Restaurants

50 Crazy Fermented Foods, From Tea Leaves to Salmon Tails

Chefs from across the country shared their fermentation experiments with us, and things got funky.
Image may contain Plant Food Fruit Raspberry and Vegetable
Photo by Danny Kim

It’s not just your standard issue sauerkrauts and pickles anymore. Chefs are experimenting with fermenting everything under the sun—turning briny squid into fish sauce, delicate ramp greens into kimchi, and foraged garlic blossoms into salty capers. Take a look at the 50 most bizarre and inspiring ferments at restaurants right now. Then check out the complete list of 178 ferments we gathered from all over the country, featured in our February issue.

  • Image may contain Plant Food Produce Vegetable Bean Sprout and Sprout
    Photo by Danny Kim
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    Garlic Scapes

    Shed in Healdsburg, CA

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    Photo by Danny Kim
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    Chow Chow

    Chow chow (vegetable relish) High Street on Market in Philadelphia

  • Image may contain Food Pasta Ravioli Plant Confectionery and Sweets
    Photo by Danny Kim
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    Shiitake in Its Natural “Soy”

    Shiitake mushrooms fermented in its own juices The Loyalist in Chicago

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    Photo by Danny Kim
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    Pickled Milkweed Buds

    Milkweed (a wild bitter flower) Upton 43 in Minneapolis

  • This image may contain Food Dessert Chocolate Cookie Biscuit Brownie Plant Fudge Confectionery and Sweets
    Photo by Danny Kim
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    Squid Garum

    Squid garum (fish sauce made from squid) Catbird Seat in Nashville

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    Photo by Danny Kim
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    Carrots

    Vie in Western Springs, IL

  • Image may contain Confectionery Food Sweets Dessert Chocolate and Fudge
    Photo by Danny Kim
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    Black Garlic

    Restaurant at Meadowood in Napa

  • Image may contain Plant Vegetable Food and Corn
    Photo by Danny Kim
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    Corn on the Cob

    Mission Chinese in NYC

  • Image may contain Confectionery Food and Sweets
    Photo by Danny Kim
    9/51

    Tomato Conserva

    Tomato conserva (preserved in oil and salt) Restaurant at Meadowood in Napa

  • Image may contain Plant Food Confectionery and Sweets
    Photo by Danny Kim
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    Hibiscus

    Bar Tartine in San Francisco

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    Photo by Danny Kim
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    Tea Leaves

    Burma Love in San Francisco

  • Image may contain Food Confectionery Sweets Diaper Dessert Creme Ice Cream Cream Egg Plant Pasta and Ravioli
    Photo by Danny Kim
    12/51

    Brined Hakurei Radishes

    Catbird Seat in Nashville

  • Image may contain Food Dish Meal Plant Bowl Confectionery and Sweets
    Photo by Danny Kim
    13/51

    Ramp-chi

    Ramp-chi (kimchi made from ramp greens) Woodberry Kitchen in Baltimore

  • Image may contain Food Dessert Cream Ice Cream Creme Confectionery Sweets Chocolate Biscuit and Cookie
    Photo by Danny Kim
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    Seaweed with Carob Root

    Baroo in L.A.