Gastro Obscura

Discover amazing foods that are waiting to be tasted and appreciated. Each day, we bring you fascinating stories about these culinary delights. Welcome to Gastro Obscura—Atlas Obscura's latest section dedicated to the joy of exploring unique and intriguing food experiences.

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Adventure at Sea: An Explorer’s Guide to Antarctica

4 days ago | atlasobscura.com | Roxanne Hoorn

By Roxanne Hoorn Let a fresh breath of pristine air ignite your sense of adventure as you sail into the world’s most remote and unexplored region: Antarctica. Towering glaciers and migrating whales welcome you as you embark on the experience of a lifetime. With 98 percent of its surface covered in ice, the landscape you’re entering feels otherworldly, with truly nowhere else like it on Earth.
C'è pasta... E pasta!

4 days ago | atlasobscura.com | Diana Hubbell

Jewish people have been living in Rome for over 2,000 years. In 1555 a Papal decree confined the entire community to a ghetto near the Tiber. Here, some of the city’s cucina ebraica staples were perfected and codified: chrysanthemum-shaped carciofi alla giudea (fried artichokes), puffy fritters, rich ricotta crostatas.
Giano Restaurant

4 days ago | atlasobscura.com | Diana Hubbell

Seeking “trendy new places” that are genuinely good in the Eternal City is usually as futile as searching for Andy Warhols at the Vatican Museum—and yet. Those craving a break from nose-to-tail Roman menus will be thrilled with the vivid modern Sicilian flavors of Giano located on Via Liguria. The main thing to know about Giano is that it’s the first Roman outpost of the unstoppably creative Sicilian chef Ciccio Sultano, who holds two Michelin stars at his restaurant Duomo in Ragusa.
Cesare al Pellegrino

5 days ago | atlasobscura.com | Diana Hubbell

Sometimes it’s an outsider who infuses local cuisine with fresh energy. The brilliant chef Leonardo Vignoli, born near Rome, worked for years at Michelin-starred starred places in France, finally returning to open his Cesare al Casaletto back in 2009 and creating a cult hit by updating beloved Roman classics with sharp technique and ingredients from tiny local producers.
Flavio al Velavevodetto

5 days ago | atlasobscura.com | Diana Hubbell

So attached are Romans to their quartet of iconic pastas, they’ll argue forever about where to find the best version of each. For carbonara (guanciale, eggs) they might favor Roscioli or Bacano; for amatriciana (guanciale, tomato sauce) Trecca in Garbatella; for gricia (black pepper, pecorino, guanciale) Trattoria Da Cesare al Casaletto is best. And for cacio e pepe (black pepper, pecorino—no guanciale)?
L’Osteria della Trippa

5 days ago | atlasobscura.com | Diana Hubbell

Although it was recently awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand, L’Osteria della Trippa still remains under the radar of most tourists toting their lists of usual suspects. At the helm of this cozy tripe-centric spot deep in Trastevere with wooden tables and mustard-hued walls, is feisty chef-owner, signora Alessandra Ruggeri. Here she urges her customers to try, say, a fruity red Cesanese from Lazio along with a daily special of snails stewed with tomato, chiles, and sage.
Fratelli Trecca

5 days ago | atlasobscura.com | Diana Hubbell

Unlike the round puffy-edged Neapolitan pies baked in domed wood burning ovens the pizza native to Rome is pizza al taglio: lengthy rectangles or oblongs baked in an iron teglia (pan) in a gas oven, whacked into sections, weighed, and brusquely shoved across worn bakery counters. Under a glistening sheen of tomato sauce or a layer of thin-sliced potatoes? Nice. But just as good is bianca (no topping).
10 Unexpected Places Where Creativity Shines in Toronto

6 days ago | atlasobscura.com | Luke Fater

It’s no secret that Toronto is a hub of imagination, where communities of forward-thinkers from diverse backgrounds intersect to give the urban landscape a uniquely inventive character. Beyond internationally recognized events, institutions, and artists like the Toronto International Film Festival, the Ontario College of Art and Design, and The Weeknd, there are unsung locations hidden throughout this vibrant city that speak to a creative undercurrent.
There’s No Right Way to Say ‘Taco’

6 days ago | atlasobscura.com | Dan Nosowitz

It wasn’t so much that my friend, a Brit who has lived in Los Angeles for many years, said the word “taco” differently than I do. The confounding thing was that it was difficult for him to hear the difference, and that when he could distinguish it, he insisted that his way was more correct, closer to the way a Spanish speaker would say it.
Supplizio

1 week ago | atlasobscura.com | Diana Hubbell

Oblong rice balls filled with mozzarella and deep-fried in an armor of breadcrumbs, suppli are the Roman siblings of Sicilian arancini and cousins to the entire global croquettes family. The name? Possibly from French surpris, or surprise, for the mozzarella hidden inside, which supposedly startled members of Napoleonic troops arriving in Rome after the French occupation of the Kingdom of Naples. The nickname supplì al telefono?