The Bear is a phenomenon not only because exploring what goes on in the kitchen is fascinating, but because it's also one of the best shows on TV when it comes to portraying family drama, generational trauma, and the intense pressure of being the best at something.
If you're searching for similarly satisfying fare, we’ve already told you the TV series you should be watching, but there are a lot of books, movies, games, and podcasts that share the spirit and themes of The Bear too.
The best books like The Bear
Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain $19.20 at Amazon $24.00 Save $4.80 Shop Now Shop Now $19.20 at Amazon $24.00 Save $4.80 Unreasonable Hospitality, by Will Guidara $20.00 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $20.00 at Amazon Hot Mess, by Emily Belden at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now at Amazon Sweetbitter, by Stephanie Danler $16.78 at Amazon $18.00 Save $1.22 Shop Now Shop Now $16.78 at Amazon $18.00 Save $1.22 Last Night at the Lobster, by Stewart O’Nan $16.00 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $16.00 at Amazon SEE 2 MOREIf you love an insider glimpse of how high-end restaurants are run and have a true love for food, head to the ultimate classic of the genre. Bourdain’s 2000 memoir was a revelation, detailing how fine-dining kitchens actually operated, warts and all. It turned Bourdain into a star and is an obvious precursor to (and inspiration for) The Bear.
Unreasonable Hospitality, by Will Guidara
If you love The Bear because of the messy interpersonal dramas going on in the kitchen, check out Hot Mess, which offers up the perspective of the people afflicted by an unreliable, mentally unhealthy culinary genius. Allie Simon is swept away by the handsome, charming, and undeniably gifted chef Benji Zane—so much so that she invests her life savings in his new restaurant. When he relapses into addiction and vanishes a few weeks before opening night, Allie must undergo a crash course in the restaurant biz before she loses everything.
Sweetbitter, by Stephanie Danler
Is a Red Lobster in a New England mall the same as a fine dining restaurant chasing a Michelin Star? No, but the drama is just as high. This short novel about a manager trying to get through his final shift at the fast casual spot on the night of a heavy blizzard is filled with all the conflicts, chaos, and kitchen mishaps you could possibly imagine. The setting might be basic (though those Cheddar Bay biscuits are pretty amazing), but the story is just as entertainingly fraught.
The best movies like The Bear
If your biggest complaint about The Bear is that the episodes are too short, good news: There’s no shortage of movies that capture the frenetic world of high-end cooking and the misfits who work in it.
Big Night (1996)
This story of brothers, recent Italian immigrants to the U.S. in the 1950s, trying to save their struggling restaurant on the Jersey Shore, Big Night is the spiritual precursor to The Bear. Beset by customers who prefer Americanized versions of their cooking and a pile of debt, the brothers conceive a “big night” to pack the restaurant and make enough money to save their dream—and the (often hilarious) pressure builds from there. Stream Big Night on Hoopla or rent it on Prime Video.
Big Night (1996) $3.99 at Prime Video Learn More Learn More $3.99 at Prime VideoBoiling Point (2021)
Are your favorite episodes of The Bear when things go horribly wrong in the kitchen and the pacing goes light speed? Then Boiling Point is the perfect movie for you. Presented as a single, 90-minute take, it follows Head Chef Andy Jones (Stephen Graham) during a disastrous shift at his restaurant that kicks off with a bad health inspection and gets worse from there. Bonus: If you like the movie, the BBC produced a single season of a sequel series with the same cast. Stream Boiling Point on Kanopy or rent it on Prime Video.
Boiling Point (2021) $3.99 at Prime Video Learn More Learn More $3.99 at Prime VideoChef (2014)
Less fraught and with a slower, cozier pace, Chef nevertheless hits all the sweet spots found in The Bear. When successful chef Carl Casper quits his job as head chef at a successful restaurant after a social media meltdown and a clash with the owner, he opens a food truck to get back to his foodie roots and reinvent himself. If you love the idea that a passion for cooking can save (or destroy) your soul, check out this movie. Stream Chef on Netflix or rent it on Prime Video.
Chef (2014) $3.99 at Prime Video Learn More Learn More $3.99 at Prime VideoBurnt (2015)
If your favorite aspect of The Bear is Carmy’s tortured genius, Burnt is a great way to spend a few hours. It’s the story of Adam Jones (Bradley Cooper), once a superstar chef in Paris with two Michelin stars who destroyed his career through addiction and generally being a terrible person. After sobering up, he heads to London to make a comeback and get a third star—but he still has a lot of personal work to do. It’s breezier than The Bear in some ways, but still filled with self-sabotaging drama. Stream Burnt on The Roku Channel/Howdy or rent it on Prime Video.
Burnt (2015) $3.99 at Prime Video Learn More Learn More $3.99 at Prime VideoHunger (2023)
If you like stories about haunted, talented people pushing themselves to their limits, check out this Thai gem. Aoy (Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying) is the cook at her family’s struggling street food restaurant. When she’s noticed by a recruiter for the impossibly high-end restaurant Hunger, she’s invited to develop her skills there—and finds herself in a high-pressure nightmare that will remind fans of The Bear of Carmy’s time under Chef David. Stream Hunger on Netflix.
Hunger (2023) at Netflix Learn More Learn More at NetflixThe best video games like The Bear
Do you find yourself thrilling to the physical challenge of The Bear’s setting—the precision of the plating, the flipping, stirring, sauteing of the ingredients, the balance of the servers? You might enjoy replicating that feeling with some of these delightful games with Bear-ish tendencies.
PlateUp!
Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam
Plate Up! Collector's Edition (PS5) $25.00 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $25.00 at AmazonOvercooked!
Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam
Overcooked! + Overcooked! 2 (Nintendo Switch) $33.49 at Amazon Get Deal Get Deal $33.49 at AmazonCooking Simulator
Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam
Cooking Simulator $4.99 at Steam $19.99 Save $15.00 Shop Now Shop Now $4.99 at Steam $19.99 Save $15.00Recipe for Disaster
Platforms: Steam
Recipe for Disaster $14.99 at Steam Shop Now Shop Now $14.99 at SteamChef: A Restaurant Tycoon Game
Platforms: Steam
Chef: A Restaurant Tycoon Game $19.99 at Steam Shop Now Shop Now $19.99 at SteamThe best podcasts like The Bear
The world of The Bear is impressively detailed and intricate—but so much is left to interpretation, inspiring endless discussion. Podcasts are a great way to extend that experience—here are some of the best to pop into your ears.
Let It Rip: The Bear ‘Cast
Credit: Podcast logoHosts Lucy and Peter devote each episode of Let It Rip to a single episode of The Bear, offering up a casual-but-serious analysis, digging into the details, the background information, and the references and culinary Easter Eggs in each one. It’s a fun, informative way to dig a little deeper into each episode and enjoy someone else’s perspective on the show.
The Prestige TV Podcast
Credit: Podcast logoIf you want a more refined and ‘professional’ dive into The Bear, check out The Prestige TV Podcast’s episodes focused on the show. They’re tight, well-produced overviews that recap episodes and interview the people involved in creating this amazing piece of entertainment. If you want as much insider info as possible about the show, this is the best place to start.
The Menu
Credit: Podcast logoIf watching The Bear inspired an interest in high level cookery and the restaurant business, The Menu is where you want to be. It digs into every aspect of the restaurant business, from the stories behind classic dishes, interviews with famous chefs, and the development (and dysfunction) of the professional kitchens that serve up the best food in the world. In other words, if you want to watch The Bear with an insider’s eye for detail, this podcast is the education you want.
The Dave Chang Show
Credit: Podcast logoIf your fave aspect of The Bear is the moments when Carmy and Sydney discuss the food and the gastronomic magic that goes into it, check out Dave Chang’s awesome podcast. He wanders into a lot of different subjects, but always comes back to food and cooking and his own firsthand experience being one of the most celebrated chefs in the country.
So You Want to Run a Restaurant?
Credit: Podcast logoThe Bear opened a lot of people’s eyes to what really goes into running a successful (or even an unsuccessful) restaurant. It’s an endlessly fascinating subject that this podcast delves into in detail, talking to chefs, owners, and other staffers about what goes into a high-end eatery—and what it really costs them. So You Want to Run a Restaurant? will give you a whole new appreciation for the show, and possibly inspire a re-watch with a fresh perspective.
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