Constantine is not a major culinary destination but eats well in the Algerian style: hearty stews, grilled meats, chakhchoukha (a semolina pasta dish with sauce, a Constantine speciality), and an abundance of pastries. The local rechta — a white sauce noodle dish — is another dish worth seeking. Restaurants cluster in the new city across the gorge from the old medina, while cheaper popular eateries are in the medina lanes. As in most of Algeria outside tourist areas, alcohol is difficult to find and the restaurant scene is family-oriented.