Why this SMALL city has the world's BEST food 🇺🇸

We ate food from EVERY continent right here in little old Utica, New York, USA. Along with ‪@sidelinesedo‬ and ‪@bobjulian6982‬ we take a food tour of the world in our own hometown. Let me preface by saying everything we ate was 10/10 and that Utica really does have the world's BEST food.
0:00 Intro
1:30 Asia (Burmese 🇲🇲)
3:53 Europe (Bosnian 🇧🇦 )
6:57 Africa (Sudanese 🇸🇩)
9:47 Lebanese Church
10:40 North America (Dominican 🇩🇴)
12:10 Antartica/Middle East (Lebanese 🇱🇧)
14:42 South America (Ecuadorian 🇪🇨)
16:56 Australia (Tim Tams 🇦🇺)
FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS:
Black Rice Sushi & Thai: (Burmese, Thai, Chinese)
754 Bleecker St, Utica, NY 13501; blackricesushiny.com/
Grill and Coffee: (Bosnian)
701 Elizabeth St, Utica, NY 13501
Nile Halal Market: (African market)
913 3rd Street, Utica, NY 13501; [phone]
Joel's Spanish Food (Dominican):
1225 Park Ave, Utica, NY 13501; menuguide.com/NY/Utica/Joels-...
Zeina's Cafe (Lebanese):
607 Varick St, Utica, NY 13502; www.zeinascafeutica.com/
Tierras Tropicales (Ecuadorian):
1300 Whitesboro St, Utica, NY 13502; tierratropicalesutica.com/
Jawns Over (Exotic snacks, worldwide incl Australian):
Sangertown Square: 8555 Seneca Turnpike, New Hartford, NY, 13413; www.jawnsover.com/
How is it possible that the small city of Utica (pop. 60,000) has so much diversity and great food? In the early 20th century waves of immigration came to Utica as they did to many other industrial cities in the northeastern US. Notably, in the late 20th century a refugee center was established in Utica that has brought people from all over the world here. Out of 60,000 residents, over 15,000 of them come from refugee backgrounds. Some of the biggest foreign-born populations are from Bosnia, Russia, Ukraine, Myanmar, Vietnam, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and many other places throughout the world.
As immigrants and refugees came to Utica during the 20th and into the 21st century, they brought with them their languages, cultures and cuisines. In this video, we explore the latter, eating food from around the globe in Utica! Enjoy! It's food tour time
Do you love food, travel, and culture? Then this video is for you!
#utica #foodtour

[@BenTheRules]

Check out the description to see the info for all the businesses, go support them!

[@jaystaley2560]

I hope you enjoyed your time in our humble little city sir! Thank you for the spotlight and the kind words!

[@BenTheRules]

This humble little city also happens to be my city! I grew up in Utica and I'm writing this comment from Utica as well :) Cheers

[@jaystaley2560]

@@BenTheRules oh dude, dope! If I ever see you out, I'll buy you a beer!

[@stonehickey823]

The saliva on senads first chomp at grill and chill is amazing

[@BenTheRules]

taking mouth watering to a whole new level

[@haroldellis9721]

I student taught in Rome and Whitesbough, would visit/pass through Utica then, but salad days me had no idea this was all there. I so need to go back. Guys, it looked like you had a lot of fun, thanks for sharing this with us.

[@BenTheRules]

So many hidden gems of restaurants in the Utica/Rome area, even beyond this video. Thanks for watching along!

[@leocamicortez3132]

Excelente reportaje de mi ecuador

[@BenTheRules]

gracias! Quiero irme alla un dia

[@sidelinesedo]

Shout out to all the incredible restaurants and even more incredible people we met along the way! Utica, Ur City Could Never!

[@aidindirt715]

Bro my uncle runs Grill and Coffee. My family has held that title of best cevapi in Utica for years 💀. Thank you for shouting him out. If you’re not Bosnian, most people don’t know about this place

[@BenTheRules]

No prob! I’ve driven by so many times but I’ve never been inside to eat and I was not disappointed. Great cevapi great people

[@SK-ov5nd]

Welcome back home Benny from your other home Bosnia.I just came back from back home .Peja Kosova and was telling people about your visit.Thank you for making this videos.

[@BenTheRules]

I appreciate it, thank you for watching! 🇧🇦🇽🇰

[@JustLarry315]

That’s my church. St. Louis Gonzaga. I’m Lebanese and lived in Utica my whole life.

[@rickhasflair]

What a great video! I worked in Utica for 18 years and never got too adventurous with the food of other cultures. Now I’m definitely going to check out these places. Seeing the food made it seem less scary.

[@BenTheRules]

Yeah, Utica food is the best. It's crazy how many hidden gems there are, every time I go back home I discover some new hole in the wall place that has amazing food. Thanks for your comment!

[@juniorjami4446]

Que buen video, suban mas contenido así!

[@irock550]

We have really good Italian food too 👀

[@BenTheRules]

Yes we do! And we even have some food that can only be found in Utica. Someday I'd like to make a more in depth video on all of Utica's cuisine. This video was meant to show the diversity/uniqueness of Utica's food. Thanks for watching!

[@irock550]

@@BenTheRules I really enjoyed it! Utica has a lot to offer despite what people might say about it.

[@bobjulian6982]

You really ate with this video

[@BenTheRules]

🤨

[@daltonleandrotenetorres3692]

Excelente video

[@BenTheRules]

Gracias!

[@stonehickey823]

Can you find out for me where bob got that cream vneck

[@Ad1s89]

I just came accross your channel watched your italy trip. And this utica trip second videa. I am from utica my self moved to buffalo

[@BenTheRules]

Thanks for watching im glad you enjoy. I’m also from Utica! Cheers 🍻

[@Ad1s89]

No way. What year did you graduate. I did in 2017

[@msquidward17]

Lets goooo Utica 😍

[@BenTheRules]

The best city

[@mrSabic]

04:13 Ne može Bošnjo bez Passata :D :D

[@user-zp9xs6nk7j]

Hi Leyla!!!

[@davedavilapenafiel505]

Good

[@LorenaLlori]

Que comida más linda y rica se ve

[@libertas5005]

You can tell Senad is Bosnian because of the beer belly xD

[@ViperHDYT]

Utica gettin some exposure👀

[@BenTheRules]

As it deserves!

[@leylamuric6507]

You should also should go to two brothers for some Burek it’s the best over at two brothers

[@BenTheRules]

Good to know, I’ll check it out next time I’m home

[@gabinho507real]

Very Good 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@BenTheRules]

Thank you! 🙌

[@urssa8287]

Es COOL el nice

[@MrReytito1985]

Increíble food

[@BenTheRules]

The best food!

[@sirdesancti]

Are you from Utica? I grew up there but left. Was curious how you stumbled across it?

[@salvatoreferrone7615]

The tea soup mishap could be a short lol

[@BenTheRules]

@salvatoreferrone7615 What’s the difference between roast beef and pea soup?

[@Superjoesroom]

@@BenTheRules you can roast beef but you can’t pea soup

[@balkangamer01]

Isn’t also another Bosnian place on Albany St. in Utica close to where you guys ate Cevapi?

[@BenTheRules]

Maybe you mean Europa foods? It closed a few years ago, but it was a great one indeed

[@balkangamer01]

I think that would be tha name. Have not been there in about 3 1/2 years. Its by the guy that has that Bosnian store (Ruznic?)

[@ryh5169]

You seem to speak decent amounts of Spanish, Bosnian, and Arabic (and from your hat I'm guessing French too). You'd be great in politics, as you also seem to genuinely enjoy people

[@Muiiijjjj-np5]

God never forgets

[@mirianmanzaba3182]

Que comida más sabrosa me encanta

[@libertarian4323]

Ukrainians have been in Utica and surrounding towns for decades. My Ukrainian mother lived in Utica in the 1950s, and still lives in the suburbs.

[@jn7420]

They come here and go to work, unlike our homegrown slugs.

[@PatricioAlarcon-dq7gd]

Me gusta

[@BenTheRules]

Gracias 🙏🏻

[@pastafazoule]

Growing up in east utica i though everyone was italian lol,and the smells of italian food and how mama made it you just could not grow up in a better city

[@BenTheRules]

Absolutely! The next time I'm back home I'd like to make a video on the Italian food in Utica and especially on the Utica-only foods like riggies, greens, tomato pie, etc. There's no other place like it!

[@pastafazoule]

@@BenTheRules That be great

[@ShejtanVrbaski]

What's the Bosnian guy doing - pouring water on a generic pita bread while the stuff is on the barbecue? That can't be great tasting cevapi.

[@msquidward17]

Best part of the video: “I guess Outback backed out”

[@BenTheRules]

Goated line tbh

[@juancarloschiquitobone6950]

Q delicia de comida

[@BenTheRules]

claro! sobre todo la ecuatoriana

[@WeCaVa]

African food in Utica: Marian’s Îńternational Häłäł Cuisine.

[@BenTheRules]

Good to know! Will check out next time I’m home

[@user-ci2mw4cj8n]

La mejor comida en ecuador

[@BenTheRules]

^ la verdad!

[@monicnavarrete676]

Viaje gratis a ti por todo el mundo gracias

[@BenTheRules]

Todo sin dejar mi ciudad! Gracias por ver el video!

[@riggaxmorris]

God forgot it for a reason buddy

[@BenTheRules]

He will remember again

[@msquidward17]

Where is Antarctica 😔

[@BenTheRules]

South of South America

[@DavidLeguia]

Es triste que tengan que estar para la gente para ganar Likes😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢

[@BenTheRules]

No entiendo lo que quieres decir

[@TheBaseballer557]

Great video, was born in Utica, left when my Dad got a job in CT,that was 1968, never saw any immigrants back then. But they bring great food and culture with them.👍

[@stonehickey823]

What’s up KZbin

[@BenTheRules]

this dude said what's up to an entire website (websites can't talk 😂)

[@MonkeyCMonkeyDo911]

That was the stupidest intro i've ever heard. 😂

[@BenTheRules]

Stupid is my middle name 😎

[@TheBaseballer557]

I live in Germany,that cevapi is called Cevapcici in Germany great stuff with red rice Ajvar.

[@libertas5005]

Cevapcici is just a diminutive of Cevapi.

[@oviivo]

That's how we say it in Istria Croatia Cevapcici 👍🇭🇷🇺🇸

[@leylamuric6507]

W video! I found ur yt by my art teacher Ms killian🫡

[@BenTheRules]

Hahaha thanks for watching :) good luck in art class