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Gastro Obscura

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The Family That's Sold New York Mock Meats for Decades

May Wah Vegetarian Market in Chinatown has everything from squid to beef.

The Man With 15,000 Pieces of Chopstick-Wrapper Origami

A restaurant job turned into a collecting passion.

This Bowl Contained Sugar 'Not Made by Slaves'

An early version of ethical consumption.

This Language Is Only Used When Collecting Nuts in New Guinea

Pandanus talk is believed to shoo away spirits and keep the harvest from harm.

The Instant Pot of the 1600s Was Known as 'the Digester of Bones'

The pressure cooker led directly to the invention of the steam engine.

The Only Mammals Reckless Enough to Eat Hot Peppers Are Humans and Tree Shrews

These little guys would share a bag of Takis with you.

How Sherry Became the Secret to Great Scotch

Scottish and Spanish spirits have a symbiotic relationship.

Found: 14,400-Year-Old Flatbread Remains That Predate Agriculture

The burned crumbs shed light on prehistoric hunter-gatherers’ diets.

Inside the World's Only Chile Pepper Research Institute

The center has spread spicy knowledge for decades.

Spend Your Summer Hitting These Excellent Independent Ice Cream Shops

Atlas Obscura readers gave us the scoop.

Why Clandestine Chinese Restaurants Are Crucial to Lisbon’s Culinary Scene

The underground "Chinês Clandestinos" have persisted throughout the years.

Send Us Your Favorite Toasts and Cheers!

"Thanks a little, thanks the most, please just share your drinking toasts."

The Busy, Briny Lives of Iceland's Herring Girls

From 1903 until 1969, women flocked to Siglufjörður to spend long hours gutting and packing fish.

Revelations From a Wine Barrel Filled With Renaissance Poo

Centuries-old latrines in Denmark drop big hints about diets, trade, and health.

How Pie-Throwing Became a Comedy Standard

One film studio in Los Angeles pioneered the trope of flying pies.

Consumers Are Accusing U.S. Pork Producers of Running a Price-Fixing Cartel

A lawsuit alleges that people have been overpaying since 2009.

underground cooking

Why a Volcano Is Crucial to This Azorean Chef's Homestyle Stew

While male chefs make cozido gourmet, Teresa Casada sticks to tradition.

Why the U.S. Navy Once Had a Concrete Ice Cream Barge

The portable parlor sustained sailors on the high seas.