They say that if you really want to experience a culture to its depths, you have to try its foods. Speaking of food, I love food and I love to try different kinds of food. Exploring different and especially exotic restaurants almost qualifies as a hobby for me. I have always been an admirer of good food (who is not?) but I think my passion really developed after moving to the United States. Being away from my culture and home cooked food allowed me to push myself out of my comfort zone and try all that is out there. I decided to put together a small list of my most favorite non-traditional places to eat at in the local area. This post is dedicated to all my foodies out there.

1. Spice Island Grill – Jamaican

This is one of my most favorite places to eat at, especially when I want to delight my taste buds with a wide range of flavors and spices. They have a very friendly staff and a good vibe that represents the hospitable Jamaican culture. My favorite dish on the menu is Jerk Chicken with a side of rice and beans and Mac & Cheese. They have the best Mac & Cheese that they run out of towards the end of the night because of excessive orders. The restaurant has also been featured on Food Channel as America’s Best Diners. If you are ever curious about taking a peek in Jamaican culture, this a really good place to go to. Bonus: they offer 15% and 10% discount to military and students respectively.

Website:http://www.spiceislandgrill.com
Location:10 N Sierra Madre St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
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2. Uchenna – Ethiopian

This Ethiopian restaurant is fairly popular for family dining outs. They serve other Mediterranean cuisine as well, but they specialize in traditional Ethiopian food. They are usually a little packed and have a fairly increased wait time, so I would suggest making a reservation. You also would definitely want to try their appetizers; they definitely have a very unique flavor to them. I usually order their chicken or lamb entree.

Website: http://inate33.wixsite.com/uchennaalive
Location:2501 W Colorado Ave #105, Colorado Springs, CO 80904
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3. Heart of Jerusalem Café – Middle Eastern

Heart of Jerusalem is a family owned restaurant that offers very authentic Middle Eastern food in Colorado Springs. Due to popularity, they have opened another branch on Austin Bluffs. I personally prefer the one in Manitou Springs because of slightly bigger portions. It is, however, a little busier because of high tourist activity in the area. Their platters are “safe” options for people who are not familiar with this kind of food. I would also highly recommend trying their Middle Eastern tea.

Website:http://heartofjerusalemcafe.com
Location:4587 Austin Bluffs Pkwy and 718 Manitou Ave
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4. Caspian Café – Mediterranean

While Heart of Jerusalem offers mostly Middle Eastern and specifically Palestinian cuisine, Caspian Café serves a wide range of Mediterranean dishes. It includes Palestinian, Turkish, Iraqi, Iranian and similar cuisine. It has a generally quite atmosphere with light music in background. Personally, I think it is a very good place to go to for a first or second date; a place where you can enjoy distraction free good exotic food which adds to the memories of getting to know someone. Their staff is also very professional.

Website:http://www.caspiancafe.com
Location:4375 Sinton Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80907
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5. Baghdad Grill – Iraqi

This is a very popular place among my friend group to hang out at and catch up on life. It is a family owned restaurant that offers a fairly simple but very tasty menu. Middle Eastern style sandwiches served in traditional bread filled with Iraqi cuisine and sauces are their most popular among their customers. They also offer platters and pizzas with traditional Iraqi toppings. I prefer their tea over that of Heart of Jerusalem’s. The staff is very nice and they always have a cute friendly kid playing around who makes the waiting time more fun. The best part about their fresh and healthy food is that most of the options on the menu are under $10.

Website:https://www.facebook.com/Baghdad-Grill-Restaurant-649259148512320/
Location:3307 Academy Blvd N, Colorado Springs, CO 80917
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6. Little Nepal: Indian Restaurant & Bar – Indian

I will have to be honest with you all. I am not very satisfied with my experience with Indian cuisine in Colorado Springs. Being from Pakistan, and having eaten lots of authentic Indian food growing up, I might have little higher standards for quality Indian food than most of my friends. Little Nepal by Manitou Springs is the closest to authentic Indian food and 80’s and 90’s culture in South Asia. My personal favorites are Chicken Biryani, Chicken Tikka Masala and Palak Paneer. Their Mango Lassi is one the most popular drinks, which is a yogurt/milk based drink.

Website: http://www.lnepal.com
Location: 1747 S 8th St, Colorado Springs, CO 80905
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7. Julie’s Kitchen – Filipino, Hawaiian

I have never been to this place, but I decided to include it in the list based on its popularity in my social circle. I can, however, update anyone interested as soon as I give it a shot, which will be very soon. Based on online reviews, it is a very authentic place run by a couple. My Filipino and Hawaiian friends had the same reviews based on their personal experiences. I would recommend it and will check out the place myself this weekend. It is a very low-key restaurant, so I could not find a enough pictures to add a separate link.

Website:https://www.facebook.com/Julies-Kitchen-Colorado-Springs-1316043748422112
Location:3750 Astrozon Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO 80910

8. Saigon Café – Vietnamese

It is the single most popular place for authentic Vietnamese food in the area. They remain undefeated in this category for “Best of” in Colorado Springs. Last time I was there, I tried their duck which definitely had a new and interesting taste for me. If you don’t want to go that crazy, you can always try their chicken dishes or fried rice which is also really good.

Website: http://coloradosaigoncafe.com
Location:20 E Colorado Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
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9. Wild Ginger – Thai

This is another family owned awesome Asian restaurant to go to. Their friendly atmosphere and delicious food has earned them a lot of regular customers who love to enjoy the experience provided at the restaurant. You cannot go wrong with most of the dished offered on menu regardless of your experience with Thai cuisine. My favorite dish is fried rice with spicy chicken curry, but I have heard that they have a really good peanut sauce too.

Website:https://www.facebook.com/WildGingerThaiRestaurant
Location:2628 W Colorado Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80904
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10. Tong Tong – Korean

Last but not the least on my go-to places for Asian foods is Tong Tong. It is a nice, laid back place with traditional Korean food. I have never been to Korea, and unfortunately never had the chance to eat home cooked Korean food, so I do not really know how close it is to authentic Korean food. All I know is that it is good food to spice up your day. I do not go there often, but I would definitely recommend it if you are trying to experience this particular cuisine.

Website:https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tong-Tong/116033281752173
Location:Chelton Center, 2036 S Academy Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO 80916
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11. Edelweiss – German

I have to say this; Edelweiss is more than just a restaurant. It’s a magnificent experience of German culture that involves more than just authentic German food. The way this place has been set up makes the experience even more wonderful. They also serve imported German beer and wines that I have never tried. This is one of the places you have to go to. I also really liked their selection of folk music being played to add to the experience.

Website: http://www.edelweissrest.com
Location:34 E Ramona Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80905
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12. Shuga's – American

Yes. American is not the most exotic type of food for most of us, but I decided to add this to my list anyways. I added it as a special pick mainly because of the experience I had herel the vibe is something you almost never get to experience in traditional American restaurants. I would give four stars to their food. I tried a few different things on the menu and decided that sandwiches are the best offering on the menu. Overall, my experience was really good.

Website:http://shugas.com
Location:702 S Cascade Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
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Did I miss your favorite cultural place to eat at? If so, please let me and others know in the comments below. I love trying different kinds of food and if you have a place in mind, I would be more than to try it. I will forever be thankful to you for adding another experience to my little-known passion for food.