8 Places in the U.S. to Try Bug-Based Delicacies

Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium - New Orleans

Bug Appétit offers insect-infused dishes since 2008, including Chocolate Chirp Cookies, Crispy Cajun Crickets, Southwest Waxworms, Cinnamon Bug Crunch, and Six-Legged Salsa.

Linger - Denver – Serves cricket and cassava empanadas with Peruvian corn purée, using banded crickets from Rocky Mountain Micro Ranch, known for their grassy sunflower seed-like taste.

Hugo's - Houston – Serves pan-sautéed grasshoppers (chapulines) with guacamole, tortillas, and chipotle-tomatillo salsa, sourcing from alfalfa and sesame fields for a distinct taste.

Caracol - Houston – Offers gusanos de maguey (maguey worms) sautéed with mojo de ajo, onion, and parsley, served atop black beans in corn tortillas with sides of guacamole and habanero sauce.

Nue - Seattle – Serves mangdana (water bugs) by request, known for their intense fruity flavor, used in Thai nam prik curry paste and Beetlejuice vodka cocktail.

Oyamel - Washington, D.C. – Serves chapulines tacos with shallots, tequila, and guacamole in heirloom corn tortillas, reflecting the delicious Oaxacan tradition.

Poquitos - Seattle – Offers chapulines as an appetizer, traditionally paired with a cold beer, gaining popularity on social media for their uniqueness.

Talavera - Miami – Grasshoppers seasoned with lime and chile peppers on a tostada with guacamole and queso añejo, showcasing a strong earthy and grassy flavor in a regional specialty.