Wondrous food to explore and enjoy

Gastro Obscura

Read 2154 Gastro Stories

In San Francisco, an East German Restaurant Is a Portal to the Past

Familiar foods such as "cold dog" offer former Eastern Bloc residents a taste of their youth.

Laura Kiniry, Atlas Obscura

September 17, 2019

When American Waitresses Were Labeled 'Women of Ill Repute'

The 400-year history of the restaurant industry's #MeToo moment.

Reina Gattuso, Atlas Obscura

September 16, 2019

secret lives of museums

Why Museums Display Ancient Pastries and Beef Older Than Christ

People love food, even when it's behind a glass case.

Anne Ewbank, Atlas Obscura

September 13, 2019

Eat Like an English Peasant With This Medieval Cookbook

It makes peasant food pleasant.

Luke Fater, Atlas Obscura

September 12, 2019

For Centuries, Massive Meals Amazed Visitors to Korea

Scholars, writers, and missionaries all exclaimed over how much food was available.

T.K. Park, Atlas Obscura

September 12, 2019

This Latte Artist Forms Foam Into Flocks of Birds

Put a bird on it!

Selena Takigawa Hoy, Atlas Obscura

September 11, 2019

Found: The Earliest Direct Evidence of Milk Consumption

Lactose intolerance was no match for a prehistoric desire for dairy.

Anne Ewbank, Atlas Obscura

September 10, 2019

social movements

On Restaurant Day in Helsinki, Anyone Can Open an Eatery, Anywhere

By making everything from ceviche to ice cream, city residents show off their cooking chops.

Karen Burshtein, Atlas Obscura

September 6, 2019

How American Gunboat Diplomacy Helped Democratize Japanese Shaved Ice

One show of force had a cooling effect on Japanese summers.

Luke Fater, Atlas Obscura

September 5, 2019

How Prohibition Tossed a Wet Blanket on America’s Inventors

New research reveals the link between bars and new inventions.

Alex Mayyasi, Atlas Obscura

September 4, 2019

See the Winning Cakes From Melbourne's Architectural Baking Contest

The city's iconic buildings inspired some monumental desserts.

Matthew Taub, Atlas Obscura

September 4, 2019

The Founder of America's Earliest Lesbian Bar Was Deported for Obscenity

Eve Adams was eventually murdered at Auschwitz.

Reina Gattuso, Atlas Obscura

September 3, 2019

When Royalty, Scientists, and Gardeners All Wanted Fake Fruit

One collection of fake produce is a reminder of both ingenuity and loss.

Vittoria Traverso, Atlas Obscura

August 30, 2019

The World's First Piranha Ramen Is No Joke

It did start as one, though.

Luke Fater, Atlas Obscura

August 29, 2019

Sold: A Country Ham for $1 Million

Hogging the limelight at the Kentucky State Fair.

Rohini Chaki, Atlas Obscura

August 29, 2019

Found: Slime-Covered Notebooks Full of Conservation Data and Fish Scales

Century-old data paints a grim picture of salmon populations in British Columbia.

Reina Gattuso, Atlas Obscura

August 28, 2019

The Vanishing Act of New Zealand’s Iconic Clam

Once, toheroa were endless. Now, they're all but gone.

Naomi Arnold, Atlas Obscura

August 27, 2019

How a Banana-Chicken Casserole Defined Swedish Cuisine

The recipe for "Flying Jacob" was the improvised creation of an air-freight worker.

Luke Fater, Atlas Obscura

August 26, 2019