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Willis Tower—originally known as the Sears Tower—was the world’s tallest building for 23 years until it was unseated in 1996 by the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur. The 110-story skyscraper is still mighty impressive. Its “bundled tube” design by architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill was originally inspired by a handful of cigarettes and the innovative bundling changed the construction of supertall, wind-resistant buildings thereafter. The tower’s height is even more thrilling when measured from the 103rd-floor windows of the Skydeck observatory and the Ledge, a glass-enclosed box which juts more than four feet out from the side of the building so that visitors can (gingerly) walk out and stand 1,353 feet above the street.

Wood and ferns, creping vines, and abundant natural light abound in this new outing from the owners of Galanga Thai Kitchen. The menu features Thai classics like tom kha gai soup and green papaya salad, as well as Vietnamese favorites like rice noodles and beef broth with galangal ginger and lemongrass, pok-pok wings, and bahn mi. The gastronomy is notable not just for proven comforts, or even because of freshly harvested ingredients from the garden they maintain in the town of Hidalgo, Morelos; you’ve also got Chef Somri “Anna” Raksamra’s hand when it comes to seasonings. Start out with chicken, beef, pork, and shrimp skewers that you charcoal-roast on a colorful, open-air cart (an homage to food carts that abound along Thai streets). For dessert you’ve got a sweet potato tart—something you won’t find anyplace, anywhere in Mexico City.

Dining at the King George Hote’s seventh-floor Tudor Hall restaurant is not to be missed. The Acropolis is so close it feels as if you can reach out to touch it. Seeing the Parthenon lit up in the evening while you enjoy refined, well-balanced dishes such as smoked eggplant salad smashed tableside; scorpion fish with chard, fennel marmalade and saffron; and braised rabbit with smoked Metsovone cheese and plums, is truly unforgettable.

Tudor Hall presents a modern and elegant take on Greek cuisine. The freshest seafood from local waters, beautiful cheeses and herbs, and Mediterranean flavors that just whisper “Greece.” Executive Chef Sotiris Evanelou and Chef de Cuisine Alexandros Koskinas, are two of the best chefs in Greece. Ask Head Sommelier Evangelos Psofidis to pair Greek wines with your courses to taste the nuances of both your food and the excellent wines.

Just across the street from the Pera Palace Hotel, Meze by Lemon Tree is an intimate restaurant—with seating for about 30—and a limited menu with four meat entrées and three fish ones. The main attraction, however, is the meze. Sometimes innovative (as with a seaweed salad with ginger) and other times traditional, they are all tasty. Pick your cold choices from a refrigerated case; the menu varies daily but you can expect some marinated fish options, bean and grain dishes, and pickled vegetables. Each portion for two is 11TL. Hot options may include fried fish and baked phyllo dishes. The wine and raki list is extensive. Leave room for the Balli Bademli Cevizli Kaymakli Muz or, in English, bananas topped with nuts and clotted cream, drizzled with honey. The unusual addition of chili sauce gives this sweet dessert a savory and spicy edge.

A popular spot for late-night carb-loading (it’s open until 2 a.m. every night), Bimbo’s serves up cheap and enormous burritos in its eye-catching restaurant, decorated wall-to-wall in a Mexican-wrestler-and-black-velvet theme. When you see the giant blinking red arrow, you’ve found the place. They offer burritos, tacos, nachos, tortas, and taco salads, and nothing is over $10. Vegetarian and vegan options are available. Downstairs is the Cha Cha Lounge, a large basement space with plenty of seating for groups; there’s an upstairs and downstairs bar for convenience. Happy hour is 4-8 every day, and all day Sunday and Monday. Wells are $3.50, sangria is $4, margaritas and Bloody Marys are $4.50, and there’s a small happy hour food menu. But really, with prices this cheap, how much of a discount do you need?

You’ve probably had the sauce, but did you know that there are three different places in Illinois where you can actually go and eat at a Sweet Baby Ray’s restaurant? With locations in Wood Dale, Elk Grove Village and Chicago, there’s no excuse. Falling under the label of ‘authentic urban Chicago style barbecue,’ Ray’s creative menu has a distinctive southern twang to it that everyone loves. Known for their ribs, chicken, pork, and awesome sandwiches, Ray’s also has a host of other craft choices. Spruce up your meal with one of the seven homemade sides, try the gumbo, or get your greens by adding a freshly made salad. And if you feel the need to take something home with you, there is a full selection of barbecue sauces that you can purchase for your very own culinary adventures back at the house.

New Leaf Restaurant & Bar is an upscale eatery located in NYC’s Fort Tryon Park. Perched on one of the highest points in Manhattan, the 67-acre park features pristine views over the Hudson River. New Leaf is a wonderful dining option if you are visiting the park or its crown jewel, The Cloisters, the world-famous museum devoted to medieval art and architecture. The restaurant is housed in what was formerly a food concession facility from the 1930s. A renovation in 2001 enhanced the natural beauty of the cottage’s cobblestone exterior, 18-foot high ceilings and shaded outdoor patio. The food is fresh, seasonal and modern American cuisine - a top-notch Ceasar salad, plus Maryland crab cakes, hickory bacon wrapped pork tenderloin, ricotta ravioli and more. The non-profit restaurant benefits the New York Restoration Project - all proceeds support a cleaner, greener New York City. So feel good while eating well! www.newleafrestaurant.com

It was a late Saturday afternoon in Amsterdam. The sun was almost piercing and locals were joyous, thronging cafés and shedding layers. After all, they had suffered weeks of spring’s damp and gray homecoming. Knowing the extents to which I will go and the lengths I’m willing to travel for a good sandwich, my friends took me straight to Small World Catering whose unalloyed success keep the small space thrumming with customers at all hours of the day. Make your own sandwich or choose between a variety of warm or cold combinations on different types of bread (go with the brown!) proposed by the Australian owner and his convivial staff. And if you’re not in a sandwich kind of mood but find yourself in the neighborhood, the freshly-pressed juices, locally-roasted coffee, vibrant salads and delectable desserts should do the trick. If there aren’t any available seats - which is likely - take your meal to go and head for the canal.

I wouldn’t normally visit a hotel restaurant just for the purpose of having a sandwich. But this is the second restaurant by Vitaly Paley, one of Portland‘s most beloved chefs, and I’d been told it was a good place for lunch. I hadn’t guessed that most of the menu would be sandwiches, and I have to admit to feeling a little disappointment when I saw it. I shouldn’t have. The dungeness crab reuben was a flaky fish marvel, while the heirloom tomato salad I had with it was a perfectly pert accompaniment. The homemade cream soda, meanwhile, was as sweet and delicious as anything in an Enid Blyton novel, and it had me suppressing the urge to exclaim “How jolly!” Anyway. That’s just me. If you like a sandwich, I think you’ll probably like these.

This quaint neighborhood corner joint, on Charleston’s rapidly gentrifying Westside, serves Charleston food with a French accent. That’s not nouveau fusion-and-foams French—it’s rich old-school braises, and buttery, mounted sauces over braised local fish and pork ribs. Although the fancier entrees shine, it’s hard not to defer to the tempting double burger with pickled lunchbox peppers, or the French dip with its fall-apart brisket and intense au jus. Start with artichoke heart au gratin dip, the crab gnocchi with smoked bacon lardons, or a salad made with pears, figs, burrata, and toasted pine nuts. Pair everything with an excellent wine list and local beers. The best seats in the wood-ceilinged, cozy dining room overlook the kitchen (and can be reserved), where conversation with the cooks is welcome.

The main challenge when visiting Berlin’s hippest vegetarian restaurant is finding the place—it’s hidden in an unglamorous backyard behind the Westin Grand Hotel, and a nondescript door lit by a telltale bulb marks the entrance. Once inside, though, guests are greeted by a chic, loftlike interior with exposed brick walls, gentle lighting, and low ceilings, and simple white tablecloths contrast with dark red chairs and banquettes. The trendy staff are both efficient and attentive in serving food that takes vegetarian dining up a notch: Gone are the usual staples of pasta, tofu, and rice, replaced by sumptuous, imaginative ingredients such as beluga lentils, Parmesan dumplings, and wild herb salads. The wine list is also excellent, or you can head next door for a cocktail at Crackers, a restaurant and bar.

Inspired by vibrant Southeast Asian night markets, D.C. chef Erik Bruner-Yang (of Toki Underground fame) and D.C. streetwear mogul Will Sharp created a sleek, two-story indoor/outdoor space that’s part menswear store, part café and restaurant. The first level is all about shopping, and the floor is lined with glass-encased displays featuring Sharp’s clothing line, Durkl, as well as a library full of designer sneakers. Upstairs, sip locally roasted Vigilante coffee while snacking on Frenchie’s pastries and desserts. The best part, though, is when you step onto the patio and take a seat at the open kitchen serving up Yang’s blazing hot and flavorful Cambodian and Taiwanese cuisine. Don’t miss out on the American Wagyu tartare, the Khmer tamarind salad, the steamed pork bao buns, and zha ji pai (Taiwanese fried chicken).

Chef Bill Granger started his first restaurant in Darlinghurst at age 24. Since then, his sunny Aussie eatery (most famous for its creamy scrambled eggs, ricotta hotcakes, and crunchy corn fritters) has spread to Surry Hills as well as Honolulu, Seoul, London, and four locations in Japan. The newest Australian outpost of Bills in Bondi Beach is bright and communal, spilling out on to one of the area’s most lively streets. Arrive early to avoid the long queue for weekend brunch, and sample everything from house-cured gravlax to the fried rice bowl with kimchi. Dinner (at the Bondi and Surry Hills locations only) is a more intimate, candle-lit affair, with interesting Aussie-Asian plates like tea-smoked trout salad, fish curry, spicy pork belly, and Japanese-style steak.

It’s a big deal when a chef wins a James Beard Award for “Best Chef: Southeast.” It’s an even bigger deal when that chef’s successor wins the same award a few years later, but that’s exactly what happened at this downtown hot spot. Overseen by Mike Lata and helmed by Jason Stanhope, FIG is one of the hallmark restaurants that put Charleston’s dining scene on the map. Seasonal veggies are an important part of the menu, which is inventive and thoughtful without feeling fussy. (Anthony Bourdain raved when he dined at FIG—he had the asparagus salad with fromage blanc, quinoa, green garlic, and carrots—during a 2017 episode of Parts Unknown.) For local, creative food in the Lowcountry, FIG is the model.

Rest your tired legs, read a book, engage in discussions with world travelers, sip your coffee or simply admire the art without anyone waiting for you to vacate the table. Kashi Art Café feels like an airy tropical garden that doubles as a hip and relaxed meeting place with an interesting gallery showcasing the works of talented artists. If you want to know what’s happening in Fort Cochin, chances are you’ll see all the information you need on posters in the café! As far as the food goes, breakfast is served through the day. If you’re hungry try a variety of sandwiches, salads, and soups for lunch, or snack on their freshly made cakes and pies with, of course, a cup of coffee or tea!