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There’s no better way to kick off the day than with comfort food and an ocean breeze. Some of the best seasonal California cuisine restaurants in LA are by the beach and they all seem to specialize in brunch, each with their own creatively tasting twists.

Ireland’s best products come directly from the sea and soil, with fresh seafood, meat, and vegetables making their way into traditional Irish cuisine and the menus of award-winning chefs, from city center to the coast.

Matsuhisa, a Nobu restaurant, doesn’t disappoint. The restaurant is split into two levels. The menu upstairs is much cheaper than down and the two atmospheres drastically differ. The downstairs is more of a fine dining swanky experience where a reservation is recommended because they are always busy. There is a bar and a sushi bar downstairs that you can try your luck with getting a seat or you can go upstairs where it is first come first serve as well. Upstairs boasts a livelier lounge atmosphere with the majority of the seating at high tables. There are a few traditional tables but not many. The one thing that remains the same both upstairs and down is the quality of food. Like any other Nobu restaurant they only serve the best.

White Rabbit has caused a clamor among Santiago foodies for its stripped-down approach to good, wholesome food. Using all organic ingredients on a short but sweet menu, this is the kind of food that your soul craves. Mac n’ cheese with black truffle oil and a touch of smoked pancetta. Classic steak tartare. Artisan fresh mozzarella in a Caprese salad. A gooey chocolate brownie for dessert, or even baked Alaska! All served in a small, modern restaurant with a young, cool crowd. Reservations essential. Antonia Lopez de Bello 118, Bellavista Phone: 56 (2) 2503 4246

Cooks and foodies shouldn’t miss the International Home of Cooking in Brussels. Here you can find every gadget and gizmo you’ve ever wanted for your kitchen (and some you didn’t even know you wanted). You can find everything from high-quality chef’s knives to small appliances, baking supplies, and a vast array of cookbooks (although many are in French or Dutch). There are goodies for foodies too (cupcake workshop anyone?). Choose from two locations - one on the prestigious Avenue Louise and the other just steps from the Galeries Royale, near Grand Place. The shops often have live demos of appliances and cooking techniques, so you can pick up some handy tips and tricks while you shop.

Selamat Datang is a Bahasa Malaysia phrase that roughly translates to “Welcome”. Though I’ve lived in the US for decades, I was born and raised in Malaysia. I’ve not been back in years, opting instead to see the rest of the world. but someday soon, I will be going back and I’m very excited about that. Here are some wonderful images, thanks to AFAR’s intrepid travelers, of the special country I call home.

You can listen to reggae everywhere in Jamaica, from dancing barefoot in the sand in Negril while a live band plays, to impromptu jams throughout the island. Real reggae aficionados should plan their trip around Sumfest, Jamaica Jazz, Rebel Salute, or Bob Marley Birthday Bash—just a few of Jamaica’s best music festivals.

Copenhagen has an amazing collection of museums and galleries. These include living museums as well as more traditional museum collections that are home to work by some of history’s most lauded artists. Copenhagen’s best museums include the National Museum, the Roskilde Viking Museum, the Open Air Museum, the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, and the world-famous Louisiana Museum of Modern Art.

Amsterdam isn’t exactly known for its stellar food, so finding delicious Dutch food on a busy tourist street at an affordable price on my latest trip was a big surprise. A few friends and I wanted to try Dutch food on our last night in Amsterdam, so we decided to try a place we had passed earlier on Leidsekruisstraat, a street near the popular Leidseplein that’s lined with tourist restaurants. Between the three of us, we had eaten dozens of meals in the Netherlands. Very few of them were memorable, so we weren’t getting our hopes up. But inside De Blauwe Hollander, we discovered the magic that is hotchpotch. Hotchpotch is a traditional Dutch dish made of potatoes mashed with vegetables and garnished with meat or with cheese croquettes, pictured above. I tried the vegetarian hotchpotch with carrots, but kale, sauerkraut, sausage, bacon and liver are common ingredients. It may just be the best meal I’ve had in Amsterdam, and for under 20 Euro each including a shared bottle of wine and dessert, it may be also be one of the better dining deals in Western Europe.

A mix of Indian and Portuguese flavors, Goan cuisine can be intoxicating, from the spices and fruit to the fresh fish. Also on offer are French bistros, sushi bars, food trucks and more—a testament to Goa’s history as a stop for traders and tourists.

Autumn is busy in Brussels, with school and work beginning after the lazy summer holidays. New expats and students descend on the city, and the streets have a renewed bustle. Festivals and events mark the ramp-up to Christmas (think beer, wine, and food), and a walk in Parc Royale or Tervuren is a great way to see the changing leaves.

Osaka is known for its modern architecture and insanely good street food. Both can be found at the city’s top hotels. Starchitect Tadao Ando masterminded the Harmonie Embrassee hotel. ANA Crown Plaza boasts the first branch of the Kyoto’s beloved kaiseki restaurant, Tankuma Kitamise. Music lovers will want to book a stay at the Rock Star Hotel—each room is themed after an iconic global rock artist or group.

This former whaling capital loves a party and many Nantucket restaurants put as much thought into their cocktail and wine menus as they do into their food. There are also plenty of places to kick back with just a casual drink or two. The local brewery and distillery adds to the island vibe and flavors.

Devout foodies flock to the hawker stands in Singapore, one of the world’s cleanest cities. Check out the tasty Hainanese Chicken Rice at the famous Maxwell Food Centre; you’ll want to find the Tian Tian stall. Explore the other stands and salivate over the combination of Malay, Chinese, Indian, and European flavors with such items as barbecue pork, steamed pork buns, fish cakes, and Hokkien mee (seafood pasta infused with special flavors). —Susan Sparks This appeared in the August/September 2013 issue.

Not known as a cheap place to live or visit or eat, Hawaii does have restaurants and cafes that make an effort to keep the prices down. Numerous hole-in-the-wall establishments offer specials, and several restaurants offer reasonable rates for lunch and pau hana (happy hour).