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Murray’s cheese shop, which has been open since 1940, is a Village institution and is now in every guide book and food tour. So when they opened their cheese-focused restaurant a few doors down in 2012, locals were excited. It quickly became a neighborhood favorite for its cheese-focused food and carefully curated craft beer and wine list. They change their menu often, but some favorites—like buffalo cheese curds and a killer macaroni and cheese—persist. They also have themed cheese flights (like Farm to Slate and Spanish Summer) for the table to share, and knowledgeable cheesemongers on hand to help make your selections.

Dive bar enthusiasts will appreciate the laissez faire attitude of the Hair of the Dog Pub a short walk from the Tennessee Aquarium. It’s designed like an English pub, but carries a full selection of American craft beers. It’s not a family spot to speak of, as smoking is allowed and you must be 21 years old to enter. The food is equally good, like the Turkey Reuben or the fish and chips.

The Manayunk neighborhood is a great place to spend the day, with charming Main Street shops, restaurants, and bars. Often overlooked by visitors is the scenic towpath along the canal, a wonderful spot for a leisurely walk or bike ride. The adventurous can bike to Manayunk from the Philadelphia Museum of Art via the Kelly Drive recreational path, and the super-adventurous can pass through Manayunk on their bikes on the way down the Schuylkill River Trail toward Valley Forge. Manayunk is host to several fun festivals during the year and is a lovely destination in the fall. Consider coming by in September for the Fall Streat Food Festival, which features over 50 artisan-food vendors.

City Winery is one of those rare places that does many things well. The fully-functioning winery is also an event venue that hosts live music performances as well as food and wine classes; plus, it serves food, too. The menu is Mediterranean-inspired and each dish is listed with wine pairing suggestions. Prefer to pick your own? You’ve got plenty of choices, with more than 400 labels in the cellar.

I love exploring the markets in São Paulo. There are many, some big and some small, but my latest discovery is the big one on Sundays in Praça da República in the center of the city, very close to the famous Italian and Copan buildings. This lively market takes place around one of the city’s historic buildings. Artisans sell their work, and there’s a nice selection of handicrafts, jewelry, and other typically Brazilian goods for sale. There is a large food area with tables, live music, and vendors selling traditional Brazilian street food, including the specialties of Bahia. If you take the subway, get off at the Republica station. The market takes place during the first half of the day on Sundays.

A stay at the adults-only Rachamankha feels like an extended visit to a supremely stylish friend’s home. Designed by interiors maven Rooj Changtrakul and renowned Thai architect Ongard Satrabhandu (who happens to be Changtrakul’s stepfather), the 24-room boutique hotel is inspired by 15th-century Lanna and features crisp white walls that offset Chinese antiques, vaulted wood ceilings, and colorful Thai silks. Serene courtyards give way to a library, an art gallery, and a poolside massage pavilion for low-key relaxation. Even the restaurant is primed to make you feel at home, serving regional comfort food like Burmese curry in an alfresco setting that reminds you why you booked here in the first place.

When you think of the word pub, chances are you picture something like this place. Housed in the old Cooperage of the Royal Navy Dockyard, this causal bar-slash-restaurant is all about cozy atmosphere; there’s even a fireplace that was originally a forge used to produce iron hoops for barrels. The menu showcases comfort food—fish-and-chips, savory pies, and brisket with Yorkshire puddings—not to mention some local touches like the pepper jam served with red-onion rings. Enjoy a pint or two of ale, pilsner, or porter from the onsite Dockyard Brewing Company (the most established of the breweries on the island). The hoppy offerings change regularly.

Not to be mistaken for the popular izakaya of the same name (and same owners) down the street, on Boulevard Saint-Laurent and Avenue des Pins, this Big In Japan is on the corner of Boulevard Saint-Laurent and Rue Rachel. You may not notice the sign, or even the door – it adds to the sense of mystery of this high-class drinking establishment (look for the black door near the fast-food restaurant Patati-Patata). From the vaporous curtains to the long shiny U-bar, the atmosphere here is distinctly speakeasy, and the classic cocktails maintain that illusion. The champagne cocktail will never go unwanted, and the Tom Collins is fizzy and tart, as it should be. Or you could dip into the house specialties: sakes, prune wines and Japanese whiskeys, used bottles of which serve as the basis for this stylish spot’s contemporary lamp fixtures.

Whether you are celebrating a special occasion or just for a spontaneous night of indulgence: Medellin is blessed with romantic dining spots. El Cielo, just opposite Parque Lleras, is as well-known throughout Latin America as its creator Juan Manuel Barrientos—a young chef synonymous with creating unforgettable experimental cuisine. Dishes are separated into ‘moments’ and are all created by his team of chefs and designers in his food lab. Diners can choose from either 10 or 15 ‘moments.’ Each dish has a lifespan of three months, after which it is replaced by a new, vastly different dish. Meanwhile Carmen, located a few blocks away, offers not only high-end, diverse cuisine but also a seductive interior and some extraordinary cocktails.

Located in the Mouraria neighborhood—the birthplace of fado—this restaurant is a prime pick for sampling traditional Portuguese food. The codfish, or bacalhau, is a must here. It is served with plenty of bread to clean your plate.


In the style of a classic tasca (Portuguese tavern), the walls are adorned with blue tiles and many photos, paintings and drawings.

The Chez Panisse of Santa Fe has been helmed by the same Berkeley-bred chef-owner since the 1970s. While the restaurant isn’t for New Mexican food purists, the local dishes are solid and range from classic renditions to enchiladas gussied up with griddled organic tofu, spinach, and zucchini.

If you’ve been pacing up and down the passages of the Grand Bazaar contemplating that perfect purchase, chances are you’ll need refueling eventually. Hidden on a backstreet just outside gate 16 of the Grand Bazaar is the cozy and charming Keyf-i Mekan Cafe and Restaurant. “Keyfi” means “merriment,” but in Turkey keyfi is also a way of life, one that’s full of pleasure. So expect the small menu featuring delicious Turkish-style home-cooked food to fulfill both these meanings. The food will surely fill the belly and energize you to take those bazaar vendors head on! Choose from the menu of mezes, or meat dishes or peek at the mouthwatering “specials of the day” on the counter. The cafe is open every day, except Sunday when the rest of the bazaar is closed too.

Sacramento has declared itself the “Farm-to-Fork Capital” of the U.S. because of its location in California’s agricultural valley and its emphasis on products that are seasonal, fresh, and grown near the city. While the busy Sunday farmers’ market on X Street is open year-round, many small markets take place May through October at various locations in Downtown and Midtown Sacramento, including Fremont Park on Tuesdays 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. In the summer, look for many varieties of stone fruits like apricots, white nectarines, and pluots. Cherries are usually available in June. Raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries also appear in the summer. Fall highlights include apples and persimmons. The markets also sell fresh-baked breads and treats, flowers, and locally-grown nuts, while food trucks offer a variety of ethnic foods.

For those of us used to seeing chicken cut into parts, wrapped in plastic, and cooling in supermarket refrigerators, a trip to a local Peruvian market is fascinating and a bit daunting. At the biggest market, San Pedro, just up the street from the Plaza de Armas, you’ll find fruits, vegetables, alpaca charqui (the Quechua source of our word jerky), pig’s heads, herbs, fruit juices, weavings, and much, much more. You’ll see a fair number of foreigners wandering here as well, so for an experience that feels more authentic, try San Blas Market or Rosaspata, both off the tourist track.

This place truly lives up to its name. There isn’t one single model train-related item that this place won’t have. They feature a staggering amount of model choices, and in back there are entire walls of locomotives, cars and cabooses to choose from to complete that perfect railway masterpiece you’ve been working on. They even have a model train set running just for fun! The folks here also specialize in repairs, and can get your engine up and running in no time. And should you be into model airplanes, or a pinewood derby enthusiast, they have you covered on that front as well. This place is a must-see for any hobbyist. Amateur or expert, you gotta see this place!