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Among Charleston’s two dozen thriving breweries, Revelry may have the best digs. It’s located in the peninsula’s NoMo neighborhood and sports a spacious, laid-back rooftop deck bar that’s perfect for viewing sunset over the Holy City skyline. The whole place is adorned with art—including on its cans’ labels—by recognizable local artist, Chris Kemp. Fortunately, what’s inside the cans is equally memorable. Brews like “Gullah Cream” and “Poke the Bear” (an American Pale) are among the city’s signature ales for any beer lover seeking the best of Charleston. Happy hour features live music Friday through Sunday, making Revelry a go-to gathering place.

The Bellini was born in Venice at Harry’s Bar, which has been hopping since 1931. Declared a National Historic Monument by the Italian government in 2001, this San Marco bar and restaurant is a cultural institution. Even though it doesn’t do the best food in Venice, and prices are ridiculously expensive, it’s worth dining here once just for the experience. Over the decades it has served a global collection of writers and artists, including Ernest Hemingway, Charlie Chaplin, and Orson Welles, and today it’s still popular with Venetian movers and shakers.

The interior decor has not changed since Giuseppe Cipriani opened Harry’s on the eve of World War II (and during the war, Harry’s was one of only a handful of restaurants in Venice that would serve Jewish patrons). The food is classic Venetian. Try the baked sea bass with artichokes for a main, and make sure to save room for dessert. Harry’s is famed for crêpes flambées and also its Cipriani chocolate cake. Reservations are imperative; when booking ask for the ground floor because dining here is all about seeing and being seen, and the second floor is considered much less cool by Venice society (although it has much better views and more dining space).

By name alone this sounds like a wine bar, but it’s actually a welcoming izakaya, albeit one that has a good selection of wine, as well as sake, shochu, and of course Asahi beer. Vin Vie is on Nongzhanguan Bei Lu, hidden away through a gate and behind a Sichuan restaurant. Dinner here is a cheerful, languid affair as you order a few dishes and drinks, eat and imbibe, and then repeat. Like any izakaya worth its salt, the menu has enough variety to satisfy vegetarians and carnivores. A perfect square of soft, creamy tofu, beef tendon marinated in wine and miso, sardines served warm and in their can, and pickled shishamo (fish) are among the can’t-miss dishes. Reservations are recommended.

In a world where coffee is ubiquitous, it’s refreshing to find an establishment that cares equally about tea. Behind the bar at the Rose Estb is a shelf of jars hosting three varieties of each kind of tea: black, green, white, herbal, rooibos, oolong, and a category for an assortment of others, maté among them. This does not, however, compromise an attention to good coffee (the Rose sources it from San Francisco’s Four Barrel Coffee), which is still what most people come for. Open for brunch and lunch, the simple café menu includes frittatas, soups, salads, and sandwiches. The Rose is located on the southwest edge of downtown in a brick building that was remodeled by the owner, Erica O’Brien, and her father, and is deliberately Wi-Fi free.

Tucked in an area known as Poncey Highlands, Manuel’s Tavern has made a name for itself as the everyman’s bar, a watering hole for politicians, college students, old timers and everyone in between. It’s one of a few bars downtown that has its own parking lot, so it’s a popular spot for birthdays, meetings and events. Manuel Maloof opened the bar in 1956, which soon became popular with senators, mayors, athletes, musicians and of course, local students, for the cheap prices. Manuel’s boasts an extensive beer selection, but you can’t beat the deal on $6 pitchers of Miller High Life and Pabst Blue Ribbon. The food is also a step above your standard bar fare, particularly the burgers, barbecue sandwiches and Philly cheesesteaks.

Independent for 1100 years, Venice still looks and feels very distinct from much of Italy. It’s been overrun by tourists, especially cruise lines, but still has so much to offer that it’s well worth spending a few days here. The city is one massive atmospheric experience so stroll far and wide. One note about dining: Venice is overrun by tourist traps. You’ll know them by their plastic coated menus and hawkers. Look for the Slow Food snail icon in the window as a guide to quality.

Celebrated worldwide for its culinary chops, Vancouver tops the list of British Columbia’s best stops for food-loving travelers. The city blends the freshest ingredients (oh, the sushi) with daring, modern techniques. Favorite dining stops include Blue Water Cafe, Cafe Medina, Kissa Tanto, and Vikram Vij’s well-named Vij’s. But those restaurants are just the start. A leader of the sustainable seafood movement in the Pacific Northwest and beyond, the city plays with a big palette, looking west to Asia for flavor inspiration.

Tippy’s Restaurant is the place to be on the north end of Eleuthera. Located on the beach, the restaurant features amazing views and a cool, laid back atmosphere. The food is excellent and is a nice mix of seafood and American cuisine. On the weekends Tippy’s is almost always packed with people, many of whom are there to listen to the live music and to enjoy a fun evening out.

Just east of Guayacanes, this six-mile stretch of sand is a favorite of beach bums, with calm waters at one end of the cove and big waves at the other. Busier than Playa Guayacanes, Juan Dolio also offers more food and drink options, plus glass-bottom boat rides and parasailing. For an authentic slice of Dominican life, stop by on Sunday, when local families come to picnic and swim in the warm Caribbean water.

It’s the chef who has carte blanche at this aptly named eatery, which feels more like an intimate dinner party than a restaurant. There’s just one seating each evening (except Sunday and Monday) for 14 guests, who each take a spot along the curved bar facing the open kitchen. Chef Dennis then prepares and plates a five-course tasting menu before diners’ eyes, with dishes changing nearly every night. Expect anything from ceviche as an appetizer to seared beef tenderloin for a main course, plus creative desserts. Note that Carte Blanche cannot accommodate vegans or vegetarians.

Just next door to crowded Doctor’s Cave Beach in Montego Bay is a quiet and spacious stretch known as Cornwall Beach. You won’t see more than a couple of people at a time here during the week. Late afternoons and weekends attract a few locals who come to relax and enjoy the restaurant and bar. A small entry fee—under US$5—covers the on-site facilities, including lounge chairs and snorkel gear. Cornwall Beach occasionally hosts a sunset beach party on Sunday afternoons with a “bottomless” Appleton mug option (that is, all-you-can-drink rum).

This abacus-inspired device tracks how many beers you take from the honor bar located next to the rooftop jacuzzi at Casa Tota (www.hotelcasatota.com). Located in the heart of Todos Santos, this new hotel is outrageously affordable (rooms start at around $85) and its restaurant serves a dangerously good margarita. Margaritas are on the house if you can out arm wrestle Casa Tota’s buff waiter, Raul.

Doughnuts are to Portland what coffee is to David Lynch, both essential fuel and calling card. While there are many pretenders to the title of the city’s best doughnuts—Voodoo Doughnuts certainly sells the most Instagrammable food products—Blue Star, from ubiquitous local restaurateur Micah Camden, is the most consistent. Flavors range from powdered sugar to maple bacon to passion fruit cocoa nibs, sold fresh daily until no more remain. The downtown location gets crowded early on weekends, so plan ahead. In a pinch, grab them at Blue Star’s airport location—which makes asking a friend to pick you up at the airport a sweet request indeed.

Atlanta’s culinary scene is exploding, with everything from humble eateries to James Beard Award winners popping up all over the city. Restaurants here bring together the cuisines of international cultures, creating a melting pot of flavors.

For dining experiences that range from formal resort restaurants to scruffy beach shacks dishing up conch salad and conch fritters, your Bahamas vacation will offer lots of flavor. Chefs like Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Nobu Matsuhisa have imported their brand of fine dining to the islands, but you can find simpler fare, too, in resort dining rooms and beach bars from Harbour Island to downtown Nassau.