The secret recipe of America's food capital: it's the people, not the dishes.

In the Lower East Side of New York, the afternoon light at Estela falls softly on white plates. A dark green ice sphere lies quietly in the center—a sorbet made from borage and angelica. When a spoon gently touches it, it shatters into crystalline fragments, melting on the tongue into an endless wilderness: primordial forests, spring fields, Alpine valleys. This is not just a dessert, but a pilgrimage to pure nature.

Inside the restaurant, the understated space is filled with fashionable crowds; outside, two shirtless men play chess on a bench, two girls in tight dresses film TikTok on the porch—a woman in a bathrobe suddenly yells at a trash bag and gives it a hard kick. New York’s daily life is absurd yet real, and Estela’s sorbet is a magical footnote on this stage.

This is our first time back in the U.S. since the pandemic, to promote a new book. Gazing from afar in the UK, America seemed to be in a strange historical moment, confusing and even frightening. But when we actually set foot in this city, everything turned out to be completely different from the headlines. Food remains the fastest, most profound, and most authentic way to connect.

Chicago: The Secret of Deep-Dish Pizza

In Chicago, a morning TV host quietly told us: not many locals actually like deep-dish pizza. Instead, they directed us to a farm-to-table restaurant, where we were served a stunning Greek-style pasta. This made us realize that a city’s food reputation is often hijacked by tourists and marketing, while the true local flavors are hidden in unremarkable corners.

Boston: Bagpipes and Organic Cherries

Boston was immersed in the atmosphere of the World Championship of Scottish Piping, with kilts and bagpipes everywhere on the streets, and even some bars closing early because they ran out of beer. We stopped at a farmers' market, where an organic farmer’s wife invited us to taste her cherries—as big as apricots, bright red and juicy, sweet with a hint of tartness, flawless—while softly recounting the hardships and joys of farming. At another stall, we drank a locally brewed orange wine from Massachusetts, its unrefined, rustic fruitiness instantly winning us over.

New York: Classics and Eternity

In New York, our ritual is to go to Russ & Daughters for a bagel with smoked salmon, then pass by the long line outside Katz's Delicatessen—everyone in that line might be anticipating the line, "She'll have one too." These historic shops are themselves living maps of New York. And of course, there’s Estela’s taste journey through time.

**Why People, Not Dishes?**When food becomes the primary reason for global travelers to explore a city, we often focus too much on restaurant ratings, chef fame, or ingredient rarity. But what truly gives a city lasting appeal is its people—the farmer who wakes at 4 AM to water the cherry trees, the fan who cheers until losing their voice for the Scottish team in a pub, the elderly man playing chess on the street corner, and the teenager dancing in front of TikTok. Together, they weave a unique cultural fabric for the city, with food serving merely as pearls on this net.

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, regardless of your views on its politics or coffee culture, it's worth remembering: this country has so much to love—Southern soul food, Jewish deli, burgers, barbecue, meatloaf, pasta, mac and cheese, and all kinds of pies (apple pie is best, of course). But the real secret ingredient is always the people.

Extension: The Power of Edinburgh's Food Scene

After leaving the US, our book tour journeyed to Edinburgh, Scotland. The city's food energy has surged in recent years—Roberta Hall McCarron's Little Chartroom and her casual brunch spot Ardfern showcase Scotland's homegrown talent; Palmerston's bread is so good it should be "illegal," while Kome Izakaya's top-tier Japanese cuisine and cocktails make us wonder: perhaps the UK's culinary capital lies far to the north.

When a city can simultaneously host a dedicated Japanese small plate restaurant, a warm French bistro, a creative local eatery, and a lovely cookbook store, it ceases to be just a travel destination and becomes the reason countless people choose to stay, live, and create. This is the taste of a city, ultimately derived from its people.