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A slip of a restaurant on Burnside, Canard is the least formal of Gabriel Rucker’s restaurants (Le Pigeon, Little Bird) yet is easily the most fun. The burger is justly celebrated by local critics, publications and even local food notables like former Simpsons writer Bill Oakley, all of whom praise Rucker’s take on the White Castle slider, steamed with onions, pickles, and cheese for $6 apiece. More decadent types opt for the “duck stack,” pancakes with duck gravy and foie gras, topped with a duck egg; or the foie gras dumplings. Canard is open all day until midnight. Because of the limited number of seats and lack of reservations, popping in at an off-hour is a smart move.

Downtown Orlando is a very social place, with blocks of bars and restaurants that stay busy from happy hour through late night. Along Orange Avenue—but delightfully removed from the more boisterous downtown stretch—this rooftop lounge overlooking Ivanhoe Row is a local favorite for drinking craft cocktails al fresco. Ride the glass elevator up the third-floor deck, where a horseshoe-shaped bar is shaded from the sun but open to the breezes. Seasonal sangrias spiked with whatever fruit is at peak ripeness go down easily. And another house favorite is the Majors Mule, which puts a tequila twist on the ginger beer and fresh lime classic.

Yes, it’s tiny—and no one knows its name—but this hole in the wall is a new favorite, simply because it’s like no other vibe we’ve seen in the city: an open kitchen and a rustic setting, both a lunch stop and a forum for learning about corn, the ingredient that lent form to Mexican cuisine as we know it today. The big idea came from taco-maker Paulino Martínez, founder of iconic Taquería El Parnita, who reasoned that to make a better taco, you had to get involved starting with corn. It translates to superior grain in everything from sopes and gorditas to atole and tejuino (a slightly fermented corn, brown-sugar and lime beverage).

Set amid olive groves and vineyards in the middle of the Istrian countryside, this typical stancija (homestead) is small—it has just four rooms and suites—but delightful. It first opened as an exclusive restaurant serving regional cuisine, wines from its own vineyard (one of Istria’s most renowned), and single-sort extra-virgin olive oils (made from indigenous olives and lauded for their quality). As its reputation grew, however, Meneghetti transformed into a boutique hideaway with rustic rooms—and a Relais & Châteaux designation, to boot. Lounge on the series of outdoor terraces, swim in the indoor and outdoor pools, and dine on creative dishes like bream sashimi and lamb chops with stuffed zucchini.

There are wild times to be had at Val d’Isère’s most happening slope-side bar, where skiers can take advantage of buy-one-get-one-free beers at happy hour, or swing by at 6 p.m. when the live music and DJs really get the party rolling. Here, dancing and general exuberance are the order of the day, especially during special events like themed races or the annual closing party (when the bar sets up a waterslide for skiers). While Cocorico closes at 8 p.m., the party continues steps away at Doudoune, a club run by the same team that stays open until 5 a.m.

Founded in 1850 and housed in the oldest building on Place Stanislas, Grand Café Foy takes its name from General Maximilien Sébastien Foy, who served under Napoléon. Dining at the restaurant, which is open daily from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m., is a bit like stepping back in time, when massive mirrors and red-velvet accents were de rigueur. The wine-by-the-glass selection is extensive, as is the bistro-style menu, which features everything from chicken Caesar salad and steak frites to escargots and the traditional intestine sausage andouillette. For a composed meal, opt for one of the reasonably priced three-course menus, which include dishes like foie gras, fillet of beef, and a selection of French cheeses for dessert.

Known as the Palace of Arts until 2015, the modern, glassy cultural center Müpa opened in 2005 and is the premier venue in the Hungarian capital to take in cutting-edge jazz, dance, art, and more. The Bela Bartok National Concert Hall is within, as is the Ludwig Museum of Art and the Festival Theater. The building was designed to be a technical wonder for cultural production—the acoustics in the concert hall are especially lauded, and the organ in the concert hall is one of the largest such instruments in the world. See top international acts as well as Hungarian stars perform here, including the Hungarian National Philharmonic.

Blink and you might miss it. There’s not even a sign to alert you to Cantina Social, a hidden gem of a dance bar. It’s nestled into a vacant space at the end of an alley, wedged between two buildings in Monastiraki. By day, antique dealers and actors chat over coffee and cigarettes in the secret courtyard. After dark, the cool kids of Athens congregate at absolutely all hours to drink and groove in a low-key, intimate atmosphere. Simple but funky decor, intentionally inexpensive drinks, neighborhood regulars, and great music by resident DJs that veers wildly from indie pop to disco beats are standard; the occasional exhibition or event spices things up. Always open.

The food at the Wawona Hotel is unfussy and satisfying, whether you choose dinner in the Victorian-era dining room, lunch on the veranda, or the summer Saturday barbecues on the big lawn. Dinner specialties range from smoked salmon cakes and cornmeal-crusted trout to flatiron steak and pot roast, while lunchtime fare includes tried-and-true favorites like chicken sandwiches, wedge salads, burgers, and pasta. For even more casual options, the bar-lounge offers bites like caramelized-onion-and-pear tarts, cheese samplers, and turkey-and-bacon sandwiches that you can enjoy on the terrace. Note: This restaurant is open seasonally.

If you’re impressed by the jungles and rivers surrounding San Ignacio, you’ll be in awe of the contrasting landscapes as you head south from town. Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, a wide-open expanse of jungle, rocks, waterfalls, and caves, is reached by a dirt road lined with towering pine trees. Staying in a remote lodge in the reserve area is as romantic as it gets, but even a day trip has its rewards. Take a dip in fresh water after hiking to uncrowded waterfalls like Big Rock, or swim at Rio on Pools, a swimming hole fed by cool, cascading waters. This reserve is one of Belize‘s grandest wild landscapes.

Chef Julia Sullivan grew up in Music City before moving away to study at the Culinary Institute of America and work at restaurants like New York’s Per Se and Blue Hill at Stone Barns. When she returned home, she opened Henrietta Red with sommelier Allie Poindexter in the culinary hotbed of Germantown. The women bring a strong oyster game to landlocked Tennessee as well as options like wood-roasted pork sausage with broccoli rabe and rhubarb mostarda. Diners can take a seat at the long marble bar for natural wines and craft cocktails or settle into the dining room, where white walls and wood tables create a bright, homey feel.

Chef Gabrielle Hamilton opened Prune in 1999. It took a little more than a decade, but when her career took off, it rocketed into the stratosphere. In 2011, she was named Best Chef in New York City by the James Beard Foundation, and in the years since, she has published a memoir about her life and the restaurant, as well as hosted her own television show on PBS. All of these have contributed to Prune’s popularity, and the warmly-lit restaurant is now an East Village fixture. Adventurous eaters who aren’t afraid of organ meats or game such as braised rabbit will especially be rewarded, as these are a strength of Hamilton and co-chef Ashley Merriman.

Disco ball, lounge, jungle, and cuisine all come together at this trendy restaurant located on Tulum’s main hotel-zone avenue. The venue is renowned for its eclectic style that blends unusual lighting, a lush outdoor setting, and live DJ nights for a cool, hippie-style vibe. Dinner is prepared over open-fire grills and in wood-burning ovens, resulting in flavorful Mexican favorites like taco samplers, quesadillas with epazote, grilled avocado, and slow-roasted pork belly. Gitano also specializes in strange but enticing cocktails from its mezcal bar, like ones that include ingredients like rum, hibiscus, and tropical fruits.

Kitty Fisher’s is the antithesis to the New York exposed brick brand of cool. Named after a Georgian courtesan, this tiny restaurant in Mayfair is rather a wood-clad room flickering with candles and exuding a intimate, “make yourself at home” vibe. The food is some of the best in London: the original chef, Tomos Parry, won the Young British Foodie award during his tenure, and his successor George Barson, formerly of the River Cottage, continues to surprise with innovative dishes cooked on the wood grill. If you can’t get a booking, fear not: a second restaurant, Cora Pearl, named for a 19th-century courtesan this time, recently opened on Covent Garden’s Henrietta Street.

Opened in January 2012 in the historic Audubon Building on Canal Street, this cheeky newcomer is a departure from the New Orleans hotel scene (which tends toward the traditional). Its motto, “Play Naughty, Sleep Saintly,” appropriately captures the property’s saucy, sultry vibe, especially in the bordello-like Burgundy Bar and in the five suites, added in 2014 and named after the archangels Christopher, Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Lucifer. By comparison, the restaurant, with its white walls and banquettes paired with antique chandeliers and local artwork, is more demure. Standard rooms are similarly minimalist—though without sacrificing comfort or any of the usual modern conveniences, including 46-inch flat-screen televisions and free Wi-Fi.