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There’s a new wave of wine bars in Paris, ones that champion natural wine (a step beyond organic) and serve artful small plates. Camille Fremont’s La Buvette (not to be confused with Buvette restaurant) is considered one of the best; the place has won lavish praise and an award from Le Fooding. Like a cozy annex to Camille’s own home, the bar benefits from the inherent cool factor that a slightly out-there location in the 11th confers. Despite the compact space, it never seems to be much trouble to pack in throngs of wine fans and curious passersby. Guests must consume a little snack (or casse-croûte in local parlance) to be able to drink but your experience will be better for it. Put your trust in Camille for the wine—mostly natural and only from wine producers she personally appreciates—and choose any of the stellar bites on offer (aged Gouda, dry sausage from Aubrac, sardines, butter beans). Bottles are available for purchase.

The Homer Spit is home to, for the most part, summer-only businesses that cater to tourists, fishermen, and weekend adventurers aplenty. So there’s long been an emphasis on fried halibut and other related goodies. The Spit’s food cred took a serious bump up when La Baleine opened. Though the restaurant has a seriously casual beach-town vibe, the food is not your everyday sandy-feet fare. Emphasizing organic and local ingredients, chef Mandy Dixon—who grew up in the kitchens of her parents’ Alaska lodges (Within the Wild)—serves up elegant but generous dishes, including salmon bowls with brown rice and roasted root vegetables and miso-marinated sablefish. The breakfasts are hearty enough to take you through a full day of paddling the bay.

Founded in 1955, the owner of La Tarte Tropézienne, Alexandre Micka, invented the eponymous cream-filled brioche that was discovered and named by Brigitte Bardot while shooting And God Created Woman. The Place des Lices location of this storied pâtisserie-boulangerie is the flagship branch (though not its original). This is a pastry lover’s wonderland, with a bewildering and mouthwatering array of breads, croissants, tarts, macarons, and flans on offer. Buy anything, buy everything, just make sure you buy at least one Tarte Tropézienne—whether a slice or whole pie, traditional or containing fruit. You can even purchase multipacks of baby-size pies—you know, as a “gift.”

It isn’t wine or cocktails that mark happy hour for locals in Marseille but Pastis, the anise-flavored drink of choice first commercialized by Paul Ricard during the prohibition of absinthe. Ricard’s recipe and formula– star anise, licorice root; five volumes of water for one volume of Pastis - proved an instant hit back in the early 1930’s and is largely responsible for popularizing the aperitif-hour tradition in the south. Today’s experts can be found at La Maison du Pastis, a shop tucked deep in the colonnades of the Vieux Port specialized in 75 different varieties of Pastis and Absinthe. Be sure to ask for a taste before you pick up a bottle, the staff is more than happy to oblige.

Barranquilla’s famed pre-Lenten carnival is the supreme forum for residents’ festive spirits, but that same dance-till-you-drop energy can be found all year round at La Troja, now in its 52nd year. The barroom is a no-frills, open-air affair—weekend crowds regularly spill onto the streets in a veritable salsa-dancing tempest (definitely go elsewhere if you want quiet drinks and conversation). The music invites you to dance—with your honey, with the people at the next table, even the staff—so loosen up and enjoy.

Honolulu’s last great tiki bar is tucked behind a row of warehouses, six miles northwest of Waikiki. Set on the edge of Keehi Lagoon, it shelters under plumeria and coconut trees—and will be familiar to fans of Hawaii Five-0. La Mariana defies the kitsch label: All those shell chandeliers, puffer-fish lights, and fishing floats suspended in nets are the real deal, with most items dating back to 1957. Carved tikis abound, alongside high-gloss tables fashioned from koa, the rich-hued wood from endemic acacias and the source of weapons and voyaging canoes for ancient Hawaiians. Go for the ambience and strong mai tais; the menu is straight-up, old-school surf and turf, perfectly tasty but uninspiring.

Peru hotly contested a UNESCO recognition of Mexican food as cultural heritage, arguing its cuisine was equally worthy. While diners wait for that second designation to be made, they can drop in at San Miguel’s La Parada—literally “The Stop”—and enjoy a local taste of the Andean nation. Owner Juanito is best known for his ceviche—seafood cured in citrus juices—but also offers Los Fresquitos, coastal dishes served tapas-style; romantics should order the arroz afrodisiaco, accompanied by an artisanal Peruvian cocktail, such as the most authentic pisco sour in town. Visitors dining in large groups often go for the whole tapas menu.

Established in 1917, this cantina keeps tradition alive while not shying away from new, trendy touches. Swing through saloon doors to find live music, drinks served in mason jars, and lots of free regional nibbles in a lively barroom that extends to a large open-air patio. On weekends the space fills up with twenty- and thirtysomethings swinging to salsa beats and sipping cocktails or some ice-cold, locally brewed Montejo beer. The limonada eléctrica, a drink in the namesake shade of blue that’s charged with a powdered-chili rim, is a real crowd-pleaser.

At this Michelin-starred restaurant, food is a performance art and the results deserve a standing ovation. That said, this is Prague, so although the food and presentation are comparable to other first-class dining experiences in Europe, the vibe and the service isn’t stuffy at all. At La Degustation Boheme Bourgeoise, the ingredients sourced from local producers, are based on the recipes penned by the famous 19th-century cookbook writer, Marie B. Svobodová, author of Cookery School. The eight-course menu is punctuated by interstitial amuse bouches and paired with Central European, French, and Italian wines, as well as cucumber, sour cherry, and red currant juice; recent menu courses include beetroot with licorice goat kefir, kohlrabi with whey and nutmeg, and duck with pear and cinnamon.

What could make a spa with all the typical trappings of luxury even better? Wall-to-wall windows overlooking La Concha bay, that’s what. La Perla does not disappoint, and it’s a great way to spend those finicky winter days when visiting San Sebastián. They also offer massages, which I highly recommend.

La Pignasecca is renowned for its abundance of cheese, pastry, and fresh fish stalls. As you shop, don’t miss snacking on the biscuits (tarrale) from Panificio Vincenzo Coppola. Open daily, Via Pignasecca.

Housed inside the Westin near downtown Napa, this restaurant stands out among fine-dining experiences. The best time to taste Chef Ken Frank’s classic French fare is during truffle season, when he hosts the annual Napa Valley Truffle Festival. La Toque has been awarded a Michelin star for its cuisine, and the wine list is more than an afterthought, featuring nearly 2,000 selections from around the world. As one sommelier sums it up, “La Toque is a proper restaurant.”

I’ve had so many great dining experiences in Belgium, it’s hard to choose a favourite. I can say, without reservation, La Buvette is in my top five. La Buvette is warm and classy without feeling overly stuffy or formal. The concept is simple – one menu, 8 courses, drinks optional. The ingredients are local, organic, and seasonal. The food is, without a word of exaggeration, divine. The presentations are artistic and beautiful and the flavour profiles are complex without being confusing. Each and every ingredient shines through. The best part - the menu is €45. Are you making reservations yet? See photos of my entire menu here: http://cheeseweb.eu/2013/11/la-buvette-slow-food-restaurant-brussels/

Just a short walk from the Vatican Museums, La Tradizione sells more than 400 cheeses, which are carefully selected and, when appropriate, aged. This gourmet shop is hands-down the best place in town to shop for fermented dairy, as well as cured meats, prepared foods, and other gourmet products. To get there, take the Metro A to Cipro. La Tradizione is across the street from the Metro stop. And while you are there, pop over to Pizzarium, which is only 200 yards away.

The epitome of fine dining, La Marmotte is as sophisticated as Telluride’s mountains are wild. While dining here, you can expect to enjoy expertly prepared dishes like beef tartare with caper berries and lemon, and roasted mahi-mahi, dusted with bee pollen and served with black garlic and sage sauce. Despite the elegant atmosphere, service is always fantastic, with no hint of snootiness.