Your city's foodie destinations

[Yuri]

Originally Posted by bnk

Thanks that list has a lot of great pics of food but cant seem to navigate trying to find the best 50 in the world.


Is there a direct link to that?


Edit I read your post more and it can be found here but no list just pics of 50 places with no names on them to try to figure out what they are, click bait.

https://www.instagram.com/theworlds50best/?hl=pt-br

I don't know much about it, but according to several articles I googled they also are ranked on the French La Liste (www.laliste.com), on Michelin's Bib Gourmand and are on the Top 100 of The Best Chef Awards.

It's an affordable place, surfing this new wave of creative food, but in the end of the day, I guess their location, embracing the rough atmosphere of Downtown São Paulo, helped them to get such worldwide recognition. Here the Street View: https://www.google.com/maps/uv?pb=!1...oQpx96BQiHARAI

If they were in a typical São Paulo upscale neighbourhood like Jardins or Itaim Bibi, they certainly be regarded as a very good restaurant, but it would be just another one in São Paulo.

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by aaronevill

Daniel, Per Se, Le Bernadin, Dhamaka...NYC has no shortage of glossy "foodie" destinations. Pricey? Yes. Worth it? Yes.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CSuC065l0yi/

This is from Le Pavillon in One Vanderbilt. Daniel Boulud's new restaurant that has been the hit of the usually sleepy summer season. When I think "foodie" I think Michelin stars or a destination like Arthur Avenue in the BX or Flushing in Queens.

The latter, yes. Arthur Ave was one of my destinations on my last trip to NYC. So was Astoria in Queens. But the fun part of "foodie" explorations of cities IMHO is finding great food that isn't super expensive. So in most towns I ignore the super deluxe places though there are exceptions. NOLA is one because there, at least by Bay Area standards, even the top places are reasonable.

Both Divisadero and Hayes Valley, the locations of the places in SF I've posted, are like SF equivalents of Arthur Ave. Both are full of good places, a few of which are expensive but many not.

In the Arthur Ave area, my choice (and it turned out to be a good one) was Roberto's:





Tubettini con Polipo e Fave


Foil-baked pasta special


Salumi

Photos: https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/robe...t9QS8q0FVFjYkA

[C.]

Something interesting I'm noting.

I've never equated "foodie" with fancy or expensive. To be honest, a city with a strong food truck presence would have a foodie scene in my books.

Definition from Google: "A foodie is a person who has an ardent or refined interest in food, and who eats food not only out of hunger but also as a hobby."

[montréaliste]

Originally Posted by 10023

I don’t think “foodie destinations” means someone’s personal favorite restaurant.

Borough Market and environs are one for London. It’s the city’s oldest food market, though not quite as famous as some like the Boqueria in Barcelona or Les Halles in Paris. In addition to the vendors there are a lot of food stalls and restaurants that cluster around it given it does attract foodies.

Otherwise the biggest concentrations of restaurants are in Soho (west) and Shoreditch (east). Soho is adjacent to Chinatown and kind of the same market. There are popular food markets in Clerkenwell (Exmouth Market), Hackney (Broadway Market), Brixton, etc.

Sorry to disappoint you, but les halles were demolished in 1973, thus no longer popular.

[bilbao58]

Originally Posted by montréaliste

Sorry to disappoint you, but les halles were demolished in 1973, thus no longer popular.

Well, there's always the Quartier des Halles with such gastronomical delights as Quick Burger, Burger King, McDonalds and KFC! Miam-miam!

[ocman]

Originally Posted by bilbao58

Well, there's always the Quartier des Halles with such gastronomical delights as Quick Burger, Burger King, McDonalds and KFC! Miam-miam!

And they’re always crowded as hell. And it’s bullshit the French try to blame the crowds on American tourists because the crowds are clearly all locals. Anyway, the quintessential foodie spot for Paris would be L'as du Falafel.

For LA it would be Courage Bagels for the moment. For SF (South Bay), it would still be Ramen Nagi.

[10023]

Originally Posted by montréaliste

Sorry to disappoint you, but les halles were demolished in 1973, thus no longer popular.

I know. But it was an iconic food market.


Anyway, I interpreted this thread as something more than individual restaurants - markets, neighbourhoods, streets. For NYC, the Union Square Greenmarket would be an example, or Flushing Chinatown.

There are far, far too many notable restaurants in any half decent city to make that any more than a random list of places.

[Yuri]

Originally Posted by 10023

I know. But it was an iconic food market.


Anyway, I interpreted this thread as something more than individual restaurants - markets, neighbourhoods, streets. For NYC, the Union Square Greenmarket would be an example, or Flushing Chinatown.

There are far, far too many notable restaurants in any half decent city to make that any more than a random list of places.

If we follow this interpretation then again we'd also have countless streets and neighbourhoods that would be counted as such in a big city. It would also be a random list of places.

[Northern Light]

Hmmm.

A few thoughts for Toronto

First an obvious one, but with some detail for it, St. Lawrence Market is our flagship public farmer/butcher type market, which Nat. Geo said was world's best a couple of years back.

As a foodie, what I would gravitate to there is Kozlik's Mustard, some truly outstanding mustards, well over 30 flavours, and pre-pandemic you could sample them all by dipping pretzels in sample jars.



"IT'S MEMORABLE WHEN YOU HAVE THE BEST OF SOMETHING.

IN MY OPINION, THIS IS THE BEST MUSTARD ANYWHERE."

DAVID CHANG - MOMOFUKU

I personally like the XXX hot which reminds me of the mustard I get on a burger when in Paris, France, the kind that makes you need a paper towel to blow your nose! LOL

But for those less inclined to heat.....there's Balsamic Figs & Date mustard...... Orange and Ginger, Sweet and Smokey, Maple, and a whole bunch more.

https://www.kozliks.com/

****

For baked goods, I'd stop at a small patisserie outside the downtown area called Mon K

Its owned by a very skilled Japanese couple who I think produce the City's best baguette, and a host of other great pastries.

Their relatively rare offer by Toronto's standards are the number of sweets they've infused with Japanese flavours, especially matcha, in additional to a wide variety of the typical French offerings.





I would also highight the Danish Pastry House, particularly for its Snegls. Which are made with the most delectably flaky pastry.



Butter Tarts are a local Ontario specialty and few can rival the ones you can get Charmaine Sweets



****

CBC Radio's Culinary Reporter for Toronto has a map of small places that typically have unique culinary offers that would never make a magazine cover.

The people who offer streetfoods, or obscure dishes from a diverse range of countries, often in just a to-go form, sometime hidden in a local convenience store or dive bar. Worth a look-seek if you Toronto's Best Ethiopian foods, or authentic Thai Street Food or Caribbean oxtail stew!

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer...515715213&z=12

[badrunner]

Originally Posted by yuriandrade

Casa do Porco (Pig's House). This one is three blocks away from home, 2nd year featuring The Worlds 50 Best Restaurants (https://www.instagram.com/theworlds50best/?hl=pt-br) and pointed as the best one in South America.



Creative food focused on pork. Never been there because lines are massive and it's full of posers from upmarket neighbourhoods trying to be cool eating Downtown. Their food is great though.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acasadoporcobar/?hl=pt-br

"The Worlds 50 Best Restaurants"

That's cute.

[C.]

Originally Posted by Northern Light

As a foodie, what I would gravitate to there is Kozlik's Mustard, some truly outstanding mustards, well over 30 flavours, and pre-pandemic you could sample them all by dipping pretzels in sample jars.



"IT'S MEMORABLE WHEN YOU HAVE THE BEST OF SOMETHING.

IN MY OPINION, THIS IS THE BEST MUSTARD ANYWHERE."

DAVID CHANG - MOMOFUKU

I personally like the XXX hot which reminds me of the mustard I get on a burger when in Paris, France, the kind that makes you need a paper towel to blow your nose! LOL

But for those less inclined to heat.....there's Balsamic Figs & Date mustard...... Orange and Ginger, Sweet and Smokey, Maple, and a whole bunch more.

https://www.kozliks.com/

This is going to sound odd for most, but I've been bougie about my mustard. There is nothing I hate more than the awful french's yellow mustard. Instead, I've been getting imports of Coleman's Mustard.



I would definitely be interested in trying this Kozlik's Mustard.

If you like spicy, I've also been doing a lot of hot sauces, beef jerkeys and crushed red pepper flakes. This has been my favorite one so far.

[Yuri]

Originally Posted by badrunner

"The Worlds 50 Best Restaurants"

That's cute.

Your obsession with me is getting creepier and creepier...

Are you jealous of "The Worlds 50 Best Restaurants" (massive Instagram, their own Wikipedia page and it's widely respected on this gastronomy world) or the "Casa do Porco" chef, that has been collecting accolades all over the globe? Because to me, it doesn't matter at all. I don't have no participation in the "50 Best" nor on "Casa do Porco". As I said, even though it's on my doorstep, I've never been to this restaurant nor intend to go.

If I may: work harder. Maybe you can been as successful as the owner of those two businesses.

[badrunner]

Relax bro. It's not that serious. Yes, I am making fun of that garbage instagram clickbait list, not any restaurant in particular, or you personally. Get your head out of your ass.

[Yuri]

Originally Posted by badrunner

Relax bro. It's not that serious. Yes, I am making fun of that garbage instagram clickbait list, not any restaurant in particular, or you personally. Get your head out of your ass.

I’m not interested on the gastronomy scene, but reading the Wikipedia article they’re not an Instagram clickbait list. It’s much more like an Oscar for restaurants. People in that industry take it very seriously.

In any case I just mention this list for context.

[muppet]

• Video Link

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by C.

This is going to sound odd for most, but I've been bougie about my mustard. There is nothing I hate more than the awful french's yellow mustard. Instead, I've been getting imports of Coleman's Mustard.

I have probably 8 different mustards in my fridge and on my shelf. BOTH French's yellow and Colman's are among them along with at least one coarse ground, one Dijon, one "deli style" brown, one sweet (with honey), one German (with horseradish), one creole. They all have their uses. I don't know why you consider French's "awful". It's just different but definitely has its uses such as on hot dogs and in certain southern dishes like various recipes for potato and macaroni salad where a European style mustard is just wrong.

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by 10023

I know. But it was an iconic food market.

Anyway, I interpreted this thread as something more than individual restaurants - markets, neighbourhoods, streets. For NYC, the Union Square Greenmarket would be an example, or Flushing Chinatown.

This place in San Francisco is indispensable for me (and probably any Asian cook in the city). It's on Clement St in the Richmond District, not the traditional Chinatown but the area where the Chinese middle class lives. Clement St. is actually lined with Asian groceries and eateries but New May Wah is probably the biggest:
















https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/rich...pJ7u0MsPqt5kHg

[10023]

Originally Posted by yuriandrade

If we follow this interpretation then again we'd also have countless streets and neighbourhoods that would be counted as such in a big city. It would also be a random list of places.

Not if people actually make quality contributions rather than naming the random street near there apartment that has a few fast food places. There are actually, you know, notable destinations in every city.

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by 10023

Not if people actually make quality contributions rather than naming the random street near there apartment that has a few fast food places. There are actually, you know, notable destinations in every city.

Looking forward to when you actually get around too making a substantive contribution to the thread rather than criticizing others that you are free to ignore if they don't suit your needs.

[10023]

Originally Posted by Pedestrian

Looking forward to when you actually get around too making a substantive contribution to the thread rather than criticizing others that you are free to ignore if they don't suit your needs.

I already did early in the thread. I just didn’t try to post a comprehensive list of all the noteworthy restaurants in London (or even noteworthy streets/neighborhoods for food).

If you want a few more:
- Green Lanes in Haringey (probably the biggest concentration of Turkish restaurants/ocakbasi outside of Turkey)
- Brick Lane (pretty overrated but still popular destination for curry houses)
- New Malden (suburban area that is essentially London’s Korea Town)