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This independent bookstore feels like a cozy home, with rooms full of books and comfortable chairs in which to sit and browse. Fans of Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code may recognize the shop as the one where Robert Langdon searched for Dante’s Divine Comedy. There is an extensive selection of English-language titles about Florence, Tuscany, and Italy that range from tiny novelty volumes to large coffee-table tomes. Head to the back and you will find a few shelves of secondhand paperbacks that provide material to read that doesn’t require Wi-Fi.

In colloquial Arabic, an avid traveler is jokingly dubbed Ibn Battuta in honor of the medieval globe-trotter by the same name. Battuta set off on a legendary adventure in 1325 that took him from modern-day Morocco all the way to Somalia, China, and Spain. The Ibn Battuta Mall honors this journey with epic architecture divided into several “courts” symbolic of each place he visited. Ready for more? The mall balances its historical themes with hundreds of modern shops—you can even grab a Starbucks coffee or catch a movie in the majestic Chinese court.

With a smart and simple chalkboard menu of cheese plates, salads, sandwiches made with homemade bread, good coffee, and Argentinian wines by the glass, Pain et Vin is a lovely venue for lunch or an afternoon glass of Malbec rosado. The Palermo Soho eatery doubles as a tasting space and shop: look for Friday evening events open to the public, or stop by to choose from the excellent selection of boutique wines to take on a picnic to the park.

In the mornings, Modern General’s the spot to grab an acai bowl, a smoothie, or a wheatgrass shot for high-altitude nourishment. This airy general store stocks an assortment of baked goods (try the tart lemon cake) and grab-and-go wares. Check out the curated lineup of chic garden tools, farm lavender soaps from Albuquerque’s label Los Poblanos, and kitchen utensils. The cheery, canary-yellow coffee cups (for your almond-milk latte) are a bright addition to a friendly, busy space where locals and travelers unite.

If there’s a better way to start your day in London than with an Arnold Bennett omelette at the Delaunay, I don’t know it. The Delauney is the latest in elegant, old-fashioned glamour from the group that created The Ivy, Caprice, and The Wolseley, and it’s a beautiful, relaxing place to break your fast. The coffee is fantastic, the tea fragrant, and the omelette a rich eggy treat that will see you through to lunch and beyond.

When Antonio Marras opened his first showroom and concept store in a residential neighborhood, fashionistas didn’t flinch at making the 10-minute taxi journey from downtown. The Sardinian designer of women’s clothing has earned a following for his fashion-forward style that avoids trends. His collections run the gamut from casual ribbed tanks with hand-sewn sequined flower patches to special-occasion silk jackets and dresses embroidered with Swarovski crystals. Couches and a menu of wine, coffee, and Sardinian sweets invite lingering. Via Cola di Rienzo 8, 39/02-7628-0991. This appeared in the October 2013 issue.

Telluride’s literary mecca, this beloved store is stacked with more than 10,000 books at any given time. The expertly curated regional books section is a fount of the Wild West’s writing prowess, with illustrative tomes on the town’s lurid backstory (you’ll want to peruse Tomboy Bride: A Woman’s Personal Account of Life in Mining Camps of the West). When your eyelids get heavy, head to the tiny coffee bar—squirreled away at the back of the shop—for a caffeine jolt to bolster an afternoon of reading.

Up for a long day at the museums near South Kensington? Resist going into a smelly-ale pub to fuel up on energy for the more quaint and charming Fernandez & Wells. It feels indie, even though there are several locations throughout the city. Have a coffee or a tea or a sandwich stuffed with goat cheese, chorizo and rocket all from local farmer’s markets. They serve quality food in a homey atmosphere.

Barista Parlor introduced artisanal coffee to Nashville when it opened its lofty, art-filled space in a former auto repair garage in 2012, serving top-notch small-batch roasters from around the country such as Counter Culture, Intelligentsia, and Stumptown. Two local outposts later, the company has evolved into a roaster-retailer, importing and roasting its own coffee beans for the first time. Try the zesty, fruity Daredevil or the cocoa-inflected Golden Sound while you take in the interiors, which pay homage to Tennessean talent: Doughnuts come from nearby bakers including Five Daughters Bakery in Franklin, and an enormous pixelated mural of a ship by Nashville artist Bryce McCloud covers the back wall.

Lyons Cottage, built in 1925 on the corner of Knuckey Street and the Esplanade, is famous for being the first residence in Darwin built of stone. It originally housed executives from the British Australian Telegraph Company; today it’s a café and gallery run by Aboriginal Bush Traders, a nonprofit community initiative. Visitors can shop for artworks, jewelry, clothing and woven fabrics made by Aboriginal artists and artisans. The garden is a pleasant spot for coffee, tea or lunch under a frangipani tree. The café serves dishes made with indigenous produce, such as bush tomatoes and Kakadu plums. And the building’s history is preserved in a hologram exhibit that tells stories of the Overland Telegraph line, which first linked Australia to the rest of the world in 1872.

In a world with wine flights and cheese flights, I don’t know why someone hasn’t thought of a pancake flight before. Thankfully Orange filled that gap with delicious fluffy flavorful pancakes before we knew what we were missing. This pancake flight made the perfect breakfast appetizer for my Monday Brunch Group and we even cut each pancake into 4 pieces so we could sample each one. I typically don’t order pancakes as a main order because I prefer savory breakfast to sweet but this pancake flight was the ideal start to a Monday morning. And the orange flavored coffee? That was a tangy cup of delectable right there. Orange, you are full of surprises!

‘Purveyors of artisan sausage’ is an excellent description of this gourmet dog and beer spot in Austin‘s Warehouse District (4th and Colorado). The loft ceilings, large vintage murals, friendly neighborhood bar and funky table seating all create a cool, hipster spot to chow down. They’re now serving coffee and breakfast and it’s a great place to hit on a Friday or Saturday night, when they often have live music to kick off the weekend. Don’t forget the waffle fries and the root beer float, to make your trip to Franks complete.

Tucked in between Boathouse Row and the Fairmount Water Works, and just a short walk from the Art Museum, the Cosmic Cafe at Lloyd Hall is a great place to enjoy breakfast, which is served all day. The cafe also serves excellent coffee and baked goods, creative sandwiches and wraps, yogurt, smoothies, ice cream, and more. This is a wonderful spot to get an inexpensive meal and the cafe offers many options for vegetarians. The idyllic location on the river at Kelly Drive attracts bicyclists, joggers, rowers, and dog walkers. It’s open year-round, but the best time to visit is spring through fall, when the weather permits outdoor dining. This is one of my favorite spots for people watching. (Muscled men in spandex, oh my!)

Located on the hip corner of 29th and S Streets with Temple Coffee and Revolution Wines, Pushkin’s Bakery addresses an increasingly-popular niche--gluten and dairy free food. While all the items are dairy-free, not all are vegan because eggs are used in some recipes; however, there is plenty here for vegans to choose from. On my visit, one of the co-owners Olga (whose other half of the cute husband and wife pair is Danny) was full of smiles and enthusiasm for her products. On this day, the Awesomes (mini lemon-poppyseed cakes) and vegan Barracudas (triple chocolate cupcakes) caught my attention, but I opted for a crispy chocolate cookie and beautiful strawberry vanilla cupcake. Both were lighter than regular baked goods, with fresh, not-too-sweet flavors.

In D.C.’s Georgetown neighborhood, Cady’s Alley is a cluster of shops and design firms specializing in high-end home furnishings, kitchens, and baths. If you’re a jewelry lover, head to JewelersWerk—they offer one-of-a-kind, contemporary design pieces. The pedestrian-only alley part of Cady’s Alley is reminiscent of a European shopping street. If you want to escape from the hustle and bustle of the main shopping area of Georgetown, come here. Do a bit of window shopping and then take a break at Kafe Leopold Konditorei, a nice Austrian eatery located in the center of the alley. You really can’t go wrong with a well-brewed cup of coffee and a pastry.