacmel Cayes and Port Salut.

Where to get Lanbi Boukannen and Woma Boukannen:

Chez Matante restaurant on Gelée Beach near Les Cayes may take the “heaping portion” award where a $15 mountainous serving of delicious lobster and avocado slices is enough to satiate two people. Another place for delicious grilled seafood (including langoustine) is Vue Sur Mer near Jacmel.

Tassot/Taso (dried fried meat)

Tassot is spiced, dried meat that is then fried. You may also have seen this in Mexico or Latin American countries as well, as tasajo. In Haiti, you’ll most often find Tassot Kabrit (goat) or Tassot Vyann (beef) sided with fried plantains. The description defies its tastiness.

Where to get Tassot:

This was another favorite dish at Lakou Lakay Cultural Center in Milot.

Mayi Moulen Kole ak Legim (cornmeal, beans and vegetable stew)

The legim (think legume) is the vegetable stew part. The cornmeal consistency is somewhere between polenta and cream-of-wheat (or cream-of-cornmeal, as it were).

Where to get Mayi Moulen Kole ak Legim:

A delicious example of this dish can be found in Jacmel, past the airfield, right side on the road if you’re heading in the direction of Marigot. Go early as once they sell out for the day, they close the stand.

Diri ak Fèy Lalo ak Sirik (crab and lalo leaf stew)

A stew of crab and dark-green spinach-like lalo leaves. Rich and hearty. Traditionally, this is a specialty of Artibonite, the Haitian rice producing region.

Where to get Diri ak Fèy Lalo ak Sirik:

Get thee to the Marché en Fer in Port-au-Prince in the late morning to lunchtime. The woman between the food market and Vodou and crafts market cooks a big tin of it on weekdays.

Kalalou Djondjon (Haitian okra and black mushroom stew)

This is a sort of Louisiana-style gumbo made with okra and mushrooms, sometimes served with a kick of chili peppers. You can find it in some restaurants, but we experienced this dish stewed with chunks of pork and a healthy dose of crab legs (kalalou djon djon ak sirik ak vyann kochon) served atop white rice at a friend's house. (Sorry, that location is sworn to secrecy.)

Pwason Boukannen (Grilled Fish)

So many restaurants and seaside shacks serve grilled fish along the coast. We always asked for additional pikliz to go on top. So good.

Where to get Pwason Boukannen:

Our best fish feast was a heaping lunch portion at a simple beach-side stand at Pointe Sable in Port Salut. Great food, cold beers and a fitting view of the sea.

Diri Kole or Diri ak Pois (Rice and Beans) or Mayi Moulen ak Pois (Cornmeal and Beans)

White rice cooked with beans or served with a bean sauce is very common throughout Haiti. Another variation of this includes Diri Blan ak Sos Pwa Noir (white rice and black bean sauce) or rice with a white bean sauce. Depending on the consistency the cook is after, cornmeal is often swapped for rice in these dishes.

Diri Djon Djon (Rice with Black Mushrooms)

While white rice is usually served with a bean sauce topping (see above), diri djon djon is usually served on its own because of the distinct aroma and rich flavor of the djon djon mushroom.

Haitian Condiments, Starches and Side Dishes

Besides all the meat and seafood in main dishes, rice, beans and tropical starches rule the table in Haiti. Note that fritay (fried foods) are often paired with spice and vinegar blends like pikliz (see below) to balance what goes into the digestive system.

Pikliz (picklese)

Pickled cabbage and vegetables (onions, carrots, peppers, etc.), grated or shredded, served in a vinegar base and often dashed with chili peppers. A perfect compliment to fried and heavy foods.

We became slightly obsessed with pikliz and were guilty of ordering extra portions of it everywhere we went. If you are sensitive to spice, be sure to taste before topping your plate.

Bannann (Plantains), Fried or Boiled

The most common approach to the ubiquitous Haitian plantain: fried plantains (bannann peze), which are often sided with any of the main meals mentioned above. Although perhaps not the healthiest option, they are also delicious topped with a heaping spoonful of pikliz. We were admittedly less excited by the boiled plantain option.

Where to get it: The best bannann peze was at Vue Sur Mer Restaurant outside of Jacmel.

Lam Veritab Fri (Fried breadfruit)

Definitely worth seeking out. Sometimes you'll find fried breadfruit mixed together on a plate with fried plantains. The first time this happens, you'll say, “Man, I didn't know plantains could be so good.” That, my friend, is breadfruit.

The consistency is richer and more distinct than a plantain, and the taste is quite different almost bordering on a starchy version of jackfruit. Good thing is: breadfruit is widely available.

Where to get it: Our most memorable was at the sprawling highway-side market at Saint-Louis-du-Sud, where the breadfruit lady topped ours with an ample serving of spicy pikliz. Yum.

Avocado

When in season, avocado is plentiful and tasty. Get your fill, particularly as a side to various meat dishes and grilled seafood. Pairs beautifully with a nice, tart pikliz.

Watercress

We’ve experienced blended watercress dipping sauces, but nothing beats the mind-bending fresh mountain salad at Auberge La Visite in the mountains near Seguin when we went hiking in Haiti.

Watercress was fresh-plucked from the ground at the foot of the waterfall we passed on the return from a hike to Pic Cabayo. It's then tossed with other vegetables and edible flowers, as in the salad pictured above.

Haitian Soups

Soup Joumou (pumpkin/squash soup)

Pumpkins and squash are quite common throughout Haiti. You may find pumpkin and squash soup on its own or — you guessed it — stewing in a pot of goat meat and other vegetables.

It is a dish that is often served on New Year's Day (1 January) to celebrate Haitian Independence Day (1804) when the newly freed slaves consumed this soup, a meal that was previously forbidden to them by their French masters.

Bouyon Tèt Kabrit (goat head bouillon)

A hearty favorite in the hills just outside of Port-au-Prince. Trust us, it's much tastier than it sounds. We sampled this in places like Mare Rouge and Seguin, just outside of Parc National La Visite and Pic la Selle.

Breakfast in Haiti

Travelers in Haiti can find breakfasts with the usual suspects such as eggs, toast or cereal in hotels. However, if you wish to breakfast like a local, here's what you might eat.

Pwason Seche ak Bannann (dried fish and boiled plantains)

Particularly as you head south along the coast, you’ll see strings of morning-dried fish hanging on racks. Then they end up on your breakfast table.

Fwa Di ak Bannann (beef liver with plantains)

Even if you're not usually a fan of beef livers, give fwa di ak banaan a try as they are tasty for the copious use of spices like cinnamon and dashes of star anise. With this breakfast you likely will not need to eat until dinner — the following day.

Spaghetti

Spaghetti for breakfast in Haiti? Yes, spaghetti, the breakfast of Haitian champions. It makes sense when you consider the importance of starting one's day with a hearty breakfast. For more on how this tradition came to be, read this article.

Haitian Power Shakes

Jus Blennde (blended shake)

Jus blennde is a staple of the Port-au-Prince night street food scene. These shakes are essentially meal replacements so that people can eat something hearty, but perhaps not as heavy as meat, at night.

The version I enjoyed was made from approximately 15 ingredients including boiled potato, carrot, manioc (cassava), and breadfruit; banana, papaya, peanuts, sugar, vanilla and almond extracts, evaporated milk, ice, rum and a wedge of la vache qui rit cream cheese for good measure.

If Popeye came from Haiti, this is what he would eat before he kicked ass.

Spaghetti Shakes

Yes, you read that correctly. I could not bring myself to try it, but the idea is apparently a filling, easily digested liquid dinner, based on blending wet spaghetti, tomato flavoring and other goodies.

Phoscao

A ground corn and cocoa shake specialty hailing from the seaside Haitian town of Les Cayes. Rich, sweet and heavy enough to keep you full for the whole day. Where to get it: La Cayenne Restaurant in Les Cayes.

Haitian Desserts and Snacks

Haitians have a sweet tooth, no two ways about it. It's not surprising considering the country's wide production of sugar cane historically. Here are a few of our favorite desserts and treats that we found across the island.

Mamba (peanut butter)

Haitian peanut butter is all natural. It's also a revelation. Northern varieties are purportedly six-times blended while those in the south are less smooth at four-times blended. What really sets apart Haitian peanut butter: spice. Yes, spicy peanut butter. You heard me right.

Spicy peanut butter varieties are made when ground peanuts are turned with a scotch bonnet or habanero pepper. After one taste of this, you’ll never look at the possibilities of peanut butter quite the same.

Dous Makos (Haitian fudge)

Native to the Haitian town of Petit-Goave, dous makos production looks a kind of taffy production where milk and sugar are boiled in log-fired cauldrons. The signature look of dous makos: the three stripes, beige, brown and pink.

Where to get Dous Makos:

You'll find stands all along the road in Petit-Goave, but the best dous makos we sampled was at Chez Lélène Douce. Lélène's product is smooth and features hints of coconut and other flavors that set it apart.

Kasav (cassava bread)

In Haiti, cassava bread is less moist like bread and more dry like a cracker. The version we bought were stuffed with a not-so-sweet chocolate and paired with Haitian peanut butter. Cassava bread is an acquired taste and one that you come to acquire much faster when you are famished after hiking several miles in the hills.

But the best way to have cassava bread is fresh on the streets of Port-au-Prince with a dose of spicy peanut butter slathered on top. A wonderful — and local — street-side snack.

Tablèt Nwa (cashew ginger brittle)

Just like it sounds, where cashews and sugar cane are turned with ginger for a zip. You can find vendors selling it along the road from Les Cayes to Port-au-Prince, but it's a specialty of the town of Cavaillon. You can also find brittles around the country made with peanuts, sesame seeds, coconut, almonds and cashews.

Pain Patate (sweet potato cake)

If you come across sweet potato cake anywhere, give it a shot as it's made with sweet potatoes, bananas and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. We had a very nice sweet potato cake, served in warm glaze at the restaurant at Habitation Jouissant in Cap-Haïtien.

Haitian Drinks

Chokola Peyi (Haitian hot chocolate)

Haitian hot chocolate is a terrific experience, particularly if you endeavor to buy the relatively inexpensive ingredients and requisite tools at the Marché en Fer in Port-au-Prince. It's a fun process and enjoyable way to engage with different vendors at the market.

Haitian hot chocolate production begins by shaving a ball of pure chocolate with a Haitian grater — that is, against the holed and hollowed out side of a tomato can. Then simmer cinnamon sticks, star anise, nutmeg and fèy bwadin leaves in water (we've been told that whole nutmeg or mace is good as well).

Add your ground chocolate, some sugar, some vanilla essence a tiny pinch of salt, and thicken it with some evaporated milk (don't skimp on this). Shave some of the rind of a green bergamot (a shriveled, pungent lime-like citrus fruit) for the final touch. Voilà! Not your average hot chocolate.

Learning to make Haitian hot chocolate — then consuming the fruits of our labors — in the hills above Port-au-Prince was one of our favorite memories of our time in Haiti.

Coffee

The history of coffee in Haiti, including its near disappearance as an industry, is a shame. Haitian coffee is quite good and in terms of flavor, its Arabica beans can hold their own against competing Central American and African counterparts.

Of the major brands available in supermarkets, check out Rebo or better yet, Selecto. If you really wish to go off the beaten path, try the local bean at Fondation Seguin grown in the hills above Port-au-Prince where they are trying to train local farmers in coffee production.

Haitian Rum

Given the prevalence of sugar cane in Haiti, it probably comes as no surprise that rum is the national spirit of choice.

Although Haiti makes several types of rum, Barbancourt is the national standard dark rum that is available in a number of grades — most notably 3-star, a perfectly drinkable 4-year aged or 5-star, a perfectly smooth one-part spicy, another-part sweet 8-year aged. Although we rarely drink rum straight, we found ourselves doing this throughout our travels in Haiti. It's that good.

And it's no surprise that rum cocktails are everywhere you go in Haiti. Although rum juice punch is everywhere, our favorite is a rum sour with lime juice, sugar syrup, a dash of bitters or cinnamon, lemon or orange rind and often a cherry. We prefer it served in a plain, rather than sugar-encrusted, glass.

Kleren / Klerin

An unrefined spirit similar to white rum, kleren is distilled from cane sugar. We visited a family-run kleren manufacturer near Cap-Haïtien in northern Haiti to witness the process from start — pressing the sugar cane to get juice — to its multi-distillation chamber finish. The resulting white rum used to be called “guildive” as it was considered so strong that it would “kill the devil” when you drank it.

On the streets of Port-au-Prince, you'll find colorful flavored or infused kleren concoctions. Think “street rum pharmacy” whose outputs feature dubious medicinal qualities, look a little like kerosene, and quite honestly taste a little like it too.

Haitian Beer: Prestige

No trip to Haiti would be complete without drinking a cold Prestige on the beach. Prestige, a relatively heavy American-style lager, is the ubiquitous Haitian beer of choice. For various reasons, including the climate and the brew itself, it's best served very cold. You may be able to find other beers in Haiti, including various lighter beers and malts, but Prestige is the most consistent.

A huge thanks to Jean Cyril Pressoir, our G Adventures CEO (guide) in Haiti. Cyril humored us and our desire for Haitian street food at just about every turn, shared his favorite spots and never tired of our endless questions about his country's cuisine.

Disclosure: Our tour in Haiti was provided to us by G Adventures in cooperation with its Wanderers in Residence program. We stayed a few extra days to go hiking in the mountains on our own dime. As always, the opinions expressed here are entirely our own.

The post Haitian Food: 25+ Best Haitian Dishes to Try appeared first on Uncornered Market.

During our time in Berlin we've lived in Kreuzberg and in Neukölln neighborhoods, smack in middle of what our visiting friends deemed “little Turkey.” Food was fresh, accessible, brimming with flavor and typically served by folks who took pride in their cuisine, interest in us as human beings, and great pleasure in serving up an experience.

For more of our Berlin foodie recommendations check out our favorite neighborhood meals under €10 and Stil In Berlin is also good for food and restaurant recommendations

Update July 2022: This article was first published in October 2010 and updated in August 2020 and July 2022 with updates to restaurants, dishes and prices (yes, inflation has had an impact recently), as well as recommended Berlin city tours and places to stay to explore the city even more.

Our Favorite 10 Cheap Eats in Berlin

1. Azzam Restaurant: Delicious Middle Eastern Food

We discovered this simple self-service Labanese-style (although owned by a Palestinian) restaurant by riding our bikes past it repeatedly and noticing it was always full of people, no matter what time of day. We thought: there must be good reason for those crowds. There was.

Azzam quickly became a favorite eating spot of ours in Berlin, one that we love taking friends to and sharing a bunch of different dishes together so we can all enjoy different tastes. Everyone always comes away with some variation of: “that food was delicious, and I can’t believe how inexpensive it was.” No doubt some of the highest quality food for the money in the city. Two people can easily stuff themselves with delicious treats for under €5.

What to eat: The falafel and halloumi cheese plate (now €6.50) is a classic that everyone loves (we think Azzam has some of the best falafel in the city). Musabaha (an addictive warm whole chickpea dip) or hummus bowl for around €5. Manakeesh flatbread covered in za’atar (a spice blend including thyme and sesame seeds) or cheese with a subtle fragrance of nutmeg. Fatteh is the ultimate comfort food at around €6.50. Everything comes with a boat of fresh vegetables, olives, and herbs plus a bag of pita bread.

Azzam can get busy around meal times so consider visiting during an off-time or if you come during prime hours just enjoy the buzz of the place and a cup of tea for free from their samovar.

2. Mustafa's: Gemüse (Vegetable) Kebab

You’ll know you’re close when you spot the long line snaking down the street on Mehringdamm. This is not your typical Berlin kebab. Instead of meat, a spindle of chicken and roasted vegetables is carved up and served with a fabulous mélange of potatoes, sweet potatoes, salad, a feta-type cheese and sauce. If you’re vegetarian, you can also go for the pure veg option. We usually opted for the durum (flat bread) döner with chicken for around €5 which is hearty enough feeds the two of us.

Mustafa is a food stand, meaning that it doesn’t have any seating of its own so you’ll need to grab your kebab and eat it on the street. Given the popularity of Mustafa’s it’s worth planning your visit during off-hours to avoid the long line.

Address: Mustafa's Gemüse Kebab, Mehringdamm 32 (Kreuzberg)

3. Han West: Get Your Dumpling and Bao Fix

We're spoiled as Han West's Neukölln location is just around the corner from us so it's our go-to place when we're craving dumplings or baos. You can get a filling bao (steamed bun) stuffed with tofu, shiitake mushroom or pork belly for €4.50. Vegetarian, vegan or meat-filled dumplings are around €6 for eight with a choice of sauce. And if you're really hungry order a box that includes dumplings, bao and fries or salad (€10.50). Pick up a craft beer from Neulich brewery next door (Neukölln location) and it's a perfect combination.

What to eat: Tofu or pork belly bao (€4.50), halloumi lemongrass or Thai chicken and herb dumplings (€6.00).

Address: Han West, Selchowerstr. 20, Neukölln + Görlitzerstr. 69, Kreuzberg + Burgsdorfstr. 9, Wedding

4. Gel Gör Inegöl Köfteci: Köfte Sandwiches & Turkish Food

Köfte usually means herbed minced lamb meatballs, but Gel Gör does it with a twist by using veal instead. And the result is astronomically good. They charcoal grill the meat just tender; the aroma and taste are both unforgettable. Next up, the bread: perfectly fresh, soft, then (blow my mind) dabbed and toasted on the charcoal grill. The whole thing is topped with salad greens, red onions, arugula (rucola) and mint.

Sauces are also standout: spicy red pepper sauce, garlic yogurt, and a yellow herb sauce. Go for all three. Have them top the whole thing with a dash of sumac and some red pepper flakes (for spice lovers) and your taste buds will go insane.

I'm told the proper way to down a Gel Gör köfte baguette is to drink it with ayran (drinkable Turkish yogurt). However, Gel Gör offers a formidable beer selection featuring prices only a few dimes over prices at a bottle shop.

What to eat: Köfte baguette (€5.00-€7.00). Meatatarians take the plunge with the köfte plate.

Address: Gel Gör Inegöl Köfteci, Kottbusser Damm 80 (Neukölln). Open 24 hours.

5. Tadim Lahmacun: Turkish Pizzas and Other Specialties

Lahmacun (Turkish pizza) at its best. A friend who visited likened lahmacun to the Turkish version of a burrito. But it's much more than that. Lahmacun is a rolled, thin flatbread dough topped with an herbed ground meat and baked until crispy. Ask the guys to top it with salad (tomato, flat parsley, onion, lettuce), some hot or yogurt sauce and a bit of sumac, a squeeze of lemon; they roll it up a la burrito. You can also try it with döner meat inside, but we are fans of the lahmacun alone.

Call us purists. Turkish pizza purists.

What to eat: Lahmacun (Turkish pizza) with salad (2.50€) or salad and sauce (3.00€).

Address: Tadim Lahmacun, Adalbertstrasse 98, Kreuzberg.

6. Thai Park: Where to Find Authentic Thai Food in Berlin

Thai Park takes over Preußenpark in Schöneberg every Friday to Sunday with food stalls serving Thai street food and everything you might be missing from your last trip to Thailand. It feels a bit like being transported to Bangkok for the afternoon as all of the vendors are Thai so you are surrounded by the smells, flavors and sounds of Thailand.

Take your time to walk through the different street food stalls and choose your favorite dishes (usually €3 – €6) — Pad Thai, a Thai curry, pad kra pao gai, papaya or seafood salad, spring or summer roles, soup, dumplings or mango and sticky rice. Then, enjoy eating some of the best and most authentic Thai food in Berlin in the park in fresh air on a picnic blanket. Doesn't get much better than this for food and atmosphere.

What to eat: It's hard to go wrong here, but our favorite dishes include chicken larb, seafood salad, pad kra pao gai (chicken with Thai basil and chili), and pad see ew (wide rice noodles).
Address: Thai Park (Friday – Sunday, April to October), Preußenpark near Fehrbelliner Platz (also an U-Bahn station), Schöneberg

7. Pazzi X Pizza: Authentic Italian Pizza

Finding cheap pizza by the slice in Berlin is easy. However, finding really good, high quality pizza by the slice in Berlin is rare. That's where Pazzi X Pizza just a few blocks away form Tempelhofer Feld in Neukölln comes in. Its authentic Italian thin crust pizzas (the owners are from southern Italy) with high quality Italian toppings will please the pickiest of pizza snobs (I count myself as part of that group). The standard piece (bigger than a regular pizza slice) costs €2.50-€3.00, depending upon the toppings. One is usually enough, but if you're really hungry then get two.

What to eat: Some of our favorite pizzas include cime di rapa (Italian greens) with salsiccia (Italian sausage with fennel), cherry tomatoes with ricotta cheese and rucola, roasted eggplant, and prosciutto with ricotta . The classic margarita (tomato sauce with mozzarella) is always a good bet.

Address: Pazzi X Pizza, Herrfurthstr. 8 (Neukölln)

8. Maroush: Lebanese Food

Tasty, accessible Lebanese food. Excellent falafel sandwiches stuffed with freshly fried falafel balls, salad and a surprisingly hefty dose of tahini (sesame sauce). Chicken shawarma sandwiches are chock-full of chicken and feature a tuck of French fries. Sounds odd, but the combo works oh so well. The final touch on both sandwiches: the stuffed pita is “sealed” in a sandwich press.

Open late and usually packed.

What to eat: Chicken shawarma or falafel sandwich (€5)
Address: Maroush, Adalbertstrasse 98, Kreuzberg.

There is always a large selection of different red sauce or white pizza options, all with high quality Italian toppings. This changes all the time so you'll always find something new. You can either eat there with tables inside and outside. Or, take your slices with you to eat as a picnic at Tempelhofer Feld.

9a. Tekbir Döner: Best Döner Kebab, Part 1

Like all good things, by word of mouth, friend of a friend. A tip from an Indian guy in Kreuzberg who had himself been tipped off by a Turkish neighbor. This is how all great döner scavenger hunts begin.

Although the meat on the spindle may look sketchy: rougher, darker than other döner huts, don't fear. Tekbir's meat spindle is stacked with cut veal instead of processed or pressed lamb döner meat. As a result, the texture is very much real meat, like cut steak in a steak-and-cheese. And the taste is the stuff of beautiful, sweet mystery. Maybe some allspice, cinnamon or nutmeg. In any case, it's elegant. The yogurt sauce is tart, as if it's straight ayran, rather than sweetened yogurt or mayonnaise you might find lurking elsewhere.

The whole package is rolled in a Turkish style lavash-like flatbread called a durum.

Best of all, Tekbir is the real deal, real neighborhood, and everyone working and eating there is extraordinarily friendly. They served us free Turkish tea during each visit. It doesn't get much better than that.

What to eat: Durum döner, 4.50€.
Address: Tekbir Döner, Skalitzer Straße 23, Kreuzberg

9b. Doyum Grillhaus Döner: Best Döner Kebab, Part 2

It's always a good sign when a Turkish restaurant is packed with Turkish people round-the-clock. We ordered a simple durum döner where the meat (lamb) is spot on, piled plentifully and topped with lots of fresh salad. Great sauce with a roasted chili taste. The adana kebab (pictured above) looked pretty nice, too. Next time.

Although we opted for a quick kebab to go, this is a proper Turkish restaurant with a delicious looking menu and full seated area.

What to eat: Durum döner (4.50€).
Address: Doyum Grillhaus, Admiralstraße 37-38, Kreuzberg

10. Requisite Berlin Currywurst

Do I think currywurst is the highest quality food going in Berlin? Um, no. But I know it's in the hearts and on the minds of just about everyone visiting. So, here's my take.

The “best currywurst” argument is a storm in a teacup, but if sausage served with a dusting of curry powder and ketchup sounds like your thing, then it's time for currywurst. In truth and fairness, my best memories of currywurst date back to the early 2000s and in particular, a rain-soaked R.E.M. concert in 2004. But those days — and eating currywurst at every stop from Zoologischer Garten to Nollendorfplatz — are long since over.

These days, the “best currywurst” battle rages between two places: Curry 36 and Konnopke Imbiss. Although I favor Curry 36's marginal generosity with their curry powder and their fries (with a dusting of red pepper powder), I appreciate the less firm sausage link from Konnopke Imbiss.

But like I said above: storm in a teacup.

What to eat: At Curry 36: two currywurst and French fries (4.50€). At Konnopke Imbiss: currywurst and French fries (5.00€).
Address: Curry 36, Mehringdamm 36, Kreuzberg. (If you are a group and want to smorgasbord it, get a gemüse kebab from Mustafa's listed above). Konnopke Imbiss, Schönhauser Allee 44A, Prenzlauer Berg.

Honorable Mention: Türkenmarkt at Maybachufer

It's no wonder that food in Berlin is so good, fresh and tasty. The produce coursing through all its markets is impressive. For a glimpse and taste, check out the Turkish outdoor market (Türkenmarkt) along Maybachufer and the canal in Kreuzberg. It's open Tuesday and Friday afternoons from 12:00-6:30.

Just about everything is sold here, even open-air haircuts. In the food department: fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, spices, olives, nuts, cheese and an array of Turkish breads. And for a walk-away comfort food snack, try the gözleme from Chez Su (right side, on the way towards Neukölln) for around €2.

Berlin Day Tours and Other Things to Do

Having lived in Berlin for almost ten years with dozens of visitors during that time, we’ve done quite a few city tours that explore Berlin by foot, bike and water (boat/kayak) that we’ve enjoyed. Each perspective and tour focus — whether it’s street art, history, alternative culture, or the local food scene — provides a little more understanding of this complex, complicated and ever-changing city we love.

If you have limited time in Berlin and want to sure you have a secured spot in a tour, we can recommend using our partners, Get Your Guide and Viator, for booking Berlin tours. They offer many different types of Berlin tours and day trips with no booking fees and free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

Here are a few tours and experiences we recommend if you visit Berlin. (Note: Some of the links below are affiliate links where the price stays the same to you, but we earn a small commission if you book something.)

• Half-Day Berlin Walking Tour: One of the ways we often orient ourselves when we arrive in a new city is by taking a walking tour. This provides us a background on the history and culture of the place, an overview of the main historical sights, and ideas on where we want to continue our exploration. We find that the walking tour guides often have great food and restaurant recommendations, too. If a half-day sounds a bit long, here's a shorter Berlin walking tour that focuses on the historical sites and World War II history around Brandenburg Gate. If you are curious about Berlin's Cold War history, consider this East Berlin walking tour (3 hours) that focuses on what it was like living in a divided city that includes visit to the East Side Gallery and Berlin Wall.
• Alternative Berlin and Street Walking Tour (4 hours): This walking tour that explores Berlin's alternative side with a focus on street art and counterculture history has been a favorite with our visiting family and friends. We've done a similar Berlin street art walking tour (3 hours) with this same company that we really liked. The guide is usually a street artist so you get an inside perspective. It makes you really appreciate the different layers and meaning behind the street art you'll see as you explore Berlin.
• Explore Berlin by boat: Many people don't realize that Berlin is a city on water with more bridges than Venice, Italy. The Spree River run through the city with many canals going into the different neighborhoods (built and used originally to transport goods throughout the city). So, one of the best ways to see and experience Berlin is on a boat, whether it's a quick one-hour boat ride through the main sites in the center or a longer half-day boat trip that goes from the center of town and the famous Museum Island to Landwehr Canal in Kreuzberg with its many bridges.
• Explore Berlin by bicycle: Given the vast size of Berlin and the city's bike lane infrastructure, a bike tour is a fun way to see a lot of different places and travel like a Berliner…by bike. We really enjoyed and learned a lot on this Berlin Wall Bike Tour (3.5 hours) that takes you through different places along the Berlin Wall and also tells the story of how and why it was built, what life was like in a divided city (usually the tour guides are from Berlin and can share their own experience), how people tried to escape, and the unexpected story of how the wall fell on 9 November, 1989. Another fun area to explore on bike are the neighborhoods of Kreuzberg and Fredrichshain with their street art, alternative culture, East Side Gallery, Spree River and more.
• Explore Berlin by kayak: The calm of Berlin's canals and Spree River make the city a great place to kayak through to see some of the main sites and neighborhoods. We've rented kayaks several times over the years (and also own a small inflatable boat) and can recommend kayaking along the Landwehr Canal in Kreuzberg and also into the former East Berlin. Another fun water option is this 1.5-hour stand-up paddle board tour that goes along the Spree River towards Treptower Park and Insel der Jugund.
• Food tours in Berlin: As you might have guessed from this article, Berlin has a diverse and international food scene. So, a neighborhood food tour is a way to sample different dishes and also learn the history and culture of that kiez (Berlin-speak for neighborhood). One of our favorite neighborhoods to eat in is Kreuzberg with its great Turkish restaurants and multi-cultural feel. Alternatively, take a food tour in Mitte to see how this former East Berlin neighborhood has transformed over the years.
• Other unusual Berlin tours: One of the things that visitors to Berlin sometimes miss are the great courtyards or backyards in traditional buildings and complexes. Many of these date back to the early 20th century when Berlin was an industrial city and so factories were located at the back of courtyards and workers lived in the front. Many of these beautiful (often) brick courtyard complexes have survived, but you need to know where to look for them. That's where this Berlin Courtyard Walking Tour in Mitte can help. Another unusual tour in Berlin we really enjoyed was this underground bunker and subway experience.

Where to Stay in Berlin

There is certainly no shortage of accommodation options in Berlin, whether a hotel, hostel or your own apartment rental. It can sometimes be a bit overwhelming to choose where to stay based on the diversity of Berlin's neighborhoods and size, plus your interests and budget.

One of the things that gives Berlin its unique feel is that each neighborhood is a bit different, so we recommend friends and family to stay in neighborhood back streets if they can. They provide a more local feel with more non-touristy cafes, restaurants, bars and shops.

Here are a few recommended accommodation options in some of our favorite Berlin neighborhoods of Kreuzberg-Friedrichshain, Neukölln, and Mitte.

• Weinmeister Hotel in Mitte: Located in the heart of Mitte near Hackescher Markt and not far from Alexanderplatz, this design hotel is in a great location and has a beautiful rooftop terrace for meals and drinks. Several friends and work colleagues have stayed here and recommend it. Note: this is an adult-only hotel.
• Hüttenpalast in Neukölln: Located in a fun and hip area between Kreuzberg and Neukölln, Hüttenpalast offers both retro-style caravans and cabins, as well as hotel rooms, and a relaxing garden. Friends have enjoyed staying here.
• Nena Apartments in Bergmannkiez, Kreuzberg: If you want your own apartment and kitchen to self-cater, these apartments on a quiet street in the cute Bergmannkiez part of Kreuzberg are a good option. There are also Nena Apartments in Neukölln (Hermannplatz) and in the Moritzplatz area of Kreuzberg.
• Michelberger Hotel in Friedrichshain: Located close to the East Side Gallery (2km of the Berlin Wall that is now an outdoor mural gallery) and Spree River, the Michelberger Hotel has a great lobby and restaurant on the ground floor and unique design rooms of all sizes and prices. Several friends who have stayed here recommend it for the rooms and the location.
• Circus Hostel in Berlin: If you are looking for a hostel or budget accommodation option, several friends have recommended Circus Hostel with both dorm and single/double room options. It's located very close to Rosenthaler Platz in Mitte with lots of local restaurants, cafes and bars in walking distance. The owners have recently opened up Circus Hotel nearby if you aren't into the hostel vibe.

Gluten Free Eating in Berlin (and Germany)

If you have celiac disease or a gluten intolerance there's good and bad news about gluten free eating in Berlin (and Germany in general). On the positive side, awareness about gluten free needs is rising in Berlin so quite a few restaurants offer gluten free alternatives. On the negative side, a lot of food in Berlin, especially street food, includes bread. It's important to always be careful and ask questions.

To help you navigate food in Berlin and Germany so that you can eat local, but also gluten free and with confidence, check out this German Gluten Free Restaurant Card and Gluten Free Guide to Germany created by our friend, Jodi. The restaurant card explains in detail, using local food names and language, your needs as a strictly gluten free eater, including common problems regarding cross contamination, so that you get the meal you want and need. (Bonus: You can use it when you travel in any German speaking country like Austria or Switzerland.)

Jodi has celiac disease herself so she understands first-hand the importance of being able to communicate gluten free needs in detail and educate waiters and restaurants on what this means in practice. She created her series of Gluten Free Restaurant Cards in different languages to help celiac and gluten-free travelers eat local with confidence, and without communication problems or getting sick.

Note: These gluten free restaurant cards are not part of an affiliate plan or a way for us to make money. We are extremely fortunate that we can eat everything, but we've seen the challenges of others who are celiac or have food intolerances where every meal can potentially make them sick. These detailed gluten free cards were created to help prevent that from happening and make eating out fun and enjoyable when traveling.

The post Berlin Cheap Eats: Top 10 Meals Under 5 Euros appeared first on Uncornered Market.

Food generally serves as a natural gateway to a more profound understanding of culture and history, people and place. Street food draws us naturally to explore, to press further afield than we otherwise might, allowing us to make greater personal discoveries not only about the flavor of local foods, but also the essence of the cultures they represent.

Searching for the Best Street Foods in the World

To those of you who agree, we preach to the culinary choir. But for others, food might be less a priority, a matter of sustenance. To you, we make the case that the active search for street food and novel street level culinary experiences not only fills the bowl, but also feeds the soul. This goes for both unusual destinations, as well as more traditional places.

This Best Street Food Around the World guide shows how and why.

Note: Street food aficionados, we use the term “street food” as shorthand for local, authentic culinary experiences. So bear with us as several of the examples in the 50 experiences below are taken from hole-in-wall restaurants, hawker food courts and fresh markets around the world.

Update: This article was originally published in March 2015 and was updated in January 2020 with additional favorite street food dishes from our recent travels.

5 Ways Street Food Quests Serve as a Tool for Exploration

1. They take your further

Use the street food dish you seek as the final destination. Many of the world’s most fascinating markets and remarkable street food stalls are found in areas well away from tourist centers and popular neighborhoods. The process of seeking out street food often creates a “mission” that takes you across town to and through neighborhoods you might otherwise not visit. If you are on an organized tour, ask your guide about local street food and work it into the itinerary or go on your own during free time.

Whether you walk or use public transport, your quest for the ultimate dumpling, bean soup, taco or curry becomes an adventure in itself, with the meal as the goal, but the journey as the unexpected payoff.

2. They take you deeper

Street food is remarkably democratic, for we all need to eat. One of the best ways to meet and engage with ordinary, local people and land the holy grail of authentic local interaction (i.e., outside of tourism and service professionals) is by sharing a plastic table, communal condiments, a bit of conversation.

If spoken language isn’t an issue we’ll often begin by asking questions about local food, which can lead to topics such as family, culture, and politics. If there is no common spoken language, we’ll practice our charade skills to inquire as to which condiments to use or how to properly tackle what we’re eating.

In any event, we find that almost everyone enjoys sharing their local cuisine with visitors. In addition, street food stands are almost always run by local people, often women entrepreneurs, so your money stays local and it's a way to travel more sustainability and support local women.

3. They help you explore your boundaries

I may not be as intrepid or adventurous a street food eater as Dan, but the search for street food definitely helps build my culinary courage. If I can't easily identify the food in front of me (e.g., it has come from a part of an animal I’m not accustomed to eating), I often shy away.

But when I find myself in a street food setting where people are excited for visitors to try their food, it’s difficult for me to say no. I often find that my fears about the food were unfounded, and I enjoy it much to my surprise.

4. They help you exercise your language skills

If you are looking to exercise your linguistic chops, there’s no better place than over a shared meal with random strangers. And if you're accompanying your meal with a cold beer, language inhibitions seem to fall away even quicker.

5. They teach you how simple it is to cook

Since you are so close to the action, street food lays it all bare. Street food chefs offer the opportunity — language skills permitting — for you to get a firsthand sense of the flow and preparation of your favorite local dishes as you admire the culinary magic up close.

After you witness a beautiful dish emerge from a tiny gas stove and a kitchen equipped with only basic tools, you begin to understand the great lessons in limitation.

50 Best Street Foods from Around the World

The following is only the tip of the street food iceberg of possibilities, with countries in alphabetical order so we don't get into arguments as to which country's street food is better. We include some traditional street food dishes as well as a few unusual suspects.

If you're concerned about eating street food for fear of getting sick, read our tips for eating local and staying healthy.

1. Argentina Street Food: Empanadas

Although empanadas (stuffed pastries, usually savory) are a staple of Argentine cuisine and can be found throughout the country, the best ones are from the Salta region in the northwestern part of the country. It is also the only region where hot sauce is common. Hurrah!!

2. Armenia Street Food: Kebabs

Although kebabs — grilled ground or chunked meat on a skewer — are not unique to Armenia, we did find that when we wanted a quick and easy Armenian snack, a kebab wrapped in lavash (flat bread) was the street food of choice.

3. Australia Street Food: Meat Pies

Hearty, savory, delicious and cheap. Meat pies (and don't worry, there are also vegetarian varieties) were a staple quick snack or meal during our travels throughout Australia. You can usually find them everywhere, from gas stations to small cafes, even if you are in the middle of nowhere…which does happen a lot in Australia.

4. Bali (Indonesia) Street Food: Nasi Campur

Nasi campur is a staple of Balinese food. It is essentially a mixed plate served with rice. Most restaurants will make the choice for you, but at warungs, the local food outlets on Bali, the nasi campur selection is up to you. You can choose from delectables such as sate lilit, spicy tempeh, chopped vegetables, spice-rubbed meat, chicken, and tofu.

5. Bangladesh Street Food: Singara

Singara are spiced potato and vegetable mixture pockets wrapped in a thin dough and fried. What distinguishes a good singara is how flaky the texture is. Some are so flaky, as if they're made with savory pie crust.

Singara are ubiquitous and inexpensive (as cheap as 24 for $1) and were a staple Bangladeshi food for us during our travels through Bangladesh.

6. Bolivia Street Food: Salteñas

Salteñas are empanada-like pockets filled with chicken or meat and finished with a distinctive slightly sweet, baked crust. The salteñas pictured below were filled with both chicken and ground beef, a boiled egg, herbs, and an olive. Spice options include fiery, hot, normal and sweet. Something for everyone traveling through Bolivia.

7. Bosnia and Herzegovina Street Food: Ćevapi

Walk through downtown Sarajevo and it's hard not to be gripped by the smell of ćevapi, the Bosnian national dish of grilled meat. Ćevapi is often served in installments of five or ten minced meat logs tucked into a round of flat bread. Our preference is with onions and a side of kajmak (thick cream). You won't need to eat for days after one of these meals.

8. Brazil (Bahia) Street Food: Acarajé

Acarajé is an Afro-Brazilian dish that comes from the Bahia region, but you can also find it at markets and street stalls in other parts of Brazil. It is made from a spiced, mashed bean mixture, usually with ground shrimp, that is made into balls or patties and fried in fried in dendê oil (palm oil).

It is then usually covered (or filled, like a sandwich) with salty shrimp (camarão do sal), herbs, vegetables and some sort of sauce. You can find acarajé stands on the main squares of Salvador, but our favorite was at a nearby beach.  

9. Cambodia Street Food: Breakfast Banana Blossom Soup

We found our tuk-tuk driver having breakfast with other drivers when we exited the temples at Banteay Srei near Siem Reap. He invited us to join him and he introduced us to a fantastic morning soup. It consisted of a subtle yellow curry fish broth with fresh rice noodles, paper-thin chopped banana blossom, cucumber, and cabbage — all topped off with a spoonful of dark sweet sauce. A bowl of bitter herbs and long beans circulated our table for the final touch.

One of our favorite meals in all of Cambodia, with possible competition from the Cambodian dishes we learned to cook ourselves at a cooking class in Battambang.

10. Chile Street Food: Completo Italiano

When we arrived in Chile, we were on a mission to eat a proper completo (hot dog). Although we usually practice hot dog avoidance, these beauties were hard to resist. The one pictured here merges avocado, tomato and mayonnaise in the flag-like completo italiano.

11. China Street Food: Jiaozi (Dumplings)

Selecting just one street food dish from China borders on the impossible, but we'll go with the crowd favorite Chinese dumplings. Of the hundreds of dumplings we sampled in China these pork, shrimp and leek dumplings at Da Yu dumpling joint near the No. 6 bathing area in Qingdao stick out. Fresh, delicious and perfectly steamed.

12. Colombia Street Food: Arepa

Colombian gluten-free comfort food at its best. An arepa is a fried round of cornmeal dough. They can either be served plain, as a side starch to a meal, or stuffed with cheese (arepa de queso), egg or other fillings. The stuffed varieties are more interesting and tasty. Each region has its own arepa specialties so it’s worth trying a few different varieties as you travel around Colombia.  

13. Ecuador Street Food: Ceviche

It seems like each country in Latin America serves its own unique style of ceviche, so we found it necessary to try it in each country we visited. While we have to admit that Peruvian ceviche is our favorite (see below), this bowl of shrimp ceviche in Ecuador with from the Central Market in Quito ran a close second with its fresh shrimp, plentiful herbs, and bits of tomato. Oh, and we were big fans of the popcorn as a side.

14. Egypt Street Food: Sugar Cane Juice

The first time we visited Cairo was in December 2011 when demonstrations were still taking place on Tahrir Square and news channels around the world were lit up with scenes of violence and protest. But our experience in the almost 8-million person city was filled with encounters like this one, with a friendly sugar cane juice master of Old Cairo. And in case you're wondering, we did not get sick.

15. El Salvador Street Food: Pupusa

Pupusas (stuffed corn tortillas) are the go-to street food of choice throughout El Salvador. Filled with refried red beans, cheese and a dash of chicharron (salty pork rinds), the pupusas below from a simple street stand east of central park in Juayua were the best we had eaten anywhere. Top with pickled vegetables and chili peppers. Delicious!

16. Ethiopia Street Food: Street Side Coffee Ceremony

A traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony will likely take at least twenty minutes from start to finish for the first cup of coffee, but it is absolutely well worth the wait. You need to sample a few, and perhaps only then will you begin to fully comprehend how important coffee is to Ethiopian cuisine.

17. Georgia (Republic of) Street Food: Khachapuri

Khachapuri, the ubiquitous signature Georgian cheese-stuffed bread oozes gooey goodness. A common sight in Georgian cuisine — at breakfast, lunch or dinner. Because the cheese inside is mildly brined, it's salty goodness is like a diet-demolishing siren call.

There are different styles of khachapuri throughout the country, so we suggest trying them all as you travel in Georgia to find your favorite.

18. Germany (Berlin) Street Food: Döner Kebab

Everyone knows about döner kebabs as the ultimate in satisfying cheap eats in Berlin. But Mustafa's on Mehringdamm Street in Kreuzberg is not your typical döner. Rather than flakes of beef or veal, shavings of chicken pressed with roasted vegetables fall from Mustafa's spindle and are served with a fabulous mélange of potatoes, sweet potatoes, salad, feta-like cheese, freshly squeezed lemon and mystery sauce.

If you are vegetarian, you can also opt for pure veg. You'll know you've arrived at Mustafa's when you see the long line snaking down the street.

19. Greece (Crete) Street Food: Bugatsa

On the Greek island of Crete, it sometimes seemed as though all we did was eat…which is not difficult given the richness of flavors in Cretan food. In the island's main city of Heraklion, just prior to our departure, we were recommended to try bugatsa, a pastry filled with cream and/or cheese, and sprinkled with powdered sugar.

The most famous bugatsa is served at Kipkop, a bakery founded in 1922 by Armenian immigrants whose descendants dish the same original recipe to this day.

20. Guatemala Street Food: Chuchito

Guatemala served as our first stop in Central America. We took to street food in Antigua almost straight away, during normal time as well as in the midst of Semana Santa (Easter Week) celebrations when street food stalls were everywhere. This, a chuchito (similar to a Mexican tamale – shredded meat and vegetables stuffed in a mass of boiled, ground corn), was smothered in fresh guacamole, salsa and cabbage.

21. Haiti Street Food: Mayi Moulen Kole ak Legim

Lots of street food in Haiti is fried — plantains, pork, other meat bits, potatoes, etc. But if you're looking for a hearty meal for just a couple dollars, this dish of cornmeal, beans and vegetable stew (mayi moulen kole ak legim) is where it's at. The cornmeal consistency is somewhere between polenta and cream-of-wheat (or cream-of-cornmeal, as it were).

22. Honduras Street Food: Baleada

While the rest of Central America is all about the corn, Honduras' staple street food dish — the baleada — is made with wheat flour. And honestly, this was a relief after three months of maize. Stuffed with combinations of cheese, beans, eggs, and various meats, baleadas quickly became our Honduran comfort food.

23. Hungary Street Food: Langos

How can anyone resist fried bread smothered in sour cream? That is why the Hungarian langos is an easy favorite. Make your way into just about any market in Hungary and you are sure to find langos, if the signature aroma of it doesn't find you first.

Try garlic langos and you'll be vampire-free — and probably friendless for a few hours.

24. India Street Food: Aloo Tikki

There is so much street food goodness throughout India, from south Indian dishes like dosa to north Indian tandoori specials. Even with all this stiff competition, we'll have to go with this aloo tikki (spiced potato snacks) stand in Varanasi as one of our best street food experiences. The aloo tikki was good, but the charismatic vendor who roped me in to cook for him is what made the experience.

Note: if you do venture to eat street food in India, stick to the cooked products and be wary of fresh herb and vegetable toppings that may have been washed in unclean water.

25. Iran Street Food: Spiced Fava Beans

After all the kebabs and meats in Iran, we were thankful to find this vendor selling a big pile of steamed, spiced fava beans in the mountains near Kermanshah. Delicious with a dash of vinegar and red pepper. I think he found our vegetable-deprived group a bit odd as we kept coming back for additional servings.

26. Italy (Naples) Street Food: Seafood Fritto Misto

Italian food is all about the freshness of ingredients. Even the simplest of dishes are delicious for this reason. And this is especially so in Naples, a foodie’s paradise in the southern part of the country. This city is known for its love of all things fried, including pizza fritta (yes, that is fried pizza), but our favorite street food snack in Naples was the simple cuoppo napoletano filled with fritto misto (mixed fried things).

This simple paper cone is filled with lightly fried fresh fish and seafood (shrimp, clams, squid, octopus, etc.) straight from the fish vendors at Pignasecca market. Vegetarians, don’t despair, as you can also find fritto misto made with fried zucchini blossoms, zucchini, aubergine and more. Delicious, as well as filling. 

27. Japan Street Food: Takoyaki

Octopus balls? Yes, please. Takoyaki are fluffy hot rounds of chopped octopus in herbed dough. All part of the experience: watching the masters quickly turn their takoyaki with long toothpicks in something that looks like a cupcake pan, so that the balls cook evenly on all sides.

Takoyaki is often topped with a sweet sauce, aonori (powdered seaweed), and ample helpings of hanakatsuo (dried bonito fish flakes). We made sure to sample takoyaki every time we found it during our trip to Japan, and it is proof that not all Japanese food is expensive or formal.

28. Jordan Street Food: Knafeh

Street food doesn't always have to be savory. Knafeh is a decadent Middle Eastern dessert made from a gooey, white cheese base with semolina bits baked on top and covered in sweet syrup. Though we take every opportunity we get to eat the stuff as it is prominent throughout the Middle East and Turkey, we have yet to find a knafeh better than what is served up at Habibeh Sweets in downtown Amman, Jordan.

Every person we've spoken to who has visited Jordan mentions this knafeh with a longing sigh. It's a treat on top of all the other delicious Jordanian food.

29. Kyrgyzstan Street Food: Samsa

Samsa are meat, onion and spice filled dough pockets. These are a staple of street food stalls, fresh markets and hillside animal markets across Kyrgyzstan. However, for the best samsa in the country, head to Osh in the south where the “Oshski samsa” is baked inside a clay tandoor oven.

30. Laos Street Food: Or Lam

It's possible to visit Luang Prabang and be tricked into thinking you're eating Lao food, as many restaurants pimp Thai curries as Lao food. After asking around we finally found Or Lam, a spicy stew with mushrooms, eggplant, meat, lemongrass and chilies. Also delicious (and pictured in the back of the photo below) is khai paen (spiced, dried river weed) and jaew bawng (a Lao dipping sauce). All of this goes perfectly with a cold Beer Lao.

31. Madagascar Street Food: Mofo Anana

One of our favorite Madagascar foods is called mofo, the country’s signature savory spiced beignet fritters or pakoras. Our prefered style was the mofo anana (literally, leafy green bread) that are fried fritters filled with leafy green strips and spices.

You can find these in markets and street (just be sure they are recently fried) throughout your travels in Madagascar, as well as on menus in restaurants and hotels. 

32. Malaysia Street Food: Sambal Sotong

It's worth traveling to Malaysia, if only for the cuisine. Malaysian street food is a delightful melange, drawing influence from China and from across Southeast Asia. And that doesn't even touch the country's Indian food scene.

Many street food stands specialize in just one dish, and it's not uncommon to find that multiple generations have worked together to perfect their recipe. One of our favorites was sambal sotong, squid and stink beans (petai) in roasted chili in Georgetown, Penang.

33. Malta Street Food: Qassatat

Qassatat are a traditional Maltese savory pastry (or pastizzi) that you can find all over the island. They are round with a whole at the top so you can see the fillings. Traditional fillings include either peas or ricotta, but our favorite was the one chock full of spinach.

They might not look like big, but they are rather hearty since they have quite a bit of savory fillings. We picked up a couple of qassatat at one of the pastazzi stands at the Valletta bus station and found to be a great and filling picnic lunch during our day hikes along the coast.  

34. Mexico (Oaxaca) Street Food: Tlayuda

When we decided where to spend two months in Mexico, we choose Oaxaca primarily because of its famous Oaxacan cuisine and street food scene. One of our favorite street food or market snacks was the tlayuda, a large semi-dried tortilla, sometimes glazed with a thin layer of unrefined pork lard called asiento, and topped with refried beans (frijol), tomatoes, avocadoes, and some variation of meat (chorizo, tasajo or cencilla, or shredded chicken tinga).

Tlayudas can either be served open, or when it’s cooked on a charcoal grill, folded in half. One is often enough to feed two people.

35. Myanmar (Burma) Street Food: Mohinga

Geographically, Myanmar sits at the intersection of South Asian (Indian), East Asian (Chinese), and Southeast Asian (Thai). Culinary, it does too. This was a pleasant surprise for us and Burmese food exceeded our expectations.

One of our favorite Burmese dishes was mohinga (or mohinka), a soup that includes rice vermicelli in a fish-based broth of onions, garlic, ginger, and lemon grass. It was usually topped with sliced banana blossom, boiled eggs and fritters (akyaw). This is usually served for breakfast, but try to seek it out any time of the day during your travels in Myanmar.

36. Nepal Street Food: Momos

It's hard for me to resist dumplings anywhere, and Nepal's momos were no exception. Served steamed or occasionally fried, momos are a staple in and around the areas of the Tibetan plateau, including all over Nepal. A perfect treat after hiking the Annapurna Circuit or another multi-day trek in Nepal.

We also recommend taking a momos cooking class in Kathmandu with Sasane Sisterhood, a social impact tour company that supports survivors of human trafficking. Delicious and it supports a great cause. We've used the recipe and technique we learned during the course to make momos as home.

37. Paraguay Street Food: Tereré

When it's brutally hot and humid and you're waiting hours for the bus, a shot of tereré, the national drink (nay, the national sport) of Paraguay, definitely helps. Tereré looks like yerba mate, but it is served cold and can be enjoyed for hours.

38. Peru Street Food: Ceviche

Peru was the culinary highlight of our travels through Latin America. The cevicheria at the Surquillo market in Lima bustles with people, especially on the weekend. A huge plate of mixed seafood ceviche runs about $4-$5. Discussions about Peruvian family life and politics are free of charge.

39. Portugal Street Food: Pastel de Nata

These unique flaky-crusted, creamy custard-filled treats lining the streets of Lisbon are addictive. The original pastel de nata is believed to have been made by nuns in nearby Belem where they used left over egg yolks to make the pastry's signature custard filling.

It’s hard not to stop at every bakery in Portugal showcasing these beauties in the window and sample one (or two) with a bica (local espresso). 

40. Singapore Street Food: Hainanese Chicken

Hainanese chicken rice is a culinary specialty unique to Singapore. The description may sound unremarkable, but its flavor delights.

The dish consists of chicken broth, slices of roasted (or steamed) chicken served with cucumbers and herbs, hot sauce, sweet soy sauce, and a light chicken stock soup with vegetables. Delicious in its subtlety.

41. South Africa Street Food: Bunny Chow

Bunny chow is essentially a hollowed out piece of plain, white sandwich bread stuffed with curry (or masala, if you like). Rumors have it that it was designed this way to make it easy for plantation workers to take their lunch to the fields.

Bunny chow serves as culinary evidence of South Asian influence in South Africa, and more specifically in the city of Durban.

42. Sri Lanka Street Food: Hoppers

A hopper is a typical Sri Lankan dish that is a thin bowl-shaped pancake made from rice flour and coconut milk, often with the option of a fried egg inside. It is usually served with a simple curry for a delicious, savory snack.

They are almost as fun to eat as they are to watch being made by the masters at work on the street with their special hopper pans and smile. We found these delicious hoppers in Colombo, but you can find them throughout Sri Lanka.

43. St. Maarten / St. Martin Street Food: Johnny Cakes

Local food can be hard to find when visiting St. Maarten / St. Martin, but if you look enough you will indeed find it. We recommend trying a johnny cake, a fried snack made with corn meal popular throughout the Caribbean. It can be eaten on its own or on the side of soup, but it is also often cut in half like a roll to use in sandwiches.

Our favorite in St. Maarten was the johnny cake with salt fish. 

44. Thailand Street Food: Street Side Red Curry

Thailand is where our love affair with street food really took off. In fact, it's worth visiting Thailand if only for the street food.

So while we know that Thai street food goes well beyond curries, a beautiful plate of shrimp red curry covered with fresh Thai basil was the dish got it started all those years ago on our first visit to Bangkok.

45. Turkey Street Food: Borek

Unfortunately, there's a lot of bad and soggy borek (stuffed thin pastry) in the world. During our visit to Istanbul en route to Iran, we became regulars for this man's crispy cheese-stuffed borek. Convenient, too, as his shop was right across the street from our flat in Beyoğlu.

36. Uganda Street Food: Kikomando

If you ever find yourself hungry in Kampala, Uganda then head to the Mengo Market for some kikomando. Kikomando is a filling dish made of beans mixed with slices of chapati. It isn't as common as a rolex, another beloved Ugandan street food, made of a fried egg and vegetables rolled up with chapati, but a kikomando will fill you up for the rest of the day.

In fact, it is said that if you eat a lot of it you will be strong like Arnold Schwarzenegger in the movie Commando.

47. Ukraine Street Food: Varenyky 

I have a weakness for dumplings of all varieties, and Ukrainian varenyky are no exception.

These smallish dumplings are usually stuffed with either ground meat, potatoes, cabbage, mushrooms or cheese. You are usually offered the option of steamed or fried, and they are then topped with fried onions and served with smetana (sour cream). You'll find varenyky served at all local festivals and are a staple of any Ukrainian cafeteria or restaurant. 

48. Uzbekistan Street Food: Plov

Plov is the Uzbek national dish. Think rice pilaf with fried julienned carrots, red pepper, caraway seeds, and chunks of meat. Plov is so ubiquitous throughout Central Asian markets and restaurants that self-described local connoisseurs can discern differences that are imperceptible to foreigners, much like the relationship Americans have with pizza and chili.

The best plov we found during our travels through Central Asia was this street-side stand in Tashkent, Uzbekistan's capital city.

49. Vietnam Street Food: Cha Ca

Vietnam is another incredible destination for street food lovers. During our winter visit to Hanoi we tried cha ca which is a distinct hot pot meal of fish, turmeric, dill, coriander and other greens served with noodles, peanuts, vinegar and chilies.

As with many meals in Hanoi, as well as throughout Vietnam, you'll be served piles of greens, noodles, spices, and other tasty bits to tune your dish to the precise flavor profile you seek.

50. Xinjiang (China) Street Food: Laghman

We place Xinjiang street food in its own category as the Xinjiang region in western China is a distinct ethnic blend of Turkic and Mongolian. So although Xinjiang cuisine shows some hints of what one might call “traditional” Chinese influence, its dishes are often quite different from mainstream Chinese food.

One of our favorites was pulled noodles, or laghman, which we enjoyed not only for the taste, but also for the flair of its preparation. Pulled noodles are tossed, beaten and pulled to ensure the right consistency before being dunked in soups and suoman, a blend of noodles, vegetables and meat.

Gluten Free Street Food Eating

If you have celiac disease or a gluten intolerance there's good and bad news about eating gluten free street food. On the positive side, most street food is cooked to order so it can be customized for your needs. Plus, you often have a chance to talk directly with the cook. On the negative side, sometimes street food stands do not speak foreign languages so communication might be difficult. In addition, they may only have one pan to fry and cook foods so you have to be very careful about cross-contamination.

To help you navigate street food so that you can eat local, but also gluten free and with confidence, check out this collection of Gluten Free Restaurant Cards created by our friend, Jodi. These restaurant cards are already in fifteen foreign languages, with more languages being added all the time, so many of the countries and dishes mentioned above are already included. These Gluten Free Restaurant Cards explain in detail, using local food names and language, your needs as a strictly gluten free eater so that you get the meal you want and need.

Jodi has celiac disease herself and is a lover of street food so she understands first-hand the importance of being able to communicate gluten free needs in detail and educate waiters and restaurants on what this means in practice. She created her series of Gluten Free Restaurant Cards in different languages to help celiac and gluten free travelers eat local with confidence, and without communication problems or getting sick.

Note: These gluten free restaurant cards are not part of an affiliate plan or a way for us to make money. We are extremely fortunate that we can eat everything, but we've seen the challenges of others who are celiac or have food intolerances where every meal can potentially make them sick or cause pain. These detailed gluten free cards were created to help prevent that from happening and make eating out fun and enjoyable when traveling.

Now it's your turn. Which street food quests have led you on an adventure?

The post Best Street Food Around the World: 50 Favorite Street Food Dishes appeared first on Uncornered Market.

Traditional Iranian food combines the savory of fresh herbs and spices like saffron, merges it with the sweet of pomegranate, barberry and cinnamon and tops it all off with a flourish of nuts, dried fruits and beans. The result: a taste profile which does not present one distinct flavor, but instead serves up layers that keep the taste buds guessing as to what is and what’s coming next.

The following is an extensive list of Iranian dishes, including notable and common traditional Iranian dishes that we found in our weeks traveling in Iran. To give a sense of the culinary mindset, here are words of wisdom from one of our guides on the subtle appreciation of eating one’s way through Iran: “Eat an onion from each new place you visit to adjust your body to the local cuisine.”

Let’s eat! Nusheh jân!

Note: This post was originally published on January 16, 2014 and updated on December 8, 2018.

Traditional Iranian Food

Kebab

Kebab (kebabs) is taken very seriously in Iran – so much so that a restaurant kebab menu alone may run a few pages and feature every style and cut of skewerable grill-worthy meat imaginable. The first few times someone invites you to dine with them in Iran, you'll be tempted to think that all of Iran and its restaurants are powered solely on kebab.

Lamb, minced or in chunks, is the most popular meat you'll find in Iranian kebab. Chicken and beef also make a frequent appearance. In Iran, kebab skewers are often served alongside grilled tomatoes, a healthy plate of rice and flat bread, and a pile of raw onions. (Yes, raw onions. One roadside kebab stand thought us crazy for suggesting our onions be grilled.) You'll also find that one kebab order is likely more than enough for two people to share.

Our favorite kebab: kebab koobideh, minced lamb meat blended with herbs and spices.

Khoresht (Iranian Stew)

After kebabs, stews are the most common dishes you’ll find on the menu at local restaurants in Iran. Most often, Iranian khoresht will feature some sort of vegetable blend (e.g., lentils, spinach, mixed vegetable sabzi, beans, tomato, or eggplant) with a bit of meat thrown in. Khoresht is often served with rice and serves as a comfort food (e.g., as in chelo khoresht, rice and stew).

Some khoresht favorites include: Khoresht-e-Ghorme-sabzi, a stew of meat, vegetables and beans that features a bit of a greenish appearance; and Khoresht-e-Ghymeh, a stew of meat, potato, tomato and split peas.

Fesenjan (Fesenjoon)

Though technically a khoresht, fesenjan (Khoresht-e-Fesenjan) stands alone. At turns tart, sweet and savory, fesenjan is a stew composed of ground walnut and pomegranate juice turned with your meat of choice (chicken is most common). Fesenjan knows some regional variation in Iran, with sour and savory fesenjan prevailing in Northern Iran, while slightly sweeter versions appear elsewhere.

Fesenjan takes some time to make, which is why in Iran it is typically only served during holidays and on special occasions. Because you won't find it on the daily menu in most restaurants in Iran, you may have to make arrangements to have it prepared specifically for you or your group. Ask around, since the flavor of a well-made fesenjan is worth the effort. Good news: because fesenjan is among the best-known and most popular Iranian dishes, it's a staple in Iranian restaurants around the world.

Zereshk Polo

Literally, barberry rice. However, quite often served with grilled chicken or served alongside kebab.

Note: The red berries served atop this dish (you can see in the image below) are barberries (berberries), a berry from the barberry shrub that is quite often mistaken at quick glance for pomegranate.

Dizi / Abgoosht (Stone Pot Iranian Stew)

Dizi and abgoosht are competing names for the stone pot Persian stew that's consumed following an almost ritualized eating procedure.

Dizi, named for the stone pot in which it's prepared, is a hearty, heavy dish fit for the mountains. featuring mutton soup broth thickened with chickpeas, onion, potato, tomatoes, turmeric and various other white beans, all cooked in ceramic pot. The liquid is then strained away and served in a bowl on the side. As an interactive bonus, you’re given a pestle-type instrument with which you are expected to crush and mash to a pulp the solid bits (gusht-e kubideh) which happen to remain in your stone pot. Dizi (abghoost) is typically served with flat bread (piti) and the occasional side of pickled vegetables.

Tabriz Köfte / Koofteh Tabrizi (Tabriz-Style Persian Meatballs)

When offering Iranian food recommendations, a good Iranian friend said of Tabriz Köfte: “A huge meatball with surprises inside…very nice if you can find it.” Our experience: exactly.

We were fortunate to try it twice, once in a restaurant and once homemade served to us by our guide's wife at a makeshift picnic at St. Stephanos church. The latter was the clear winner for freshness and taste.

Tabriz Köfte can be found mainly in northwestern Iran, where the city of Tabriz is the provincial capital. Tabriz koofteh offer a variation on the traditional Turkish köfte (minced meatball). The Tabriz köfte is essentially an oversized meatball made from either minced meat and spices or barley and spices (for vegetarians), served with piles of fresh greens and herbs. After all the kebab you'll eat in Iran, Tabriz köfte strikes the body as refreshing, particularly when served on flatbread with all those greens.

Loobia Sabz (Iranian Green Bean Stew)

Vegetarians in Iran, look for loobia sabz. We list this dish not because we had the good fortune to eat it, but because in retrospect we should have made a greater effort to seek it out. We traveled with a vegetarian during a part of our trip, and she had a notably difficult time finding vegetable dishes untainted by meat. If you are vegetarian and traveling in Iran, ask for loobia (beans) and in particular, loobia sabz.

Mirza Ghasemi / Mirza Qasemi

Mirza ghasemi (or mirza qasemi) is a tasty vegetarian appetizer which hails from the Northern Iranian Caspian region. It's made with roasted skewered eggplant which is seasoned with garlic, tomato, turmeric, oil or butter, and salt. The seasoned eggplant is then turned with eggs. The whole thing is then mixed and served with bread or rice. Mirza ghasemi is another dish to watch our for, especially for vegetarians traveling in Iran.

Ash (Iranian Soup)

Ash is a thick, almost stew-like soup. However, you’ll find ash in all varieties of thin and thick depending on where you are in Iran and who happens to be stirring the pot. We enjoyed one of our favorite bowls of ash with a bunch of guys crammed into a soup cafeteria on their lunch break in the northwestern Iranian town of Tabriz.

Another tasty variety of ash is Ash-Reshteh, known as Persian noodle soup. Ash-reshteh typically features noodles, vegetables and herbs. We had the good fortune to enjoy this restorative meal-in-a-bowl in the mountain village of Masouleh.

READ MORE: Traveling to Iran as Americans: All You Need to Know

Iranian Rice Dishes

To say that rice — a 4,000 year old staple of Persian food and Iranian eating — is hugely important to the Iranian food landscape is a culinary understatement. In our cursory examination, sampling and research of the subject of Iranian rice, it’s clear that a full-length dissertation could be written about the subject, after which arguments of clarification on the terms and names of Iranian rice dishes would ensue.

Note: For a delightful and detailed layman’s guide to properly preparing Iranian/Persian rice at home, check out this article and recipe.

Chelo (Iranian Steamed White Rice)

Trademark fluffy white Iranian rice, typically served with kebab, stews and other main dishes.

Note: Chelo Kebab is the traditional Iranian dish of kebab (above) served on a plate with chelo, white steamed rice.

Tah Dig / Tah Deeg (Scorched or Crunchy Rice)

Tah dig is Iran's somewhat famous scorched, crunchy rice specialty. It's made from the bottom of the pot rice crust and is served by itself or with the rice crust merged with slices of potato, flats of bread, meat, vegetable, fruit and nuts like pistachio.

Baghali Polo (Persian Dill and Fava Bean Rice)

Like its cousins pilaf and plov), polo is a generic term for rice mixed or blended with nuts, vegetables, beans and dried fruits.

Take polo up a notch and add dill, saffron and fava beans (broad beans) and you have the specialty known as Baghali Polo. Baghali is the Persian/Farsi word for fava beans. Baghali polo will often be referred to as Persian dill rice.

Abkesh (Baked, Layered Rice)

Abkesh consists of srained, sieved rice cooked until its moist, then layered with bread or potato and blended with oil in the bottom of pot. It's typically topped with a bit of saffron and small minced pistachios.

Kateh

Kateh is soft, typically found in northern Iran, consists of clumped rice served with a slight crust. Kateh polo is softer than abkesh and is usually served in traditional restaurants in villages and rural areas.

READ MORE: Persepolis: Ancient Persia, Modern Lessons

Iranian Street Food Snacks

Baghali Pokhteh / Baghali Pokhte (Steamed, Spiced Fava Beans)

Baghali pokhteh (or, baghali pokhte) — steamed spiced fava beans — are a popular street snack, especially in the mountains of Iran. Baghali pokhteh are particularly delicious when served with vinegar, red pepper and marjoram. After all the meat we'd eaten in Iran, our group was thrilled to inject some legumes into the diet. We ate almost the entire stash of baghali pokhteh below. We're kidding…kind of.

Laboo (Red Beets, Roasted)

Laboo is the Persian word for red beets. We aren't certain if roasted red beets are typical to the Iranian street food scene, but this display of roasted beets on a stick in the Northern Iranian town of Ardabil was one of the more beautiful and unique street food presentations we’d seen in a while during our travels.

Street beets, who knew?

READ MORE: A Flight to Tehran: The Full Story

Iranian Breads

Interesting how the Farsi word for bread (nan) is similar to the Indian term. Linguistic history often gives a sense of how much we all have in common and how far back that shared history really goes. Especially when kebab, stews and soups are involved, Iranian breads are a staple of the Iranian table and culinary experience.

Lavash (Nan-Lavash)

The thin, flaky, sometimes almost paper-y (wallpaper-y) bread found widely throughout the Middle East and neighboring regions.

Sangak (Nan-Sangak)

Sangak is a stretchy elliptical bread usually baked on a bed of small stones or pebbles. Sangak is among the most common type of bread you’ll find served across Iran, and comes plain or in varieties topped with sesame or other seeds. If you’ve done everything right, you should have secured a few slabs of sangak as gifts (that is, for free from local bakers) along your travels across Iran.

Barbari (Nan-e-Barbari)

Barberi is a thick oval-shaped bread. It's also the ubiquitous bread staple of the northwestern Iranian town of Tabriz. Barberi is perfect to bring along and share on train ride from Tabriz to Istanbul. Our guide, Ali, knew this and bought us a bagful to help us survive our 60-hour journey.

READ MORE: Midnight Express: Iran to Turkey by Train

Iranian Desserts and Sweets

Faloodeh Shirazi / Falooda Shirazi (Persian Sorbet)

Faloodeh, one of Iran's most unique and most popular desserts features vermicelli noodles sloshed in a cold syrup of sugar and rose water. You can also ask for a sweet lemon juice variety of faloodeh. A specialty of the town of Shiraz. In the short time that we hung out in the old Shiraz bazaar we were offered so many bowls of faloodeh that we'd begun to turn them away. Locals are proud to share this with visitors.

Iranian Ice Cream

Iranian ice cream gets its own entry since rumor has it that Iran is the birthplace of the miracle we've come to know as ice cream. We’re not here to dispute or affirm that rumor. Instead, we'll share our experience with Iranian ice creams. Local varieties of Iranian ice cream we tasted were sweet, often fruity, not especially creamy, and somewhat strappy compared to the ice cream and gelato we’ve come to love. In any event, do as the locals do and take a dip of flavors, especially saffron and pistachio.

Aab Havij Bantani (Carrot Juice Ice Cream Float)

Carrot juice ice cream float, often garnished with cinnamon, nutmeg or other spices. In full disclosure, we thought the mixture was a bit sweet and preferred to drink the carrot juice plain, sans ice cream. But it's worth trying at least once.

Persian Halva

Halva is a popular dessert across this part of the world, especially in neighboring Turkey and the Middle East. A sweet made from ground sesame paste (tahini), halva not only satisfies the sweet tooth but it's also packed with protein. One might call halva the original power bar.

Nokhodchi (Persian Chickpea Cookies)

Nakhodchi, Persian chickpea cookies, are amazing and fabulously unique to Iran. Four leaf clover-shaped cookies are made from finely sifted chickpea flour, rose water, powdered sugar and sweet spices like cardamom — and topped off with finely chopped pistachios. The result: melt in your mouth magic. Nokhodchi taste like nothing you've ever had.

When you visit Iran, be certain to buy kilos of nokhodchi, for as easy as they might be to make at home, to make them well is an art exquisitely executed by only the finest bakeries in Iran.

Gaz (Persian Nougat)

Gaz is a traditional Persian nougat confection based on the milky sap collected from Angebin, a plant of the Tamarisk family found only in the dry outskirts of the Iranian city of Esfahan. Gaz is spun with various ingredients including rose water, pistachio, almond kernels and saffron.

Gaz is a specialty in the tourist center of Esfahan where you'll find shops selling all variations and qualities. Hint: Look for and purchase the gaz varieties with the highest pistachio count.

Lavashak (Fruit Leather)

Iran is a dried fruit mecca, so fruit leather (or fruit roll-up) fits. The taste, consistency and value of Iranian lavashak is absolutely nothing like you’ll get from packaged fruit roll-ups in your local grocery store. The sweet-tart fruit flavor of genuine Iranian lavashak will make your mouth pucker like never before, after which you won't be able to stop tearing off strips and eating large chunks like an animal.

Some of our favorite lavashak flavors include pomegranate, apricot and sour plum. Beware of lavashak vendors, however. You may think you're buying only a small piece, but you'll end up with enough fruit leather to make an outfit.

Koloocheh (Klucheh)

Koloocheh are decorative yet tasty cookies known best by the designs stamped on top. Though you'll find koloocheh throughout Iran, the original — and in our opinion tastiest — version of this Persian cookie hails from the town of Fuman in northwestern Iran. Fuman is flush with bakeries selling only these cookies. Koloocheh are stuffed with a cinnamon, walnut and sugar filling. When they are fresh and warm just out of the oven, they are special packages of melt-in-your-mouth goodness.

Reshteh-Khoshkar / Reshte Khoskhar

If you come across a pastry-ish cookie-like confection resembling a gauze bandage, you’ve found reshte khoshkar, specialties of the Caspian area (and specifically the town of Rasht). The khoshkar bandages or leaves are stuffed with walnut, sugar and cinnamon, are typically fried and soaked in a sweet liquid. As we were told by friends in Rasht, reshteh are similar to khoshkar, but come without the filling.

Our good friend from Rasht highly recommends these delights be consumed with a good cup of black tea.

READ MORE: Western Iran Snapshots and Experiences

Iranian Drinks

Doogh (Persian Yogurt Drink)

Doogh is a chilled thin plain yogurt drink, often served with mint and other dried herbs sprinkled on top. Doogh is surprisingly refreshing on a hot day. It also serves as a perfect complement to stomach-plunging, meat-heavy meals like a piled-high plate of kebabs.

Iranian “Beer”

Although Iran is a dry country — that is, consumption of alcohol in Iran is forbidden by law — every restaurant features a listing of something very generously referred to as “Iranian beer,” which is essentially a non-alcholoic fruit malt beverage, which under no circumstance ought to rightly be referred to as beer. Perhaps the only approximations outside of Iran would be drinks such as root “beer” and ginger “beer.”

Note that Iranian beer comes in all different flavors, with pomegranate being our fitting favorite. Once you come to terms with the fact that you aren't really drinking beer, you might actually find Iranian beer refreshing.

Fresh Fruit Juice

Fresh fruit juice abounds on city streets, especially in southern Iran. Our visit to Iran happened to coincide with pomegranate season and we drank generous glasses of it at every opportunity. Pomegranate consumption in volume feels both cleansing and invigorating. Our other juice favorites include carrot and melon. Usually very reasonably priced.

Chai (Persian Tea)

Iranian tea rooms are hubs of social gathering. In Iran, it’s not just about drinking tea, but about lounging back on pasha-worthy cushions on the ground and spending hours with friends and colleagues. Tea houses may also offer qalyan (large water pipes or hookah), in which you can smoke shisha, sweet-flavored tobacco in vanilla, apple, orange and mint flavors.

Typically, black tea is served with crystalized raw sugar on a stick. Stir your tea with your crystalline staff and watch the sugar crystals melt away. A magic wand, of sorts.

Alcohol in Iran

When it comes to alcohol, Iran is about as bone dry as it comes. You will likely find it difficult or impossible to find alcohol at all. Having said that, rumors have it that alcohol such as locally brewed wines can be had behind closed doors and in the back corners of private affairs such as weddings. We don't recommend you actively seek it out.

Vegetarian Food in Iran

Iran, unfortunately, is not an ideal destination for vegetarians as vegetarianism is primarily understood on the level of “a little less meat in the stew” or “we'll just pick the chunks of meat out.”

Can you find and eat vegetarian food in Iran? Certainly. Having said that, you might be limited to street snacks, breads, yogurt, salads and picking in and around main dishes. In addition, falafel is usually available in most towns and is inexpensive.

Vegetarians traveling to Iran should also consider learning the names of a few key vegetarian dishes. Know how to clearly say “I am a vegetarian” in Farsi so that you are able to request them and be understood. A quick list of other dishes (featured above) which might be vegetarian friendly as you travel in Iran: vegetarian khoresht (stew), the vegetarian version of Tabrizi koofteh, loobia sabz (green beans), mirza ghasemi (eggplant), baghali polo (dill rice with fava beans) and snacks like roasted red beets (laboo). this list) may also help. See also this article for additional strategies and advice on traveling as a vegetarian in Iran.

If you are traveling on a tour in Iran let your guide know in advance that you are vegetarian. He or she might be able to convince some of the restaurants you visit to cook a special vegetarian option for you.

Conclusion

Regardless of what you prefer to eat and when you prefer to eat it, allow your curiosity to guide the culinary dimension of your trip through Iran. You'll likely find yourself amidst conversations you'd never imagined having while traveling there.

Nusheh jân!

The post Iranian Food: A Culinary Travel Guide to What to Eat and Drink appeared first on Uncornered Market.

When I think about my first contact with the concept of Argentine cuisine, I recall a discussion twelve years ago with an unassuming foodie friend in San Francisco.

“I bet the food in Argentina is great!” I offered with blind optimism as visions of gauchos stepping to a tango beat danced in my head. Argentina seemed so damn far away; therefore the food must be exotic and varied.

My food-wise friend brushed off my enthusiasm without skipping a beat, “Yeah, if the only thing you like is steak and wine.”

Twelve years later Audrey and I arrive in Argentina to find out for ourselves about its food.

Four months traveling in Argentina, we have some experience. We have some answers about Argentine food, but a few questions linger:

Did the spice trade ever make it to Argentina?

What happened to the vegetables?

Can man live on steak alone?

Let's dig in.

Note: This post was originally published on August 18, 2010 and updated on November 4, 2018.

Argentine Steak: How to Choose and Order

Man cannot live on steak alone, no. But a steak a week is an easy pull in Argentina. And since steak is such an important part of the cuisine in Argentina, it garners its own section.

Argentine cattle are grass fed (in contrast to more common grain-fed beef typical in the U.S.). As a result, Argentine beef is not only a better taste experience, but also an easier digestive experience. To boot, Argentine steaks are charcoal grilled on a parrilla (i.e. a giant grill; parrilla is also the word used to denote grill-style restaurants).

Although Argentine steak is rich and flavorful enough on its own, that doesn't prevent most restaurants from offering chimichurri, an olive oil and spice rub sauce to pick things up even more. In our opinion, when the meat tastes this good on its own, there's no need to dress it up with any sauce.

Steak servings in Argentina are typically large, tipping the scales at 400 grams or almost one pound a portion. So it's not a faux pas to share one steak between two people at a restaurant.

To balance out the meal, we typically ordered a salad to go with our steak. We always left satiated, but not overly full. If you are ravenous or eating in a larger group, consider ordering a provoleta (a small round of herbed, grilled cheese) as an appetizer to kick things off.

A few tips to navigate an Argentine steak restaurant and menu:

Typical cuts of meat in Argentina:

• bife de lomo (sirloin) – a very lean cut and usually the most expensive. Our favorite choice.
• bife de chorizo (strip loin steak) – fattier than the bife de lomo, but some prefer it because it's juicier.
• matambre (flank steak) – more fat and less expensive, still.
• vacio (London broil)

How to order your meat cooked in Argentina:

• jugoso – rare (literally translated as juicy). This is what we would recommend. Actually muy jugoso, or very rare, is what we usually asked for.
• a punto – medium rare
• bien cocido – well done

Traditional Argentine Food

Mixed Asado (Traditional Argentine barbecue)

Argentine asado, the sacred weekend barbecue ritual of Argentine families, goes well beyond steak. The grill and cooking style used is similar, but an asado selection might include other cuts of beef, sausages, mollejas (thymus glands) and other offal, pork, and chicken.

If you are not fortunate enough to have Argentine family to hang out with like we did, you can find asado plates offered at most parrilla restaurants.

Many hostels also offer an asado dinner option once or twice a week. Another approach: crash a village cowboy/gaucho festival like we did.

Locro (Traditional Argentine Stew)

A dish hailing from Argentina's Andean northwest, locro is like a stew or soup filled with grains, meat, vegetables and corn. What some might consider the traditional national dish of Argentina, it’s a hearty, heavy comfort food.

Milanesa (Argentinian Schnitzel)

Milanesa sits atop many “typical Argentine food” lists. A milanesa is a pounded piece of chicken or beef breaded and fried or baked. Milanesa can be considered an Argentinian version of schnitzel, the traditional dish you'll find across Central Europe.

Milanesa is a common lunch menu item and is usually served with fries or potatoes, or slapped between bread to make a sandwich. Considering we had eaten milanesas for months during our travels throughout Latin America — from Guatemala on south — we admittedly didn't often seek it out while snacking in Argentina.

Empanadas

Empanadas, the ubiquitous Latin American savory turnover. Flaky or doughy, empanadas come stuffed with just about anything: spinach, cheese, acelga (Swiss chard), mushrooms, ground beef, chicken, even seafood.

On balance, Argentine empanadas are usually baked. You'll occasionally find them fried, especially in the north. Empanadas are the perfect traveler food — they are cheap, quick, high comfort and often oozing with cheesiness.

Argentina's Salta region claims the best empanadas. We agree.

Salteña empanadas are smaller and tastier; there's something special about the dough. Salta also gets extra points for serving their empanadas with a hot sauce. Outside of Salta, we recommend packing your own bottle of hot sauce heat. The flavor of a homemade hot sauce can often transform a mediocre empanada eating experience into something bordering delicious.

Keep your eye out for empanadas arabes (literally, Arabian empanadas) stuffed with cumin-herbed ground meat and lemon rind. When done well, they offer a new set of flavors to wake up tired taste buds in Argentina.

Tartas

When you think Argentine tarta, think quiche with less egg and more filling. Our favorite Argentinian tartas included tomato/mozeralla/ham/basil, mushroom, pumpkin/squash, and zucchini. Tartas can also offer a safe bet for vegetarians traveling in Argentina.

One small tarta (typically 4-5 inches across) was usually rich and filling enough to feed the two of us for lunch. Have the deli where you purchase your tarta heat it up for you, find a park bench nearby and enjoy a picnic lunch.

Italian Specialties in Argentina

Argentine Pizza

Pizza in Argentina typically falls into one of two categories: thick crust “pizza de molde” and thin crust “a la piedra (stone-cooked).”

No matter its classification, we found most pizzas in Argentina erring on the side of thick crusts, scant tomato sauce (one example featured an after-thought teaspoon of sauce in the middle of the pie) and and loads of cheese.

Pizza aficionados, manage your expectations.

We offer two recommendations when ordering pizza in Argentina:

1) Ask for extra sauce on your pizza. Yes, you will look the crazy tourist for this one but who really cares if it improves your eating experience.

2) Order the Napolitana pizza which features sliced tomatoes on top. This way, if the sauce is non-existent, the tang from the tomatoes will help to balance the rich, fatty mounds of cheese.

Other things to try at an Argentine pizzeria:

– Fugazetta: Pizza crust covered (or sometimes stuffed) with sweet onions. Depending on the version, fugazetta resembles focaccia or stuffed white pizza. No tomato sauce involved.

– Fainá Argentina (Farinata): A thin flatbread made from chickpea flour. It’s often served in addition to (or on top of) a slice of pizza, but we preferred to eat it separately.

Argentine Pasta, Ravioli, and Sorrentinos

Thanks to a profound ethnic Italian influence, Argentina features fresh pasta shops offering ravioli and their oversized brother, sorrentinos, on almost every city corner. Although there's no shortage of Italian restaurants in Argentina, we often opted to buy fresh ravioli from the grocery store or deli (shockingly inexpensive) and cook it ourselves at home.

Argentine Desserts and Sweets

Medialunas (Argentinian Croissants)

Although usually eaten in the morning, medialunas (small croissants) are often sided with coffee throughout the day. Medialunas (literally “half moons”) come in two broad categories – grasas (salty) and manteca (slightly sweet). When you find a good medialuna, you'll know it instantly: it melts in your mouth.

Perhaps the best medialunas in all of Argentina were made known to us thanks to a distant relative baker (Audrey's mother's cousin's daughter's husband…if you figure out the term, let us know) in La Falda. Unfortunately, we can't remember the name of the place, so just ask someone in La Falda which medialuna is so good it will bring tears to your eyes.

Dulce de Leche

Dulce de leche (literally “sweet of milk”), is a caramelized liquid made from thickened, sweetened, boiled cream. While many find it overly sweet, we enjoyed it. If you don't enjoy the stuff, you may have a difficult time navigating desserts in Argentina and the roster of Argentine sweets.

Alfajores in Argentina

When it comes to alfajores, we prefer simple and traditional: two shortbread style cookies stuffed with dulce de leche and maybe rolled in a bit of shaved coconut.

Alfajores come in oodles of varieties, including chocolate-dipped. Although the Havanna cafe chain is well-known for its alfajores, we found their cookies a bit dry and airy, a little off in the way of density.

Our favorite alfajores: Cachafaz. These cookies are sold at corner kiosks for a little more than $1. They may not look like much from their packaging, but looks can be deceiving. The cookie crumbles just right and the dulce de leche filling is adequate. It is so rich, you can share it by cutting it into tiny pie-like wedges.

Rumors are that Cachafaz was founded by the original owners of Havanna so they could maintain the tradition of their original alfajores after selling the original business. We have no proof of the validity of this tale, but it strikes us as a good story.

Gelato (Argentinian Ice Cream)

Argentina fortunately takes its ice cream cues from Italy. Heladerias (ice cream shops) hail on every other corner, making it far too easy to pick up a hand-packed three flavor half-kilo container of gelato on your way home from dinner.

Argentina Wine and Drinks

Wine Tasting in Argentina

We won't cover Argentine wines in depth here because we address wine tasting at wineries in the major Argentine wine-producing areas in the following articles: wine in Mendoza, wine in Cafayate and Patagonian wine.

However, a solid, locally-fit red wine varietal like Malbec is just about as perfect a pairing as you can get with a nicely grilled Argentine steak. It's as if they were made for each other.

If wine is of interest to you, it's worth seeking out wine bars in Buenos Aires, Mendoza and other cities where you can undertake a series of Argentine wine tastings and learn about the different varietals and characteristics of each of the country's wine-producing regions. In addition, you can find very drinkable Argentine wine at grocery stores or wine shops throughout the country for $5-$10. This approach provides an excellent and cost-effective method to taste and explore wines in Argentina.

Mate (Argentina Yerba Mate)

Mate is the general name for the strong tea made from infusing yerba mate (dried tea leaves) in a water-filled gourd (technically called a mate) and drinking the result through a bombilla (like a metal straw with a sieve at the end). Audrey remembers taking swigs of mate from her Argentina-born grandmother's bombilla when she was young and thinking, “Wow, this is bitter.”

While we enjoyed the social element of mate — passing around the gourd and methodically refilling the water inside — we didn't particularly enjoy the taste of mate itself. This is just a personal preference. Millions of people adore mate, so try it for yourself and come to your own conclusion.

Argentina Restaurant Recommendations

The following are a collection of our recommended restaurants and eating experiences from the four months we spent traveling around Argentina. So as to not overwhelm this article, we published a separate article devoted entirely to our Buenos Aires restaurant recommendations.

Restaurants in Puerto Iguazu (near Iguazu Falls)

Colors Restaurant on Av. Córdoba 135 looks touristy at first glance, but it served up our most memorable bife de lomo in Argentina. The owner took us back into the kitchen and allowed us to choose our cut of meat. The price for a 400 gram steak, bottle of Reserve Malbec, substantial arugula salad and sparkling water: around $20.

Restaurants in Salta

Casona de Molina on the corner of Luis Burela and Caseros Streets. A “2-person” asado — with its variety of meats and sausages — is truly enough for four hungry people, runs $15. Empanadas are also top notch.

Note: Thanks goes to Leigh and her family for introducing us to these Salta restaurants.

Restaurants in Cachi (Salta region)

The Cachi wine bar and cafe stands about 10 meters down the hill from the church. Their empanadas combine a blended cornmeal crust with goat cheese filling to put them at the top of our list. The accompanying homemade salsa is pretty fantastic, too.

Restaurants in Cafayate (Salta region)

Casa de Empanadas: 12 kinds of empanadas, from four-cheese to chicken, made fresh to order. Vegetarians will love the wide variety of veggie options. We paid a daily visit during our stay in the town of Cafayate.

Alfajores Calchaquitos: Near the main square on Catamarca 253. For some reason, this alfajoreria (we're aware this is probably not a word) does not sell traditional alfajores. Despite this, the chocolate alfajores are pretty exceptional.

Restaurants in Bariloche

Almazen: A delightful little restaurant (20 de Febrero #40) specializing in daily specials like chicken curry or ravioli with cherry tomatoes and forest mushrooms. Some of the most unique and fresh food we found in Argentina. The lunch menu features about 8-10 specialties while the evening menu is focused on tapas dishes. Highly recommended.

Mamushka Chocolates in Bariloche: Much of the chocolate we found sold in stores throughout Argentina was waxy and not very good. But, Bariloche makes up for that with a main street dotted with chocolate shops. Though each chocolateria has its specialty, our overall favorite: Mamushka.

Gluten Free Eating in Argentina

If you have celiac disease or a gluten intolerance there's good and bad news about Argentine food. On the positive side, one of the main specialties of Argentine cuisine — steak — is naturally gluten free. On the negative side, all those empanadas, pizzas, and pastas are not.

To help you navigate Argentine food so that you can eat gluten-free and feel confident about not getting sick check out this Latin American Spanish gluten-free restaurant card created by our friend, Jodi. This card explains in detail, using local food names and language, your needs as a strictly gluten free eater so that you get the meal you want and need. (Bonus: This card is sized for your smartphone and it can also be used in any Spanish speaking Latin American country, from Mexico to Chile.)

Jodi has celiac disease herself so she understands first-hand the importance of being able to communicate gluten-free needs in detail and educate waiters and restaurants on what this means in practice. She created her series of Gluten Free Restaurant Cards in different languages to help celiac and gluten-free travelers eat local with confidence, and without communication problems or getting sick.

Note: These gluten free restaurant cards are not part of an affiliate plan or a way for us to make money. We are extremely fortunate that we can eat everything, but we've seen the challenges of others who are celiac or have food intolerances where every meal can potentially make them sick or cause pain. These detailed gluten free cards were created to help prevent that from happening and make eating out when traveling fun, enjoyable, and safe.

Variety in Argentine Cuisine

By this point, you are probably wondering, where's all the bad food?

There isn't anything bad about food in Argentina, but there just isn't a lot of variety (e.g., compared with Peruvian food). Let's just say that after a couple of weeks, eating Argentine food can feel like hanging out at a piano bar with One-note Charlie.

And what about those vegetables? They are there, but someone seems to be hiding them, for Argentina certainly has the capability to grow just about anything.

And the spices? They are there too. But the European-dominated palate seems to have flattened any of the highlights carried down the cone from the Andes.

That said, if you do believe man can live on steak alone then it's time to book your tickets to Argentina.

The post Argentina Food: A Culinary Travel Guide to What to Eat and Drink appeared first on Uncornered Market.

This Ethiopian food guide drawn from our food-focused travels across the country includes an extensive list of traditional Ethiopian dishes to try, how to eat Ethiopian food, and what sort of flavors and spices might you find when you visit Ethiopia or an Ethiopian restaurant at home.

When we headed to Ethiopia, I went packing with high expectations of the food. Years ago, I was fortunate enough to be introduced to Ethiopian food fresh out of university.

In Washington, D.C., just new to world cuisine, I clearly recall my first pull of a round stretchy pancake-like injera bread, beautifully colored mounds of what looked to me like curries, and a massive circular tin plate from which we all grabbed and chowed down.

The flavors and communal style of eating was cool and unusual, like nothing I had experienced before. I wanted to learn more.

After praising Ethiopian food upon our return from our trip to Ethiopia, I was surprised by how little awareness seemed to exist not only of Ethiopian dishes, but also of the distinct existence of the cuisine itself. This was even among some friends I consider well-traveled and food aware.

This isn’t terribly surprising. After all, how often do you hear someone raving about and posting photos of cuisine from sub-Saharan Africa?

With its rich, spicy stews and diversity of flavors, Ethiopian food surely qualifies as one the world’s great stand-alone cuisines.

Considering the country’s history and geography, particularly in situ, it makes sense. The cuisine follows the culture, formed and informed by millennia of trade and exchange with the Middle East, Asia and the Mediterranean. Amidst this storm of positive culinary influence, acquired spices blend with Ethiopia’s indigenous ingredients.

And, poof! You get Ethiopian food, a unique table befitting the context.

Here’s what we discovered about Ethiopian food during our time traveling in the country: from the basic ingredients and spices that make the cuisine so unique to some of our favorite Ethiopian foods, traditional dishes and drinks.

Let’s dig in!

Note: This post was originally published on June 27, 2014 and updated on August 20, 2022.

How to Eat Ethiopian Food

Eating Ethiopian food is a social event, a shared experience that includes everyone around the table and usually involves eating with ones hands thanks to the use of injera (Ethiopian bread) as a sort of utensil. This is not only delicious but also a shocking amount of fun!

Injera (Ethiopian Bread)

Ethiopian food without injera might be considered heresy by Ethiopians. This spongy pancake-like flatbread made from fermented tef (a gluten-free grain indigenous to Ethiopia) is fundamental to every Ethiopian meal.

Injera features a slightly sour flavor that comes from the fermentation of its primary ingredient, a grain called tef. Although we enjoy eating injera, for some it may be an unusual, if not acquired, taste. The tangy flavor, however, seems well-designed to complement the flavors found in Ethiopian stews.

In traditional Ethiopian restaurants and homes you’ll often find circles of injera rolled out like a natural plate, atop which are arranged a smattering of spicy stews, cooked vegetables and salads (see Mixed Platters below). Although the presentation may appear similar to that of an Indian thali, the flavors and style is uniquely Ethiopian.

Injera is meant to be eaten with your hands. Tear off a small bit with your right hand (as in many countries, eating with one's left hand is a no-no in Ethiopia) and scoop bits of the stews and various dishes into it, forming a bite sized food parcel and gingerly tuck it into your mouth.

Don’t feel embarrassed if you get some of the stew or sauce on your fingers in the process – it’s natural and is part of the fun. Tempted though you may be to lick your fingers, know that Ethiopians don't care for that practice, either.

Injera tip to beat all injera tips: the best bits of injera are the spice- and sauce-infused patches underneath the piles of stew on the tray!

Restaurants will usually bring out baskets full of additional napkin-rolled injera rounds. One thing is almost certain in Ethiopia – you'll never ever have to worry about running out of injera during a meal!

It's unlikely you'll ever emerge hungry from a meal with lots of injera, as it fills the stomach for hours. After a big lunch in Ethiopia, it's rare that we ate a full dinner later in the day, if we ate at all.

Ethiopian Mixed Platters: Meat and Vegetarian

The best place to begin with Ethiopian food is to order a mixed platter – meat, vegetarian, or both — so that you can sample a variety of stews (wats) and dishes at one sitting. Although the mounds delivered to your table may individually appear small, collectively the portions are often staggeringly large. We recommend sharing a plate with others so you don't feel overwhelmed or overeat.

Although some dishes may appear regularly in mixed platters, the ones that comprise yours will likely be based on whatever happens to be cooked fresh that day. Always a tasty surprise!

Maheberawi (Meat Mixed Platter)

Ethiopian meat-based mixed platters usually combine several stews like key wat (beef stew), tibs (lamb, beef or goat cubes cooked with nitter kibeh and herbs like rosemary), and kitfo (raw ground beef). We highly recommend ordering one of these and sharing it with at least two to three people.

Yetsom Beyaynetu (Vegetarian Mixed Platter)

Also known as a fasting platter, yetsom beyaynetu is a mixed vegetarian platter that usually includes several types of lentil and split pea stews (e.g., misir wat, alecha kik or mesir kik) with kale (gomen) and a spicy tomato stew (sils). Talk about a vegetarian – if not a vegan — dream.

Yetsom Beyaynetu is usually available in restaurants in Ethiopia on Wednesday and Friday when practicing Orthodox Ethiopians (the majority of the population) forego meat and dairy products. These dishes are also readily available during the fasting periods before Ethiopian Orthodox Christmas and Easter.

Bigger restaurants that are more accustomed to foreigners may offer a vegetarian fasting plate every day, while smaller local restaurants may not.

Traditional Ethiopian Meat Dishes

Doro Wat (Chicken Stew)

This rich chicken stew is one of Ethiopia’s most famous dishes. We were told that when an Ethiopian girl wants to marry, she has to make doro wat for her fiancé’s family as a demonstration of her culinary proficiency and thus worthiness to be chosen as a wife. While this traditional cooking exam may still hold in rural areas, it is quickly dying out in Ethiopian cities.

Doro wat takes time to make, which is why in Ethiopia it is often only served during holidays and on special occasions. Because it is so tasty, it's a staple in Ethiopian restaurants around the world. It involves slow cooking red onions, berbere spice and chicken parts for hours, until just the right consistency and blend of flavors has been achieved.

We were fortunate to enjoy a home-cooked version of doro wat at our guide’s friend’s girlfriend’s house. Though the connection was tenuous and the meal difficult to photograph, the taste was wonderful.

Doro wat may be difficult to find at restaurants in Ethiopia due to the amount of time it takes to prepare, but it is worth the extra effort to seek it out. Ask your guide, other locals and hotel or restaurant staff well in advance of your meal and they may be able to point you in the direction of where to find it. If it’s not on a restaurant’s standard menu, ask if you can pre-order it for that night or for the following day.

Minchet (Spicy Ground Beef Stew)

Quite often our favorite meat dish, minchet is often placed at the center of a maheberawi (mixed meat plate). This ground meat stew is made from simmered red onions blended with ground beef and berbere. It’s often served topped with a boiled egg or two. Apparently you can ask for a low-spice version, too.

Key Wat (Spicy Beef Stew)

Similar to minchet, but made with meat chunks instead of minced meat. Also served with a boiled egg on top, in the middle of a mixed plate.

Tibs (Stir-Fried Meat)

Cubes of meat (beef, lamb or goat) stir-fried with onions, peppers and other vegetables in niter kibbeh. Quite often, twigs of rosemary or other herbs are added to it. Tibs can also be served spicy with some berbere thrown in. A simple and unassuming dish that's got more flavor than you would imagine.

Gomen Be Sega (Meat with Vegetables)

Beef or lamb simmered in copious amounts of niter kibbeh with collard greens and other vegetables like carrots, cabbage and onions. On the occasions we tried gomen be sega, the meat was tough but the vegetables were absolute perfection thanks to the blended flavor of the meat and spiced clarified butter.

Kitfo

Kifto, raw lean ground beef blended with berbere, is another signature dish of Ethiopia. Think of it as the Ethiopian version of the French raw beef steak tartare. As such, visitors will earn bonus points from locals for eating this. Before you judge kitfo and yell “OMG, raw meat in Ethiopia!”, we suggest you give it try. You may look at eating raw meat – and doing so in Ethiopia — in a whole new light.

Gored Gored

Raw meat fine dining at its best. Gored gored features raw cubes of the highest quality beef warmed slightly in spiced Ethiopian butter (niter kibbeh) and turned with berbere spice. Even if you try kitfo and decide that raw meat is not for you, we recommend that you still give gored gored a try. When done well, it’s a spectacularly flavored and textured dish.

Fir-Fir (or Fit-Fit)

Made of sliced pieces of injera turned in berbere sauce or leftover wat, fir-fir is a traditional and hearty (some may say heavy) way to start your day.

Kolo (Roasted Barley)

Kolo became our go-to beer snack at the end of the day. It’s often served mixed with peanuts and other seeds or nuts. Hearty and healthy, it pairs nicely with a St. George beer at the end of a long day.

Traditional Ethiopian Vegetarian Dishes

Ethiopian food can be very vegetarian and vegan friendly since it features a selection of standard vegetarian dishes that you'll find available at almost every Ethiopian restaurant.

Vegetarians and vegans traveling to Ethiopia should consider visiting just prior to Orthodox Easter and Orthodox Christmas as you will be virtually guaranteed to find vegetarian food everywhere at this time. During these periods, more strict Ethiopians observe a fast and forgo meat and dairy products for upwards of 50 days.

Fasting plates served during these periods are terrifically delicious, and may not always be available in restaurants during non-fasting periods — particularly when locals are ravenous for meat, just after the conclusion of the fast.

Shiro (Chickpea Stew)

Both a fast food and a fasting food, shiro is a vegetarian stew made from chickpea flour mixed with berbere and other spices. It can be served either thick (tagamino) or thin (feses). Although shiro often serves as the center of a yetsom beyaynetu fasting plate, you’ll also find it served on its own. For vegetarians, this is reliable and widely available.

Mesir Wat (Red Lentil Stew) and Kik Wat (Split Pea Stew)

A rich and spicy red lentil stew, mesir wat was among our favorite staples on a fasting plate. Made with sautéed onions, berbere, cardamom and other spices, misir wat is the ultimate vegetarian comfort food.

A similarly styled stew made with split peas is called kik wat.

Kik Alicha (Split Pea Stew)

A non-spicy split pea stew made with turmeric, kik alicha helps balance out all the other flavors and spice on an Ethiopian plate. Although kik alicha does not pack a lot of heat, it still features a lot of flavor.

Gomen (Kale or Collard Greens)

Gomen is a simple, flavorful dish made from kale (or collard greens), onions, niter kibbeh and other spices sauteed and simmered together. Gomen made a regular appearance on vegetarian platters and is a welcome addition amongst all those lentils and beans.

Sils (Tomato Stew)

A savory tomato stew made from blended roasted onions, tomatoes, and berbere, sils provides a one-part tart and one-part sweet balance to the greens and beans on a vegetarian platter.

If you tire of injera and traditional food and order pasta in Ethiopia, it’s likely that sils will form the base of your pasta’s red sauce. A unique and roasted twist on Italian pasta sauce.

Ethiopian Spices, Seasonings, and Hot Sauces

If you enjoy heat like we do then you'll enjoy the spices and that are fundamental to Ethiopian cuisine. And, if you'd like to further spice your Ethiopian meal here are a couple of additional spice condiment items to consider requesting at an Ethiopian restaurant. Not only will your food be spicier, but you’ll also likely impress or puzzle your hosts with the request.

Berbere

The signature red spice mound that delivers magic to most Ethiopian stews, berbere is composed of ground semi-spicy chili peppers (which themselves are called berbere to further confuse) mixed with upwards of 20 individual herbs, spices and ingredients including garlic, cumin, coriander, ginger, and fenugreek.

Mitmita

Mitmita is another core spice blend composed of chili peppers (smaller and hotter than berbere), cardamom seed, cloves and salt. While mitmita is often turned in meat dishes to add an extra kick during the cooking process, it's also used as a condiment to lend some additional heat to the meal on one's plate.

Niter Kibbeh

Niter kibbeh, a spiced clarified butter similar to Indian ghee, is one of Ethiopia’s secret, magic ingredients that we all ought to know more about. It's also pure culinary fusion inspiration.

Niter kibbeh is made by cooking butter together with a raft of ingredients including onions, garlic and ginger and spices like fenugreek, cumin, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg. After a long simmer, the solids are then strained away from the concoction leaving a delicious clarified butter that adds both richness and distinction to most Ethiopian dishes, especially tibs (stir-fried meat), wats (stews), and gored gored (raw beef).

Awazi

A typical and traditional dark red spice sauce made of berbere blended with water or oil. In traditional Ethiopian restaurants unaccustomed to tourists, it’s typical for this to be served automatically with your meal. In Ethiopian restaurants that cater more to tourists, you may have to ask for it.

Da'ta

A thick, pulverized chili topping. We came across a red chili variety and a green variety that tasted like a blend of Ethiopian low-heat green chilis and green herbs.

Da'ta is especially good if you’d like to spice up western food (e.g., pasta) when you’re taking a break from traditional Ethiopian fare.

Ethiopian Coffee and Coffee Ceremonies

Coffee in Ethiopia, the land where it was first discovered, is a treat not only because the quality of the coffee is very high, but also because its preparation is careful and elaborate.

Regardless of whether you take your coffee in a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony or from an Italian espresso machine (a legacy of the short Italian occupation of Ethiopia during World War II), you are likely to be pleasantly surprised.

A traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony will likely take at least twenty minutes from start to finish for the first cup of coffee, but it is worth the wait. It begins with your host, always a woman, roasting raw green coffee beans in a pan over a small charcoal oven.

When the beans have finished roasting, your host will bring the pan to each person present so that he may enjoy the aroma. At the same time, she'll light some frankincense to purify and clear the air. Popcorn is usually served as a snack.

The boiled water and freshly ground coffee beans are mixed together in a jebena, a traditional coffee pot, and a magic process — one that only the host knows to ensure a perfect cup of strong coffee — ensues. The coffee is then poured gracefully into small, handleless cups.

Traditionally, a full coffee ceremony involves three rounds of coffee that proceed from strong (abol) to medium (tona) to weak (baraka), with the final round considered as bestowing a blessing on the coffee drinker.

Coffee ceremonies serve an important social function beyond the actual coffee consumed. Our guide told us that women in the community used to gather each afternoon for a coffee ceremony that takes several hours to finish, thereby ensuring ample time to discuss all news and family issues. Coffee meetings such as these rotate from house to house in a community group, so as to give each of the hosts a break.

Ethiopian Drinks

Tej (Honey Wine or Mead)

An Ethiopian local specialty, tej is a honey wine featuring varying degrees of sweetness. The first batch we tried was almost like a dessert wine (our guide called it “the children’s version”). We took our second taste of a cloudy, earthy and higher alcohol tej in a tej betoch (honey wine house) at Torpedo Tejbet nightclub in Lalibela.

Tej is usually served in a rounded vase-like or beaker-like glass container called a berele. Although it’s typical to order one berele per person, drinker beware if you manage to finish it all.

Tella

A traditional Ethiopian beer made from tef, barley, maize or other grains blended with a green herb called gesho. Tella is usually brewed at home. You'll often find it in grimy, nondescript plastic bottles lurking in the doorways of local homes. Alcohol concentrations vary widely.

Araki

During one of our monster lunch Ethiopian food gorging sessions, I asked Fekadu, our guide: “What do Ethiopians do when they get an upset stomach?”

His response without skipping a beat: “We take a shot of araki.”

Araki is essentially the Ethiopian version of grappa (firewater or moonshine, if you like). If the name sounds like Greek raki or Balkan rakia, that’s because it’s likely descended from or related to the Mediterranean distilled spirits of a similar name.

It’s made from gesho leaves and features an alcohol level of around 45%. No wonder it is good for an upset stomach. It likely kills anything in its path, bacteria included.

Ethiopian Beer

Talk to anyone who likes a beer about their experience in Ethiopia and they might wax long about St. George beer. It’s not an incredible beer — and there are certainly other, more complex beers for those who search — but it is tasty enough, particularly after a long day of rock-hewn church hopping.

Be sure to check out the St. George beer label in detail. It’s one of the more colorful and notable beer labels in this part of the world.

Other Ethiopian beers in order of our preference include Dashen, Bedele, Castel, Harar and Meta.

Ethiopian Wine

Ethiopia makes wine? Turns out that it does. We had no idea, either.

Although some Ethiopian wines are unimpressive — sweet and appropriate for aperitif drinking (e.g., Axumit) — it’s rumored that French winemakers have been brought on board to help.

If the oak aged Rift Valley Syrah 2013 (of Castel Winery) is any indication of the future, the situation for Ethiopian wine is looking up. This wine is drinkable straight out of the bottle (or aired for a bit) on its own or paired with doro wat, mesir wat or shiro.

Less remarkable, though still good, is the Rift Valley Merlot 2013.

Although restaurants and hotels may sell these wines at the equivalent of $15/bottle, we were able to find each of them at approximately $7 from a night club in Lalibela. It never hurts to ask.

Recommended Restaurants in Ethiopia

Kategna Restaurant, Addis Ababa: Highly recommended for gored gored as the meat is high quality and the flavor is incredibly delicious. The maheberawi (mixed meat platter) and gomen be segawere also spot on.

Lake Shore Restaurant, Bahir Dar: The best place (or us) in Ethiopia for kitfo. It also helped that this was Easter day so the meat was incredibly fresh and rolling out of the kitchen as if it were going out of style. Also recommended for maheberawi (mixed meat platter).

Four Sisters Restaurant, Gondar: The best yetsom beyaynetu (vegetarian mixed platter) we ate in Ethiopia. The staff may encourage the buffet as all the vegetarian dishes are there as well, but if you order the fasting plate straight from the menu it is cheaper and prettier, and still quite plentiful.

Seven Olives Restaurant, Lalibela: Some of the best gomen be sega in the country and runner up for yetsom beyaynetu.

Ethiopian Coffee at Tomoca, Addis Ababa: If you are looking for a truly outstanding espresso or macchiato, this is the place to go. This unassuming coffee roaster and café features a decor of a bygone era and serves up an incredibly rich brew at the hands of a couple masterful baristas. It's also a good place to purchase whole bean or ground Ethiopian coffee to take home as gifts.

Conclusion

Ethiopian food demonstrates that we are a product of cultural and culinary evolution. A blend of influences, experiments and vessels carrying flavors that were once unknown.

If you’d like some homework, we have a suggestion: find an Ethiopian restaurant near you, gather together some friends and go. Order a mixed platter, sample widely and marvel at the injera bread with your eyes and mouth.

This will inspire you to travel to Ethiopia one day.

Melkam megeb! (መልካም ምግብ)

Other Food Guides You Might Enjoy

The post Ethiopian Food: A Culinary Guide to What to Eat and Drink appeared first on Uncornered Market.

Georgian food is quite appropriately an expression of the culture. Warm, gooey comfort food like khachapuri (cheese-stuffed bread) finds balance with matsoni (yogurt). Herbs like tarragon, flat parsley, dill and coriander combine with walnuts and garlic for rich fillings and sauces.

Understanding Georgian Food

Eating, hospitality, toasts and the supra bind family and friends and snare visitors to Georgia into long, table-bound interludes. Georgian food and hospitality surrounds you…and can sometimes suffocate you under its weight.

We developed a deep appreciation for Georgian food during our travels there, particularly due to helpful friends and host families who enjoyed providing us a quick and tasty education in Georgian cuisine and dishes.

The following is just a taste of Georgian food and some of our favorite dishes from almost two months of traveling throughout the country, from the capital city of Tbilisi to Kahketi, Svaneti, Borjomi and other areas in the east. We sampled Georgian food in restaurants, markets, street food stands, and family homes. In other words, we dove deep into Georgian cuisine during our visit to this fascinating, unusual destination.

If you do visit the Republic of Georgia and can't find a particular dish, just ask local people where you can find it and they will be more than happy to help you discover their cuisine. Georgians are proud of their cuisine and culture, and happy to share it with curious visitors. And, you'll likely have a great story to tell about that experience and meal.

Note: This post was originally published on July 20, 2007 and updated on October 19, 2018.

Traditional Georgian Food

Khinkali (Georgian Dumplings)

Beautifully twisted knobs of dough, khinkali are typically stuffed with meat and spices, then served boiled or steamed. The trick with khinkali is to eat them without making a mess or spilling the hot broth inside all over yourself.

How best to eat khinkali: sprinkle with black pepper, grab the dumpling by the handle and turn upside down. Take small bites from the side, slurping some broth as you go.

Lali taught us how to make khinkali from scratch when we stayed in Kakheti. After a few disastrous attempts, we finally got the hang of how to turn and tuck the dough around the meat. Remarkably, our dumplings maintained their form as they boiled and the broth remained inside. We’re told our khinkali-making certificate is in the mail.

Although traditional khinkali typically features meat, vegetarian khinkali featuring fillings of mushroom and cheese/curd are often available if you ask for them.

Badrijani Nigvzit

Roasted eggplant (badrijan) strips, served flat and topped with walnut paste. Sweet and savory, this dish is one of Audrey’s favorites.

Lobio (Bean Soup)

A cross between bean soup and refried beans. The consistency and taste of lobio varies widely. That it often bears a resemblance to Mexican bean dishes is almost always satisfying.

For full effect, the traditional way to eat lobio is with a round of mchadi, Georgian corn bread. We often searched for lobio after we'd been exhausted by meat and bread, and found it quite often, including in some unusual locations.

Qababi (Kebabs)

Grilled minced meat sprinkled with sumac and onion slices, wrapped in a thin lavash-like bread. In some small Georgian towns, this was the only dish available. We were surprisingly never disappointed by it.

Dolmas

Steamed, roasted, or boiled vegetables or leaves stuffed with minced meat, herbs and rice. Though we don’t especially associate dolmas with Georgia, our friend Rusiko's rendition — featuring stuffed fresh grape leaves from her garden — was something special and tasty.

Chakapuli

Traditional herbed lamb stew from Kakheti, chakapuli is typically eaten around the holidays (e.g., Easter). Chakapuli typically features a meat like veal or lamb, and is further flavored by onions, tkemali (sour plums), white wine, garlic and mixed herbs.

Mtsvadi (Shashlik, meat skewers)

Fire-roasted chunks of pork, salted. For the perfect mtsvadi, cut some fresh onions and place in a metal bowl, then stir it over a fire. We were lucky to have mtsvadi in an impromptu barbecue in the mountains. It was among some of the best barbecued meat we’ve ever had.

Be careful, chunks of the prized chalahaji (or back meat) are usually in limited amounts and meant to be shared with the group. Audrey learned this after unknowingly taking the whole skewer for herself to shrieks of objection. She then shared.

Satsivi

Poultry (chicken or turkey) served with a thinned paste of walnut, garlic and herbs. Considered a winter dish (“sivi” implies cold in Georgian), satsivi is usually eaten around the Christmas holiday and the New Year, particularly in the region of Adjari. Though we’ve enjoyed this at Georgian restaurants abroad, we unfortunately didn’t have an authentic opportunity to try it this time around.

Mashed potatoes and lots of cheese

Mashed potatoes are the traditional Svanetian farmer food. We’ll never forget waking up at our host family's in the town of Adishi to a giant plateful (for each of us) of the stuff. We took a few spoonfuls and could barely move.

Georgian Breads

Khachapuri (Georgian Cheese Bread)

No visit to Georgia would be complete (or possible) without a few tastes of khachapuri, the warm, gooey cheese-stuffed bread that oozes and drips with heart-stopping goodness. In addition to the standard round pie stuffed with cheese, other variations include egg-topped (Adjarian khachapuri), the four-fold filo dough pocket, and tarragon, mushroom and rice-stuffed pies.

Arguably the best khachapuri can be found at a home stay when it’s made fresh for breakfast – just as we enjoyed it in Tbilisi and Kisiskhevi. You can also find khachapuri in the Svaneti region, where you may also find it stuffed with leek. If you aren’t staying with a family, don’t despair – you can find khachapuri stands on almost every street corner in Tbilisi.

Puri / Tonis Puri (Georgian Flatbread)

Tonis puri is the Georgian bread staple. Baked in a ceramic circular hearth oven with the dough stuck to the side (like Indian naan), puri comes out moist, with a tinge of sourdough flavor, and perfectly tainted with black bits from inside the oven.

You'll notice that the edges of tonis puri are often browned and taste faintly of matzo. The most memorable version of tonis puri we tasted was in the town of Borjomi, next to the bus station. This might not come as a surprise, as Borjomi is famous for its water, a key ingredient in Georgian bread.

Lobiani (Bean-stuffed bread)

Lobiani is similar to khachapuri-, except that it is stuffed with bean paste rather than cheese. Lobiani is typically quite moist and is just slightly healthier than its original cheese cousin, khachapuri.

Kubdari

Kubdari, a bread specialty originally from the Svaneti region, is a khachapuri-like dough stuffed with small chunks of meat, spices and onions. The best versions of kubdari that we tasted were in restaurant stops along the road between Zugdidi and Mestia, as well as in home stays along the hiking route from Mestia to Ushguli.

Chvishtari

Cheese corn bread (a Svanetian version of mchadi with cheese). This will stick to your bones for days. It makes excellent trekking food.

Georgian Cheese and Yogurt

Matsoni (Georgian yogurt)

A rather sour fresh yogurt that usually shows up topless (well, without a lid) at the table. Trial and error usually works to suit your taste. You can eat it savory served with warm meat, vegetables, or khachapuri. For a sweeter version at breakfast-time or for dessert, you can blend matsoni with fresh honey or fruit.

After matsoni straight from the farm, store-bought yogurt will never taste the same. Matsoni is a culinary and cultural Georgian staple. Since it's made from boiled fresh milk and a bacterial starter, matsoni is certain to have medicinal qualities.

Sulguni (Georgian cheese)

As far as we could tell, sulguni is *the* national cheese of the Republic of Georgia. A salted, water-soaked cheese that features a stringy shell and moist middle, sulguni is typically eaten by itself or with a round of tonis puri bread and a plateful of herbs and tomatoes.

Georgian Condiments, Pastes and Sauces

Adjika (Chili Paste)

Adjika, a spice paste condiment, is best compared to spicy Indian pickle-like paste. We were always served adjika with cucumber and tomato salad.

Tkemali Sauce (Sour Plum Sauce)

Taken in small doses alongside cheese, khachapuri, or meat, this sour plum sauce is said to be a cleanser. Whenever we had a meal with a family, out came the canning jar of tkemali sauce.

Pkhali

A paste made from spinach, walnuts, and garlic. Excellent with tonis puri or khachapuri. Typically served as an appetizer, or mezze-style with other small, flavorful dishes, the fresh, local flavor of pkhali made it another of our favorites.

Svaneti salt

So-called Svaneti salt serves as a perfect complement to vegetables, cheese or salad. Made from salt, dried garlic, chili pepper and a blend of various spices and herbs like fenugreek and coriander, Svaneti salt and its aroma will have you thinking you’re inching closer to Persia or India.

Georgian Sweets

Tatara or Pelamushi

Confection made from boiled, pressed grape extract. Can be eaten as a sort of pudding as dessert. The liquid is the sweet coating used to make churchkhela.

Churchkhela

Brown rubbery truncheons made from strings of walnuts dipped in tatara and dried. Sometimes referred to as “Georgian Snickers.” Don’t eat the string!

Mushmala

A juicy, persimmon-colored fruit about the size of a walnut. It’s dark, shiny seeds look like tiger-eye jewels.

Georgian Drinks

In no way does Georgia suffer from a lack of alcohol…or the endless toasts to go with it. Here's a quick rundown of Georgian wines, brandy, and grappa.

Georgian Wine

Georgia is believed to be the birthplace of wine, with the oldest evidence of winemaking dating back 8,000 years. Traditional Georgian winemaking used qvevri, terra-cotta containers that are buried underground to store and ferment the grape juice after it has been pressed and stomped.

Georgia's wine landscape features many different unique and ancient grape varietals. Our recommendation: opt for the Saperavi (red wine). Saparavi is the most famous of all Georgian varietals; when it's of quality, it can be really good. But Saparavi often needs a bit of time to come into its own, so be sure to decant it in advance and let it breathe for a bit of time.

If you're curious about Georgian wine, consider booking a walking tour of Tbilisi that includes wine tasting, a one-day wine tour around Kakheti or drop in on a Georgian wine bar in Tbilisi and fashion your own wine-tasting to learn about the various Georgian wine varietals.

Georgian brandy

Surprisingly smooth and easy to drink, Georgian brandy is worth seeking out. Though Armenian brandy gets a lot of press, Georgian brandy is under-appreciated.

Chacha (Georgian Grappa)

The drink of sadists and masochists throughout the Georgian countryside, the Georgian grappa-like firewater called cha-cha is the choice of toast-makers, particularly as the night or occasion advances. Oddly enough, it's common practice to have a small drink of cha-cha in the morning, apparently to ease the effects of traditionally heavy morning meals in the countryside.

Raki

A lower octane version of hooch/moonshine that makes frequent appearances at the table and in the streets of Svaneti.

Where to Eat in Tbilisi

Many of our eating experiences took place with friends or host families. Below are a few restaurants and cafes worth a visit in Tbilisi.

• Chashnagiri Restaurant (25 Leselidze street): Used to be called Shemoikhede Genatsvale Restaurant, but changed its name recently. It serves artful khinkali. Some of the nicest looking khinkali we've had. And very tasty.
• Salobie: Located near Mtskheta, this large outdoor restaurant is a Georgian institution. Apparently, it’s always been dishing out great lobio, even during the civil war times of the early 1990s. Our friend, Lena, and her family introduced us to many of the greats of the Georgian table here – khinkali, lobio, qababi, mchadi.
• Hole-in-the-wall deli and bakery (Vashlovani street): That's not really its name, but we know it's located near the Chinese restaurant Picasso between M. Kostava and G. Akhvlediani streets. Offers trays of pkhali, badrijan and tomato ratatouille dishes to go. Each dish is 3 lari. Next door is a bakery with lobiani and various forms of khachapuri. Perfect for assembling a picnic or light evening meal.
• Mitropane Laridze on Rustaveli: The site of our first khachapuri experience. Once a Tbilisian institution, this underlit mosaic-lined soda fountain on Rustaveli makes for an inexpensive mid-afternoon break of khachapuri and gaz voda (egg cream-like syrupy soda).

Georgian Cooking Courses and Foodie Tours

To go even deeper into Georgian cuisine, consider a home-cooked meal in a family home, a food tour, or get your hands dirty and take a Georgian cooking course.

Our friend had a great experience with this home-cooked family meal experience in Tbilisi. It's not only delicious, but also lot of fun with a warm and personable host. For a more comprehensive experience you can also book a Georgian cooking class in Tbilisi.

Alternatively, opt for the “best of” Georgian food by sampling nine traditional dishes by booking this food tour around Tbilisi's Sololaki neighborhood, one of our favorite areas of the city.

The post Georgian Food: The 15 Best Foods to Eat in Georgia appeared first on Uncornered Market.

Before traveling to Madagascar, we knew little about its cuisine and what sort of food we would find. Then we sought out food in restaurants and local eateries called hotelys, in markets and street food stands, and in a village homestay. With this approach, undertones and influences came through.

Madagascar’s food reflects the country’s cultural diversity. It is influenced by France via its colonial history, by Austronesia (e.g., Indonesia and Malaysia region) through its origins, and East Asia, the Middle East, and the Bantu countries of East Africa through centuries of migration and trading.

These influences show themselves in terraced rice fields, spices like vanilla and pepper, and roots and tubers. Toss in copious fruits and vegetables and a sprawling coastline of the world’s fourth largest island and you have the makings of a culinary surprise.

Here’s a small taste of Madagascar food to keep as a guide when you travel through this fascinating and unusual destination.

When in Madagascar, eat as the Malagasy people eat. Let’s go!

The following Madagascar food experiences, meals and learnings are drawn from our G Adventures Highlights of Madagascar tour that took us around the eastern and southern parts of Madagascar. This tour is part of the Jane Goodall Collection of travel experiences focused on wildlife and conservation. Disclosure: This trip was provided to us conjunction with our long-term partnership with G Adventures.

Traditional Madagascar Food and Dishes

Zebu (Beef)

If you enjoy meat, you’ll find yourself in good stead in Madagascar. Zebu, the local breed of humped cow is everywhere across the landscape and in restaurants. For the most part, its meat is tasty and tender when served. You can find it served as a filet, grilled (aka, brochettes or skewers), or stewed for hours in one of the traditional dishes below, or in the French-inspired favorites further along in this piece.

Romazava

Romazava is the over-the-top national dish of meat (typically made of beef, but it can also feature different types of meat) turned in a sauce of tomato, garlic, ginger and stewed mixed greens. The meat is typically braised for hours so that it is tender and falls apart.

Ravitoto

While the name ravitoto suggests something complicated and exotic, it’s essentially mashed cassava (manioc) leaves. This dark-green spinach-like dish of greens can be served straight-up vegetarian, as it is when turned with coconut milk and some spices.

However, it is traditionally stewed together with meat, as in ravitoto with pork, which offers a very tasty, balanced contrast between the slightly bitter cassava greens and the richness of the meat.

Tilapia à la Malagasy

Tilapia served “Malagasy-style” means a fish cooked in a sauce made from tomatoes, greens (watercress), onions, garlic, ginger and other herbs and flavors. The resulting fish is tender, and the flavors spot on.

Laoka

Laoka is any side dish which is technically to be served alongside rice. Often times, laoka are vegetarian. However, vegetarians be aware and diligent that they may often contain meat or salted fish. You’ll just have to ask.

Laoka are typically sauced or stewed with a traditional blend of Madagascar flavor staples such as tomato, ginger, turmeric, garlic, onion, or even vanilla.

READ MORE: Madagascar Experiential Travel Guide: 25 Experiences to Get You Started

Vegetarian Dishes in Madagascar

Madagascar has no shortage of vegetables that grow heartily. Just take a look at its markets. Although many Malagasy families will eat vegetarian food at home most days because meat is so expensive and valuable, it can sometimes be heard to find vegetarian food at restaurants as the assumption is that when you go out you want to eat meat. But, don't despair.

There are several standard vegetarian dishes that you can almost always find on the menu. The vegetarians in our group always found something on the menu to eat, and it was usually pretty tasty at that. In addition to vegetarian ravitoto and vegetarian chopped vegetable laoka side dishes, vegetarians in Madagascar ought to also keep an eye out or ask for the following dishes.

Lasary

Vegetarians traveling in Madagascar ought to commit this term to memory. The Malagasy term lasary essentially implies vegetables. In menus or on the table, it means pickled vegetables or mixed sautéed vegetables served with rice.

Lasary Voatabia is one of the more popular versions of lasary that you’ll find on the table, typically served as a side. Vegetarians take note: you can always request it from the kitchen. It’s essentially a Malagasy version of tomato salsa, but dashed with chopped parsley. Always tasty and fresh.

Madagascar beans

Though they may not be called out as “Madagascar beans”, you will often find a bean dish (typically mixed white bean or Madagascar lima beans) on the menu. Beans are often served simmered soft and savory. Although they'll often be served heaping on the plate, consider ordering them as a side or pairing with some other vegetables.

Minsao (Misao)

Minsao, as it name suggests, is a Chinese-Malagasy fusion found on most restaurant menus. Minsao is another good go-to dish for vegetarians traveling in Madagascar as it is essentially ramen noodles stir-fried with vegetables. Meat eaters can opt to add beef, pork or chicken.

READ MORE: How Your Travels in Madagascar Can Support Conservation and Communities

Importance of Rice in Madagascar Food

When I asked our taxi driver from the airport about food in Madagascar his first response was “Rice!”

Sensing my confusion, he continued, “Most Malagasy people eat rice two times a day, sometimes three. Meat, vegetables, beans, and other foods go with the rice. But, rice is very important. Maybe most important.”

As you make your way across the country, and in particular across the rice terrace decorated highlands, this will come as no surprise. The word for “to eat a meal” in the Malagasy language is literally “to eat rice.”

In traditional Malagasy cuisine you’ll find that rice forms the center of the plate. Meat, cooked or pickled vegetables, and other sides are then served with and around it.

Madagascar Hot Sauces

Sakay (Madagascar hot sauce)

Malagasy dishes are themselves rarely served hot or spicy. We found this somewhat surprising given the range of spices and hot peppers in markets.

So where did all that spice go? It ends up as a side dish or condiment in something called sakay.

If you enjoy spice and heat, you must ask for it by name, or ask for it more generically as hot sauce. Every restaurant ought to have its own home-made version of sakay, the orange-hued chili-ginger-garlic hot sauce.

Without exception, all versions of sakay we tasted were on fire. Spoon and sprinkle sparingly.

Achard

In the tradition of what some might recognize as Indian pickle, achard features green mango or vegetables marinated in blend of spices. It is said to have come by way of influences from the island nation of Réunion. Counter-intuitive to this geographic arc, it is often found in the northwestern parts of Madagascar.

French Cuisine in Madagascar

Although we were aware that Madagascar was a former French colony, we were still surprised by the influence of French cuisine in the country. This impact on the Malagasy table was found not only in the appearance of bakeries churning out baguettes and French pastries everywhere in the country, but also in how many restaurants across the spectrum served variations on savory French classics.

Zebu au Poivre Vert

Many restaurants offer French-inspired sauces like poivre vert (green pepper) or tangy mustard sauce to go with your zebu filet. We found both of these sauces consistently tasty. This should not come as a surprise. When you visit local markets, you’ll find heaps and bunches of fresh, green pepper pods.

Magret de Canard and Confit de Canard

Given both the French colonial influence and how prolific ducks are across the countryside, it all fits. Two very traditional French dishes – roasted duck breast and slow-cooked, preserved duck – can also be found in regular rotation in Madagascar. Both dishes proved solid and tasty each of the times we tried them.

Foie Gras

Yes, the tradition of foie gras (duck liver pate) lives on in Madagascar. We were surprised as well. Our final meal in the country, taken at Sakamanga in the capital of Antananarivo, featured it. When we noted on the menu that the home-made foie gras recipe had been used for 28 years, we couldn’t resist. It was the real deal and surprisingly good.

Madagascar Seafood

Once you get close to the coast, we recommend you switch to a fish and seafood-focused diet. Food along the coastline typically features whatever the local fishing boats happened to catch that day. Fish is often served grilled whole or as a filet, and also in skewered cubes (brochettes). Seafood is often served grilled or fried, and also in specialties like lobster with vanilla sauce.

If squid, prawns, or lobster interests you, the restaurants along the beach in Ifaty will keep you busy. Food is fresh, and the grilled flavor is hard to beat. Nearby Toliara also has some great options for seafood, especially at Le Jardin de Giancarlo (more on this in our Madagascar Experiential Travel Guide).

Popular Snacks in Madagascar

Mofo and Mofo Anana

The most delightful of all snacks in Madagascar are called mofo, the country’s signature savory spiced beignet fritters. Though you can find these in markets, in street stalls, and in hotelys and restaurants, the best versions we tasted were served as a late afternoon snack at the Arc-en-Ciel homestay in Fiadanana village not far from Antsirabe.

There, we tasted mofo anana (literally, leafy green bread), bread fritters with leafy green strips and spices. The closest comparison I could make is to a pakora, the spiced Indian fritter. The mofo anana were served alongside mofo voatavo, or pumpkin beignet fritters, a variation which offered contrast to the savory. The latter were especially decadent when dosed with a bit of condensed milk on top.

Market and Supermarket Snacks

When buying snacks at supermarkets, give the spotted taro root “elephant ear” chips a try. Fried plantain chips are also a favorite. You’ll also find an ample supply of peanuts and cashews everywhere you go.

Street food stands sell small fried samosas and spring rolls. Just be sure that they are fresh and hot. Otherwise, make certain you have a strong stomach.

Madagascar Desserts and Sweets

Not surprisingly, many of the best desserts in Madagascar use local fruit as their base.

Mofo Akondro (Banana Beignets or Banana Fritters)

In markets, hot banana fritter beignets straight from the stove are among the most delightful (read: fattening) and hygienically safest treats. Eat them when they are hot!

Flambée

Banana and pineapple flambées are an entertaining experience. A slice of fruit is often further sweetened, doused in local rum, lit on fire, and sometimes topped with sprinkled cinnamon. Whatever you do, make sure all the rum burns off, as it’s often cheap and not of sipping/drinking quality.

Koba Akondro (Steamed banana and peanut cake)

Koba akondro is a dense steamed cake made with rice flour, crushed peanuts, bananas and a molasses-type sweetener. Its density and texture is the result of steaming in banana leaves. It’s typically steamed in cake rolls or logs, then sliced for serving.

You’ll find it in markets and on streets, as we did in Antsirabe. Ask for a small slice at the market as the cake is quite dense and rich.

Crepes (Pancakes)

Taking another page out of the French colonial cookbook, many restaurants in Madagascar serve crepes as dessert. These are typically filled with bananas or other local fruit, then drizzled in chocolate sauce. This is another traveler favorite.

Madagascar Chocolate

It turns out that Madagascar is a major producer of cacao, too. All manner of Madagascar chocolate is worth a taste. What we found worked best was teaming up with others in a group so each person bought something different and we could sample as many chocolate bars as possible. You can find the higher quality chocolate at larger, more formal grocery stores.

Among our favorites was the Tsara Ecláts de Fèves Chocolate, a 63% chocolate dusted with cacao and sea salt flecks.

You might also want to try a piece of 100% chocolate, just for the experience. But be sure to bring a few gallons of water to share and chase it with.

Buying Madagascar Vanilla Beans and Spices

Madagascar is the world’s largest producer of vanilla bean, with most farms and production concentrated in the north end of island. Madagascar also produces many other sweet and savory spices such as black pepper, cinnamon, and clove.

Where to find Madagascar Vanilla Beans

When buying vanilla (available in dried beans or moist beans) to take home, consult your guide on where along your trip you’ll find the highest quality-price ratio. Upon recommendation, we bought ours outside our hotel in Ranomafana National Park and paid 20,000 (about $6) for three packets of vanilla beans.

Prices start much higher. Bargaining is welcome, but up to a certain point.

If you’re about the leave the country and you still don’t have your stash of vanilla beans, head to the main market in Antananarivo. There, you’ll find people selling packets of vanilla beans. The prices were a bit higher than in Ranomafana, but not by much.

Buying black pepper and other spices in Madagascar

Just about every market in the country features a stand or two with piles of spices so you can just select from there.

At Analakely Market in Antananarivo, tables are stacked high with everything, including fresh green pepper pods, black pepper, mixed pepper, cloves, and chili peppers. Be sure to look out for Madagascar 4-spice, a blend of black pepper, white pepper, pink pepper, and coriander.

There’s also a big Indian spice store in Toliara filled with locally sourced spices and pepper corns.

Drinks in Madagascar

Coffee and Tea in Madagascar

Madagascar coffee is generally decent, though it may not quite live up to the strength and style of your favorite coffeehouse back home. It's usually made with a cloth bag filter or strainer. Often, condensed milk is served with coffee instead of regular milk.

Tea in Madagascar is often a better, more unique bet. Try various flavors to see what suits you. The most notable flavor we tasted was citronella tea. A little strong, but certainly distinct.

Madagascar Beer

THB (Three Horses Beer) is a decent lager that you’ll find just about everywhere. Beware that Three Horses Beer “Fresh” is a very low alcohol shandy.

Madagascar Rum

Many restaurants and bars will feature a lineup of bottles or jugs of rum infused with vanilla, various fruits, jasmine, and ginger, among others. A small glass is usually inexpensive and surprisingly good. But, be careful…it's potent stuff.

The locally available Dzama Rhum, even in its less expensive versions like Cuvée Noire (as in $2-$3 for a small bottle), is a surprisingly good rum to be consumed straight. This served as an “aperitif” for our group on several occasions.

If our experience is any measure, be careful about any big swigs of homemade local rum at markets sold out of random bottles. It’s often stiff and akin to the kerosene-quality rum used to top flambées.

Disclosure: G Adventures sponsored our Highlights of Madagascar tour. This trip is conjunction with our cooperation in G Adventures' Wanderers Program. Check out this article for all the different G Adventures tours we've taken and recommend. As always, the thoughts contained herein — the what, the why, and the how — are entirely our own.

The post Madagascar Food: A Culinary Travel Guide appeared first on Uncornered Market.

Japan, where clean eating meets culinary artistry. Where raw fish and pickled vegetables sit astride seaweed strands and tempura sculptures. The place where you can eat blowfish sashimi, octopus balls and cow offal one evening, then follow it all up the next day with a 15-course meal that might qualify as one of the truly greatest eating experiences of your life. Japanese cuisine, where the food canvas employs color, where form truly follows function.

Our Japanese Food Guide allows you to learn more about the tradition and ritual behind Japanese cuisine, while also providing recommendations for Japanese dishes, sushi experiences, street food and other traditional meals so you can eat your way through Japan.

Japanese Food Components: Ritual, Rules and Tradition

In traditional Japanese cuisine, as in Japanese life, there are rules. Food rules. Meals are divided into bowls and dishes, which are then further subdivided, all in an effort to separate flavors so that they might not touch each other.

This is precision on a plate.

In Japan, aesthetic is critical, from the many porcelain plates and bowls from which you might take one meal, to the landscape of the tray upon which it is all served. There's logic, there's purpose in every facet of the dining experience, in each item in the meal. By design for design. Contrast this with other East Asian cuisines where large pots are shared from the middle of the table.

Japanese food is careful, that is, full of care. (We're certain we horrified our share of hosts by sharing with each other tastes from our respective meals.)

Rice

As in other Asian cuisine, rice is the guiding force, a requisite. In fact, the Japanese word for rice, gohan, is also the word for meal. In other words, you can’t have one without the other. Or perhaps in Japan, one is the other.

Pickled vegetables

The Japanese seem to be able to pickle just about anything and everything that grows. And they make it all taste good. Japanese picked vegetables (tsukemono) are to be eaten on their own or in condiment fashion. Beware: portion sizes are usually inversely related to the strength of the pickle.

Their artistic arc begins with their shapes and colors accenting serving plates and bowls and ends curled astride one of your courses in complement. Perhaps best of all — and we are running on intuition here — pickled vegetables serve a function to the body in better absorbing or processing the food they are served with, balancing all the protein and rice, cleansing the palate between bites.

Soup

Often a miso soup, but you may also be served another lighter broth or clear soup.

Meat/Fish

Japan is an island, so it’s not surprising that fish is abundant and the go-to source of protein. Raw is the chosen method of preparation, but in multi-course meals you'll find an occasional piece of steamed fish topped with a light sauce.

However, a perfectly marbled beef such as Kobe beef (or the new king, Hida beef) will be served beautifully raw with the expectation that you'll cook it to taste on your own individual tabletop hibachi grill.

Take a look at this traditional meal at a restaurant in Takayama specializing in Hida beef. Can you find all the components?

Japanese Breakfast

You’ll find the same deliberate practice in a traditional Japanese breakfast as well. Your tray will contain many small plates, each with a different flavor and purpose. They all come together to provide a substantial – and protein rich – start to the day.

Where to find a Japanese breakfast: The best place to try a traditional Japanese breakfast is to stay in a ryokan (Japanese inn). Our two favorite ryokans for breakfast: Oyado Iguchi in Takayama and Tagaoogi in Kawaguchiko near Mount Fuji. Our favorite breakfast treat in all of Japan: hōba miso, grilled miso paste served atop fish on a dried magnolia leaf.

Bowing to the Alter of Raw Fish: Sushi and Sashimi

To get to the heart of raw fish, sushi and sashimi heaven, be sure to make a trip to Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo.

Many of you are probably familiar with the different styles of sushi – nigiri (slice of raw fish on top of rice), maki (rolls) and sashimi (slices of raw fish, no rice). We also became fans of sashimi don – a bowl of sushi rice covered in slabs of freshly cut sashimi.

Favoriate Sashimi Dons

After learning how Tokyo manages tons of fresh seafood each day, grab a sushi or sashimi don breakfast of champions at one of the tiny sushi restaurants in the market.

Our favorite sashimi dons: We did not have time to wait in line for three hours at Sushi Dai (Daisha) but we did enjoy a great sashimi don at a small place a few doors down called BenTomi Sushi in Building #6.

Conveyor Belt Sushi

Sushi purists may snub their nose at conveyor belt sushi or sushi trains, restaurants with moving belts of sushi plates where you serve yourself and pay at the end based on your pile of empty plates. However, we found that in Japan the quality of fish in these establishments could be exceptional, especially when you consider the price.

Instead of being held prisoner by what was goes around the conveyor belt, you also have a choice of ordering sushi directly from the chef for the same price. Once we figured out this trick by watching locals in their routine, we rarely picked anything off the conveyor belt and ate exclusively from custom orders.

Often, we would be stuffed to the gills with sushi goodness for around $25-$30 for the two of us. In Japan terms, that's considered a steal. And a win.

Favorite Conveyor Belt Sushi: Tototoriton Sushi Go-Round near Shinjuku station (south exit), Tokyo. Not only were most plates 130 Yen (under $2), but the custom order menu was 40+ options deep with sushi and sashimi options.

Blowfish Sashimi

Blowfish (fugu) is delicious, but it’s one of those delicacies that can kill you if it's not properly prepared. Do your research to find a trusted fugu den (i.e., a restaurant that focuses only on fugu). We opted for a sashimi plate and found the fugu to be subtle flavor, slightly sweet, a tad numbing, with the consistency of very tender squid.

For even more fugu fun, be sure to get a glass of fugu sake – hot sake with fugu fins set on fire and infused into the brew. Fugu sake: intense, tasty, and also very fun to say ten times fast.

Where to find fugu sashimi: Osaka, they'll even let you hold the fugu afterwards. Just beware that the fish might begin to blow up in your hands.

Kaiseki Dinner: Traditional Japanese Cuisine at its Best

We often sing the praises of cheap eating as we travel, but we are making an exception here for a traditional kaiseki meal. If you plan to splurge somewhere in Japan, consider doing it for this. Our kaiseki meal at a ryokan near Mount Fuji was one of the most memorable and unique meals of our lives.

Kaiseki is a multi-course (6-15 courses) traditional dinner, served in the manner of samurai (we're not kidding). But it is more than just a meal, it’s an entire cultural experience. Each course is tiny, but delicately prepared and served in bowls and dishes that are well-suited to the food. And no two dishes will be the same; everything has a purpose. The presentation and service is an unforgettable experience, sheer joy.

The courses of a kaiseki meal will change based on the seasons and what is fresh, but they'll often represent all the different styles of cooking – raw, boiled, grilled, and steamed. The experience will pull influence from the mountains to the sea. There's a pace that ensures that the meal moves along, but it's slow enough as to enable the full appreciation of presentation, design, and flavor.

Recommended Kaiseki Dinner: Tagaoogi Ryokan at Kawaguchiko near Mount Fuji. Just amazing, from the quality of the food to the presentation and service.

Japanese Cheap Eats and Street Food

It is true that the words cheap and Japan don’t often go together, but there are thankfully a few tasty, healthy Japanese options that are easier on the wallet.

Okonomiyaki

A friend living in Japan told us the style of okonomiyaki is a reflection of the city where it is served. Some places are more orderly with straight streets, others are messy with curved roads. You can find this personality in the local okonomiyaki.

Okonomiyaki, roughly, is a savory pancake stuffed with sliced vegetables, seafood and other bits. Although its roots go back centuries, its popularity dates from the days of U.S. troops and post-WWII deliveries to Japan of wheat flour (used in the pancake batter). Usually, okonomiyaki is cooked on a big griddle or at your table in a cook-your-own style. Top with hanakatsuo — dried, fermented, and outrageously thin bacony looking smoked bonito (skipjack tuna) flakes that curl like mad when you place them atop hot food.

Trust us, it tastes much better than the description makes it sound. It's usually an inexpensive meal as well, especially if two people can share one portion.

Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki:

This was the first okonomiyki we enjoyed, and it was massive. Noodles (choice of soba or udon), grated vegetables and seafood are served on top of a thin fried pancake. Usually it is topped with a sweet Worcestershire style sauce and topped with mayonnaise.

Where to get Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki: Just near the Hiroshima train station is the main street Johoku Dori. If you walk past the Post Office you'll find this place on the right side in a brick building. All locals, lots of fun.

Osaka-style Okonomiyaki:

In contrast to Hiroshima’s signature okonomiyaki, Osaka okonomiyaki does not include any noodles, its veggies are more finely chopped, and the whole package is more tidy.

Where to get Osaka-style okonomiyaki: There are lots of places along Dōtonbori Street in Osaka that specialize in okonomiyaki. If you ask nicely, they'll even draw Hello Kitty on top in mayonnaise.

Tokyo style, okonomiyaki:

Officially known as monjayaki, all the ingredients are blended into the batter so that it is all cooked together, almost like a pancake-omelette. Our server came to the rescue when he realized we had no idea what we were doing on our grill and piled the cut cabbage and other goodies on the outside and while much of the liquid batter cooked on the inside. Then you mash the whole thing together with little metal scrapters. Rather messy, not very orderly, but really satisfying.

Where to get monjayaki in Tokyo: Just at the main crossing at Shibuya station in Tokyo. You'll have your choice of monjayaki or okonomiyaki that you cook yourself at your table. Lots of fun, terrifically social and inexpensive.

Takoyaki

Takoyaki, you say? Hot octopus and herbed dough balls. All part of the experience: watching takoyaki masters quickly turn their takoyaki balls in something that looks like a cupcake pan with long toothpicks to that they are cooked evenly on all sides. Takoyaki is often topped with a sweet sauce, oregano, and ample helpings of hanakatsuo.

Where to get takoyaki:

• Nishiki Market, Kyoto: There's a bustling stand in the covered indoor market serving up piping hot takoyaki for a great price. Fun atmosphere with lots of students hanging around.
• Dōtonbori Street, Osaka: Several vendors sell takoyaki fresh from the grill along this busy street.

Izakaya restaurants

Izakaya are technically known as drinking restaurants, but there's usually a large menu of dumplings, salads, fried chicken and other snack bits to nosh as you drink your beer. Izakaya sometimes even offer karaoke so you can sing off all the calories. If you look around, you can find some good deals at Izakaya restaurants with dishes that run $3-$5.

Japanese Curry

Although we've heard that Japanese curry originated with the British, it's nothing at all like a British or Indian curry. The best way to describe Japanese curry sauce: brown. It’s a smooth sweet and savory gravy. Although not on par with Indian or other curries, it can be a nice food break from typical Japanese fare, and it's usually pretty inexpensive.

Where to get Japanese curry: Most major cities feature inexpensive curry restaurants. We tried Coco Ichibanya in Kyoto and enjoyed a large plate of mixed seafood curry for about $10.

Japanese Soups

There are quite a few restaurants specializing in soups. Often you can choose your noodle (thick udon or the thinner soba), style of broth and the meat or vegetable inside.

Where to get Japanese soups: Although a chain restaurant, Tenkaippin (or Tenka Ippin) serves a formidable bowl. Ippudo is another popular and apparently reliable soup chain.

Ootaya Restaurant

Ootoya is actually a chain restaurant, but one that features high quality food at very reasonable prices (e.g., around $8-10). A great option when you want a hearty, good-looking meal without breaking the bank. You can find Ootaya restaurants all around Tokyo, especially in and around the business disticts. We went to the one in the Subaru building in Shinjuku.

Regional Japanese Foods

Conger Eel, Miyajima

Much of the eel that you'll find in Japan is unagi, meaning freshwater eel. But in the Miyajima and Hiroshima area, the eel of choice is anago, or saltwater eel. It’s grilled slightly and then topped with a sweet sauce. We ate our anago as a rice bowl (don) just near the train station in Miyajimaguchi. Standard price is around $25-$30 per bowl.

Grilled Oysters — Miyajima

You would think that with all the raw food Japanese eat they’d throw oysters into the raw eating basket. But they don’t, at least during certain times of the year when water temperatures are too high. So during the time of our visit in May, oyster vendors on Miyajima island grilled their oysters. While the oysters were not petite, they were tasty and rich, massive guys, a perfect complement to a good dry sake.

Tempura

Tempura always struck us as an odd Japanese food — it is fried, whereas most Japanese food is light on oil. Dig into the history of tempura and you'll find out why: thank the Portugese influence for tempura in Japan.

While tempura is often done badly – meaning overly fried or not using fresh oils – there is a beauty to it when done well. The exterior of excellent tempura is just slightly crunchy, protecting the tenderly cooked interior. And there’s no better way to appreciate the skill behind perfectly prepared tempura than by eating at a bar where you can watch tempura masters at work.

Where to eat tempura in Tokyo: We went for the lunch menu at Tsunahachi Restaurant in Shinjuku ($15-$30). The cheapest lunch menu available, while missing some of the special seafood bits, is an excellent value. Their tempura is exceptionally high quality. We also enjoyed sitting at the bar watching the chefs do their magic. This restaurant will give you eating and dipping instructions in English to be sure you eat everything correctly. Helpful, cute and delightfully Japanese.

Hida Beef

Many people have heard of Kobe beef, but few have heard of Hida beef. This is the new top beef in Japan according to the latest food competitions. The meat is marbled with fat, making it melt in your mouth when you grill it. Not inexpensive at $25-$30 for a set meal, but worth trying. Since the town of Hida is just north, Takayama is full of restaurants specializing in Hida beef.

Japanese Drinks and Desserts

We had no idea that Japanese people had such a sweet tooth, but if you look around the basement food floor of any department store you will be amazed by the array and selection of sweets. Many are made with rice flour doughs and bean paste or other bits of regional fillings. The sweets that take the cake (and we almost made ourselves sick on all the free samples in Kyoto) were the Yatsuhashi sweets — rice flour dough pillows tucked with various sweet fillings.

Sake

Made from fermented rice, sake is a traditional Japanese alcohol that pairs nicely with sushi, grilled oysters and other bits of traditional Japanese fare. Obviously, not all sake is created equal, so if your first experience is not great, don't dispair. To get a sense of the range of sake available, taste and sample as much sake as you can. If you find yourself in Takayama, be sure to take part in free sake tasting in the old town near Sanmachi (or Kamisannomachi). Look for the sugidama (large cedar balls) hanging outside, indicating that sake is brewed and served inside. The best tastings include an array of sake, and also indicate which sake is best served cold or warm.

Green tea

We had never really been big fans of green tea prior to visiting Japan. Much of what is passed off as green tea in the West, can be less than noteworthy, especially in the bottled iced tea arena where tastes border on the syrupy and tea-free.

In Japan, however green tea is everywhere, and it is often exceptionally good. There is a smooth, smoky flavor that is to be appreciated without any sugar or additives. Take the opportunity to attend a Japanese tea ceremony and you'll appreciate the culture behind tea drinking even more.

A note for coffee drinkers: Knowing that Japan is mainly a tea-drinking society, we were surprised by the prevalence of coffee shops and espresso machines. Getting your coffee fix is possible, however, but it is not cheap (i.e., $4-7 at a Starbucks or similar type of café).

Environmental note – BYOC (Bring Your Own Chopsticks): Most restaurants in Japan will provide you with disposable wooden chopsticks. Consider bringing a pair of your own portable / foldable chopsticks or just regular chopsticks for your Japan travels to avoid all that wooden chopstick waste.

Gluten Free Eating in Japan

If you have celiac disease or a gluten intolerance there's good and bad news about gluten free eating in Japan in general. On the positive side, some of the traditional dishes like sashimi and sushi are gluten free. On the negative side, many dishes include soy sauce (or similar) or food is fried in oil that was also used to fry batter with gluten. Restaurant staff are not always educated on what ingredients contain gluten so it's important to be careful and ask questions.

To help you navigate Japanese food so that you can eat local, but also gluten free and without getting sick, check out this Japanese gluten-free restaurant card and Gluten Free Guide to Japanese Food created by our friend, Jodi. The restaurant card explains in detail, using local food names and language, your needs as a strictly gluten free eater so that you get the meal you want and need without the fear of getting sick.

Jodi has celiac disease herself so she understands first-hand the importance of being able to communicate gluten free needs in detail and educate waiters and restaurants on what this means in practice. In fact, she got sick many times in Japan because people didn't understand what ingredients contained gluten and the problems of cross-contamination. She created her series of Gluten Free Restaurant Cards in different languages to help celiac and gluten free travelers eat local with confidence, and without communication problems or getting sick.

Note: These gluten free restaurant cards are not part of an affiliate plan or a way for us to make money. We are extremely fortunate that we can eat everything, but we've seen the challenges of others who are celiac or have food intolerances where every meal can potentially make them sick or cause pain. These detailed gluten free cards were created to help prevent that from happening and make eating out fun and enjoyable when traveling.

By no means is this an extensive Japanese food guide, but it should help you navigate the Japanese food landscape and offer a few options for budget eating in Japan.

Japan: eat it, live it, enjoy it — and share with us your favorite features and dishes in Japanese cuisine.

いただきます Itadakimasu!

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