Bug Bites in the USA: Restaurants Serving Insects

  Posted on December 26, 2014  by insectrecipes  No comments

Are you ready to try your first insect delicacy? If you’re reading this blog, then maybe you are. Luckily, there are a plethora of specialty restaurants popping up across the US that will serve you crickets fresh from the frying pan, and more. If you think you’re over the ‘ick factor,’ here are a few of the most exotic places where the main course has more than four legs, found right at home.

Bug Appétit—New Orleans, LA

Okay, Bug Appétit is more of an educational experience than a full-fledged restaurant, but that doesn’t stop it from being a great place for first timers to taste a few arthropods and learn a little something too. Bug Appétit is a buffet offered at the Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium of the Audubon Nature Institute. It has dinner and a show, as guests get to watch expert chefs incorporate insects into their dishes. There’s no permanent menu, but you can expect to try a variety of novelty snacks and treats along the lines of ‘Six-legged Salsa’ and ‘Chocolate Chirp Cookies.’

Sticky Rice—Chicago, IL

 For the more adventurous type, this find in the heart of Chicago will give you a taste of authentic Northern Thai cuisine, silkworms included. Here you can order an omelet with ant egg garnish or fried caterpillars that taste like french-fries. If you’re not very hungry, then try their fried worms appetizer. The best part about Sticky Rice? You can add some real grub to your at-home movie night with their online ordering system and weekend delivery.

Hugos—Houston, TX

This famous Houston restaurant serves pumpkin soup, beef cheeks, octopus, and a variety of other authentic Mexican dishes. The most interesting part about their TexMex menu is that the unwitting Gringo might miss the fine print and find themselves with a mouthful of grasshopper guacamole. Pan sautéed Chapulines (grasshoppers) with chipotle tomatillo salsa, guacamole, and tortillas are a popular menu item for novelty seekers and people looking for a little taste of home.

Typhoon—Santa Monica, CA

 Keep this one in mind if you ever have a long layover in Santa Monica—it’s in the airport. This eclectic restaurant features weekly live entertainment, and an extensive East Asian menu, including Singapore-style scorpions (mysteriously described as ‘shrimp toast’). You can also try some stir-fried and seasoned silkworm larvae, or Taiwaneese crickets with a hint of basil. If you’re not in the mood for Manchurian Chambai Ants, you can always try something from their fledgling amphibian menu.

The Black Ant—New York, NY

 The Black Ant is a posh new East Village restaurant featuring a variety of authentic Mexican dishes, including Mezcal and Tequila specialties. It also features a variety of ant-themed pieces of art, just in case you start to forget what you’re eating. For dinner you can try Black Ant Guacamole with fresh chips, or Chapulin bisque infused with grasshoppers and queso Oaxaca. If you’re just looking to invite someone for a drink, then add a little protein to your margarita with some eponymous ant powder on the rim.